Prosperity, partnership and the call to love our global neighbours 

Tackling global poverty is more than charity, writes the director of Kentro Christian Network.

In our interconnected world, tackling global poverty is a shared, strategic investment. It strengthens Canada and addresses real needs around the world.  

International assistance in fragile places prevents the spillover of conflict, pandemics and mass migration before they reach our borders.  

The aid recipients of today become tomorrow’s trading partners. 

These are important truths hinted at by the words Prosperity through Partnership, the theme of this year’s International Development Week. This annual February week is a time when Christian relief and development agencies highlight our work for Canadians. Almost 70 of these agencies are members of Kentro Christian Network.  

The work of our network is best told through the lives of those on the ground.  

As Opportunity International Canada says, “Prosperity starts with partnership.” By connecting female farmers in Ghana and Malawi with local supports and Canadian investments, “entire communities become more food secure and resilient in the face of climate uncertainty.”  

CAUSE Canada also realizes that women are the catalysts for change in their communities. They are working with community members in hard-to-reach areas of Sierra Leone to reduce and prevent childhood marriage. By working with communities – and in particular with the men of the communities – CAUSE Canada is aiming to prevent 50% of child marriages in 20 communities and create more opportunities for young girls to realize their potential. 

I am a woman in leadership, and so these stories resonate deeply with me. I love stories that recognize the impact and importance of women in their communities. Not just as mothers and caretakers, but as valuable contributors to economic well-being.  

They move beyond seeing women simply as recipients of charity, instead honouring them as the vital economic and social pillars they were created to be. When girls are given the opportunity to flourish, the entire community moves closer to the shalom God intends for all people.  

These stories are only possible because of a complex, beautiful web of partnership. Most of us can easily see the first layer: the direct relationship between Canadian organizations and the resilient women in Ghana, Malawi and Sierra Leone.  

But if you look closer, you can see the essential local organizations on the ground who ensure the programs are culturally rooted and sustainable.  

Next, there is the vital partnership of the Canadian donor who chooses to stand in solidarity with those they’ve never met.  

The Canadian government is also a key partner in both programs. Both organizations received funding from the Canadian government to implement their programs.  

In fact, all Kentro member organizations, whether they directly receive international assistance funding from the government or not, rely on the Canadian government to be a good partner. A strong partnership in international assistance from the Government of Canada creates a more enabling environment for Kentro members to do their work. 

This work is not mere charity. Yes, it aligns with Jesus’ call to love our neighbours, but their work is an investment in a more stable and prosperous Canada. 

That is why Kentro and many of our member organizations participate in International Development Week each year. We want to ensure that both those in government and the general public have the awareness and information they need to be good partners in addressing global poverty.  

My colleague Rob met with a senator during the week. When the senator asked why he does this work, he replied, “Because I believe all human life matters – and we should do what we can to help people know their life matters and treat them with dignity, even if you get nothing in return.”  

What a clear reflection of the heart of our God, who cares for us despite our brokenness.  

At a time when things do feel so precarious at home, it is so tempting to slip into a scarcity mindset and hoard our resources. I feel it too. How can I ask others to care about global poverty when we have housing and the cost of food crises right here in Canada?  

In the midst of that, the call of Jesus to love my neighbour feels like a lot of cognitive dissonance to wade through. It feels a lot easier to focus on selfless generosity toward issues of global poverty when I’m feeling prosperous. And knowing that addressing global poverty can contribute to my own prosperity is a helpful reminder when I’m feeling stretched. 

I believe we’re actually called to hold both of these truths in tension. As followers of Jesus, we’re called to a radical, selfless generosity, even when we don’t get anything in return. In this case, being a good global partner isn’t just an act of sacrifice; it is a faithful path toward a stable, shared prosperity for everyone. We don’t have to choose between smart strategy and selfless love. They go hand in hand. 

Kentro Christian Network is the central place of connection for Canadian Christian agencies and individuals where they can pull in the same direction, working together for greater impact to address the vast problem of global poverty. Kentro Christian Network was founded as a working group in 1984 and became an independent organization in 2007. To learn more, visit kentronetwork.ca. 

Laura Solberg is executive director of Kentro. Previously she served on Kentro’s board while working with Greater Vancouver Youth Unlimited and their partnership with Rwanda Youth for Christ. A southern Alberta farm girl at heart, Laura’s home is now Vancouver, the traditional and unceded territory of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish people.