PROJECTS

AFRICA

Rapid Response to Flash Floods (Emergency Relief)

Severe flash flooding in Malawi caused loss of life, displaced families and damaged homes, crops and infrastructure. Many affected households were left facing immediate food insecurity and the challenge of recovering after losing essential resources.

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Canada is supporting an emergency response providing cash assistance to 250 flood-affected households. Rather than distributing predetermined food items, cash assistance allows families to purchase food according to their own household needs and priorities, while also supporting the local economy and maintaining dignity and choice.

The project is now actively underway. During the first month of implementation, the local team completed participant selection and verification, card registration and activation, and the first round of cash assistance was successfully distributed through mobile transfers.

As the response continues, additional rounds of assistance will help participating households meet immediate food needs while recovering from the effects of the flooding. Local Nazarene churches are also involved in community mobilization and project activities, helping ensure the response remains connected to and rooted within the communities being served.

Eswatini (Container Shipment)

Two containers of donated goods from NCM Canada travelled to Eswatini, carrying medical supplies, educational materials, books, equipment and other resources to support local ministries and communities.

Through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Eswatini, these resources were distributed to Nazarene schools and clinics, RFM Hospital, Southern Africa Nazarene University, Community Development Centres, Haven of Hope and other ministries serving people across the country.

The shipment helped equip local ministries with practical resources to serve children, families and communities, while strengthening the partnership between the Church of the Nazarene in Canada and Eswatini.

“Our children will read these. They will learn. They will dream bigger dreams.” — Teacher at a Nazarene primary school

Turkana (Clean Water - WASH | Food Security)

NCM Canada's partnership with this community in the Turkana region of Kenya began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Canada supported a food-security response for families facing hunger. As relationships developed and the community looked beyond the immediate crisis, access to water was identified as an important need for building greater long-term food security.

That led to the development of a solar-powered water and irrigation system, providing more consistent access to water for agriculture and livestock. With water available, the project could move beyond responding to immediate food needs toward helping families develop the skills and resources to grow food for themselves.

A local elder shared that his goats are healthier because they now have consistent access to water. — Local community elder

Today, the community is building on that foundation through Conservation Agriculture. During an NCM Canada visit in March 2026, farmers connected with the Lokapaparai Church of the Nazarene were growing watermelon, spinach, cowpeas, pigeon peas and groundnuts, cultivating kitchen gardens and using sustainable farming practices such as natural composting. A recent watermelon harvest was sold locally, with part of the proceeds reinvested into seeds for future planting.

From emergency food support, to access to water, to sustainable agriculture, this project demonstrates what long-term partnership can make possible. Rather than addressing only an immediate need, NCM Canada continues to walk alongside the local church and community as they work toward greater food security, stronger livelihoods and increasing self-sufficiency for the future.

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Creative Access (Pastoral & Leadership Development)

In Creative Access areas of Africa, NCM Canada supports an Oral Theological Education Program that equips pastors, lay leaders and local church workers who may have limited access to formal theological education. Training is offered in French, English, Portuguese and Arabic, using storytelling, memory-based learning, group discussion and oral Bible teaching to make theological education accessible in a variety of ministry contexts.

More than 900 leaders have received training through the program. Participants are putting what they learn into practice by sharing Bible stories, leading small groups, teaching children, preaching and discipling others. Trained leaders are also equipping others, allowing the program to multiply and reach new communities.

The impact extends beyond individual leaders. Churches have reported stronger participation, greater unity and increased involvement in ministry and outreach. As requests for training continue to grow, the program is helping equip local leaders to serve their churches and communities with greater confidence.

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Benin (Food Security)

The Food Security in West Africa Project works with families and communities in Benin to strengthen food security and livelihoods through agricultural support, farming activities, savings groups and income-generating opportunities. Working alongside local churches, the project takes a holistic approach that also includes community activities, prayer and spiritual support.

For Marie* and her family, the project came at a time when they were living in extreme poverty and sometimes went an entire day without food. Discouragement had led her to alcohol, and she had lost hope that life could change. Through the project and the care of the local church community, Marie found practical support, encouragement and renewed hope. She gave up alcohol, relationships within her family were restored, and she became actively involved in church and community life.

The project also helped Marie begin a small income-generating activity to provide for her family’s needs. Yet for Marie, the greatest transformation has gone much deeper: “The greatest miracle for me remains the change God has brought about in my inner life. I can say today that the Lord has brought me out of darkness and given me a new life.”

*Name and identifying details have been changed for security.