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The Chalmers Center - West Africa

Causes: Microfinance, Local Church, Savings Group


Brian Fikkert, Founder


Scroll to bottom of page to see an urgent COVID-19 message

Years ago, we were introduced to Brian Fikkert, Author and Founder of The Chalmers Center at Covenant College. We are especially impressed with their church-centered savings group program which is now our preferred strategy for microfinance. They teach the group members how to save and lend to one another, providing vital capital to start microenterprises, to pay children’s school fees, or to deal with health emergencies. Because the model mobilizes local savings, there is no need for external capital infusion, making the model highly replicable. We also we appreciate how their approach strengthens local churches by equipping them to launch savings groups as holistic ministries that incorporate biblically-based curricula, prayer, and worship. We’ve seen their work in West Africa first hand and truly admire the progress Mawousse Tchegnon, the West Africa Program Coordinator, is making in that region.

Our Mission

The Chalmers Center equips local churches to address the broken relationships at the root of material poverty, living out Jesus' Kingdom today.


The Chalmers Center was founded in 1999 by Dr. Brian Fikkert. It is named after Thomas Chalmers, a 19th-century Scottish pastor who was convinced that the local church needed to take a more active role in ministering to the poor in both word and deed.


By 2008, more and more churches in the United States were requesting training in the basic principles of church-centered poverty alleviation. In response, Brian and Steve Corbett, Chalmers’ Community Development Specialist, began writing When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself. The book was published in 2009, and by the grace of God, has now sold more than 500,000 copies.


Chalmers became an independent non-profit in 2010. Though no longer legally attached to Covenant, Chalmers continues to enjoy a strong relationship with the college. Today, Chalmers continues to shape the way churches and ministries think about poverty.

Our Approach

Everything we do begins and ends with the church.

Even though the scale of poverty can seem overwhelming, churches of any size can walk alongside people, breaking the spiritual, economic, and social bonds of poverty.

Restore: Savings

As an attractive alternative to microfinance programs, Chalmers’ Restore: Savings curriculum equips churches and ministries with tools to start savings group ministries.

Savings groups help people in extreme poverty weather the storms of life. In a savings group, people gather weekly to worship, study God’s Word, and pray.


Every week, each member also contributes a small amount of money to the group. With the money they save and lend to one another, members can invest in their businesses, pay for healthcare or education, or purchase necessities for their families.


Partnerships for Expanded Reach & Impact

We are capable of more together than we are alone. With like-minded partner organizations, the Chalmers Center is dedicated to cultivating key initiatives to equip more churches for Kingdom impact in our mission for poverty alleviation.

In the Majority World

The Chalmers Center has a field project in West Africa that it uses to test ideas, to gain experience, to develop programs, and to create curricula. God has blessed this work: approximately 3,000 very poor churches are using their own spiritual, human, and financial resources to empower 115,000 savings group members. In addition, the Center leverages the West Africa field project by equipping larger organizations, such as Compassion International, Tearfund, and HOPE International, to scale


savings groups through their operations. Together with these partners, God has used Chalmers to accomplish the following:

2019

- Equipped 2,723 churches and organizations

- Reached 150,711 people

Total to Date

- Equipped 8,714 churches and organizations

- Reached 860,147 people

Total Organizational

Today

We are reaching 152,202 people in a year through 7 established partner-organizations.

Looking Ahead

Our two-year goal is to increase the number of partner-organiza


tions and churches in order to exponentially grow the number of people reached.

Goal by 2021

10 established partnerships & approximately 500,000 people reached.

 

An urgent message regarding COVID-19 from The Chalmers Center


Supporting Savings Groups Amid Covid-19 Emergency

The Chalmers Center equips churches in West Africa through Mobile Training Centers (MTCs), each of which manages a network of Lead Trainers (LTs) and Church Facilitators (CFs). About 80% of these churches are in very remote areas, so the LTs provide a vital link to the outside world, strengthening the churches with training, technical assistance, and encouragement. Unfortunately, due to government shelter-in-place restrictions, it is impossible for the LTs to travel to meet with the CFs and their churches. Without education from the LTs about how to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus, people’s lives are at risk. And without ongoing training and technical assistance from the LTs about microfinance, the savings groups could fall apart, resulting in a loss of crucial financial services at a time of tremendous vulnerability.


Objective 1: To increase and provide frequent touch points given a rapidly changing environment due to COVID-19.


Objective 2: To provide updated information that motivates members of SGs to adopt key behaviors that lead to protection against and prevention of the spread of COVID-19.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling all people to be aware of basic protective measures against COVID-19.


Objective 3: To encourage creative solutions to keep Savings Groups intact despite COVID- 19 disruptions


With the above activities, it will be possible to increase touchpoints, provide encouragement during this dispiriting period and encourage LTs, CFs and church leaders to find ways to keep the health of savings groups and its members intact.


Project Strategy


The following description of activities and deliverables are to be considered for the accomplishment of the strategic objectives listed above.


The Chalmers Center will provide technical and financial support so that Mobile Training Centers (MTCs) are not adversely affected by the pandemic and have communication tools they need to support savings groups under their care. In addition, the Chalmers Center will develop messaging to raise awareness and to prevent the spread of and protect against COVID-19.


MTC owners will create and manage communications channels including WhatsApp, text message, telegram messenger groups, Facebook etc. through which they interact and meet with LTs. They will be using these channels to support LTs and when necessary the MTC owners will directly communicate with CFs.


LTs will create and manage WhatsApp and telegram messenger groups and Facebook pages etc. through which they will provide support and mentorship to CFs. Since some of the CFs have regular phones that do not support suggested apps, (WhatsApp, Facebook etc.), text messages and phone calls will be the alternative communication medium.

To ensure accountability at all levels, the following will be followed:


  • Supporting documents including but not limited to receipts for every expense made are provided to Chalmers through its existing customer relationship management system.

  • A monthly report of how the savings groups are supported will be provided: CFs to LTs, LTs will share their report with MTCs and in turn MTCs will compile all reports and be shared with the Chalmers Majority World Deployment team.

  • The Majority World Deployment team will review the report and share it with Chalmers Leadership team.

  • The Leadership will use the report to decide the best course of action/next steps

To learn more about this ministry or to provide financial support, please visit their website by clicking the link or image below.


The Chalmers Center: https://chalmers.org/





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