Annual Report 2017

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[ Page 5 ] .................................................................................................................................................3
Editorial by the President .....................................................................................................................3
Successful partnership needs dialogue at eye level .........................................................................3
[ Page 7 ] .................................................................................................................................................5
Editorial by the Director .......................................................................................................................5
Working for more justice ...........................................................................................................5
[ Pages 8-9 ] .............................................................................................................................................6
International Relations ........................................................................................................................6
[ Pages 10-11 ] ..........................................................................................................................................6
Increasing violence and tensions were the hallmarks of 2017 ..............................................................6
Incentives for extensive long-term support ...................................................................................6
[ Pages 12-13 ] ..........................................................................................................................................8
Nigeria ..........................................................................................................................................9
Working for religions to live together in peace ..............................................................................8
[ Pages 14-15 ] ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Indonesia .................................................................................................................................... 10
A talented craftswoman and teacher .......................................................................................... 10
[ Pages 16-17 ] ........................................................................................................................................ 12
Democratic Republic of the Congo ................................................................................................. 12
Healthcare for the poorest in a neglected region ......................................................................... 13
[ Pages 18-19 ] ........................................................................................................................................ 15
Latin America .............................................................................................................................. 15
Motivated to make an effort for society ...................................................................................... 15
[ Pages 20-21 ] ....................................................................................................................................... 17
International co-workers perform dedicated service on the ground .................................................... 17
[ Pages 22-23 ] ....................................................................................................................................... 18
Education Exchange and Research ...................................................................................................... 18
[ Pages 24-25 ] ....................................................................................................................................... 18
Religion and development: recognising the potential for peace ......................................................... 18
[ Pages 26-27 ] ....................................................................................................................................... 20
PEP! offers international assignments for young professionals .......................................................... 20
[ Page 28 ] ............................................................................................................................................. 21
Valuable documents now made accessible for research ..................................................................... 21
[ Page 29 ] ............................................................................................................................................. 23
Donations/Annual Financial Statement/Organisation ............................................................................ 23
[ Pages 30-31 ] ....................................................................................................................................... 23
Trimbach keeps up its tradition of social work ................................................................................. 23
Small change leads to big results doing a 'good turn' through the gratitude box .......................... 23
[ Page 32 ] ............................................................................................................................................. 25
Your support benefits disadvantaged people .................................................................................... 25
Thank you for making a change for the better possible! ............................................................... 25
[ Page 33 ] ............................................................................................................................................. 26
List of donations ..................................................................................................................... 26
[ Page 37 ] ............................................................................................................................................. 27
Commentary on the annual financial statement ............................................................................... 27
Spending on programme work was stepped up ........................................................................... 27
[ Page 39 ] ............................................................................................................................................. 28
Organisation .................................................................................................................................... 28
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[ Picture caption 2, title illustration]
Bahati Mshani talking with school students (see page 30). Photo: Nicholas Calvin Mwakatobe
[ Picture caption 2, top]
Subjects for the 2017 autumn campaign (see page 33)
[ Picture caption 2, bottom]
Rattan weavers in Mandomai Photo: Ueli Knecht
[ Picture caption 3, top]
The 2017 symposium on "Values" aroused great interest. Photo: Lea Wirz
[ Picture caption 3, centre]
A woman carrying water in Kwango (DR Congo). Photo: Bernhard Zahnd
[ Picture caption 3, bottom]
A new honorary co-worker at Mission 21's autumn bazaar: Brigitte Tschan, who took over responsibility for the
flower stand in 2017.
[ Picture caption 4 ]
In Cameroon as elsewhere, dialogue at eye level is the keynote for cooperation. Former international co-worker
Dr. Claudia Bender puts this principle into practice during her morning visit to the children's ward in
Manyemen. Photo: Heiner Heine
[ Page 5 ]
Editorial by the President
Successful partnership needs dialogue at eye level
During my last assignment as a doctor in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), I came face-to-face
with much distress. I was profoundly moved by the suffering of gravely ill patients and many of them were
3

young people. I examined the patients thoroughly, ordered additional tests and then prescribed treatments.
Many of them were able to recover, but others remained ill. In those cases, patients and nurses alike were
disappointed. Then, when I realised that my prescriptions had not been followed, I felt anger and frustration
rising within me.
Hours later, when I was calmer, I heard a gentle voice within me recalling the words of Jesus: "I came not to
judge the world, but to save the world." My mission is to help to the best of my knowledge and belief but not
to know everything better than others, or to judge my co-workers. I want to pass on my expert knowledge not
from on high to others down below, but in a spirit of service and assistance.
Arrogance and a know-it-all attitude are the most common allegations levelled against foreign aid workers. For
their part, they are under great pressure to report successful figures, prove that they have accomplished
sustainable work, and achieve the goals they have been set. They often pass this pressure on to local specialists.
When my wife and I travelled out to the DR Congo for the first time in 1985, we were given some useful advice
which has remained important for us until today: keep quiet during the first year, ask questions in the second
year, and wait until the third year to join in discussions and state your opinion. Even if it is not so easy to follow
this advice in our times when everything moves at such a rapid pace, putting it into practice will show great
respect for our partners and their culture. Relating to different cultures is not something that can be learned in a
hurry and the same is true of local languages. This is precisely the challenge that confronts our partners
overseas: they have to meet our requirements for drawing up accounting statements and documentation, or for
submitting proof of work completed to mention only two examples. This is why successful mission work
requires long-lasting relationships and partnerships.
Do we have to adapt to the culture of our partner countries to the extent that we feel unable to mention
shortcomings? If we adapt too much, and if we allow injustices such as corruption to be tolerated, we can
easily become the accomplices of a ruling class. What is called for here is honest dialogue with great respect for
our partners. All of us are moulded by our own cultures, and it is only through dialogue with other cultures that
we can learn from one another and continue to develop.
A delegation from our partner church in the DR Congo visited Basel in autumn 2017. During open and honest
discussions, we talked about the future of our work; we did not bypass sensitive issues, and we concluded an
agreement on Mission 21's cooperation with our partners in the DR Congo. We discussed these subjects with
one other at eye level, and we worked together to develop projects.
Partnerships that have lasted for decades number among Mission 21's great strengths. In the future, too, we
intend to be partners at eye level: we shall treat our own knowledge as well as our partners' knowledge with the
greatest care; and we shall be partners who share the burden and tackle the challenges partners who can be
relied upon.
Johannes Blum
President of the Board of Mission 21
[ Picture caption 6 ]
A woman hanging out washing in the camp for internally displaced people in Jos. Photo: Albrecht Ebertshäuser
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[ Page 7 ]
Editorial by the Director
Working for more justice
Mission 21's work focuses on people. The South American expression "buen vivir" (or "living well") is one way of
describing this principle, or it could be equated with the concept of human dignity: what is important is the
professional and uncompromising endeavour to bring about more justice and human dignity throughout the
world. As an organisation, we work purposefully towards these goals on the basis of Christian values.
Conflicts and injustices have increased throughout the world, and many people lack the basic necessities of life.
Mission 21 joins with its partners in practical work to improve living conditions. As a new activity, for instance,
our international Asian women's network enables experts all over the world to exchange ideas about improving
living conditions for women and girls. This is an urgent concern, because violence against women and girls
and disregard for their rights were difficult issues again in 2017. Women's rights are enshrined in law in many
of our partner countries, but the legislation is not implemented and there is no efficient monitoring their
rights merely exist on paper.
The successful outcome of our persistent work to combat human trafficking is that growing numbers of
partners are launching efficient programmes to participate in this effort. They are carrying out educational work
and implementing preventive measures. Labour migration is one of the principal options for survival, especially
in situations of poverty that are seemingly hopeless. We carry out targeted educational and preventive work as a
sustainable contribution towards ensuring that migration does not lead to a modern form of slavery for
women in particular.
Mission 21's youth development work bore visible fruits again in 2017. At a ceremony in Geneva last autumn,
former Mission scholarship holder Rebecca Dali was awarded the United Nations prize for exemplary
humanitarian work in northern Nigeria.
Mission 21 makes use of its lengthy experience to work specifically towards intercultural and interfaith
understanding: for peace between religions (as in Indonesia, Malaysia and northern Nigeria, for example) or for
peace between different cultures (as in South Sudan). Mission 21 also engages in advocacy activities to draw
worldwide attention to these conflicts: events were held on 14 April, in remembrance of the kidnapping of 276
schoolgirls by Boko Haram in Chibok (northern Nigeria) and on 10 December, International Human Rights Day,
to strengthen interfaith understanding. We draw attention to partner churches and organisations whose difficult
situations are all too often overlooked.
Time and again, we see how Mission 21 gets to the very heart of today's challenges thanks to its open culture of
dialogue and commitment. All of this is only possible thanks to the enormous dedication and sustained work of
our partners and co-workers, as well as the various bodies working within the Mission. But also, and in
particular, it is thanks to the many donors who loyally support the work of Mission 21 and its partners. I offer all
of you my sincerest thanks.
Claudia Bandixen,
Director, Mission 21
((Signature))
[ Picture caption 8 ]
Karen Mamani (left) is able to study theology at the Latin American Biblical University (UBL) thanks to a Mission
21 scholarship. She intends to take on a commitment to society after she graduates. Photo: Dorothee Adrian
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[ Pages 8-9 ]
International Relations
A life in dignity for all people: this is the goal we seek to achieve through our work. Mission 21 endeavours to
bring about life in peace, with adequate food, access to healthcare and education for all people, regardless of
their religion, gender, and ethnic or cultural background. At our headquarters in Basel, we towards this goal in
collaboration with our international co-workers on the ground in 20 countries throughout Africa, Asia and Latin
America, and with over 70 partners in more than 100 projects.
[ Picture caption 10, top]
A weaver in Gohong making a basket. Photo: Ueli Knecht
[ Picture caption 10, bottom ]
Members of the congregation of the Church of the Brethren, Nigeria (EYN) standing in the remains of a church
in Maiduguri that was burned down by Boko Haram. Photo: Jochen Kirsch
[ Pages 10-11 ]
International Relations
Increasing violence and tensions were the hallmarks of 2017
Incentives for extensive long-term support
Living conditions deteriorated for many people in our partner countries last year, due mainly to
sustained political and social tensions and violence. Women and children are the ones who suffer
most. This is why they merit particular attention and support from us.
2017 was characterized by sustained and sometimes heightened violence and tension in many of our partner
countries. But even when social rifts and conflicts are merely simmering under the surface, people's lives still
become more difficult. On the one hand, this is a development that fills us with great concern. But on the other,
it encourages and obliges us to offer even more extensive assistance to the people affected: as part of our longterm
development cooperation programme, through emergency aid and reconstruction. We are working to
bring about access to education and medical care on the basis of equal rights for women and men. We make it
possible for them to get back on their feet in economic terms. And we empower them to demand their rights and
to follow paths that lead to the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
To make our aid even more effective, we are in the process of launching major projects to substantially improve
people's living conditions in all the countries affected, covering all subject areas.
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Asia
Our partners in Indonesia and Malaysia are concerned that peaceful social cohesion across ethnic and religious
divides is constantly becoming more fragile. One sign of this was the imposition of a custodial sentence on the
Christian Governor of Jakarta for alleged denigration of Islam. At the same time, observers note that radical
Muslim ideology is continuing to infiltrate mosques, schools and universities. Given this background, it is
important for Mission 21 to systematically foster interfaith cooperation in the country as a contribution towards
preserving an Indonesia that is democratic, pluralistic and tolerant.
In addition to interfaith peace work, another key focus is the advancement of women. For example, great concern
is being aroused by the migration of young women (especially from Indonesia) to work in other countries in Asia
and the Middle East. They often become victims of human trafficking, violence and exploitation. Mission 21's
new international action program helps to protect these women against exploitation and violence by providing
them with information before they leave their own countries, and by offering legal advice and ongoing education
in the countries where they work. Through our project for craftswomen in Indonesia (page 14), we also help
women to earn incomes of their own at home as an economic means of preventing labour migration.
Latin America
In this region, the dominant activity in 2017 was the preparation of the new cooperation programme. From 2018
onwards, all of Mission 21's projects in Latin America will be part of one single programme, but the work areas
will be retained: work will therefore continue in the areas of theological and non-theological education and also
in agriculture and livelihood security.
The concept of a pan-continental programme also strengthens the theological element of our work. In a context
where fundamentalist and conservative religious movements are gathering momentum, Mission 21's seven
partner organisations send out strong messages to counter these trends: through their ecumenical approach,
they help to overcome cultural and religious divides. Women and men are empowered to shoulder
responsibilities in the church and in society, and to play an active part in social changes. In these ways, they can
become effective champions of Latin America's disadvantaged and marginalised population groups in the long
term (page 18).
Africa
Many of Mission 21's partner churches in Africa were confronted with major challenges again in 2017. They
themselves were impacted by conflicts in their own countries and at the same time, they had to play their part in
overcoming the causes and consequences of the conflicts. South Sudan and Nigeria were hit particularly hard by
war and violence. In these same countries, it became clear yet again that the church is an enormously important
factor in broad-based and sustainable social development.
For example, the Church of the Brethren, Nigeria (EYN) has been advocating peaceful coexistence between
Christians and Muslims in north-eastern Nigeria for many years now. EYN staff and volunteers stepped up
psychosocial support and counselling for traumatised women, men and children in 2017 (page 12). Trauma
management helps people regain trust in their fellow human beings and confidence in their future. This makes
it a core element of our peace promotion activities. The civil war in South Sudan has now been raging for five
years. At this point in time, the churches are regarded as the only remaining institutions that can still set a peace
process in motion. In 2017, with support from Mission 21, the South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC)
launched an Action Plan for Peace that transcends ethnic divides.
Mission 21 runs projects to promote the health of the population in all African countries. In Tanzania, we
support two hospitals run by the Moravian Church. At Manyemen Hospital in Cameroon, experts and staff
members from Mission 21 have made major contributions to healthcare not only in terms of medical care, but
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also by improving technical equipment. And in the DR Congo, major steps have been taken towards ensuring a
reliable supply of clean drinking water for the clinic, schools and population of Matamba-Solo (page16).
Jochen Kirsch, Head of International Relations
[ Box 10-11 ]
For many years now, international co-workers seconded by Mission 21 have been actively involved in various
projects as specialists, at the explicit request of Mission 21's partner churches and organisations. They work as
coordinators, theologians and technical experts, and also in other roles. Their efforts strengthen our
organisation's international networking. At the end of 2017, a total of 17 international co-workers were working
for Mission 21.
To read more about our international co-workers, turn to pages 20-21.
[ Box, core theme 10-11 ]
Project contributions: four key areas
For educational projects 2,487,482 francs
For healthcare promotion projects 848,335 francs
For agriculture and livelihood security projects 903,067 francs
For peace promotion projects 806,070 francs
Christians and Muslims participating jointly in a literacy course. Photo: Jonathan Liechti.
[ Picture caption 12, bottom ]
Pastor Ephraim Kadala is committed to enabling people in north-eastern Nigeria to live together in peace
regardless of their religious affiliations. Photo: Miriam Glass
[ Pages 12-13 ]
International Relations
Nigeria
Working for religions to live together in peace
Calm has still not been restored in north-eastern Nigeria after conflicts that have lasted many
years. Efforts for peace in this region have repeatedly been set back by Boko Haram, the Islamist
terrorist militia. Nevertheless, there are some faint glimmers of hope on the horizon thanks to the
organisations supported by Mission 21.
On a November morning in 2017, a massive explosion shatters the calm of the early hours in the town of Mubi,
in Adamawa Federal State. A suicide bomber has detonated an explosive device during morning prayers in the
Medina mosque. The building's roof collapses, debris is hurled through the air, and screams reverberate against
8

the walls of the houses surrounding the mosque. As the dust slowly settles, the facts become clear: over fifty
people have been robbed of their lives, and vast numbers of people have been injured in addition to those who
were killed.
Uncertainty instead of trust
Last year, the Nigerian armed forces were able to push back the radical Islamist fighters of Boko Haram in many
places. But this example shows that not only the Christian population of the region but also its Muslim
inhabitants still have to live in fear and uncertainty. Like many others, Ephraim Kadala has had enough of tragic
events such as these. Kadala is a pastor and peace coordinator in the Church of the Brethren, Nigeria (EYN), a
partner church of Mission 21. In the area where he works, Christian and Muslim families have been living
together at close quarters for many years. Their relationships used to be based on mutual respect: members of
the two religions were often united in one family, and the communities regularly visited each other on religious
holidays. As a result, mutual understanding was usually a key element of day-to-day coexistence.
However, this peaceful cohabitation began to erode when fundamentalist ideologies fell on fertile ground (due
in part to economic problems and the marginalisation of north-eastern Nigeria), accompanied by a massive
increase in the violence and atrocities perpetrated by Boko Haram. Kadala describes this development: "Even in
small communities, there has been a sharp increase in fear and mistrust of one's neighbours." More and more
often, people have had to ask themselves questions such as these: "Which side does the person I'm talking to
support? Can I really trust him?"
Recent approaches to rapprochement
This situation is the focus for the efforts now being made by Mission 21's partner organisations, in which
Ephraim Kadala plays his part. They have set themselves the goal of contributing to the latest attempts to build
trust between the religions. One thing is clear to Ephraim Kadala: "If we are to overcome extremism, we must all
move closer together!" An important instrument for this work is the Christian and Muslim Peace Initiative
(CAMPI), set up in 2010, which Kadala has supported for several years. One element of this project is to offer a
platform for dialogue. This creates opportunities for amicable discussion of issues that impact both religions.
These regular meetings also help to clear up misunderstandings at an early stage, before they escalate.
At another level, Peace Clubs set up in secondary schools arrange various activities that enable children and
young people to strike up interfaith contacts on a positive foundation. Examples of activities include sports
events, cleaning campaigns, cultural occasions or planting trees together.
One outstandingly important aspect is the expansion of a network to provide psychosocial support for people
who have suffered trauma due to the ravages of war. Thanks to this network, traumatised individuals can receive
long-term support from a caregiver. This support helps them to regain control of their lives and enables them to
develop prospects for their futures.
Successes meet with international recognition
The Mubi attack shows that the situation in Nigeria is complex and that the assaults, assassinations and
abductions cannot be halted so quickly. Nevertheless, Mission 21's partners will not allow themselves to be
intimidated by this challenge, and they are continuing to press ahead with their work. Workshops and other
events focusing on non-violent conflict resolution were again organised in affected communities during 2017.
One milestone was the opening of a new local group for interfaith dialogue in Maiduguri, one of the region's
flashpoints.
Mission 21 is particularly delighted that the work of EYN and CAMPI is also earning international recognition.
For instance, the 2016 Michael Sattler Peace Prize for efforts to mediate across religious divides was awarded
jointly to Ephraim Kadala (representing EYN and CAMPI) and the mediator Hussaini Shuaibu, on behalf of all
those who are striving to bring about peaceful relations between Islam and Christianity in Nigeria.
Robin Hill, Public Relations Team
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[ Box 12-13 ]
"Interfaith peace work in Nigeria"
This project is part of the Nigeria cooperation programme (no. 162.1001). The main objective is to support the
peaceful coexistence of the Christian and Muslim populations. On the one hand, various interfaith activities
were organised for this purpose in 2017 while on the other, over 100 moderators have already been trained to
provide psychosocial support for traumatised individuals in their everyday lives. In these ways, Mission 21 is
supporting sustainable peace work. The "Interfaith Peace Work in Nigeria" project is assigned project number
162.1007.
[ Box, core theme 12-13 ]
Project contributions for peace promotion
Total: 806,070 francs
In Africa: 420,511 francs
In Asia: 385,559 francs
[ Picture caption 13 ]
Schoolchildren belonging to both religions should be able to gain positive experiences together again. Photo:
Jonathan Liechti
[ Picture caption 14 ]
A weaver in Mandomai. Photo: Ueli Knecht
[ Pages 14-15 ]
International Relations
Indonesia
A talented craftswoman and teacher
31-year-old Yusnela is a talented craftswoman: she combines traditional weaving with modern
design to produce attractive bags that sell well. Mission 21 supports ongoing education for Yusnela
and many other women in Kalimantan, Indonesia. This gives the women economic independence,
and they also have money for their children's education.
Yusnela lives in Central Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. Her village is located between the towns of
Palangkaraya and Banjarmasin. Many of the weavers in this district know Yusnela. This 31-year-old is truly multitalented.
She can repair machinery or shoes, and she sews and manufactures her own handbags. Although she
has taught herself many of these skills, the courses and workshops offered by the Kalimantan Evangelical
Church (GKE), Mission 21's partner church, have also played an important part in her ongoing education.
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It is very important for women in Borneo to engage in other activities besides agriculture. Most rural families are
able to feed themselves from the crops they grow on their land, but there is often no money to send the children
to school or to meet other needs. For this reason, women work as cooks, breed chickens or use traditional
weaving methods to manufacture mats and bags. They often engage in several activities at the same time. In
some cases, their husbands' pay is not enough to feed the family while in others, women have to earn the entire
income themselves after their husbands have died.
New markets for traditional handicrafts
Especially in poor rural areas, women marry at an early age sometimes while they are still minors. Instead of
being able to attend school, they look after the house and the children. Many women take advantage of the
excellent sewing, crocheting or weaving skills that they learned from their mothers or grandmothers. In Borneo,
the art of weaving is passed down from one generation to the next among the Dayak and Murut ethnic groups in
particular, and it forms part of their cultural identity. The women use natural raw materials such as bamboo and
rattan to manufacture their products. Most of the mats and baskets that they are able to produce thanks to their
handicraft skills used to remain in the family, and were rarely sold. Only a very few women earned money in this
way, and even fewer had businesses of their own.
But for several years now, these women have been receiving support from Mission 21 and its partner churches.
In South Kalimantan, courses and workshops are offered by the GKE. At the GKE's sewing centre in
Banjarmasin, women learn how to develop their weaving skills so that their products are bought at market. The
weavers receive training in product development, and they also learn how to initiate business relationships. The
sewing centre helps them to broaden their knowledge so they can increase their incomes, but they also like
coming here to meet their friends and to offer each other support. The women gain more independence and
self-confidence thanks to their new source of income.
From weaver to teacher
Yusnela belongs to this network. She also works with the woven materials that her parents and siblings produce.
They gather the rattan themselves and prepare it for weaving by carrying out a complex process. Yusnela then
combines the woven materials with leather or fabric to create artistically sewn bags. She is selling these
successfully, especially at markets in urban areas. Traditional products are in demand there and people like to
buy Yusnela's bags: "I started production three years ago, simply to try my hand at it. Then, so many orders
flooded in that I just kept on doing it." Not only does Yusnela take advantage of her own knowledge: she also
likes to pass it on to others. She receives financial support from the GKE both as a manufacturer and a teacher.
Now she teaches other women in the GKE's workshops; they too are seeking additional sources of income,
mainly so that they can earn money to enable their children to benefit from education. Yusnela has chosen a
different path: she has used her own money to buy a house, which she plans to extend with a new workshop
room. Alongside her life as a farmer, she definitely aims to step up her production of woven goods so that she
can employ young people. She is setting an example for many others.
Meret Jobin, Public Relations Team
[ Box 14-15 ]
The "Income for producers of handicraft products" project is part of the Asia cooperation programme.
(Programme no. 225.1001).
Mission 21 supports its partner churches in Indonesia and Malaysia with providing ongoing education for
women so that they can earn incomes of their own while continuing to engage in subsistence agriculture. 443
producers are currently active in 33 groups at 22 locations. At least eleven more groups (100 producers) are
already working independently. They too are involved in ongoing education as the need arises. Because of landgrabbing,
small farmers are losing their land and, therefore, the rattan which is the raw material for their
weaving. For this reason, Mission 21 has integrated measures to safeguard sources of raw materials into the
project. The "Income for producers of handicraft products" project is assigned project no. 200.1017.
11

[ Picture caption 15 ]
Yusnela sews attractive bags from woven rattan materials. Photo: Ueli Knecht
[ Box, core theme 14-15 ]
Project contributions for agriculture and livelihood security
Total: 903,067 francs
In Africa: 356,055 francs
In Asia: 118,883 francs
In Latin America: 271,256 francs
Intercontinental: 156,873 francs
[ Picture caption 16 ]
One of the newly trained local healthcare workers. Photo: Raymond Rohner
[ Pages 16-17 ]
International Relations
Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Healthcare for the poorest in a neglected region
Mission 21 supports the healthcare service in the Kwango (Democratic Republic of Congo, or DR
Congo). The need for this support is great: the Kwango region is neglected by the government, and
is structurally weak. This has particularly drastic consequences in the healthcare sector, including
high maternal and infant mortality rates. Mission 21 is now expanding its healthcare project, and it
also intends to improve preventive care.
"The Kwango is a region that has been forgotten by the government," says Alfred Mbuta, one of the two leaders
of the Kwango Evangelical Community (CEK). The CEK is Mission 21's partner church in the DR Congo. Poverty
is exceptionally severe here in the south-west of the country, where most of the people have to provide for
themselves. "The state pays hardly any attention to infrastructure, the educational system or the healthcare
sector. So what are we supposed to do? Fold our arms and wait for something to happen?" The church in the
Kwango feels that it is under an obligation that much is clearly apparent from this energetic man's words.
Life-threatening neglect
Government neglect of the healthcare sector is having a particularly tragic impact: "There are far too few
healthcare facilities, they are poorly equipped and extremely difficult to reach due to the appalling road
conditions," Mbuta explains. The distance to the nearest healthcare facility is often a matter of life or death.
Raymond Rohner, Mission 21's Responsible Programme Officer for the DR Congo, remembers an experience
during his last official visit: "We were driving home in the car when we came across a group of people carrying a
tiny bundle of cloth on a sort of stretcher," he recalls. The bundle turned out to be a five-year-old boy who was
suffering from malaria. His family was in the process of walking all the way to the nearest hospital. "Fortunately,
we were able to drive the boy there in our car," Rohner continues, "because he would never have survived the
journey of so many hours on foot."
Prevention at village level
Most of the health problems and deaths in this region are attributable to four health conditions: malaria,
respiratory diseases, diarrhoea and malnutrition. "So we have to focus our efforts on combating these four
health problems in order to bring about a sustainable improvement in the population's health," Raymond
Rohner points out.
To achieve this, Mission 21 and its partners are stepping up their preventive and healthcare work in the villages:
healthcare workers with local roots are being trained and equipped. They provide the point of contact for village
residents, and they play a key part in communicating with hospitals, midwives and healthcare authorities. They
also collaborate on vaccination and awareness-raising campaigns, and they ensure that important preventive
measures are in place. The fact is that simple methods can be used to prevent the four most widespread diseases
and health problems for example, by using mosquito nets in the correct way.
No water
no hygiene
Another focus of the healthcare project is the availability of water so that hospitals can operate. "Running water
is a rarity in the Kwango," Raymond Rohner explains. The region's health problems are closely related to this
unfortunate situation because illnesses such as diarrhoea can be prevented by improving hygiene.
Last year, Mission 21 began building a water supply system in the remote village of Matamba-Solo. It will
primarily serve the hospital, but the village's entire population will also benefit. The project team travelled to the
DR Congo for the second time in summer 2017. The planned water pump in Matamba-Solo is due to be
completed by the end of 2018, and it will then serve as a prototype for other villages in the region.
No running water, a shortage of medicines, poor roads the healthcare programme in the DR Congo is
confronted with some major challenges. Alfred Mbuta, co-leader of the CEK, comments: "The problems in the
healthcare sector are actually far too big for us as a church." But giving up is not an option: "We want to tackle
13

the problems," he emphasises. "To achieve this, we are working together with Mission 21 to place one brick on
top of the other, and we refuse to let ourselves become discouraged."
Mara Wirthlin, Public Relations Team
[ Picture caption 16 ]
One of the healthcare workers who can provide first aid and pass on information about prevention during their
assignments. Photo: Raymond Rohner
[ BOX 16-17 ]
"Healthcare: basic care for the population"
This project is part of the cooperation programme in the DR Congo (programme no.: 197.1001)
The healthcare service is Mission 21's largest project in the Kwango and it is also especially important for the
church. The project comprises 20 healthcare facilities, in addition to which it promotes health on a decentral
basis with the help of trained local healthcare workers. All in all, as many as 85,000 people benefit from this
project. Because this work is highly relevant as well as urgent, Mission 21 and its partner church, the CEK,
initiated steps to expand the healthcare project during 2017. Together with experts from Switzerland, a new
long-term healthcare strategy was developed in spring 2017 to set targets through to 2030. A sub-project to
improve the water supply to villages and hospitals in the Kwango is also attached to the healthcare project. Since
2016, Mission 21 has provided support for this sub-project in collaboration with its supporting association, the
Evangelical Mission in the Kwango (EMIK).
The "Healthcare: basic care for the population" project is assigned project no. 197.1817
[ Picture caption 17, top]
Digging to build a well. Photo: Bernhard Zahnd
[ Picture caption 17, bottom ]
Giving birth in the DR Congo can often put life at risk. Everything went well for this young mother. Photo:
Raymond Rohner
[ Box: core theme 16-17 ]
Project contributions for healthcare promotion
Total: 848,335 francs
In Africa: 835,435 francs
In Asia: 12,900 francs
14

[ Picture caption 18-19 ]
Stills from the video portrait of "The Latin American Biblical University (UBL)" with Karen Mamani (third from
left). Production: Mission 21/Dorothee Adrian
[ Pages 18-19 ]
International Relations
Latin America
Motivated to make an effort for society
Karen Mamani regards theology as a door into the world and a key to social changes. This young
Bolivian is a student at the Latin American Biblical University (UBL) in Costa Rica. This theological
college trains individuals who are willing and able to trigger changes.
Karen Mamani has spent the morning surrounded by long bookshelves, seeking out literature for her research.
At midday, she steps out into the daylight. She picks an apple straight from the tree in the garden of the Latin
American Biblical University (UBL), and starts to talk about her studies and her dreams. Both of them are closely
linked. Karen Mamani's studies at the UBL in Costa Rica focus on the role of children in Biblical texts. After she
graduates, her dream is to work in her homeland with children from difficult social backgrounds.
Karen Mamani comes from La Paz, the Bolivian capital. She shares her dream and her determination to use her
knowledge to contribute to a fairer world with her fellow students at the UBL, who originate from more than
20 Latin American countries. Some of them, like Karen Mamani, are supported by scholarships from Mission 21.
Of course, Karen Mamani could have chosen a different subject as the basis for realising her dream social
work, for example. But she sees theology as the key to everything else. "God has the face of the children, the
small farmers, the indigenous people and the Afro-Americans," she says. "I think of theology as a door behind
which I shall find all these worlds."
Learning goal: social justice
The Latin American Biblical University in San José, the Costa Rican capital, is a government-recognised college
which numbers among the continent's leading theological training facilities. Individuals are taught here so that
they can trigger and help to bring about social changes. Issues related to social justice recur throughout the
University's curriculum.
Hansueli Meier, Mission 21's Responsible Programme Officer for Latin America, notes: "Religious
fundamentalism is on the increase in Latin America, among Protestants as well as Catholics. Many churches are
showing evangelical traits. They promise benefits to the individual if he or she practices the 'right' faith, so they
are preaching a so-called 'prosperity gospel'. Only a few of them are standing up for the development of a fairer
and more open society." At the UBL, 'fair and open' is understood for example as meaning a society where
minorities are included rather than discriminated against.
The students take the knowledge they have acquired back to their own countries. Among them is Julio Chacon
Aquise, a student from Peru, where he leads courses in remote communities as part of a Mission 21 project.
Hansueli Meier sees Julio Chacon Aquise as an example of the networking that UBL and Mission 21 carry out
together. "The UBL stands for nuanced theological training and for the transfer of knowledge into society." The
UBL is strengthening the network of theological training institutions on the continent and for Mission 21, it is a
cornerstone of the entire field of theological education in Latin America.
15

Taking action to improve living conditions
Angel Román and Simone Dollinger now share responsibility for the UBL's network. Both of them were
recruited by Mission 21 as international co-workers in 2017. From 2018 onwards, Angel Román will be teaching
at the UBL and will take on responsibilities for research and networking. Simone Dollinger coordinates the
theological section of Mission 21's Latin America programme.
Both of them are theologians: Simone comes from Switzerland while Angel hails from Guatemala, and they
became acquainted while they themselves were studying at the UBL. Angel Román, who was awarded a
scholarship by Mission 21 back then, comments: "I've done a lot of work with people from social movements
whose faith motivates them to help improve living conditions. I wanted to focus on people's faith so that I could
understand this motivation and make positive use of it." In keeping with the spirit of the UBL, Angel Román and
Simone Dollinger have put what they have learned into practice outside of the University: for three years, they
worked in development cooperation projects in Bolivia, where they joined with the people on the ground to fight
for better living conditions. Now they are returning to the UBL: Angel as a lecturer, and Simone as a coordinator.
Among the students they will meet there are Karen Mamani and Julio Chacon Aquise. Together, they will
continue to explore the power of theology and the church to bring about changes in society. Like Karen Mamani,
who is now on her way back to the library after her lunch break. She carries a stack of books to her desk and
starts reading so that she can push open another door into the world.
Miriam Glass, Public Relations Team
[ Box 18-19 ]
"Action in solidarity through networked continent-wide training"
This project is part of the Latin America cooperation programme (project no. 400.1001)
The Latin American Biblical University (Universidad Biblica Latinoamericana, UBL) in Costa Rica is one of Latin
America's leading theological training institutions. Its principles are ecumenical openness, a commitment to
peace, and sensitivity to Latin America's ethnic diversity. Through its students, the UBL's educational work
benefits churches in many Latin American countries. Mission 21 supports the UBL by contributing to teachers'
salaries and awarding scholarships. 180 students were registered in 2017: they came from 20 countries and they
belonged to 10 different denominations (83 women and 97 men). 13 students received scholarships from
Mission 21 in 2017.
This project is assigned number 428.1205.
[ Box, core theme 18-19 ]
Project contributions for education
Total: 2,487,482 francs
In Africa: 899,777 francs
In Asia: 794,939 francs
In Latin America: 567,255 francs
Intercontinental: 225,511 francs
16

[ Pages 20-21 ]
International Relations
International co-workers perform dedicated service on the
ground
Mission 21 stands for a life in dignity in 20 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Skilled
professionals work on the ground to achieve the goals of Mission 21 and its partners: international
co-workers who are seconded from Basel or recruited directly in the country concerned to assist
our partners and collaborate at local level. They usually take on commitments for several years
for example, as theologians or technical specialists, social workers or coordinators. At the end of
2017, a total of 17 international co-workers were working for Mission 21 at local level.
Gabi Baumgartner-Brandner and Tobias Brandner, Hong Kong
Tanja and Bodo Giannone, Cameroon
Daniel Gloor, Malaysia
Uwe Hummel, Indonesia
Yakubu Joseph, Nigeria
Joyce Manarisip, Indonesia
Emery Munfu Mpwate, Tanzania
Togho Lumumba Mukong, Cameroon
Karina Schumacher, Korea
Jules Tsengele Ngoy, DR Congo
Dorina and Mathias Waldmeyer, South Sudan
Hildegard Willer, Peru
Martin Witmer, Cameroon
Claudia Zeising, Tanzania
Various specialists also work for Mission 21 on the basis of temporary assignments. They are engaged as
experts, and they travel repeatedly to our partner countries or provide support for our partners on the ground.
[ Box 20-21 ]
Daniel Gloor, Malaysia
Daniel Gloor is a primary school teacher and he holds a doctorate in theology. Since 2005, he has been working
on behalf of Mission 21 as a lecturer at the Sabah Theological Seminary (STS) in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. From
2009 until 2013, he taught at the Latin American Biblical University (UBL) in Costa Rica, after which he returned
to the STS. In 2017, he made use of a five-month sabbatical to learn Arabic in Amman, the capital of Jordan,
where he also garnered experience of Arab culture. By deepening his knowledge in this way, Daniel Gloor aims
to give better answers to questions from his students in Sabah in the future.
[ Box 20-21 ]
Emery Munfu Mpwate, DR Congo
Emery Mpwate works for Mission 21 as the HIV Coordinator for Africa. This Congolese healthcare and HIV
expert has been supporting the HIV work undertaken by Mission 21's African partner organisations since 2005.
He provides support for partner organisations in the DR Congo, Tanzania, Cameroon, Nigeria and South Sudan;
he also offers ongoing training and contributes to continental networking activities.
17

[ Box 20-21 ]
Cecilia Castillo Nanjarí, Chile
Cecilia Castillo Nanjarí, who lives in Santiago de Chile, worked as an expert on behalf of Mission 21 for a year
starting in March 2017. She provided support for the development of a new continental platform, and she
coordinated the organisation and presentation of a workshop on Advocacy and Gender Equality in Lima. Her
extensive expertise on gender issues and her networking experience benefited her greatly in this work.
[ Picture caption 22-23 ]
Anina Koch (right) completed an assignment with Mission 21's PEP! programme in 2016/2017. For one year, she
provided support for work with orphans in Tanzania's South Province. She is pictured here with her colleague
Topokigwe Shibanda. Photo: Nicholas Calvin Mwakatobe
[ Pages 22-23, large photo ]
Education Exchange and Research
Mission 21 believes that its global programme and project work is inseparably linked to its educational work in
Switzerland. Our educational offerings offer insights into interrelated global issues and cross-border
experiences. The content is geared to Mission 21's core themes: healthcare, education, peace promotion, and
agriculture and livelihood security. We empower and encourage people to stand up for solidarity, justice and
peace. In 2017, some 100 experts exchanged important knowledge about the subject of "Values" at our renowned
symposium on interfaith peace work. Last year, a total of over 5,600 young people, adults and experts attended
our courses and events.
[ Picture caption 24 ]
Uwe Hummel (l.) and Muris Begovic engaged in an inspiring dialogue, demonstrating that the exchange of ideas
opens the way to new knowledge. Photo: Detlef Lienau
[ Pages 24-25 ]
Education Exchange and Research
Religion and development: recognising the potential for peace
Over 5,000 people attended our training courses and events in 2017. We issued invitations to 27
events, and we worked with groups at 150 gatherings in Basel or locally in Switzerland, as well as
in southern Germany and Alsace. One particularly encouraging aspect was the enormous interest
shown in activities that transcend religious divides.
The February symposium was a highlight among these events, and it has now become established as a forum for
interfaith peace work. "Which values are valid?" was the title for presentations by renowned experts on ways of
constructively utilising the meeting of diverse cultural and religious values in Switzerland. Seyran Ates, an
attorney from Berlin, Hans Georg Signer, the former Director of Education in the Education Department of the
18

Canton of Basel-Stadt, and Mouhanad Khorchide, Professor of Islamic Religious Education from Münster,
motivated the 100 or so experts who were present to participate in the workshops with great commitment.
Common ground and differences
On the basis of tried-and-tested cooperation with the Basel Interfaith Forum and the Katharina Group, Mission
21 organised the closing event in the Week of Religions at the Oekolampad conference centre in November for
the second time. "Religions Together for the Environment" was the title for discussions among representatives
of five world religions, focusing on how religious communities can promote the love of nature and "march
together towards a green future".
Several times each year, we present conversations between figures from different religions and cultures in our
"Dialogue International" series. In autumn 2017, before an interested audience, our ecumenical co-worker Uwe
Hummel from Indonesia and Imam Muris Begovic from Zurich held another discussion that transcended
cultural and religious boundaries. The two speakers considered the figure of Abraham in the Bible and the
Koran prompting the participants to think in depth about aspects of their own and others' images that are
helpful in bringing about fruitful coexistence. We will understand one another better if we join together to seek
what is valuable to us, and the purposes for which we live. Mission 21 believes that practising interfaith dialogue
in a public context rather than merely talking about it yields exceptional opportunities.
Religion and development
We reached a wide range of interested participants through our courses and workshops. Many confirmation
classes booked offerings on subjects such as "The World Needs More Friendship", "Fair Trade", "Reconciliation
in Place of Hatred" and "The ABC of Intercultural Communication", as well as new topics such as "Seeking the
Dream Career".
Offerings for adults ranged from training for church staff and courses for priests to customised programmes for
companies as well as major events such as the Foundation Day. Senior citizens often showed particular interest
in courses on "Ageing in a Foreign Country" and "Rituals Across the Globe".
The thematic area that is common to many of our educational offerings is 'Religion and Development', with the
emphasis on different aspects in each course or workshop. Three core elements are involved here: the first is to
determine how 'development' and 'development cooperation' should be understood, how development
cooperation has developed historically, and how it relates to religion. A second element is discussion of the
extent to which religion impedes or promotes development. In many contexts in the global south, development
programmes are far more sustainable if they are approached holistically with the inclusion of religion as
potential. Religious communities are part of the local population, and they are close to the grass roots; they have
highly ramified structures, they share ethical principles and they enjoy credibility. The third and final element is
the question as to where development cooperation is heading, and how programmes can be designed at the
practical level.
Thanks to dialogue with representatives of our partner churches and organisations, we can always refer to up-tothe-minute
situations.
Christian Weber and Detlef Lienau, Directors of Studies, Education and Exchange Team
[ Box 24-25 ]
In 2017, Mission 21 reached a total of 5,649 women, men and young people through its events and courses
For example, 927 individuals took part in 27 events for specialists and interested laypeople
In addition, 3,942 adults attended the 130 courses offered by Mission 21
19

[ Picture caption 26 ]
Reto Schefer, Fabienne Reber and Immo Finze (left to right) took part in the PEP! programme; the skyline of
Hong Kong, the city where they were posted, is visible in the background.
[ Pages 26-27 ]
Education Exchange and Research
PEP! offers international assignments for young professionals
Mission 21's Professional Exposure Program PEP! is the only programme of its kind in
Switzerland. Under the auspices of the PEP! programme, young adults travel each year to
Mission 21's partner countries, where they participate in work on projects and continue their
education. Eight young adults were working on assignments in various countries again in 2017.
PEP! offers young people attractive opportunities to start out in international cooperation. It also provides a
good basis for activities in this field in Switzerland. Through this programme, young adults who have completed
their education or are in the final phase prior to graduation have the chance to contribute their specialist skills in
a foreign context. As they do so, they also develop their abilities and acquire intercultural expertise. These young
professionals assist the partner organisations with their project work. At the same time, the partner
organisations support them as they gain their first experiences abroad in their specialist fields. This programme
is offered to young adults aged between 22 and 30. Applications for places are submitted by the partner churches
and organisations in each case, so they may vary from year to year.
The young women and men attend courses to prepare them carefully for their assignments. In the countries
where they work, PEP! participants are given support on the ground by mentors, and they also keep in regular
contact with the Responsible Programme Officers in Basel. This makes it possible to respond promptly to any
noticeable difficulties that are identified in the early stages. Naturally, the programme also includes debriefing,
reflection and evaluation components.
"Enriched and strengthened"
In 2017, Immo Finze worked with Christian Action's counselling service for refugees in Hong Kong. His
summary of his experiences on the ground and with PEP! is positive:
"I think that PEP! is a fantastic programme. It's very well organised, and
grateful that I had the opportunity to spend eleven months in the counselling centre. I was able to broaden my
horizons, and I learned many new things; I struck up new contacts and I got to know some wonderful people."
Immo Finze completed his assignment as part of his final vocational training placement. He studied social work
at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW). This collaboration with the
FHNW has been highly profitable for everyone involved, and the aim is to continue developing it.
Anina Koch, a young ethnologist, went to Tanzania in 2017 to gain experience abroad. She joined in with the
work on a project that supports orphans and their foster families. Her main role was to strengthen the local team
in administrative and organisational work:
"I experienced an intense year in Tanzania, with several highs and lows. It wasn't always easy, and sometimes I
had to struggle my way through. Nevertheless, I look back positively on this year. It enriched and strengthened
me. And there were so many lovely moments that I shall remember with pleasure."
20

Be Young@Mission
Exchanges among PEP! participants and with Mission 21 also continue after the assignments are completed.
Varied experiences from PEP! assignments provide input for presentations and workshops. Former participants
also become involved in preparing new candidates for their assignments. And in 2017, the Year of the
Reformation, the programme also included a special event: Reformaction, the major festival of youth staged in
Geneva to mark the anniversary of the Reformation. Anina Koch and Immo Finze collaborated on a short
information video for Mission 21 that was screened before 4,000 young people at the Reformaction event.
Mission 21 was an official sponsor organisation for this major occasion, attended by large numbers of PEP!s
together with other young adults who made up Mission 21's official delegation to the Reformaction.
Barbara Moser, Director of Studies for Young Adults
[ Box 26-27 information on video]
Be Young@Mission
The new video highlights opportunities for young people to take on assignments in Mission 21's international
network. The video was premiered at the Reformaction event in Geneva in November 2017. Mission 21 was an
organising partner of this youth festival to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. www.mission-
21.org/young
[ Picture caption 27 ]
The photo shows Anina Koch, who participated in the orphans project in Tanzania's South Province as a PEP! in
2016/2017. Reverend William Mashimbi (centre) is showing her an avocado plantation in Rungwe from which
the church earns its own income. Photo: Nicholas Calvin Mwakatobe
[ Picture caption 28 ]
A Chinese film team shooting a documentary about the Swabian missionary Georg Emil Autenrieth in Mission
21's archive.
[ Page 28 ]
Education Exchange and Research
Valuable documents now made accessible for research
Mission 21's research archive and specialist library took major steps into the digital future during
2017 thanks to support from a foundation, among other sources.
Mission 21's public specialist library was used extensively in 2017. With collections focusing on "Mission and
theology throughout the world", "African studies" and "Development policy", the library offers a small but
outstanding selection of specialist literature to students, researchers and the general public. For many years, the
library's entire stock of books has been entered in the joint online catalogue of the Universities of Basel and
Berne, which can be consulted at https://baselbern.swissbib.ch. From mid-2018 onwards, a new feature is to be
introduced: online borrowing. This will usher in some major improvements for library users: they will no longer
21

need to complete the handwritten lending slips, and they can go online to see whether a book has already been
lent out.
Preparatory work for the introduction of this service was the dominant activity in 2017: barcode labels were
added to over 25,000 books and brochures. Processing our collection of 'grey literature', as it is known, proved
to be a particularly complex undertaking. Hundreds of brochures, pamphlets and special prints had to be
examined and processed manually. The grey literature had previously been catalogued item by item, and then
stored in boxes arranged by subject in the repository. An astonishing amount of material has been accumulated
there since the 1950s. What we thought of as boring grey archive boxes turned out to contain some real
treasures: "Awareness-raising in Switzerland", "South Africa and Apartheid", "School Education in Cameroon"
and "South India/Partner Church": these are just a few of the keywords that indicate the varied range of subjects
covered by the stock. Today we can say with some pride that this excellently catalogued collection of grey
literature is unique in Switzerland's library and documentation landscape.
Valuable resources safely preserved
Last year, we finally completed a project in our research archive that has been a long time in the planning: the
entire Committee minutes from 1815 to the present day were converted to digital form. This means that one of
the archive's most important resources is now permanently safe, and we have been able to preserve the valuable
originals. Another benefit is that the digital versions provide researchers with additional options for searching
the documents. The digitization of the Committee minutes was financed by the Sophie and Karl Binding
Foundation, to which our thanks are due for a handsome contribution. With the growth of networking, it is
becoming ever more important for archives to make their documents available in digital form all over the world
and especially, in our case, to people in Mission 21's partner countries.
2017 can definitely be described as the "Year of China" as far as our archive was concerned. We welcomed
delegations from Hong Kong in January and June. There is growing interest in China in the work undertaken
there by missionaries from the Basel Mission in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In October, a film team
from Guangdong Radio and Television visited the archive in Basel as part of its attempts to trace the career of
former missionary Georg Emil Autenrieth. The documentary film was first shown on Chinese television and was
then screened at the Festival du Cinéma Chinois in Paris.
Like the library, the archive was also host to numerous researchers from all over the world in 2017. The subject
of "Missions and the First World War" is the focus of growing attention. Another outstanding research topic that
should be mentioned here is the University of Birmingham's long-term project on Knowledge Transfer in
Mission Dynasties.
Claudia Wirthlin and Patrick Moser, Academic Specialists in the Archive and the Library
[ Box 28 ]
As in previous years, Mission 21's library and research archive were important sources of information and
exchange for researchers in 2017
67 researchers consulted the archive and the library, sometimes for lengthy periods
We recorded a total of 420 days of use in the Reading Room
1,800 books were borrowed
The Archive website, www.bmarchives.org, was accessed 32,280 times.
22

[ Page 29 ]
Donations/Annual Financial Statement/Organisation
[ Picture caption 29 ]
A group of weavers including Yusnela (second from the right) receiving a visit by a delegation from Mission 21's
network. Photo: Ueli Knecht
[ Picture caption 30 ]
During the service, Lisbeth Oelrichs, a committed volunteer at Trimbach, explains the meaning and purpose of
the gratitude box. Photo: Miriam Glass
[ Pages 30-31 ]
Donations
Trimbach keeps up its tradition of social work
Small change leads to big results
the gratitude box
doing a 'good turn' through
The gratitude boxes have been around for decades. And, of course, the idea of sharing one's own
good fortune with our fellow human beings is much older. These boxes are not only about
collecting money. People who share out of gratitude grow beyond themselves. And they make
valuable contributions to building up the community here and elsewhere.
Saying thanks has beneficial effects. Anyone who can express thanks will see the good side of life. Take Lisbeth
Oelrichs of Trimbach, for example. She has a heartfelt commitment to her church congregation. She joyfully
recounts the many activities to benefit Mission 21 that have taken place in her parish, which belongs to the Olten
church congregation. These include the annual St. John's Market and a monthly ecumenical lunch group that
has been meeting for the last 23 years. There is also the offertory association and a men's group which bakes
excellent braided butter-bread loaves and sells them at the Mission working group's stand.
Lisbeth Oelrichs is responsible for the gratitude boxes. At present, there are 44 boxes throughout the parish:
they are placed with church congregation members and in shops, where they are filled up with small change
during the year. Some donors leave their change in the gratitude box when they visit the butcher, others might
spontaneously pop their coins into the box when they visit friends and find that too much change is making their
purses too heavy. Often, this is a deliberate act of gratitude or sharing: holders of a gratitude box put a few coins
in it to help people who are living below the poverty line and have to survive on less than two francs per day.
A tradition that is keeping up with the times
The gratitude box can look back on a long tradition at Mission 21. In one form or another, these boxes have been
around since the 1880s. Older people still remember the missionaries Hans Göttin and Ueli Zimmer, who gave
thrilling first-hand accounts of their experiences in Sunday schools as they travelled the length and breadth of
the country.
23

Mission 21 maintains this tradition in a contemporary form. Nowadays, Mission 21 co-workers visit church
congregations in Switzerland to report on current projects and collaboration with the partner churches in Africa,
Asia and Latin America for example, when the gratitude boxes are opened together in a church congregation.
Pia Müller, who heads the offertory association, was present when the boxes were emptied at Trimbach (Canton
of Solothurn), and she reported on Mission 21's project for orphans in Tanzania. Trimbach parish decided to
support this project in 2017 so, as might be expected, there was great interest in Pia Müller's talk. To packed
pews, she described the work of Pastor Bahati Mshani in south-west Tanzania. About 450 orphans are able to
attend school or complete vocational training there every year something that certainly cannot be taken for
granted. They also have access to healthcare and support. In these ways, they are effectively protected against
exploitation and stigmatisation, and they are given real opportunities to develop their lives independently.
Community experience and solidarity with the underprivileged
If we are able to give thanks, we look at our fellow human beings and know that we are reliant on other people in
just the same way as others are reliant on us. Anyone who can give thanks and share their personal good fortune
with others will help, just a little, to reduce the distance to the people in the South.
Those who give thanks and share with others in this way will also experience a very special sense of community.
It is best for the church congregations to decide when the boxes will be emptied, in accordance with their wishes
and needs: at a church coffee afternoon accompanied by a talk, as part of the service on Mission Sunday in the
autumn, or perhaps in another setting.
At Trimbach, holders of gratitude boxes bring them to the service at St. John's Church on the second Sunday in
Advent. "This is also a good way of promoting the gratitude boxes and Mission 21," Lisbeth Oelrichs points out.
Over aperitifs afterwards, participants of all ages are delighted to see how much has been collected and this
encourages them to carry on sharing with disadvantaged people in the following year.
Friedrich Weibel, Church Partnerships Coordinator
[ Box 30-31: motivation ]
Gratitude boxes: small change produces big results!
Does your congregation also have gratitude boxes? What has been your experience with them? You are welcome
to contact us if you too would like to introduce gratitude boxes. As experiences in Trimbach and many other
church congregations show: by entering into a commitment to their fellow human beings, people also play a
valuable part in building up their own congregations and communities. Giving your small change to Mission 21
produces big results, and we are grateful for every coin. Saying thank you has good effects.
friedrich.weibel@mission-21.org, tel. 061 260 23 37
[ Box 30-31, project]
Project for orphans in Tanzania
The Trimbach parish of Olten church congregation collected money for the orphans project in Tanzania during
2017 (project no. 186.1509). It is estimated that 1.8 million children grow up without parents in Tanzania as a
direct consequence of HIV/AIDS. Volunteers and honorary co-workers of St. John's Church in Trimbach chose
work with orphans because this project provides protection and education for the children. Bahati Mshani, who
herself grew up without parents, says: "Later on, these children themselves become pillars of society." She was
able to study thanks to a scholarship from Mission 21 and now she wants to give something back to the
community. She and her team looked after 450 children in 2017.
24

[ Picture caption 31, top]
Bahati Mshani and two of the orphans who benefit from support Photo: Mara Wirthlin
[ Picture caption 31, bottom ]
The money mounts up nicely when the gratitude boxes are emptied. Photo: Miriam Glass
[ Page 32 ]
Donations
Your support benefits disadvantaged people
Thank you for making a change for the better possible!
Yaneth Rojas, aged 58, of Costa Rica, declares: "My commitment to bringing about more justice is directly linked
to my training at the DEI." Her motivation to work on behalf of her fellow human beings and the environment
was reinforced by the theology courses at the Departamento Ecuménico de Investigaciones ((Ecumenical
Research Department, DEI), a partner of Mission 21. Yaneth Rojas fought successfully against a gold mine and
now she is championing small farmers. "Theological training can empower and motivate people to change
society in positive ways," according to Hansueli Meier, Mission 21's Responsible Programme Officer for Latin
America. Yaneth Rojas show how education can inspire people to take action to bring about more justice.
Mission 21 supports the DEI as part of its Latin America programme.
Sustainable, positive changes of this sort are only possible thanks to the generous support of donors and
institutions as well as hundreds of collectors. Once again during the year under review, we experienced great
solidarity from many church congregations. The long-term comparison shows that the cantonal churches were
especially generous during 2017, offering above-average support for our work.
Unfortunately, there was no year-on-year increase in contributions from foundations, lottery funds,
municipalities and cantons. As previously announced, two major institutional donors discontinued their support
during the reporting year. This makes it all the more pleasing that so many individual institutional donors
maintain their commitments for periods of many years.
Donations from private individuals increased by around 6% year-on-year, although the number of private donors
declined compared to the prior year. We also recorded significantly more legacies than in previous years.
Another encouraging aspect is the commitment of numerous volunteers and honorary co-workers who
supported our work in a variety of ways during 2017. Thanks to the Basel Mission, our supporting association,
we were actually able to provide somewhat more follow-through and training for these co-workers.
I would like to thank you all most sincerely for the support and commitment you have shown! By working
together, we can bring about a change for the better.
Dario Brühlmann, Head of the Communications and Marketing Department
[ Picture caption 32 ]
25

Coffee, cakes and a pleasant ambience were offered by the volunteers of the 'Caféhaus' team at the 2017 autumn
bazaar.
[ Box 32, volunteers ]
Honorary workers and volunteers accomplish important and valuable work for Mission 21.
In the offertory association, about 350 collectors brought in the handsome sum of 96,260 francs.
About 150 volunteers put in a total of 2,000 hours of service on behalf of Mission 21 in 2017.
[ Picture caption 33 ]
Yaneth Rojas at a demonstration against the planned gold mine in Costa Rica. Photo: zVg
[ Page 33 ]
Donations
List of donations
Institutions, church congregations and cantonal churches which gave extremely generous suppo rt to
Mission 21 in 2017:
(in alphabetical order by place name)
United Methodist Committee on Relief, Atlanta; Basel Mission, Basel; Evangelical-Reformed Church of Basel-
Stadt; Hotel / Training Centre 21, Basel; Canton of Basel-Stadt; Sophie and Karl Binding Foundation, Basel;
Agency for Development and Cooperation of the Swiss Confederation (SDC), Berne; Evangelical-Reformed
United Church Congregation of Berne; Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches (SEK), Berne; Titus Foundation,
Berne; Evangelical-Reformed United Church Congregation of Biel/Bienne; Evangelical-Reformed Church
Congregation of Binningen-Bottmingen; Ferster Foundation, Buchs; Evangelical-Reformed Church
Congregation of Hilterfingen; Evangelical-Reformed Church of Lucerne; Evangelical-Reformed Church
Congregation of Oberwil-Therwil-Ettingen, Canton of Basel-Landschaft; Evangelical-Reformed Church
Congregation of Rapperswil-Jona; Evangelical-Reformed Church of Schaffhausen; Evangelical-Reformed
Church of St. Gallen; UEPAL - Union des Eglises Protestantes d'Alsace et de Lorraine, Strasbourg; Basel Mission
German Branch, BMDZ, Stuttgart; Evangelical Mission in Solidarity, EMS, Stuttgart; Evangelical-Reformed
Church Congregation of Thun; Solidarity Third World Foundation, Wädenswil; Association of Evangelical-
Reformed Church Congregations, Winterthur; Evangelical-Reformed Church of the Canton of Zug; Gebauer
Foundation, Zurich.
Local associations and groups which gave support of more than CHF 5,000:
(in alphabetical order by place name)
Arlesheim Bazaar Group; Moravian Society Bazaar, Basel; Bazaar of the Holy Spirit Church Congregation, Berne;
Bolligen Bazaar Work; Bazaar of the Church Congregation of Dübendorf; Bazaar of the Church Congregation of
Erlenbach, Zurich Canton; Flawil Mission Work Group; Frauenfeld Mission Work Group; Bazaar of the Church
Congregation of Herzogenbuchsee; Bazaar of the Church Congregation of Hirzel; Bazaar of the Church
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Congregation of Horgen; Bazaar of the Church Congregation of Kölliken; Bazaar of the Church Congregation of
Küsnacht; Bazaar of the Church Congregation of Holderbank-Möriken-Wildegg; Bazaar of the Church
Congregation of Rheinfelden-Kaiseraugst-Magden-Olsberg; Bazaar Work Group, Rothrist; Bazaar of the
Church Congregation of Rupperswil; Mission 21 Bazaar, St. Gallen; Bazaar of the Church Congregation of
Thalwil; Bazaar of the Church Congregation of Wichtrach; Bazaar of the Church Congregation of Seen,
Winterthur; Bazaar of the Church Congregation of Worb; Bazaar of the Evangelical-Reformed Church
Congregation of Altstetten; Bazaar of the Church Congregation of Höngg, Zurich; Oberstrass Mission
Association, Zurich.
[ Box 33 Project contribution]
Wanted: today's reformers
agents of change
Yaneth Rojas, who has a small farm in Costa Rica, is a courageous and self-confident advocate of rights for her
fellow human beings and for the environment (page 32). Yaneth Rojas is one of today's reformers an agent of
change. During the 2017 autumn campaign, Mission 21 presented Yaneth Rojas, Bahati Mshani from Tanzania
(page 30) and Alex Ip Hon Ho, the theologian from Hong Kong. These three representative personalities show
how theological education can be an effective and sustainable tool that empowers and motivates people to bring
about positive changes in society. The educational program is assigned number 999.1315.
[ Picture caption 37 ]
The lobby of the Hotel Training Centre 21 Photo: Guido Schärli
[ Page 37 ]
Annual Financial Statement
Commentary on the annual financial statement
Spending on programme work was stepped up
Mission 21 was able to expand its programme and project work thanks to a slight increase in
income from donations. Due to operational considerations, Mission 21 has sold the 'Hotel
Bildungszentrum 21 AG' hotel operating company to the Basel Mission.
In 2017, Mission 21 again received more donations for programme and project work from private individuals
and also from church congregations. It is particularly gratifying to see the increased commitment among church
congregations. Last year, over CHF 3,753,000 (8.5% more than in the previous year) went to Mission 21's
projects from bazaars, collections and from church congregations in general. The total of private donations was
also slightly higher. At over one million francs, the amount originating from legacies was exceptionally high:
this represented a year-on-year increase of CHF 672,000. This shows how important it is for an international aid
organisation to convince benefactors of the quality of its programme work, and to do so on a sustainable and
long-term basis.
We would therefore like to offer special thanks to all private donors, and to the many generous church
congregations and numerous institutions who gave donations: the SDC, the Cantonal churches and the
Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches, the foundations and political municipalities, and other friendly
institutions and organisations. Thanks to all of them, Mission 21 posted operational income of CHF 12.7 million
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and was able to finance project expenditure of more than CHF 11 million. This expenditure accounted for 79.3%
of total spending.
Mission 21 sold Hotel Bildungszentrum 21 AG, the hotel operating company, to the Basel Mission supporting
association in 2017. This resulted in extraordinary income of CHF 1.1 million. Prior to this, the hotel operation
was reported in Mission 21's consolidated accounts. The Basel Mission is still the owner of the Mission House
and the park that surrounds it. As the new owner of the hotel operation housed in its own building, the Basel
Mission will be able to develop the business on a profit-oriented basis. In the past, Mission 21 received a
dividend for project work from the hotel, taken from profit in successful operating years (2017: 18,000 francs
from the profit for 2016). The income now goes to the Basel Mission which, as the largest of Mission 21's three
supporting associations, will continue to pay substantial amounts to Mission 21 at regular intervals in the future,
insofar as possible.
The Internal Control System (ICS) is based on a risk-oriented approach; it ensures the reliability of financial
reporting and compliance with the necessary legal provisions or recommendations from experts. The report by
the auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers, attests that the accounts and the annual financial statement conform to
the law, the articles of association, the SWISS-GAAP-FER-21 guidelines and the guidelines issued by ZEWO (the
Swiss Certification Service for Organisations of Public Utility which Receive Donations). We shall be glad to
send the detailed annual financial statement and the balance sheet to anyone interested in receiving them.
Patrick Hascher, Head of Finance
[ Page 39 ]
Organisation
Board
Term of office: four years, with the option of re-election for two further terms. The current Board was elected on
3 June 2016.
Prof. Dr. Johannes Blum
President
Physician, Basel
Pastor Karl F. Appl
Vice President
President, Basel Mission
Pastor, Märstetten, Thurgau Canton
Dr. Felix W. Egli
Attorney-at-law, Zurich
Pastor Albrecht Hieber
Retired pastor, Biel
Kurt Kägi
Managing director, former President of the Church Council of the Church of the Two Appenzell Half-Cantons,
Herisau
Dr. Margrit Schneider-Schardt
Dentist, Basel
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Pastor Hans-Joachim Zobel
Retired dean, Evangelical Regional Church of Baden, Freiburg (Germany)
Management
Pastor Claudia Bandixen
Director
Pastor Magdalena Zimmermann
Head of the Education Exchange and
Research Department, Deputy Director
Pastor Jochen Kirsch
Head of the International Relations Department
Dario Brühlmann
Head of the Communications and Marketing Department
Patrick Hascher
Head of the Finance & IT Staff Unit
Myriam Pellet
Head of the HR Staff Unit
Josefina Hurtado Neira
Head of the Women and Gender Staff Unit
Audit Commission
Term of office: four years
Prof. Dr. Arie Hans Verkuil
Chair
Theologian, Professor of Management and Leadership
Rombach, since 6.6.2013
Sibylle Andermatt
Commercial specialist in the IT sector
Bahnhofstrasse 15A
8864 Reichenburg
Eckehart Lauk
Retired senior government official
Burgstrasse 1-1
72116 Mössingen, Germany
[ Box 39 boilerplate ]
Mission 21 sends out a message of hope for a fairer world across 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
To achieve this, we collaborate as an international, charitable institution with over 70 partner churches and
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organisations, in more than 100 projects focusing on education, healthcare, peace, combating poverty and the
advancement of women. We are actively involved in long-term development cooperation as well as emergency
relief and reconstruction work. Mission 21 receives support from the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches
(FSPC) and from the Agency for Development and Cooperation of the Swiss Confederation (SDC).
[ Picture caption 40 ]
The mid-June Mission Festival is the culminating moment of the Mission Synod of Mission 21. Photo: Dorothee
Adrian
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