How we work

Through our project funding, we contribute to a life of dignity for all and the development of inclusive communities.

The projects we support are planned and designed by our members on the ground. An international project committee meets quarterly to decide on project funding. From the idea and planning phase of a project to accountability and evaluation, members are accompanied and supported by the project coordinators within the UEM communion.

As stated in our mission statement, we are a learning community. This is why the UEM’s wide-ranging education programmes are one of the most important focuses of its work. Education co-ordinators are active in all three locations, planning and designing our programmes in collaboration with the UEM's specialist departments, inviting the most suitable experts and using their wealth of intercultural expertise to ensure that we are learning globally in line with our philosophy. One key goal is not only to educate, empower and develop our members’ staff – voluntary and full-time, but also to promote exchange and discourse. The encounters during the programmes are at the heart of learning together. Recurring themes are relevant in different ways in the Regions: women's rights, universal human rights, discrimination and racism. These give us the opportunity, as a communion, to learn and grow together.

Sending qualified staff is an important part of the UEM’s international work. The UEM Communion runs a programme to exchange staff between all three Regions: Africa, Asia and Germany. The UEM works closely with the respective member church in the host country when facilitating placements. The initiative to deploy a specialist always originates from the member church in the respective country. The project description for the measure is developed by the member church or in close collaboration with it.