SMC is a forum for churches and Christian organizations. We work together to provide opportunities for people and societies to change.
Through SMC, the member organizations can meet, exchange experiences and strengthen their competence.
We organize courses and seminars both in Sweden and in countries in the South and East. Every year we distribute around 100 million SEK of Sida funds to the development work carried out by member organizations’ in collaboration with their partner organizations in around 40 countries.
We want to spread knowledge on issues that can contribute to the eradication of poverty.
Therefore we are working to enable NGO’s in Sweden and the South to engage in development work. As part of our work for human rights we work, for example, to promote freedom of religion or belief.
Our member organizations have a large network across the world. This means that we have a rare opportunity to understand which role Christian organizations can play in transforming societies and which role religion plays in development.
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
A large part of our work is to distribute funds to development projects, or development cooperation as we usually call it.
SMC is a contracting party to Sida, and is responsible for ensuring that member activities managed with Sida funds are in accordance with the criteria and guidelines agreed upon.
Through our agreement with Sida we distributed 111 million SEK during 2010. This includes support to our members and their partner organizations’ development activities in the South and East, and to communication work in Sweden.
Included in that sum is our costs for distribution of funds (9.4 million SEK for the South and 0.5 million SEK for communication) as well as the administration support that we channel to the respective member organizations.
This work is also about developing quality assurance and ensuring that the funds are managed in the same way in different organizations. To aid this process we have a flow chart for activity management with instructions and governing documents relating to most parts of the activity cycle management, from idea to archiving.
