The Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network Africa (JENA) is a diverse community of faith-inspired Jesuit NGOs working towards an Africa where people can unlock their full potential, free from direct, cultural, and structural violence. Our mission is to realize:
We provide leadership, coordination, and facilitation to the JENA Network of fifteen (15) African Jesuit NGOs, development and advocacy organisations. We do so by:
We are the interface between Jesuits in Africa on matters global policy in areas that include but are not limited to:
In most common law countries lawyers have many options over the course of their careers.
Working as a lawyer involves the practical application of abstract legal theories and knowledge.
Application of principles of law to the concrete facts in order to advise the client what to do next.
Our Mission
We are passionate about Africa. We are dedicated to fighting poverty and related injustices around Africa empowering marginalised voices, communities and groups, and facilitating policy innovation. In all JENA’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to unlock people’s potential, exercise their rights and manage their own lives.
Fr. Charles Chilufya, S.J - Director JENA
We work to challenge unjust policies and practices and to promote the respect of people’s rights. JENA has an impact on ending the injustice of extreme poverty through the actions they take. Jesuits and their collaborators engage the work for justice through advocacy and in direct humanitarian work with the poor and marginalized populations like refugees and homeless people. The effects of small actions are not always obvious, but by working together specific and tangible outcomes are achieved. Jesuit voices influence world leaders and decision makers, and contribute to shaping our world.
JENA works towards a just, poverty-free and ecologically regenerative Africa where people can unlock their full potential, free from direct, cultural, and structural violence.
Our Faith gives us a moral compass and ethical guidance that takes us beyond merely the social, economic or legal aspects or requirements in any situation.
Our rich African and world-wide Network can reach a vast array of populations and is a unique resource that we bring to the development agenda.
We are embedded in concrete social reality where we work closely with not only those who create and implement policies but also very closely with those who are impacted by policies or lack of them. Our work is evidence based and stems from our other organisations.
We have served the African social field for over a hundred years and have worked with partners, governments and institutions across Africa. We know the ins and outs of the African development and policy landscape.
Over the years we have built a reputation in research and analysis, in the field of development policy and social analysis and action that is recognized by many including governments.
JENA facilitates the establishment, extension, and strengthening of connections and relations among Jesuit organisations, scholars and activists from all over Africa, the world, across national, cultural boundaries and age barriers, passionate and committed to fostering development, justice, peace and ecological regeneration.
The foundation of our work is our belief that poor and marginalised people can gain control over their own lives by exercising their right to political participation, freedom of expression and information, freedom of assembly and access to justice.
Rethinking African development with shared prosperity and decent jobs especially for the youthAfrica is a land of contradictions normally termed the paradox of plenty. While the continent has very substantial reserves of arable land, water, hydropower and mineral wealth, most countries within it rank among the poorest in the world.
It is established that conflict is a poverty driver and poverty itself is a threat to peace. There is a growing international consensus that governance, peace and security are important for development and vice versa.
Business has a role in economic and social development if it is done responsibly and in ways that not merely focus on profit maximisation but on value creation.
The promotion of sustainable development and the eradication of poverty require sufficient and the right type of finance. Over the last 50 years of independence African countries have by and large relied on Official Development Assistance (ODA) inflows and on external borrowing both of which have not brought about the needed development.
Climate change is an issue of justice and protection of life. Climate change impacts disproportionally the marginalised communities and people in Africa. Climate change is an issue of justice and protection of life. It impacts disproportionally the marginalised communities and people in Africa.
JENA champions farming/ production systems based on agroecological and indigenous approaches that sustain food sovereignty and the livelihoods of communities in Africa.
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The Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network Africa (JENA) is a diverse community of faith-inspired Jesuit NGOs, also known as Social Centre’s, related Jesuit Institutions, individual Jesuit peace and development activists and scholars driven by a vision of a just, poverty-free, peaceful and ecologically regenerative Africa.
