For Jochen Kirsch, the new director of Mission 21 from September, it is the meaningful work and collaboration with partners in Africa, Asia and Latin America that motivates him. He says it is enriching to see that this cooperation and dialogue is having an impact in the effort to help people around the world live in dignity.
Claudia Bandixen emphasizes as a special motivation that she can work for gender justice with Mission 21. As examples, she mentions the support of people in Latin America who work against murders of women or the help in Asia to fight the exploitation of female labor migrants.
For Claudia Bandixen, who is retiring on August 31, mission is to make an international commitment based on a fundamental Christian conviction. Jochen Kirsch sees it similarly. The special thing about working as a mission is being a Christian in view of the worldwide church, taking a global perspective.
This makes it possible to be effective, he says, even if Mission 21 and its partners sometimes have different views, for example in dealing with people affected by HIV. Here, Jochen Kirsch emphasizes, the many years of trust and persistent dialog could lead to more respect being shown to those affected by HIV.
In the half-hour interview on the Perspectives program, Claudia Bandixen and Jochen Kirsch also talk about the challenge of obtaining the necessary funds for program work in partner countries in the fiercely competitive donations market.
â–º Interview with Claudia Bandixen on the website of the reformed media ref.ch
