During the 1980s and 1990s, structural adjustment policies were imposed on many Caribbean countries, causing increased poverty and maginalization in the region. Yet at the same time, new relationships aimed at the common welfare of all Caribbean people are being built.

The Caribbean is home to great cultural richness and diversity, to many languages and traditions. Unfortunately, globalization has caused fragmentation, individualism and competition, at the expense of positive traditional values... and of ecumenism. Churches are trying to set their own future priorities and still remain faithful to a tradition of ecumenical involvement and to the struggle for justice and human dignity.

Ecumenical sharing of resources (ESR) has evolved in recent years. After long discussions with the Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC), the WCC formed a joint regional ESR group to identify and assess programme priorities for sharing. A Diakonia & Solidarity study on resource-sharing in the Caribbean highlighted the rich experience of the region's churches, preserving it for younger generations.

Farming, agro-processing and furniture cooperatives, a pre-primary school, adult education, health care, legal aid and counselling, and job training are some of the projects sponsored and guided by GRENCODA. Over the last couple of years it has focused, for example, on projects combining agriculture and tourism in a rural setting, and on coastal environment and resource management.

Having been one of several international agencies to channel support to GRENCODA, the Diakonia & Solidarity team has been impressed with the agency's success in promoting participation, self-reliance and sustainability in a difficult context of economic difficulty and social crisis.