HOPE International – Burundi, Haiti, Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How this story represents an international-local faith partnership in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL): International non-denominational Christian faith-based poverty alleviation organisation & involvement of local church partners in Burundi, Haiti, Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

HOPE International is an internationally operating Christian faith-based poverty alleviation organisation. HOPE provides biblically based training, savings services, and microfinance loans that aim to restore dignity and break the cycle of poverty.

One of the main models through which HOPE operates is through saving groups. In 2019 HOPE International and its church partners served and supported more than 41,000 savings groups, with a total of over 700,000 members, across 10 countries. In this model, HOPE International establishes locally registered NGOs that are led by a locally hired team. National offices partner with churches in the country to lead and promote savings groups as a local church ministry. Local church volunteers are the linchpin of the ministry for the church-based savings groups, as they give their time to guide, train, disciple, and monitor savings groups.

Development of a new MEAL tool: Across the HOPE network, over 5,700 volunteers support the ministry. Understanding what motivates these volunteers is therefore critical in considering the sustainability and longevity of the organisation’s local work. HOPE International’s office in Rwanda developed the earliest version of a volunteer engagement survey in 2015. After they shared the results, HOPE and its partners developed an action plan to make improvements to the ministry, which increased the volunteer’s engagement and motivation.

Click here for the Compendium of Good Practices on Conducting MEAL and Faith