“Faith and Development in Focus: Tanzania” was inspired by the unique social, political, and economic successes and challenges facing the country at present. Religious institutions have long played central roles in peoples’ lives and in efforts to provide basic services in Tanzania. After some decades of eclipse, the significance of faith-inspired engagement in development has come into sharper focus. This report aims to explore the significance of the intersections and of the widely diverse actors and their distinctive contributions.
The Triple Nexus, Localization, and Local Faith Actors: The intersections between faith, humanitarian response, development, and peace
A Review of the Literature
This report provides an overview of the key themes and existing knowledge on the topics of the Triple Nexus, localization, and local faith actors. The intersection of these topics is particularly important to contemporary aid work because of global commitments to shift power and financing from external to national and local actors, and to commit to a new way of working that overcomes humanitarian and development silos. This is essential to streamline operations across humanitarian, development, and peace work.
This report situates the role of faith-based actors within these global policy and programmatic discussions. The specific role of faith-based actors has been little discussed within these debates. More specifically, the role of local and national faith-based actors has received almost no attention.
Although the figure can be debated and changes constantly, it is commonly cited that approximately eighty percent of people in the world hold religious beliefs and follow some form of religious practice in their everyday lives. People do not lose their cultural and religious groundings in periods of crisis. Many local and national organizations in countries affected by crises are also affiliated with religious institutions. Religious institutions are one of the structures in society that have existing capital, such as networks, an infrastructure, and trust and authority in communities. Local and national faith-based actors (or local faith actors, LFAs) are, therefore, key players in localizing and harmonizing aid.
This report is based on a review of the literature following systematic searches and an analysis of ninety three resources from academic and gray literature. It is the first report of two, with the second focusing on results from primary research with DanChurchAid (DCA) and LFAs in South Sudan. The report covers four inter-linked sections and offers five main conclusions.
Suggestion citation: F. de Wolf and O. Wilkinson. (2019) The Triple Nexus, Localization, and Local Faith Actors: The intersections between faith, humanitarian response, development, and peace. Washington DC; Copenhagen: Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities; DanChurchAid
The Triple Nexus and Local Faith Actors in South Sudan: Findings from Primary Research
This report presents findings from field research conducted in South Sudan on the intersection of operationalizing the triple nexus (humanitarian-development-peace nexus), localization and, the particular role of local faith actors (LFAs). The report is based on twenty-one interviews with NGO staff. The organizations included DanChurchAid, five local faith actors, and three local non-faith actors. Two focus group discussions were also carried out with beneficiaries in Kapoeta. The first FGD was composed of nine respondents while the second included twelve respondents. The interviews and FGDs were conducted in March 2019 in South Sudan. This report is the second of two reports.
The first report focuses on a review of literature on the intersection of the triple nexus, localization, and local faith actors and is entitled, The Triple Nexus, Localization, and Local Faith Actors: The intersections between faith, humanitarian response, development, and peace.
Suggestion citation: O. Wilkinson, F. de Wolf, M. Alier. (2019) The Triple Nexus and Local Faith Actors in South Sudan: Findings from Primary Research. Washington DC; Copenhagen: Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities; DanChurchAid
Tearfund and the Quest for Faith-Based Development
This book gives an in-depth analysis of the role of faith in the work of Tearfund, a leading evangelical relief and development NGO that works in over 50 countries worldwide.
The study traces the changing ways that faith has shaped and influenced Tearfund’s work over the organisation’s 50-year history. It shows how Tearfund has consciously grappled with the role of faith in its work and has invested considerable time and energy in developing an intentionally faith-based approach to relief and development that in several ways is quite different to the approaches of secular relief and development NGOs. The book charts the different perspectives and possibilities that were not taken and the internal discussions about theology, development practices, and humanitarian standards that took place as Tearfund worked out for itself what it meant to be a faith-based relief and development organisation. There is a growing academic literature about religion and development, as well as increasing interest from development ministries of many Northern governments in understanding the role of religion in development and the specific challenges and benefits involved in working with faith-based organisations. However, there are very few studies of actual faith-based organisations and no book-length detailed studies showing how such an organisation operates in practice and how it integrates its faith into its work.
In documenting the story of Tearfund, the book provides important insights into the practice and ethos of faith-based organisations, which will be of interest to other FBOs and to researchers of religion and development.
Introduction to Climate Resilience Curriculum Syllabus
An Introduction to Climate Resilience curriculum syllabus that ERD designed for their partner and peer agencies’ 2018 workshop on Climate Resilience.
The following readings and video clips were part of a pre-workshop assignment schedule to introduce a group of development practitioners to the foundations of climate change in the lead up to a face-to-face workshop on Climate Resilience. Over the course of four months, participants completed the biweekly sessions individually and shared their reflections and responses to other participants reflections on a social media learning platform. The conversation also took place via five conference calls to discuss topics more in depth.
Environment, Religion and Culture in the Context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
A Discussion Note prepared for the Second International Seminar on Environment,
Culture and Religion – Promoting Intercultural Dialogue for Sustainable Development
(23 – 24 April 2016, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran)
Towards a Shared Sustainable Future, the Role of Religion, Values and Ethics
The December 2016 international conference held in Nanjing to discuss the theme “Religion, Values, Ethics and Development” was one of the few in China to bring together both scholars of religion and faith-based development practitioners. Co-organized and hosted by the Amity Foundation and the Institute of World Religions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the conference provided a platform for the discussion of how religion can nurture sustainable development given the urgent issues confronting humanity today. The conference involved participants from different religious backgrounds in China, including those from Taiwan, Macao and Hong Kong. Also, other participants came from 15 countries in four continents. The gathering of more than 250 participants focused on religion’s positive role and the need for religions to be engaged in attaining the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030. This volume incorporates most of the papers delivered at the conference.
Community Empowerment Initiatives of Faith-Based NGOs: A Case Study in Bangladesh
In the recent years, the widespread use of faith-based non-governmental organizations (FBNGOs) in development is considered as a significant swing in development approaches. The previous disappointing result of the secular-based development strategy persuaded the international donor agencies to put a place for religiously motivated organizations to work in the development arena. As a result a large number of faith-based NGOs got space to work development, politics and social issue related areas along with the secular development organizations.
Source Title: Social Research Methodology and New Techniques in Analysis, Interpretation and Writing
Improving aid delivery through localization in Somalia
Improving aid delivery through localization in Somalia