Role of Faith-based Organizations in Improving the Aid Effectiveness in Helping Countries in Sub-Saharan African Reach the Millennium Development Goals

The challenges of reaching the MDGs for health in Africa are well-know. Countries are not on track for achieving these goals in the near future. New approaches are needed. This presentation will take the position that channeling more aid through faith-based organizations engaged in health services is one new approach that can accelerate progress in achieving the MDGs for health. There are four reasons why this approach makes sense. First of all, faith-based organizations are already major players in the provision of health services. Most authorities and the available data suggest that 40-6-% of health services in Africa are provided by faith-based organizations. However, structures for delivering aid have often not focus on these organizations. Rather, aid has been focused on governments and national and international NGOs as recipients. In order to structure aid so that it can be provided to faith-based organizations, aid organizations have to reach out and begin to engage faith-based organizations in dialogue in order to create processes that will serve the needs of each. Secondly, faith-based organizations and their employees are motivated by values of service and compassion, and these values are fundamental to building strong health systems. Thirdly, faith-based organizations are sustainable. They have been created and are sustained with long-term financial support, and their staffs have a long-term view which is fundamental for health system development and for effective health programs. Finally, faith-based organizations have strong links to communities and to the grassroots.