Social transformation through affirmation of human dignity : a case study of ‘Learn to Earn’

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Given South Africa’s humanitarian crisis, the intention was to explore a possible intervention to address the pervasive poverty and rapidly rising unemployment, by means of a practical theological study. The study aims to ascertain the contribution which spirituality in a Faith-Based Organisation (“FBO”) makes towards attaining social transformation through affirming human dignity. Throughout the study, ‘spirituality’ was given the meaning of the personal and relational side of the Christian faith, which shapes daily life. The evolution of the notion of ‘development’, as an undertaking intended to improve the lives of those experiencing material deprivation, was traced and it was noted how spirituality had long been excluded as a feature affecting the well-being of those to whom poverty upliftment was intended to be addressed. The study therefore argues in favour of a theological interpretation of development, known also as ‘transformation’, having its foundation in a kingdom of God theology with a focus on attaining ‘shalom’. Positioned within the discipline of Theology and Development, this qualitative research study selected a case study as its methodology, within an interpretive paradigmatic perspective, which incorporated the notion of self-reflexivity as an additional dimension of the data interpretation. The unit of analysis of the case study was the FBO, and an in-depth exploration was undertaken in order to understand the work of Learn to Earn (“LTE”), an FBO with an overtly Christian faith expression. LTE professes to focus on the whole person, including the spiritual dimension, in the course of providing skills training to formerly unemployed people in Khayelitsha, Cape Town and Zwelihle, Hermanus. Through empirical research, the integrated spirituality practices of LTE were explored in order to ascertain the extent of social transformation being experienced by its participants. The study’s findings were that the practice of spirituality within LTE resulted in the affirmation of human dignity of participants, in circumstances where there had been a focus on the imago Dei and where the kingdom of God was proclaimed holistically. The result was that ‘marred identities’ of impoverished people were healed as they recovered their true identity and vocation. As a consequence, the affirmation of human dignity through a recovery of vocation played a significant role in the participants overcoming powerlessness, caused by structural injustice. Through their own agency, they were able to escape poverty’s captivity and to progress towards shalom, whereby meaningful social transformation occurred. Based on the empirical evidence relating to the case study of LTE, it can be suggested that this FBO empowers those who are economically deprived, by assisting them to overcome powerlessness, through activating their agency, as their human dignity is affirmed and vocation subsequently recovered. It is suggested that the significant role of the FBO in development work is thereby evident. Recent interest in inclusion of spirituality within development discourse is thus to be welcomed as a beneficial addition to attaining social transformation.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gegewe Suid-Afrika se humanitere krisis, is die doel van die navorsing om 'n moontlike intervensie te ondersoek om die heersende armoede en vinnig stygende werkloosheid aan te spreek deur middel van 'n praktiese teologiese studie. Die studie het ten doel om vas te stel watter bydrae spiritualiteit in 'n Geloofsgebaseerde Organisasie (FBO) lewer tot sosiale transformasie deur die versterking van menswaardigheid. In die studie word die betekenis van “spiritualiteit” beskou as die persoonlike en relasionele sy van die Christelike geloof, wat die daaglikse lewe vorm. Die evolusie van die idee van “ontwikkeling” as onderneming met die doel om die lewens van diegene wat materiele ontbering ervaar, te verbeter, is nagevors. Dit was opmerklik dat spiritualiteit lank uitgesluit is as 'n aspek van ontwikkeling wat die welwees beinvloed van diegene tot wie armoede-opheffing gerig word. Die studie pleit dus vir 'n teologiese interpretasie van ontwikkeling, ook bekend as “transformasie”, met as grondslag 'n koninkryk van God-teologie met 'n fokus op die bereiking van shalom. Hierdie studie, wat geposisioneer is in die dissipline van Teologie en Ontwikkeling, is ‘n kwalitatiewe navorsingstudie, wat 'n gevallestudie as metodologie binne 'n interpretatiewe paradigmatiese perspektief gekies het. Die begrip van self-refleksie as 'n addisionele dimensie van die data-interpretasie, is geinkorporeer. Die eenheid van die gevallestudie wat ontleed is, is 'n FBO. 'n In-diepte verkenning is onderneem om die werk van Learn to Earn (LTE), 'n FBO met 'n openlike Christelike geloofsbenadering, te verstaan. LTE fokus op die hele mens, insluitend die geestelike dimensie, in die loop van die verskaffing van vaardigheidsopleiding aan voorheen werklose mense in Khayelitsha, Kaapstad, en Zwelihle, Hermanus. Deur empiriese navorsing is die geintegreerde spiritualiteitspraktyke van LTE ondersoek ten einde die omvang van sosiale transformasie wat deur die deelnemers ervaar word, vas te stel. Die studie se bevindinge is dat die beoefening van spiritualiteit binne LTE, waar gefokus is op die imago Dei en waar die koninkryk van God holisties verkondig is, tot die bevestiging van die menswaardigheid van deelnemers gelei het. Die gevolg was dat “geskende identiteite” van verarmde mense genees is namate hulle hul ware identiteit en roeping herwin het. Gevolglik het die bevestiging van menswaardigheid deur 'n herstel van roeping 'n beduidende rol gespeel sodat die deelnemers magteloosheid, veroorsaak deur strukturele onreg, te bowe gekom het. Deur hul eie agentskap kon hulle uit armoede ontsnap en na shalom beweeg, waardeur betekenisvolle sosiale transformasie plaasgevind het. Gebaseer op die empiriese bewyse wat verband hou met die gevallestudie van LTE, kan voorgestel word dat hierdie FBO diegene wat ekonomies benadeel is, bemagtig om magteloosheid te oorkom, deur die aktivering van hul agentskap, aangesien hul menswaardigheid bevestig word en roeping daarna herstel word. Daar word voorgestel dat die beduidende rol van die FBO in ontwikkelingswerk daardeur duidelik is. Die onlangse belangstelling in die insluiting van spiritualiteit in die ontwikkelingsdiskoers moet dus verwelkom word as 'n voordelige toevoeging tot die bereiking van sosiale transformasie.Doctora