Microfinance as a tool for socio-economic empowerment of rural women in Northern Malawi : a practical theological reflection

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Poverty is a multifaceted, gendered global challenge that affects women significantly more than men. To alleviate poverty and achieve sustainable development, women in the Global South are engaging in microfinance. Microfinance is the provision of financial services to underprivileged people who cannot access credit from commercial banks and is proving to be a tool of socio-economic empowerment of women from rural areas. This study explores the ways in which the church can promote the microfinance model of savings and loans in a holistic and sustainable way. This study discusses poverty and the feminisation of poverty in the light of the gender and development (GAD) approach and explores the status of women in Malawi in terms of education, health, agriculture, the environment, politics, issues of gender-based violence and socio-economic empowerment. African women theologies and transnational feminism are the theoretical lenses used to explore the advancement of the socio-economic empowerment of rural women in the Global South in the context of economic globalisation. Identified as feminist liberation theologies that seek justice and liberation of all people, African women theologies, are used as the theological lens to analyse the socio-economic empowerment of women in order to explore how women can be liberated from the oppression caused by economic injustice. As a qualitative empirical study, this research explores the nature and impact of existing savings and loans groups run by rural women in the communities of Bwengu and Bolero in Northern Malawi. With a view to understanding the role of the church in microfinance with regards to rural women, clergy from the Henga and Nyika Presbyteries and church leaders of the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia and the Malawi Council of Churches were also included in the study. The findings from the empirical research indicate that microfinance is beneficial to individual women, their families and communities as the savings and loan model encourages women to save money from their resources. Through the savings and loan groups, it appears that women are empowered socio-economically and they become financially independent. The findings also indicate that women who are involved in savings and loan groups can now participate in decision making at household and community levels. Furthermore, women’s involvement in such groups assists in reducing incidents of gender-based violence at the household level because women are making a substantial contribution to the household income. The microfinance model of savings and loans is, therefore, deemed to be both holistic as it encourages women to save from what they have and to generate social capital and spiritual inspiration as they work together in solidarity through the groups. These findings call the church to engage with such models of economic development as they highlight the fact that the churches are aware of microfinance initiatives but the churches have not engaged in the initiatives. However, there is need for the churches to engage in such initiatives because they empower the communities. In order to promote holistic and sustainable microfinance, the church has to advocate for economic justice and build the capacities of its members concerning microfinance. The church should, therefore, seek to encourage all including men, women and youth to engage in microfinance so that the entire community is lifted and empowered socio-economically.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Armoede is 'n veelvlakkige globale uitdaging waarby gender ook 'n rol speel; dit raak vroue beduidend meer as mans. Vroue in die Globale Suide maak gebruik van mikrofinansiering om armoede te verlig en volhoubare ontwikkeling te bewerkstellig. Mikrofinansiering is die voorsiening van finansiële dienste aan minderbevoorregtes wat nie toegang tot krediet van kommersiële banke het nie en blyk 'n instrument van sosio-ekonomiese bemagtiging van vroue in landelike gebiede te wees. Hierdie studie ondersoek maniere waarop die kerk die mikrofinansieringsmodel van spaar-en-leen op 'n holistiese en volhoubare manier kan bevorder. Die studie bespreek armoede en die feminisering van armoede volgens die gender en ontwikkeling (GAD) benadering, en ondersoek die status van vroue in Malawi wat betref onderwys, gesondheid, landbou, die omgewing, politiek, gender-gebaseerde geweld, en sosio-ekonomiese bemagtiging. Die teoretiese lense van Afrika-vroue-teologieë en transnasionale feminisme word gebruik om die bevordering van die sosio-ekonomiese bemagtiging van landelike vroue in die Globale Suide in die konteks van ekonomiese globalisering te ondersoek. Afrika-vroue-teologieë, wat geïdentifiseer word as feministiese bevrydingsteologieë wat geregtigheid en bevryding van alle mense nastreef, word gebruik as die teologiese lens om die sosio-ekonomiese bemagtiging van vroue te analiseer ten einde te ondersoek hoe vroue bevry kan word van die onderdrukking wat deur ekonomiese onreg veroorsaak word. Hierdie kwalitatiewe empiriese studie ondersoek die aard en impak van bestaande spaar-en-leningsgroepe wat deur landelike vroue in die gemeenskappe van Bwengu en Bolero in Noord-Malawi bestuur word. Predikante en kerkleiers van die Henga- en Nyika-sinodes, die Livingstonia-sinode van die Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) en die Malawi Raad van Kerke is ook by die studie betrek met die oog daarop om die rol van die kerk in mikrofinansiering met betrekking tot landelike vroue te verstaan. Die bevindings van die empiriese navorsing dui daarop dat mikrofinansiering voordelig is vir individuele vroue, hul gesinne en gemeenskappe, aangesien die spaar-en-leningsmodel vroue aanmoedig om van hul middele te spaar. Dit blyk dat spaar-en-leningsgroepe bydra tot die sosio-ekonomiese bemagtiging en finansiële onafhanklikheid van vroue. Die bevindinge dui ook daarop dat vroue wat by spaar-en-leningsgroepe betrokke is, betrek word by besluitneming op huishoudelike en gemeenskapsvlakke. Verder dra vroue se betrokkenheid by sulke groepe by om voorvalle van gender-gebaseerde geweld op huishoudelike vlak te verminder omdat vroue 'n beduidende bydrae tot die huishoudelike inkomste lewer. Die mikrofinansieringsmodel van spaar-en-lenings word dus as holisties beskou, aangesien vroue van die middele tot hul beskikking spaar; dit genereer ook sosiale kapitaal en geestelike inspirasie aangesien die vroue in solidariteit in die groepe saamwerk. Hierdie bevindinge roep die kerk op om met sulke modelle van ekonomiese ontwikkeling in gesprek te tree, aangesien dit beklemtoon dat kerke bewus is van mikrofinansierings-inisiatiewe, maar nie aan die inisiatiewe deelneem nie. Daar is egter 'n behoefte daaraan dat kerke aan sulke inisiatiewe deelneem omdat dit gemeenskappe bemagtig. Ten einde holistiese en volhoubare mikrofinansiering te bevorder, moet die kerk pleit vir ekonomiese geregtigheid, en lidmate se vermoëns rakende mikrofinansiering opbou. Die kerk moet dus poog om almal, insluitend mans, vroue en jongmense, aan te moedig om mikrofinansiering te beoefen sodat die hele gemeenskap sosio-ekonomies opgehef en bemagtig word.Doctora

The role of religion in sustainable development : theological reflections on sustainable development goals and Mother Earth

CITATION: Chilongozi, M. N. 2020. The role of religion in sustainable development : theological reflections on sustainable development goals and Mother Earth, in Matholeni, N. P., Boateng, G. K. & Manyonganise, M. (eds.) 2020. Mother Earth, Mother Africa & African indigenous religions. Stellenbosch: SUN PReSS, doi:10.18820/9781928480730/10.The original publication is available at https://africansunmedia.store.it.si/zaThe UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (United Nations, 2015). However, there is a shift in the understanding of sustainable development as it was stipulated in the MDGs and how sustainable development is defined in the SDGs. The SDGs are applicable to countries in the Global South and in the Global North, unlike the MDGs that focused mainly on countries in the Global South. The MDGs focused on the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, gender inequality, as well as on improving education, health and forming global partnerships. However, the SDGs integrate the three dimensions of sustainable development, namely economic, social and environmental. The SDGs, therefore, include building peaceful, just and inclusive societies, protecting human rights, promoting gender equality and the need to protect Mother Earth and its natural resources by combating climate change and protecting oceans and forests. In analysing the SDGs critically, it is evident that the religious dimension is missing. The religious dimension is nevertheless critical, as Oduyoye (2001) argues that religion determines the shaping of the moral, social, political and economic dimensions of many societies in Africa. Religion influences how people relate to each other and the environment. In the African world view, there is no separation between the sacred and secular as it is holistic in its perspective. Religion is an element of people’s identity and it influences the core of the lives of people in Africa. Hence, an agenda for sustainable development should not exclude religion. This chapter engages Mercy Amba Oduyoye’s (2001) four central themes of doing theology in Africa as the theological lens in its analysis of sustainable development goals, with a focus on understanding Mother Earth. Her book, Introducing African women’s theology (Oduyoye, 2001), addresses theological themes that entail a holistic approach to sustainable development in the African context. These themes are: (1) community and wholeness, (2) relatedness and interrelationships, (3) reciprocity and justice, and (4) compassion and solidarity. These theological themes describe the characteristics of traditional life in Africa of caring for each other and the environment. The care for the environment and the natural resources emerge from the religious belief in the need to ensure harmony between the elemental forces and human beings. Achieving sustainable development, as stipulated in the SDGs, is a challenge if religion and the spirituality of people in different societies are not taken into account.Publisher's versio

The role of the church with regards to maternal health : a case study of the church of Central Africa Presbyterian, Synod of Livingstonia

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Many women in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Malawi, in particular, die during childbirth due to preventable and treatable complications that develop during pregnancy and childbirth. This study is motivated by the need to reduce the maternal mortality ratio in Malawi, which higher in comparison to other countries in Southern Africa. Therefore, the study aims to interrogate the role the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP), Synod of Livingstonia plays or can play to reduce maternal mortality. The study is undertaken within the field of Theology and Development with a focus on the intersection between gender, health and theology. The study discusses development approaches and discourses; the historical perspectives of issues of women in development and how it has shifted from Women In Development (WID); Women And Development (WAD) to Gender and Development (GAD). It placed maternal health within the Gender and Development approach. It further explains how the global initiatives on maternal health and the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals have brought awareness of maternal health as a developmental issue. The initiatives have assisted governments and non-governmental organisations to put strategies that would assist in reducing maternal mortality and it has been noted that Faith-Based Organisations play a crucial role in the health sector in most countries in Africa, including Malawi. The findings indicate that maternal health mirrors the disparities between developed countries and developing countries, between the rich and the poor, between the educated and the uneducated, between the urban and the rural women. Maternal deaths are caused by preventable and treatable complications that develop during pregnancy and childbirth, however, these complications result from socio-cultural, religious, economic and political factors. Above all, maternal mortality is perpetuated by gender inequality in societies. Further the study analysed the role of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, Synod of Livingstonia with regards to maternal health using Mercy Oduyoye’s four theological themes as the theological lens. It has been noted that the Synod of Livingstonia is playing a crucial role in the education and health sectors in Malawi. However, the Synod of Livingstonia regard maternal health as a health issue and women’s issue and therefore does not tackle maternal health at different forums. This study concludes that maternal health is a socio-cultural issue, a developmental issue, a gender issue, an economic and political issue that needs to be tackled through the collaboration of the government and churches and the communities in general. Denominations such as the CCAP, therefore, has a crucial role to play in addressing this challenge and the study concludes with recommendations to the Synod of Livingstonia as to how it could assist in issues of maternal health.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Baie vroue in Afrika suid van die Sahara, en Malawi spesifiek, sterf tydens geboorte weens voorkombare en behandelbare komplikasies wat tydens swangerskap en geboorte ontstaan. Hierdie studie is gemotiveer deur die behoefte om die moedersterftesyfer in Malawi, wat hoër as in ander lande in Suidelike Afrika is, te verlaag. Hierdie studie is dus daarop gerig om die rol te ondersoek wat die Kerk van Sentraal-Afrika, Presbiteriaans (KSAP), Sinode van Livingstonia, in die afname van moedersterftes speel of kan speel. Die studie val binne die terrein van Teologie en Ontwikkeling, en fokus op die inter-sektoriese wisselwerking van geslag, gesondheid en teologie. Die studie bespreek ontwikkelingsbenaderings en diskoerse: die historiese perspektiewe van kwessies rondom vroue in ontwikkeling en hoe dit van Vroue in Ontwikkeling (VIO), Vroue en Ontwikkeling (VEO) na Geslag en Ontwikkeling (GEO) verskuif het. Moedergesondheid word binne die Geslag- en Ontwikkelingsbenadering geplaas. Die studie verduidelik verder hoe wêreldwye inisiatiewe oor moedergesondheid en die Millennium Ontwikkelingsdoelstellings asook die Volhoubare Ontwikkelingsdoelstellings bewustheid vir moedergesondheid as ontwikkelingskwessie geskep het. Die inisiatiewe het regerings en nie-regeringsorganisasies bygestaan in die implementering van strategieë wat tot die afname van moedersterftes sal bydra en daar is bemerk dat geloofsgebaseerde organisasies ʼn beslissende rol in die gesondheidsektor in die meeste lande in Afrika, insluitend Malawi, vervul. Die bevindings dui daarop dat moedergesondheid die ongelykhede tussen ontwikkelde lande en ontwikkelende lande, tussen ryk en arm, tussen opgeleide en onopgeleide, tussen stedelike en plattelandse vroue weerspieël. Moedersterftes word deur voorkombare en behandelbare komplikasies veroorsaak wat gedurende swangerskap en geboorte ontstaan. Hierdie komplikasies is egter die gevolg van sosio-kulturele, godsdienstige, ekonomiese en politieke faktore. Geslagsongelykheid is die enkele grootste faktor wat tot gevolg het dat daar nie 'n afname aan moedersterftesyfers is nie. Verder ontleed die studie die Kerk van Sentraal-Afrika, Presbiteriaans, Sinode van Livingstonia, se rol met betrekking tot moedergesondheid deur van Mercy Oduyoye se vier teologiese temas as teologiese lens gebruik te maak. Daar is bemerk dat die Sinode van Livingstonia ʼn belangrike rol in die opleidings- en gesondheidsektore in Malawi speel. Die Sinode beskou moedergesondheid egter as ʼn gesondheidskwessie en ʼn vrouekwessie, wat meebring dat moedergesondheid nie by verskillende forums aandag ontvang nie. Hierdie studie bevind dat moedergesondheid ʼn sosiokulturele kwessie, ʼn ontwikkelingskwessie, ʼn geslagskwessie, ʼn ekonomiese en politieke kwessie is wat deur die samewerking van die regering en kerke en gemeenskappe oor die algemeen aangepak moet word. Denominasies soos die KSAP het dus ʼn deurslaggewende rol wat die hantering van hierdie uitdaging betref. Die studie word afgesluit met aanbevelings aan die Sinode van Livingstonia oor maniere waarop kwessies rondom moedergesondheid aangepak kan word