An Assessment of the Role of Faith-Based Organisations in HIV/AIDS Mitigation, Treatment and Care: The Case of Buddhist Compassion Relief in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Philani Moyo,Charlene Keir Ying-Ling

doi:10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n2p345

Philani Moyo, Charlene Keir Ying-Ling

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n2p345

Copy DOI

Abstract

This study investigates the role of faith based organizations in HIV/AIDS mitigation, treatment and care. Using a qualitative methodology and with specific focus on Buddhist Compassion Relief (Tzu Chi Foundation), this study assesses the efficacy of HIV/AIDS intervention programmes run by the Tzu Chi Foundation (TCF) as well as their impact on the socio-economic and health wellbeing of people living with HIV/AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It also analyses the challenges of such faith based organisation run public health community intervention programmes. The study finds that such interventions tremendously assist people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) to access home based care in the absence of a well co-ordinated state intervention programme. Through the home based care programmes, PLWHA access more knowledge about how to live positively, safe sex practices to avoid re-infection and strategies of dealing with societal stigmatisation and social exclusion. Furthermore, PLWHA also receive nutritional food, are assisted in adhering to their prescribed ARV therapy and given physiotherapy sessions in an effort to elongate and enhance their quality of life. While there are the foregoing and many other benefits of home based care, the study however finds that such faith based organisation run public health interventions have a number of challenges which include inadequate funding, dubious development paradigm praxis, questionable sustainability thrust as well as organisational structures which do not reflect local population demographics. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n2p345

Highlights

The role of religion affiliated non-profit development organisations in community development in Southern Africa remains one of the least researched areas in contemporary sociology
Any investigation that attempts to examine the role of faith-based organisations (FBOs) in HIV/AIDS community interventions and development in Southern Africa inevitably has to touch on work done by FBOs affiliated to ‘old’ mainstream churches such as Catholic Relief Services (Catholic Church), Anglican Relief and Development Fund (Anglican Church), Lutheran World Relief (Lutheran Church), Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services (Salvation Army Church) and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Seventh Day Adventist Church) etc
With specific focus on Buddhist Compassion Relief (Tzu Chi Foundation), this paper assesses the efficacy of HIV/AIDS programmes run by the Tzu Chi Foundation (TCF) as well as their impact on the socio-economic and health wellbeing of people living with HIV/AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal

Summary

Introduction

The role of religion affiliated non-profit development organisations in community development in Southern Africa remains one of the least researched areas in contemporary sociology This is despite ample evidence of the positive role of religious affiliated organisations or faith-based organisations (FBOs) in community work especially in the provision of education, water, sanitation, health (e.g., HIV/AIDS, malaria interventions), food, spiritual and other services to poor and vulnerable groups. This dearth of sociological research in this area is surprising because FBOs have a long and rich history of community outreach to help individuals and communities in need (Cnaan 2002 cited in Dubois and Karcher 2005) in Southern Africa. It analyses the challenges of such FBO run community intervention programmes

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion