Empowerment Programmes of Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) and Socio-economic Well-being of Members in Yenagoa Community, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This is an investigation on the empowerment programmes of faith-based organizations (FBOs) and socio-economic well-being of members in Yenegoa Communities of Bayelsa. This study lay to rest the controversy surrounding FBOs, whether they are empowering members or exploiting them and the extent to which such organisations have met its goals especially that of capacity building, charity and giving. The survey research method was used for the study. From a population of 12,565 FBOs leaders and members in Yenegoa communities, a sample of 659 participants was selected through proportional random sampling method. Data were collected with a face and content validated self-structured instrument title: Faith-Based Organisations Empowerment Scales (FBOES), (r=0.88). Four research questions were raised and answered using the mean, standard deviation and multiple regression statistics analysis. Results showed that, faith-based organisations provided skills acquisition programmes for member’s empowerment. Majority of the FBOs were actively involved in the empowerment of youth, women and the most vulnerable members of the affiliates and even the host communities. Faith-based organisations derived its goals from the teaching on social capital investment elements of trust, cooperation, mutuality, compromise, reciprocity, courage, integrity, networking, mentoring, and communication for peace building and community development. It was concluded that faith-based organisations empowerment programmes had positive impacts on members’ social and economic well-being. In view of these findings, it was recommended that leaders of FBOs in the communities should moderate their lifestyles, emulate and enhance the example of service, humanness and sacrifice in their engagement.