2018-Tearfund-Flourishing-churches-flourishing-communities-church-and-community-mobilisation-in-Uganda-report-En

4 . FLOURISHING CHURCHES, FLOURISHING COMMUNITIES
INTRODUCTION
There is growing recognition of the role of faith within development. Although
the global North has experienced a growing secularisation, for most people in
the global South, spirituality is integral to their understanding of the world and
is therefore central to the decisions they make.
Faith has been linked to providing hope, purpose and
self-belief to individuals and groups. Faith can provide
shared values that, in turn, build a sense of belonging
and identity that is integral to unity and social
movements for change.
Within Christianity, the inherent values of justice
and equality present potential foundational principles
for driving change towards a fairer society. Not only
this, but local churches are emerging as development
actors with the ability to provide a safe space and
inclusive environment. They are often focal points
for the community, are historically rooted, and
have popular legitimacy, infrastructure, networks
and motivation.
We cannot presume that the church always has a
positive influence in society. Therefore, there is a
need to understand how the local church is playing
its role and how a positive influence can be promoted
and encouraged.
The aim of this research was to explore the local
church’s role in promoting social change in Ugandan
communities. It focused on Tearfund’s church and
community mobilisation (CCM) approach, to discover
how individuals and communities have experienced
changes in their well-being over a five-year period.
The research highlights the key positive and negative
drivers of change, and the overall positive and negative
changes in the lives of those interviewed.
Children next to fishing boats at Lake Kyoga, Uganda. Photo: Charlotte Flowers/Tearfund
‘LOCAL CHURCHES
ARE EMERGING AS
DEVELOPMENT ACTORS
WITH THE ABILITY
TO PROVIDE A SAFE
SPACE AND INCLUSIVE
ENVIRONMENT’