Browsing by Author "Marima, Ernest Zvaviruka"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Cultural and gender dimensions in sustainable livelihoods for poor households in Gaborone : an interculteral theological study towards urban mission in the orginasation of African Instituted churches
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-12) Marima, Ernest Zvaviruka; Simon, David Xolile; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This intercultural theological study in missiology explores how Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) is responding to cultural and gender dimensions of poverty, inequality, the environment in Gaborone and the implications for mobilising poor households towards sustainable livelihoods. The purpose of the study is to explore the untapped potential of the ecumenical body and identify challenges and opportunities towards social transformation. The study focuses on the twin disposable victims of the neoliberal economy growth, human and material waste on the dumpsites on the outskirts of Gaborone. Despite revered socioeconomic growth, Botswana is still one of the most unequal countries in the world with nearly half of the population poor and vulnerable. AIC members make nearly half of the population, most are women, poor, and marginalised. AICs are an embodiment of African Christianity embedded in African culture and cosmology, they are a giant emerging from the margins and are the authentic poor people’s organisations, yet they have never been at the centre of development discourse as potential key players or partners towards the marginalised despite their strategic social ‘locatedness’. The conceptual practical-theoretical study of literature and textual analysis of organisational documents and WhatsApp electronic media communication of OAIC. It is a qualitative study in the hermeneutical interpretive paradigm. The study also uses the praxis cycle to analyse the mission of OAIC. The intercultural theological framework is mission as prophetic dialogue with a focus on justice, peace, and integrity of creation. The study also reveals that poverty has a feminine and a child’s face in Botswana. Culture and immorality contribute immensely to the feminisation of poverty and poverty of children. The study reveals that the root of poverty, income inequality, gender inequality, and ecological degradation is predominantly structural injustice. Income inequality is caused by anti-poor distributive policies. Injustice is a breach to people’s well-being —shalom and a threat to national security. The study shows that OAIC is growing powerful socially, religiously and politically. They have a robust theology based on ubuntu relationality with profound potential for holistic mission towards the poor and marginalised. However, there is no evidence of their awareness of the interconnectedness of international, regional, and national discourse on poverty, inequality, gender, and ecology. Apart from the mundane institutional and palliative approaches to help the poor cope with hardships and marginality there is little evidence of substantive initiatives to deal with materiality of poverty, gender inequality, environmental injustice, and their structural sources. Yet OAIC have earned credibility and respect among the marginalised and have a robust country-wide network. Nevertheless, AICs are still incredible to development agencies, both public and None Governmental Organisation (NGO). OAIC lacks financial resources to embark on substantive social action interventions. They also lack theological and development training to appreciate and understand broader perspectives of social and theological issues. The study proposes OAIC ought to approach mission as prophetic dialogue ‘with others’ in the margins and from the margins with the marginalised. They need to engage the practices, institutions, and structures that impoverish and marginalise people. In the process employ best practices in development studies, Appreciative inquiry, logic framework, gender analysis framework, and sustainable livelihood framework as well as mobilising and activating the agency and spirituality of the poor towards self-reliance and social justice.