 |
| W.H.O.: faith-based organizations provide up to 70% of healthcare in Africa. |
Faith-based organizations (FBO's)
·
The World Health
Organization released a report revealing that between 30% and 70% of the health
infrastructure in Africa is currently owned by
faith-based organizations.[1]
·
The Gallup
World Poll asked
sub-Saharan Africans in 19 countries about their confidence in eight social and
political institutions. Overall across the continent, they were most likely to say they were confident in the religious organizations (76%) in their countries. [2]
(FBO's) typically are:
1. Efficient - know how to operate on
limited budgets and tap vast resources of volunteers.
2. Accountable
- answerable to governing boards and donors who expect a high yield
on their donations.
3. Transparent
- overseen by charitable organization watchdogs and use
well-established networks in local communities to reach the people most in
need.
4. Sustainable - typically
long-established in communities and dedicated to remaining to serve communities
long after grant projects are completed.
 |
| Gallup: Africans most likely to say they were confident in the religious organizations (76%) in their countries |
5. Apolitical
- motivated by faith tenets, not by political ideology.
U.S. Funding Goals:
Our government should carefully target foreign aid to reflect the values of the American people, who
expect aid to be:
1. Efficient: Programs meet quantifiable
goals and demonstrate a high return on
investment.
2. Accountable: Programs produce measurable
results.
3. Transparent: Open accounting proves
that U.S. funds actually reach the needy.
4. Sustainable: Programs will continue
yielding benefits long after U.S. funds are expended.
5. Apolitical: Aid reflects universal
values of compassion and not partisan ideology.
Besides meeting these criteria, aid can also serve pragmatic
American interests by prioritizing aid that will keep Americans safe. Death
and disease lead to economic instability, making a country vulnerable to
radical political movements. For example, when mothers in Africa die from AIDS,
their sons become the recruiting targets of terrorist groups. Foreign aid can
help prevent country disintegration that ultimately threatens American
security.
Additional worthy goals can include aiding countries that: advance
democracy by practicing or moving toward American values and strengthen
alliances with countries that provide economic, energy, military and
political advantages to the United States.
[1]
"Faith-based organizations play a major role in HIV/AIDS care and
treatment in sub-Saharan Africa ,"
February 8, 2007: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2007/np05/en/index.html.
[2]
Gallup Poll,
"Africans' Confidence in Institutions -- Which Country Stands Out?" January
18, 2007: http://www.gallupworldpoll.com/content/?ci=26176.
