A non-governmental organisation had a symposium recently on the need to lace spirituality with social projects to alleviate the problems of the vulnerable in the society society, Correspondent, ONYEWUCHI OJINNAKA, reports.
The floating of a new non-governmental but religious-based organisation (FBO) known as Faith Based Initiative Alliance (FABIA) to join other FBOs in prosecuting spiritual and social programmes to communities and the larger society has been described as a welcome development.
FABIA, which is one of the FBOs, held one day symposium in Lagos to enlighten its members and participants on the importance of combining spirituality with charity/social work.
The symposium, with the theme, ‘The Role of Faith-based Organisations in the Coming Regeneration’ organised by FABIA International, was aimed at addressing the problems of the society at large not only economically and socially but morally and spiritually.
In her opening remarks at the symposium, the founder of FABIA International, Bishop (Mrs.) Priscilla Otuya, said “people are suffering not because they do not know God or God does not love them, but because God expects the church to assist the suffering masses”, adding that the much needed change will emanate from the faith-based community.
She said, as a group, FABIA would object to bad policies of government and as well has the right to engage with government on some good policies. “We cannot be blind to our responsibilities.”
FABIA is an FBO which delivers variety of social services to the public such as job opportunities, caring for the elderly, advocating justice for the oppressed, organising fund-raising for the less-privileged and promoting community development.
According to Bishop Otuya, FABIA wants to enlighten people on the importance of networking. Otuya also said that her organisation needs alliance in order to get government support.
Project
The FABIA founder stated that her organisation would embark on health and safety initiatives and would want to use structures such as Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) to achieve its objectives.
FABIA is also going to work with youth corps members and create employment.
The health project will be run as a preventive and curative health centre. The organisation will also establish school to be run by a council comprising talented and dedicated educators/educationists who have integrity.
A guest speaker at the conference, Mark-Anthony Ndukaeze, in his presentation, said the symposium presented a chance to reflect upon the progress FBOs can make to honour the country’s most basic principles of inclusion, opportunity, equal treatment and fair representation, and to seek out innovative strategies for building on the record of achievements by many people.
He pointed out that one effective way of setting up FBOs with the government and private corporations is through partnership with local governments and government agencies such as Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP), Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), among others.
Further, Ndukaeze said other effective ways FBOs can partner with government include setting up social programmes and working in partnership with government to administer and expand such programmes after they had been established; applying for public funding and participating in government programmes; sourcing for grants from government to the people through FBOs. Others include advocacy and encouraging the government through legislation to set up policies for effective skilled programmes and training of youths, drug prevention programmes, counselling and employment programmes.
According to him, FBOs can partner with government to provide affordable low income houses, help the unemployed transit from joblessness to gainful employment and provide quick and direct ways of sourcing funds for small businesses.
Sources of fund/management
Ndukaeze submitted that FBOs get funds from various sources such as organising fund-raisers, auction sales, private donations and philanthropy.
Other sources of fund are programmes, event fees and individual contributions from the congregation, while government funding is basically grants made available for organisations such as FBOs to apply.
Effective fundraising for FBOs, he said, requires strong executive and development directors who solicit major gifts, review and write grant proposals and develop cordial relationship with funders. Board members who are willing and able to raise funds oversee the operation of the organisation and accountable for compliance on legal issues.
FBOs should also retain outside consultants for intra-religious issues, capacity training, providing information on scholarships and assisting people to access and apply for foreign scholarships and internship training.
He urged churches and mosques to create important public spaces where community groups such as civic associations and others congregate to address communal and individual needs.
