Browsing by Subject "faith-based organizations"

The study examines the meanings of faith in the work of the Finnish faith-based organization Fida International within their Children Affected by Armed Forces (CAAF) project in post-conflict northern Uganda. Many of the children and youths in the project had been abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels and were consequently traumatized by the experience. The project aims at bringing these children and young people back to normal life. In this context, the study contributes to discussions and research on religion and development and the role of FBOs in development. The study is an ethnographic case study that utilizes a holistic approach within its theoretical frame. Data was gathered during fieldwork in the project's operational area in Uganda in 2011 by participatory observations and semi-structured interviews. The main data consists of 30 interviews, two focus groups, field diary, and project documents. The data is analyzed using ethnographic approaches. In Fida's holistic approach, faith permeates the project work. Personal faith and vocation are the mainstay and basis of Fida's work, giving a clear vision, guiding everyday tasks, and helping the actors deal with work-related stress. Faith plays an important role in selecting, cooperating, and mandating work through partners. The partnership with the local church is both valued and criticized. A unifying theme of the project activities is restoring hope. Spiritual needs are seen as an integral part of development for the CAAF youth's healing, rehabilitation, and reintegration. Owing to the traumatic experiences of the youths, there is a need to forgive and forget the past. The project's spiritual aid resonates with this need. In this regard, Fida seems to transform traditional religious functions of cleansing and reconciliation rituals into Pentecostal Christian virtues, thereby reframing the same in a theological language.