Assessing the faith-based organization in development : a case study of Hakha Baptist Church, Chin State, Myanmar

Abstract

When we study the development of the Chin people and the Chin State, we find Church and development works are remarkably related and intertwined throughout the history of Chin people. Following the military coup in 1962, the government obstructed international cooperation within the country especially to ethnic States like Chin State. Since then, Churches become the main actor in deeper character to community development works especially to educational pattern. Churches involve in a wide range and leading development works within the intersection of gender equality, social service, infrastructure, education, culture, economics, and political development activities. The fundamental concepts of this research are rights-based approach to development, based on the 4As Frameworks: the 4As refers to Accessibility, Adaptability, Availability and Acceptability, then the barriers and the opportunities in different models of church-based programs in Hakha. The purpose of this research is to identify the roles of church institutions in promoting rights-based approach to development accordingly with the 4A frameworks. This research finds that the Churches are the only institutions that provide and promote people participation in their right to development, capacity building, and peace building. However, the research explicitly finds that the church’s approach to development works in particular programs is a bit more based on charity purpose only. Merely charity approach is not enough according to the human right-based approach to development theory. For example, after Holy Communion, church collects money for the poor is only based on charity. Instead, the church and its members want to donate to help the life of the poor who are in need and improve their lives to maximum standard. It happens when the poor are being treated as a receiver instead of empowering them to be in self-realizable. On the other hands, the churches tend and are the main actors to promote local people’s right to development both in special projects and general programs, not only for their members but also general public. Therefore, this research concludes that the development of the Chins is deeply rooted to Churches in Chin State. It reflects that development works without religion orientate might hardly successful in Chin State because the philosophy and context of the people in Chin state is highly influenced by religion.