The role of the church in facilitating and sustainning the people's health and well being in Kenya
Date
2012-04-04
Authors
Etemesi, Stella Ruth
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Abstract
This report gives an account of the author's experiences and observations, made at the Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK), during a four month practical attachment carried out between 5th July 1999 and 18th October 1999. The aim of the attachment was to provide the author with practical experience in an organization whose activities are centered around development. Health is considered to be one of the pre-requisites of human development, and the hosting organization for the attachment, CIIAK, is an association that bands together health institutions which are owned or managed by Protestant churches. The report reflects upon the commitment of church-related facilities to provide a healing ministry that renders health and well-being to human communities. The functions and activities of the CHAK Secretariat (which is the hub of Protestant health care providers in Kenya) are examined in order to see the Association's commitment to this mission. Past and present contextual factors (such as government support, donor funding and restructuring) that have shaped the directions of the Association, are examined, and the main actors in CHAK's environment of operation are identified. Findings of the attachment indicate that the Secretariat's main functions are training, capacity building, advocacy and networking. These functions are assessed in terms of the contribution they make to the Association's development activities. Critical analyses are made on these functions' need and use of communication. It is argued in this report that CHAK's functions can be strengthened and made more effective through the introduction of effective communication. The principal recommendation made in this report is that the CHAK Secretariat should establish a fully integrated communication system that incorporates communication in all the organization's functions, thus enabling the Secretariat to facilitate the developmental goals of the Association.
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Mission of the Church -- Kenya