Degree Name

MA in Sustainable Development

First Advisor

Ken Williams

Abstract

The growing number of poor in the Philippines is alarming. Neither the national government nor any individual organization acting alone has been able to alleviate the rising percentage of poverty. With this prevalent need in the country, networks, alliances and partnerships among several organizations, including faith-based organizations, have been established to help respond to the needs of those living in poverty.

OM Philippines–Cebu Ministries, a faith-based Christian organization was started in 2001. It has worked specifically among the poor through children’s programs in partnership with local Protestant churches. Like many NGOs, OM Philippines has been exploring new strategies to expand its work while incorporating the Christian biblical approach towards holistic community development. This study aims to show where OM Philippines needs to improve its working relationship with partner churches in their collaborative service among the poor.

The Appreciative Inquiry (AI) approach, an asset-based development tool, is seen as one of the most effective ways to identify the life-giving forces of the organizations that build and strengthen partnerships. Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and other international groups have used this approach to develop stronger relationships between themselves and their partner agencies. OM Philippines staff, partner churches’ representatives, and beneficiaries participated in the research process using the 4-D Model of AI to discover the perceptions, impacts, dreams, strengths and challenges of the partnerships. The process further helped identify the best experiences and practices of the work, and the needs of the partners and beneficiaries, which resulted to the formulation of OM Philippines’ Principles of Partnerships. These principles of partnerships have become the framework upon which OM Philippines strengthens existing partnerships and forges new ones for sustainable work among the poor.

Disciplines

Family, Life Course, and Society | Inequality and Stratification | Social Welfare | Work, Economy and Organizations

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