TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES FROM

“RECEIVERS” TO “GIVERS”

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THE PROBLEM

The Community Based Development Program is now on its 25^th year of implementation. Since its inception, it has completed more than 70 potable water systems and almost 200 agricultural projects, among others. Based on its vision and goals, CBDP has a two-fold task: first, basic services delivery; and second, empowerment. It has been successful in the first task of delivering services to marginalized communities, as attested to by external evaluators who have established that most of the projects implemented under the program continue to provide concrete benefits to communities. However, the task of empowerment, that is, mobilizing communities for self-reliance and self-determination, still has a long way to go. Unfortunately, this is the more important task. In fact, service delivery without empowerment is counter-developmental in the long term as it merely perpetuates mendicancy and dependency among beneficiaries.

Dr. William Henry Scott wrote that, in the history of mission work of the Episcopal Church in this country:

“The main appeal to the converts seemed to have been materialistic and many of the missionaries frankly used their high living standards and economic power as an incentive to conversion. Free foodstuff, clothing, buttermilk and chocolates were distributed so frequently and in large amounts that it led to a strong sense of dependency as the converted communities regarded the Church as a very rich institution from which material benefits can be derived.”