Government, Faith and Business: Building Effective Multi-sector Partnerships
“Official Rapporteur’s Report”
By Kevin B. George, MBA 

Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini shares about the rise of effective partnerships between faith, government and businesses in Rwanda.

This session was moderated by Kay Warren, Executive Director of the HIV/AIDS Initiative, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, CA. 

I was impressed that this panel was comprised of two Rwandans, one South African, and three Americans - Rick Warren: Founder of Saddleback Church and The P.E.A.C.E. Coalition, Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini: Anglican Church, Kigali, Rwanda, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho: Executive Secretary of the Rwanda National AIDS Commission, Gil Odendaal, PhD,: South African from Saddleback Church, Elizabeth Styffe, RN, PHN, MN: Director, HIV/AIDS Initiative, Saddleback Church, Rwanda Healthcare initiative and Dale Dawson: Chairman of Opportunity International President’s Council.

As a PLWHA (Person Living with HIV/AIDS), and with experience in sub-Saharan Africa, I attended this session with great interest.  I was looking for hard evidence that multi-sector partnerships are effective in Rwanda, and that they can be duplicated in other countries of the world.

Kay began by recounting the story of how she became involved in HIV/AIDS advocacy in Rwanda. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda contacted Pastor Rick Warren, her husband, and asked that they visit Rwanda.  A partnership was developed between the government of Rwanda, the churches and the University of Maryland Foundation.

Dr. Agnes Binagwaho stated that 98% of all Rwandans belong to a church.  She affirmed what the Warrens contend- that this connection to the church provides the greatest mobilization of volunteers.  She believes that churches have a tradition of trusted leadership.  The churches already provide a distribution of spiritual tools, why not include medical as well.  Churches in Rwanda are also providing home visits for spiritual needs.  She supports that churches begin providing visits for health.  In addition, the church can go into areas where other groups cannot enter.

Pastor Rick Warren began by introducing the P.E.A.C.E. Plan found at http://www.thepeaceplan.com/.  Volunteers, 7776 in fact, from Saddleback have gone to 68 countries on short-term humanitarian assignments.  According to Warren, that’s more than the United States Peace Corp sent out during the same period. 

Dr. Rick Warren provided the following statistics on Western Rwanda: population 650,000; three hospitals which are a two day walk and the sick can’t walk for two days.  Two of those hospitals were founded by churches; 26 health centers of which 20 are faith-based and are a one day walk; many do not have any medical products to treat patients.  There are 720 churches.  “If you need ARV treatment (Anti-Retro Viral) or medical help, where would you want go for help?” Warren posed.  After a previous presentation where Melinda Gates, wife of Bill Gates, was in attendance, she said “I get it.  The church is the distribution center for health care.”

He then described the partnership of government, business and faith as a “three-legged stool”.  Government and business each represent a leg, but with just two legs, the stool cannot stand.  It “wobbles” and its effect is limited.  The stool is stabilized and strong by adding a third leg – that of the church.  He proposed that the church offers a unique opportunity in fighting HIV.  Worldwide, infections grow at the rate of 8,000 to 14,000 per day, and the church grows at a rate of 60,000 per day.   He believes the significant margin of the growth rate of the church can be harnessed and used to fight HIV.

Gil Odendaal stated that their programs are not church based programs, but church initiated.  Saddleback does not base American programs in a Rwandan church, but allows and encourages the Rwandan churches to initiate the programs.  They encourage local pastors and congregations to take ownership of the programs.

Elizabeth Styffe explained that there is a great disparity in life expectance between the U.S. at 78 years, and African nations at 35 years.  There is also great disparity in the health care profession.  The U.S. has more medical doctors in one U.S. hospital than in 4 African nations combined. 

Elizabeth Styffe then presented a compelling model appropriately titled, C.H.U.R.C.H.  This model is available on the Saddleback website, www.hivandthechurch.com.  Some of the highlights of the model include the fact that the church worldwide can provide the best distribution system for ARV’s and health care due to the fact that the church has the largest participation, and the widest distribution.  According to Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, 98% of Rwandans are less than 1 km from a church compared to 2 day walk from a hospital.  The question was posed by Elizabeth Styffe, “What if the church could train volunteers to work within the community to provide ARV’s under supervision?”  In fact, in Rwanda the government and Saddleback are already partnering to do just this.    200 community volunteers are in training now, and projections are to train thousands more in the coming years.

As a PLWHA, I was impressed with the content of the presentation, and the evidence compiled.  I would encourage the International AIDS Society and the International AIDS Conference to incorporate this presentation with updated statistics into the 2010 conference in Vienna.