Making community development at grassroots reality: Church-driven development approach in Zimbabwe’s context of severe poverty

Abstract

The critical role played by communities in development initiatives is globally acknowledged. Churches are key community institutions that play a crucial role in community development, yet their role is not well understood from an empirical perspective. A cross-sectional study of a church-driven community development initiative that was implemented in line with a practical inquiry approach, was conducted. The findings are presented and discussed, thereby leading to the conception of a holistic church-driven development approach that brings together different churches in the community. This approach responds to integrated community needs without focusing on one single issue, which is different to approaches advocated by some international development agencies and donors who recommend one or a few focused interventions.