Missing the Obvious

Several years ago, I was leading World Vision International’s programs in Senegal. We were working to curb high levels of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. The medical community had documented a high correlation between maternal and infant mortality/morbidity and short intervals between pregnancies. For years, we partnered with Government and other humanitarian actors to train community health workers, establish and equip health posts, offer birth spacing services and sensitize and build awareness for mothers. But nothing changed.

Until, one day, a colleague shared a breakthrough. A local health worker joined the traditional gathering of men at the mosque after Friday prayers, where religious and community matters were being discussed.

Someone in the meeting had asked about his work.  He shared about the high numbers of mothers and infants dying and suffering. The men got interested and began to discuss their own experiences with casualties of women and infants in their community. The men were shocked by the number of women and children who had been impacted.

 The health worker explained that many cases of maternal or infant mortality were linked to a lack of time between pregnancies.

Together, the men went through the list again and found that the hypothesis held true. The discussions were vivid.

Suddenly it made sense: For a woman to be healthy, she needed time to recover from a pregnancy and from nursing a baby before bearing another child! Now all the men were supportive of the project and wanted to do their part to protect their women and children from risks.

 The local imam concluded the meeting by exhorting the men to follow the guidance from the health workers. Even more, the imam used the mosque loudspeaker to call people to attend the information sessions in the health post and to follow the advice they received.

 From that day on, women and men used the services offered at the centre and followed the guidance on nutrition, pre- and post-natal examinations, birth spacing and so on.

What had been missing? It wasn’t new information that convinced them to change. It was the perceived gap between the information the health officials provided and their value system.  When their religious leader validated the messages, it allowed for an almost immediate shift in attitudes and behaviours. Health workers and humanitarians are often from outside the community and can be perceived with suspicion – not so their faith leader whom they know and trust. For men and women in this community in Senegal, hearing their local faith leader endorse the message made it trustworthy and safe to follow.

All these years, the solution was right in front of my eyes and I hadn’t seen it. We hadn’t ignored faith leaders, but had only marginally engaged with them. We hadn’t understood the power of true engagement and partnership!

 Now, we turned our approach upside down by considering faith leaders as key partners and engines driving change.  Faith leaders became one of the first stakeholders we engaged with in a community when children failed to flourish whether it was due to malnutrition, conflict, domestic violence, failure to attend school or the like. By creating a safe space where they could discuss among themselves, examine the facts and consider their faith values and community roles, faith leaders often came up with simple and effective ways to address the issue. And because community members respect these faith leaders, they follow their guidance – even after the projects finished. The changes in the community were transformational—and happened faster and more sustainably than before.

Whether you are a person of faith or not, the increase in efficiency and sustainable impact makes the engagement of faith leaders essential. Since more than eight-in-ten people worldwide identify with a religious group, understanding the role of faith and engaging with faith leaders has become a core competency for any human-centred professional (health and social services, humanitarian work, education, politics…).

We can easily miss the obvious. When we have seen it, we must act on it.