The Barefoot Guide 3:
Mobilizing Religious
Health Assets for Transformation

Health, freedom and social justice cannot be separated. Anyone who loves a neighborhood, a nation or a small planet enough to work for its future, inevitably measures success by its health and well-being. How long do the neighbors live, and with what degree of freedom from the burden of illness? Do they have water, food, shelter and access to medical services?

Martin Luther King, who fought and died for political rights, could say that “of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.” Health is one way to describe our capacity to be alive and to play our role as members of families and neighborhoods, indeed as citizens. But how does one choose life for the community? How do we as leaders make sure that our lives are about life and health?

The journey this Barefoot Guide will take you on is a response to those questions! The connection between religion and public health is important. This is not just an opinion but a fact. For example in Africa, depending on the country, anything between 20-70% of public healthcare is delivered through religious institutions or groups. This BFG focuses on understanding and working with that reality. Religious assets for health are everywhere, they matter to a lot of people, and they can be mobilized for the health of all.

It has chapters on: thinking differently about the health of the public; revisiting the history of the link between religion and public health; working with and mobilizing religious health assets; supporting the ‘leading causes of life’; understanding ‘healthworlds’ and the strengths of ‘people who come together’; boundary leadership; thinking about systems; and ‘deep accountability.’

What you are getting in this Barefoot Guide, then, is a way of understanding why we say that, and how you can use these ideas to take up the challenge of health in your own communities—whether you consider yourself especially religious or not! It is an invitation to take a journey, one whose goal is a better life for all.

DL

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The Third Barefoot Writers Collective
Barefoot Guide 3

Primary authors:
James (Jim) R. Cochrane – University of Cape Town, South Africa
Gary R. Gunderson – Wake Forest University, North Carolina, USA
African/International Health Assets Programme members who have contributed to one or
other element of this Guide:
Mary Baich – Vesper Society (until 2012), USA
Teresa Cutts – Center of Excellence in Faith & Health, Methodist Healthcare, Memphis, USA
Steve de Gruchy – University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
Frank Dimmock – Lesotho, previously in Malawi
Paul Germond – University of the Witwatersrand (until 2010), South Africa
Mimi Kiser – Interfaith Health Program, Emory University, USA
Sinatra Matimelo – EngageHIV, Zambia
Deb McFarland – Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, USA
Sepetla Molapo – University of Pretoria, Lesotho
Jill Olivier – University of Cape Town, South Africa
Barbara Schmid – University of Cape Town, South Africa
Fred Smith – Wake Forest Medical Center, North Carolina, USA
Liz Thomas – University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
CDRA supportive contributions from:
Doug Reeler – Community Development Resource Association (CDRA), South Africa
Tony Saddington – Independent , South Africa
Editorial team: Jim Cochrane, Gary Gunderson, Teresa Cutts, Doug Reeler
Artist and Illustrator: Teboho Cochrane
Layout artist: Paula Wood (Paula Wood Design)