Successful small-scale initiatives aimed at meeting the needs of sub-groups of the chronically poor are often organised by local civil society organisations (charities, NGOs or faith-based organisations). Study of faith based organizations responses to orphans and vulnerable children reports on a study in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Uganda on the role of faith-based organisations in assisting the poor. The study finds that:

• faith-based organisations (FBOs), which are often present in communities affected by AIDS, tend to be better placed than external agencies to provide appropriate support and deal with complex social issues of children affected by AIDS
• the level of community participation in FBO development activity is high, which increases the potential for sustainability and longevity of these projects
• FBOs support children irrespective of faith
• the overall organisational capacity of local FBOs in terms of governance and financial accountability was on a par with many larger NGOs
• most FBO initiatives receive little or no external technical or financial support and of necessity rely on their own skills and material resources.

The study recommends that donors should support the operation of small grants funds through Religious Coordinating Bodies to support activities initiated by congregations.

There has been an upsurge in interest in the roles that civil society organisations can play in the health sector. The capacity of CSOs to respond to specific problems is their strength. However, some argue that CSOs are more effective when in partnership with government. This is particularly important if small-scale initiatives are to expand.

Civil society contributions to pro-poor health equity policies explores whether civil society organisations contribute to improved provision, coverage of and access to health services in low-income communities. This report is part of a comprehensive annotated bibliography on civil society and health: www.tarsc.org/WHOCSI produced by the WHO Training and Research Support Centre (TARSC).

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