By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network
NEW YORK | 21 May 2024 (IDN) — Decolonizing institutions, particularly religions on the African continent, is a compelling and urgent task.
That’s the novel subject of a paper by Benjamin Tyavkase Gudaku, Master in Religious Studies from Benue State University in Makurdi, Nigeria.
It’s also the topic of current conversation on the African continent regarding decolonizing the church, a goal only achievable by financial sustainability.
Among planned short-term projects are poultry farming and a piggery. Long-term ventures include forming strategic partnerships with major corporations, mining and establishing a private school.
One church, in Zimbabwe, has already taken the bull by the horns. Renowned globally for winning souls to Christ through spiritually uplifting music characterized by their trademark drums and rattles, members of Mubvuwi we United Methodist Church plan to venture into various income-generating projects to fund their programs and boost church finances.
In fact, they’re the reigning men’s organization music champion in the Zimbabwe East Conference.
A portion of the money raised by Mubvuwi we United Methodist Church will go to the church in Zimbabwe’s common pool to ensure all pastors receive the same salary from the episcopal area treasury, regardless of their place of appointment.
Meanwhile, in its latest effort to devise a credible national currency, Zimbabwe has replaced its dollar with the ZiG, short for Zimbabwe Gold. It’s the latest attempt to stabilize an economy that has lurched from crisis to crisis for the past 25 years.
It is the country’s sixth attempt at establishing its own currency since 2008, when inflation crossed 500 billion percent, according to IMF estimates.
Not only did that render it worthless, it turned the unit into a global punchline.
Zimbabweans have 21 days to exchange old, inflation-hit notes for the new currency.
However the US dollar, which accounts for 85% of all transactions, will remain legal tender and most people are likely to continue to prefer this.
The announcement of the new currency comes as the country is grappling with the effects of a serious drought, which has destroyed half the crop of maize – the country’s staple food. [IDN-InDepthNews]
Photo: Samson Chikoore sings with the Seke South Mubvuwi we United Methodist Church choir at a music festival in Harare. The Zimbabwe East Conference’s United Methodist men’s organization, popular for winning souls to Christ through spiritually uplifting music, is now adding income-generating projects to its quadrennium objectives. Photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.
