Developing Country Studies www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-607X (Paper) ISSN 2225-0565 (Online) Vol.5, No.10, 2015 26 Faith-Based Organizations and Women’s Economic Empowerment: A Case Study of Mbulu District- Tanzania Rose Haynes Kiwia* Assistant Lecturer, Tengeru Institute of Community Development (TICD), Community Development Department- P. O. Box 1006, Duluti, Arusha cleo2h@yahoo.co.uk Lightness J. Munisi Community and Gender Officer, Heifer International, P.O.BOX 344 Mbeya lightnessm@gmail.com Simon Augustine Kilasara Assistant Lecturer, Tengeru Institute of Community Development (TICD), Project Planning and Management Department- P. O. Box 1006, Duluti, Arusha simkil08@gmail.com John King Gwanyemba Assistant Lecturer, Tengeru Institute of Community Development (TICD), Project Planning and Management Department- P. O. Box 1006, Duluti, Arusha johnking1078@yahoo.com Abstract This study was conducted in Mbulu district, Manyara region to examine the contribution of Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) in promoting women’s economic empowerment, animated with the fact that FBOs were supporting women but less was known on the impact of the support. The study identified FBOs working in Mbulu District and the target the socio-economic situation of women after empowerment.A sample of 48 respondents was selected through stratified, purposive and convenience sampling techniques to provide information relevant to this study. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, observation and documentary review. The findings revealed that the presence of FBOs in Mbulu District had positive impact on women’s standard of living. The majority of them managed to establish their income generating activities like livestock keeping, crop business, gardening and food vending, knitting and tailoring. Their standard of living improved as compared to the time they were not supported by FBOs. The recommendations include establishing rural adult education centers, conducting lobbying and advocacy, encouraging local leaders’ participation, seeking for reliable market access, linking women with other development partners Keywords: Faith based organizations, Women Economic Empowerment, Mbulu District 1. Introduction The movement of women’s economic empowerment has a long history in various corners of the globe (United Nation Population Fund [UNFPA], 2008). Various institutions, political and Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) have been advocating for women’s economic empowerment (UNFPA, 2008; Economic Empowerment for Women [EEW], 2007). Established in 2000 in Bangladesh, the Economic Empowerment for Women (EEW) in partnership with religious institutions, for example, Caritas Humanitarian Aid and the Zion Christian Ministry drew from more than two decades of experience in women’s organizations. Their aim was to empower women economically. They therefore got involved in supporting women’s economic projects in less developed countries (UNFPA, 2008). It was realized that women’s economic empowerment through FBOs was important towards reducing poverty and attaining the third Millennium Development Goal namely Promoting gender equality and empowering women particularly in dimensions such as in education and economic gains (United Nations, 2010). Indeed, faith‐based organizations having been mobilized around the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action. The UNFPA hosted four regional forums on FBO engagement which intended to look at the significance of faith-based organizations in helping women’s economic empowerment. The regional forum took place in Durban, South Africa in December 2007; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in May 2008;, in Cairo, Egypt in July 2008; and in Buenos Aires, Argentina in September 2008 (UNFPA, 2008). As a result of these forums, it was concluded that women can be effectively empowered if there are reliable channels of empowerment such as through faith-based organizations. The resolution reached in the forum highlighted that in order to empower women economically, empowerment should be implemented through FBOs. FBOs have been deemed to be major players in issues of poverty reduction including women’s economic empowerment (Odumosu, Chete, and Alonge, 2011). In sub-Saharan Africa [SSA], for example,