Browsing by Author "Msabah, Barnabe Anzuruni"

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    Empowerment by hope : a phenomenological study on the health and wellbeing of African refugee migrants
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03-03) Msabah, Barnabe Anzuruni; Bowers-Du Toit, Nadine; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Ours is a century of migration. It has become more necessary for people to migrate than ever before in human history due to a variety of reasons including political instability and economic opportunities. The rate at which migration is increasing, nevertheless, poses serious challenges to various countries. South Africa is not immune. However, not all migrants migrate at will. For some, migration suggests recreation or acceptance of a job offer; but for others, it is a dangerous movement. It is forced and could mean permanent expulsion from home. Such is the case for refugee migrants. Theirs is a case of inconvenience; a case of expulsion from their territorial space and exclusion from socio-economic ownership. Although the end of the refugee migration is somewhat beneficial to an émigré for the reason that, in such a case, life is spared from various forms of persecution, the process of migration is itself detrimental since it involves serious challenges that affect refugees’ health and wellbeing. This study aims to encourage a paradigm shift in Theology and Development, proposing that hope and empowerment are an inseparable binary with affective dimensions on being and belonging. In this way, putting hope into practice is fundamentally an asset for improved wellbeing and significant in the process of recovery from illness. The study begins with a review of existing literature by six prominent scholars from various academic fields who have dealt intensively with hope. This is then followed by a discussion and analysis of the relationship between hope and empowerment in the development discourse within the African context. Finally, qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews with key informants, and through focus group discussions with representatives of the refugee community in Cape Town is presented and analysed in view of understanding empowerment by hope. In addition to being an indicator of human dignity, the findings of this research indicate that, amongst other things, hope is a practical tool for holistic development. In the end, recommendations that collate hope and empowerment are proposed in order to assist role players such as faith communities, researchers and policymakers in developing appropriate responses for managing the refugee phenomenon, particularly as it relates to the health and wellbeing of refugee migrants.
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    Exploring the dynamics of the refugee phenomenon and it's relevance in South Africa's development : towards the merging of theory and practice for ministry to refugees
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-12) Msabah, Barnabe Anzuruni; August, Karel Th.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The history of migration is as old as that of mankind. However, the magnitude of its impact is extremely acute today as we are confronted by the manifold consequences of globalisation. Scores of people from different parts of the world leave their homes every day in quest of personal, economic, political, social, environmental, emotional and spiritual freedom or security, amongst other things. In South Africa, the local population has been witnessing floods of such people entering the country since 1994. They all have one thing in common: enduring foreignness and all its consequences at liberty rather than living with neither liberty nor safety in their own countries. However, most South Africans understand less the context of the circumstances that lead to asylum-seeking or the challenges that asylum seekers and refugees among them face on a daily basis. They less appreciate refugees’ contribution in the country’s development and even lesser, the little attempts by refugees to prompt transformative change in the community. As a result, intolerance emerges and xenophobia transpires. There is a serious need to educate the society on the issues concerning refugees. This research explores different perspectives of forced human displacement (particularly the refugee phenomenon) with the purpose of finding better ways to educate the society on such matters. So, what should the church’s contribution be in educating the population on the question of refugees? In this study we prove that, first of all, the church is to provide refugees with a sense of belonging and homely warmth. That is, it should be the truest sanctuary for refugees by receiving them rather than keeping them apart. Then, it should build a bridge of understanding between refugees and the hosting community. This means the church is to be the reconciler of the two communities. Hence, this bridge of understanding is reconciliatory and leads to transformational development in society. The study is a collection of academic reflections, theological insights and empirical data from 271 participants nationwide. It is a multidisciplinary study (albeit researched within the frames of practical theology) that promotes human dignity for all. This it does by taking the challenges related to the refugee phenomenon and turning them into opportunities to be explored for the benefit of the community. Based on our findings, we give some recommendations to assist community workers and guide policy makers in their attempts to effect transformational change in the community and be effectively responsive to the needs of refugees in South Africa.
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    Horizons in transformational development and transnational migration : does hope matter?
    (Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Theology, 2018) Msabah, Barnabe Anzuruni
    There is growing interest in the wellbeing of refugees and particularly the strategies they employ in their quest for improved livelihoods. This article reports on a recent study on the dynamics of the refugee phenomenon. It focuses largely on the long-term livelihood strategies that refugee migrants bring into play so as to earn their living and improve their wellbeing amid sheer vulnerability. The study reveals that the majority of African refugees in Cape Town have shifted from short-term survival mechanisms such as the dependence on relief from churches, faith-based organisations, mosques, etc., to long-term strategies. The article concludes by exploring the concept of development as hope in action. Here, it is established that although a considerable number of refugees leave their home countries with a certain level of uncertainty concerning their survival in the hosting country, they use their hope as a resource to improve their livelihoods.
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    The impact of gentrification on the refugee community : interfacing practical theology and human geography
    (Pieter de Waal Neethling Trust, 2019) Msabah, Barnabe Anzuruni; Bowers-Du Toit, Nadine
    Any development project of a neighbourhood that leads to the forceful and involuntary relocation of existing residents is unjust and contrary to God’s desire for life in its fullness and human flourishing. This paper looks at the lived experiences of African refugees in the socially and spatially polarised South African cities as they attempt to find space for themselves and for their businesses in order to survive. The paper provides insights on the notion of plurality and urban public space by taking into consideration the practice of gentrification in South Africa vis-à-vis the wellbeing of displaced communities. From the analysis of data gathered, gentrification accentuates socio-spatial polarisation and residential segregation in major South African cities, which calls for the need to de-gentrify urban cities for the sake of holistic community transformation. This is evidenced in the hopelessness and the helplessness of displaced communities as well as the quality of life they lead. De-gentrifying the previously gentrified space could lead to the transformation that communities need. The way gentrification is practiced in South Africa does not promote social cohesion or lead to holistic transformation. Rather, it reinforces social exclusion and holds back people’s hope for improved wellbeing.
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    Refugee migrants as agents of change : strategies for improved livelihoods and self-reliance
    (AOSIS Publishing, 2019) Msabah, Barnabe Anzuruni
    Although many refugees leave their home countries with a certain level of uncertainty concerning their survival in the host country, they are hopeful of improving their livelihood and thus being self-reliant. They seize available opportunities in order to start a new life. In doing so, refugees move beyond solely depending on charity actions, having devised survival mechanisms in their new setting by means of self-reliant strategies. This article, therefore, looks at the refugee migrants as agents of change in view of the self-reliance strategies they use for survival. Furthermore, the article points to the courage of the refugees in the host country by presenting qualitative evidence on how refugees’ livelihood strategies have contributed to the improvement of their own well-being in general and, in particular, that of some locals. The data for this study were gathered using in-depth interviews with refugees living in Cape Town, South Africa. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This paper is transdisciplinary in that it presents an ecclesial response to the global challenges facing the refugee community. This is because it aims at transforming the painful experiences of the refugees into opportunities for improved livelihoods and holistic well-being. The paper further depicts how practical theology informs understandings of the phenomenological techniques in an attempt to explore the rhythms of social life from the perspective of the issue under investigation. The article is, therefore, a theological underpinning that informs development practitioners and practical theologians on how to efficiently respond to the pressing needs of refugees using hope as an available resource. In this manner, the article presents strategies that would assist policy-makers in devising sustainable policies and programmes that aim at improving refugees’ livelihoods.