Sustainable value for money - a glimpse of the holy grail?

This practical note presents striking findings from a research project in Malawi, comparing the cost effectiveness of a traditional project approach with a church and community mobilisation approach (CCM). The research found that CCM had the same level of positive impact on quality of life but at 4% of the cost. It also found that CCM communities were almost four times more confident in solving problems themselves, indicating a much greater likelihood of sustainability. To realise the potential advantages of faith in development means funders and faith-based organisations have to mobilise local faith communities. CCM is a challenging but cost-effective alternative to the NGO-project approach.