Reflections on the outcomes of Ghana Baptist convention’s rural projects: Application of the integrative quality of life theory

Abstract

The goal of all development is to help people attain high quality of life. People living in rural areas need more attention in the realisation of this goal because they are more disadvantaged. The socio-economic development approach, which is the major approach to development and driven by modernisation, overlooks other important factors of quality of life. From the literature, integrative quality of life (IQOL) theory addresses these challenges when adopted in project planning. The purpose of the study was to reflect on the outcomes of Ghana Baptist Convention’s (GBC) rural projects applying the IQOL theory. A total of 271 beneficiaries including 32 key informants were randomly and purposively selected respectively for the study. The findings showed that income, health, education, fulfilment of basic needs, realisation of life potential, meaning in life, happiness, satisfaction with life and wellbeing were necessary and cherished components of quality of life. In all, GBC’s interventions have been seen as positive by the beneficiaries. They also recommended that these interventions should be sustained. This study recommends that the measurement of development outcomes and indicators should shift from the economic growth approach to the holistic approach. Development interventions should seek to expand the scope beyond the economic to the other components of well-being and the churches such as GBC should lead the way.