Faith-Based Organizations (FBOS) and their Contributions to Achieving SDG 4: A Global Perspective

This research study aims to shed light on the contributions faith-based organizations (FBOs) around the world have made in achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 – Quality Education - initiated by the United Nations in 2015 to meet the urgent global educational challenges and eliminate them by 2030. There is a substantial number of FBOs across the globe aiming at raising living standards. Among them, there are specific faith actors solely operating to improve the educational facilities for those in need. This research study examines 50 FBOs from diverse societies. It analyzes how they have contributed to educational achievement, how many educational institutions they have shaped, how much they have changed lives, how far they have reached, and what faith has driven them to provide their programs and services and promote education. This is qualitative research with an analytical approach that involves a literature review of several book chapters and academic journals, including school observations, data collection from the organizations’ official sources and publications, and analyses of comparison and contrast with discussions of the results derived from those analyses. The main findings of this research study are a) FBOs came to be known for their contributions not long ago, and the work they have done has not yet received much recognition neither by governments nor in the international arena, which needs to be accelerated to heal the current educational stagnation in impoverished regions; b) FBOs have achieved significant results locally and globally in achieving SDG 4; c) the potential of FBOs in what they possess to offer and provide people, governments and international organizations is strong if properly collaborated.