FAREME PSB Religion, Technology and Enterprise

By the end of this session you should be able to:

1 Discuss the role of religion on technology and enterprise.

2 Find out ways in which religious studies can equip students with knowledge, skills
competencies and attitudes to transform local resources into goods and services

Background:

Religious education in the past was meant to create loyal and faithful servants who would
perpetuate the Christian gospel and provide cheap labour for the colonialists.

This was done with the motive to exterminate African values and beliefs to the Africans in
order to bring ‘enlightenment and civilization’ in the so called dark continent. Unfortunately
most Africans accepted the label and viewed themselves as backward, dark, uncivilized and
believed that nothing substantial would originate from them. Thus terms such as muBhoyi
were originated when referring to anything that was indigenous to the extent that women put
on long artificial hair as a symbol of beauty whilst youth speak through their noses to imitate
white people. White was associated with beauty and modern life. N.B. give other examples
which were held supreme by the blacks while they shun away their culture.

Religious education today should encourage research in order to become innovative to be

able to create employment through creating industries.

How?

Firstly, by demystifying the myths surrounding traditional aspects refered to as Chibhoyi.e.g.

Traditional medicine

- Marijuana, a herb which is believed to be medicinal. Thus through research, it was

found out how it can be used to cure diseases that medical doctors had failed to cure.
- Religious studies should equip students with knowledge, skills, competences and
attitudes which have a capacity to transform these local resources into goods and
services.
- People grapple with diseases and ailments which medical services fail to heal. An
innovative mind understands that medicine found in pharmacies is derived from
vegetation and animals around hence a lot of research is needed on traditional herbs to
ensure that their healing properties are fully realised.
NB. Use technology to research, innovate, improvise and advertise

Religious studies students could be introduced to entrepreneurial skills such as designing and
making of religious artefacts such as:

- Beads
- Drums
- Clay pots- mbiya dzekumasowe
- Stuffs
- Rattles and shakers
- Garment making
- Print materials for different churches
- Basketry and metal objects e.t.c.
- Use technology to assist.

Religion should be taken as an industry on its own. Knowledge plus skills equals competency
that is the ability to be effective.

Religious programs should produce a product that is competent to transform the society
creating employment not to yearn to be employed.

Creates jobs not to be job seekers

Some of the innovations that can be made:

 Sacred places e.g. wetlands can be revived and made centre pieces of community
survival e.g. irrigation
 Small grains that used to be grown for traditional purposes can be grown naturally
without the use of fertilizers
 Restaurant selling traditional food
 Fruit juice can be made from matamba, mauyu
 Sacred places can be rebranded to make them more attractive to tourists e.g.
Mutiusinazita in Buhera, Chirorodziva in Chinhoyi and Mutarazi falls in
Chimanimani etc. END
By DR S. Tatira