Facebook connects faith-based communities

Tech Reporter
Facebook has launched resources to help faith groups stay connected and engaged during the current Covid-19
outbreak.
Facebook Africa regional director Nunu Ntshingila says: “At a time like this our mission is to give people the
power to build community and bring the world closer together. We know that faith leaders across Africa are
grappling with the unexpected challenges in serving their members digitally, and we are committed to providing
them with the resources and tools to support them as much as possible.”
The resources include the Faith on Facebook Resource Hub and the Faith on Facebook toolkit, both providing
guidance and step-by-step tips that faith-based groups can use to keep their communities engaged while observing
social distancing.
“Our ultimate goal is to equip faith-based communities with the tools to help them continue faith conversations
throughout the pandemic,” Ntshingila says.
Some of the tools that faith-based groups can use to connect with their communities during the Covid-19 outbreak
include Facebook Pages, to explore how to build an active and engaged audience of faith communities, advice on
posting interesting content, as well as creating events and using Groups for discussions.
Facebook Groups allow people to come together around a common cause, discussing issues and ideas, posting
photos and sharing related content.
Facebook Events host virtual events using Facebook Events to spread the word.
Utilising WhatsApp helps consider sending bite sized sermons or recordings through the voice note feature on
WhatsApp to members, using either the dedicated broadcast list function or creating a New Group list.
Watch Party helps host a Watch Party for the group, choosing videos that are relevant to the community and
invite members to join and discuss.
Facebook Live streams events and performances on Facebook, utilizing interactive features such as reactions,
shares and comments enabling further engagement with the audience.