THE USE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN ENTRENCHING HUMANITARIAN SERVICES: AN APPRAISAL OF JIBWIS MANARA PROJECT

This paper explores the relevance of the.adoption of Public Relations practice in entrenching humanitarian services, particularly among charity organizations. A survey design with the aid of close-ended questionnaires, purposive and cluster sampling methods were utilized. A random sampling technique was used to select respondents. Using the secondary source of data, the study appraised the importance of the principles and objectives of Public Relations in Islamic based organisation by evaluating the imperatives of public relations in entrenching humanitarian services, using JIBWIS MANARA project as a case study. Social Responsibility was the useful theoretical framework for this study. Three hundred and ninety-five copies of the questionnaires were administered to respondents and were all retrieved. Findings were reduced into percentages for analysis, interpretation and discussions. Findings however revealed that face to face interaction and mosque announcement in Hausa language were found to be the predominant means of reaching out. Donations to orphanage, less privileged and Ramadan charitable services were the topmost categories of humanitarian services carried out by JIBWIS MANARA. Porosity of information owes much to ineptitude; inadequate funds and underestimation of public relations outfit were observed as the major challenges of JIBWIS MANARA Project. Owing to these, the services of qualified Public relations personnel are needed; their roles should be seen as management functions and modern and conventional means of communication should be incorporated and utilised in the operations of JIBWIS Manara project. Other faith based‘organizations should take a cue from JIBWIS by giving more priority to salient issues like endowments to schools and hospitals.