Changing the system…from the ground up
“‘The system’ whereby foreign donors give handouts, and not sustainable initiatives that are drawn from the needs of the communities, is a problem.” ~R.F.M. community activist, Zimbabwe
“‘The system’ whereby foreign donors give handouts, and not sustainable initiatives that are drawn from the needs of the communities, is a problem.” ~R.F.M. community activist, Zimbabwe
Aid recipients “are more concerned about ‘how’ assistance is provided than how much is given.” Initial findings from The Listening Project, a systematic exploration of the insights of people who live in societies that have been on the recipient end of international assistance efforts.
For Camfed, governance is about…who controls resources, and where and to whom accountability lies within the communities it serves, said the report. It is also about the relationships and structures through which communities organise themselves.
I believe that our role as “outsiders,” whether we are working for a multilateral donor in Nairobi or having wanderlust dreams during our unfulfilling job in Ohio, must be about getting community leaders the resources that they need to address their own priorities.
The bottom line question for many people working internationally is seemingly simple—How many people were reached? This question often becomes a huge drain on financial and human resources, especially for under-resourced local organizations.
Answers to: “If you personally could do one thing to change “the system” of foreign aid and development assistance, what would you do?” The number and diversity of responses has been overwhelming…and it keeps coming.
Though “the system” of foreign assistance and international aid is made up of well-intentioned people, it most often falls far short of changing people’s lives. As we enter the 21st century, we have a unique and blessed opportunity to explore the alternatives to business as usual.