Let me set the record straight from the beginning by saying that I love my work. I’m well aware that it’s entirely likely that I will look back on this experience for the rest of my life and think of this as the best job I ever had.
I also love working with NRGP and its staff are amongst the most talented, hardworking, intelligent people I have ever met.
Okay, with that disclaimer out of the way, now I can feel okay about what I’m about to write.
%5B3%5D.jpg "DSC02315 (Small)")
Just another day at the office: I’m getting schooled at the game of Warre Warre with a few women from the village of Azowera (the game board is dug into the ground between us).
The thing is that development is fundamentally flawed. Excuse my huge generalization and simplification of the issues but basically, I see money being spent on ineffective activities that serve the needs of the donors not the beneficiaries. And it almost feels like projects spend money as if it didn’t belong to anyone (and, in a way, that’s how it is). Inefficiencies persist, decision making staff have very little understanding of the field-implications of their project during both design and implementation, and collaboration and learning for improvement is virtually impossible.
I bring this up only to commend the folks in Canada working hard to advocate our government for better development aid. Yes, there are challenges but there are a bunch of people messaging these challenges to CIDA, MPs, donors, and projects. And from what I gather, some of them are starting to listen to us!
For more on how EWB is trying to make Canadian international development aid more Accountable, Creative and Transparent check out these links:
http://www.ewb.ca/en/whatsnew/features/100610_torontostar.html
And for more field-level insights from EWBers working with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Ghana you can read out team blog:
http://innovationswithfarmers.wordpress.com/
%5B3%5D.jpg "DSC02299 (Small)")
.JPG)
No comments:
Post a Comment