It's great to read about so many people working on-the-ground, trying to make a difference. Kudos.
As a person who has worked both in aid office head quarters and in the field (most recently in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2007), I see both sides, good and bad. I see incredibly dedicated, hard-working, sincere people both at HQs
and in the field, and I also see apathetic or greedy people in BOTH places -- in HQs *and* in the field. I get a little tired of "HQ bad, local staff always good" comments. Local corruption and local inefficiencies can be just as jaw-dropping as the acts of clueless HQ staff. I also get tired of the "local people don't have time for all this paperwork." What's being asked for is often quite minimal -- it's asked for to ensure credibility and transparency, something donors are hugely concerned with. I've worked with local NGOs, helping them to improve their administrative operations and reporting, and I tie it directly to serving local people better. Once they see the point, they "get" it almost immediately and understand just how easy it is to do.
I have been writing on the subject of how to help others abroad through volunteering or while traveling for a while now. Here's some things I've written, which I hope you find helpful:
transire benefaciendo: "to travel along while doing good." Advice for those wanting to make their travel more than sight-seeing and shopping, whether in your own country or abroad.
vetting organizations in other countries: how to know if a local organizations is "for real" and your donation is going to fund the NGO's activities to help others, the community, the environment, etc.
realities of volunteering abroad: This is especially for people in the "Western" world who want to volunteer in the developing world. I discuss your options and how to get the skills you need for this work.
Also, for any of you working with local NGOs in the developing world who want to know how to fund raise, I have a free guide. Anyone can write me at
jc@coyotecommunications.com and just tell me the name of your NGO, the developing country where it works and just a little about what it does, and I'll send you the guide.
transire benefaciendo, everyone.
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