How to determine if an aid project is a good idea

An interesting post on how to decide whether or not to donate to or volunteer for an aid project. I agree with the basic concept; however I'm not satisfied with her simplified approach to the first step. The misinformation/confusion of information available in our media often makes it overwhelming for an individual to understand an issue, so how do we address that. I'm not saying we should just throw money at a problem, but how can we make it easier for people to become informed about often-complex situations in other countries that demand/need our attention?

How to determine if an aid project is a good idea

May 17, 2010

How to determine if an aid project is a

good idea

I'm still in Haiti so have not written any new posts, this post is a favorite that readers

may have missed when it was originally posted.

-----

Most of us have heard of bad aid projects, but few of us really know what makes a program good or bad. Because of this, most donors fund what feels good to them. Unfortunately, what feels good to donors might not be best for the people they are trying to help. So I've decided to share a system I use whenever I'm trying to determine whether an aid project is a bad idea.

First, research the current situation on the ground

This is key to making good aid decisions. If you are unwilling or unable to take the time to do the research, then I recommend not donating. Without this information you'll likely donate based on assumptions or stereotypes, both of which play a large role in bad aid. To avoid the possibility of biased information, make sure you use a source other than the agency that is seeking donations.

Second, imagine that same situation is true in your town

If that country has an 80% unemployment rate, imagine your country with an 80% unemployment rate. If that village is a days walk from the closest clinic, imagine the closest doctor being a days walk away from your house. If their children are sick and malnourished, imagine your own children sick and malnourished.

Third, reverse roles

so that you are receiving items from that country or are being helped by people from that country. If they were to send you donated clothes would they be Burqas, flipflops, size 2 clothes, saraongs? Would they fit? Would they be appropriate for your weather and your culture? If the project is led by foreign staff or volunteers, imagine the same program in your town staffed by professionals and volunteers from their country (How would you feel if they were a different religion? Would they speak your language? Would they understand your culture? How would you feel about jobs going to foreign staff?).

Fourth, ask yourself this question

is this is the type of aid you would want or would something else be more helpful? Would that aid project help solve the real problem or just address a side effect of the real problem? How would you that same problem best be solved in your state/neighborhood?

Some examples:

An aid agency is seeking funds to send food aid to another country

First, do the research to find out what is root cause of hunger? Is there no food in the area at all, or are people so poor they can't afford to buy food available in the market. These are two different problems with two different solutions.

Second, imagine that same problem means that you do not have enough food to feed your children.

Third, reverse the situation and imagine receiving a similar food shipment. Find out what type of food the aid agency is planning on sending (The US boat that was hijacked by pirates was carrying food aid of wheat, corn, soy and dried vegetables). Is the food aid the same as what is typically eaten in that country? If not imagine that you're the one receiving food aid, and an aid agency is shipping food from that country containing whatever is commonly eaten in that country (perhaps sorghum, cassava and millet).

Fourth, ask yourself this question, is this is the type of aid you would want or would something else be more helpful?

An aid agency is seeking funds to build an orphanage

First, do the research to find out if the problem is that no one can care for the children, or is the problem that families do not have the money to feed and clothe the children. These are two very different problems with very different solutions.

Second, imagine your own children potentially being placed in an orphanage either because no one was there that could care for them or the people that could care for them can't afford to clothe and feed them.

Third, reverse the situation and imagine that people from that country brought staff and volunteers into your community to build and run an orphanage for your children.

Fourth, ask yourself this question, is this is the type of aid you would want or would something else be more helpful?

An aid agency wants to send volunteers into your community to build a school
The volunteers would stay in your house and you would receive a stipends to cover the cost of food and a large gift when they leave.

First, do the research to find out why the town needs volunteers to help build a school. Does the town need volunteers because they do not have the skills to build a school themselves or because they are too poor to afford to purchase the materials. These are two different problems with different solutions.

Second, imagine foreign volunteers coming to your town to stay in your house and build a school.

Third, reverse the situation. If your community were too poor to build it's own school would you want to host a group of foreign volunteers to build the school or would you rather local people were paid to build the school? If your town didn't have the skills to build a school would you rather volunteers built the school or taught local people the skills they needed to build the school?

Fourth, ask yourself this question, is this is the type of aid you would want or would something else be more helpful?

If you would not want this program in your town, then don't fund it

Do this same exercise for whatever type of aid program you are considering funding. If you decide that you would not want this type of aid in your own town, then do not fund a charity to do the program in someone else's town or village.