Making Aid Work Better
August 31st, 2008 at 4:02 pm | posted by Katy.Cronin
Hello from Accra, Ghana, where ONE is taking part in major meetings about aid effectiveness this week.
A team from our London and Nigeria offices is here, joining hundreds of others from government and civil society from around the world, to make aid work harder in the fight against poverty.
We know that effective aid is improving the lives of millions of people, but a slowing global economy and rising food and fuel costs makes it all the more important that every cent is spent well.
There are many ways to improve aid effectiveness. ONE, as part of a new group called “Publish What You Fund,” is concentrating on improving the quality of information on aid spending.
Without good information, planning for schools, hospitals, roads, sanitation and the other elements of development is extremely difficult. Citizens also find it very hard to hold their governments accountable. And without good information, it is impossible to be sure that resources are being used well.
In many very poor countries, up to half of spending on donor-funded development projects is done outside government. This is sometimes necessary if local systems aren’t in place, but this can also lead to a lot of duplication and waste of resources.
At the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Accra this week, donor and developing country governments, civil society and development organisations are working on a new Agenda for Action on Aid Effectiveness.
The aim is simple - making aid work better in the fight against poverty - but making it happen is harder.
Donors are under particular pressure here in Accra to better coordinate their activities in developing countries with other donors, civil society and local agencies and groups. Developing country governments are also working to improve their internal financial controls.
We’ll keep you posted as the week moves along.
-Katy Cronin, London ONE staff
August 31st, 2008 at 10:45 pm
As New Orleans and the Gulf Coast brace for Gustav (my own family having already evacuated), I’m reminded of the compassionate voices that stood up for my own city after Katrina.
And it strikes me that this is what ONE is all about, isn’t it? People sticking up for other people. Delivering help, and (in the case of the Accra forum), being sure the help is actually getting there.
Why do we look out for the world’s poorest? Because it’s a good thing to do. Because we can.
When everyone jealously guards their own self-interests, the world is left with a lot of people clutching at scraps.
When we all look after each other, we find there’s always someone there to lend a helping hand.
September 1st, 2008 at 10:11 am
As a Christian who has visited Ghana twice to work with local ministries, it gives me great joy to see coordination efforts taking place in this delightful country. Many, many pastors work tirelessly to build schools and churches, to provide better educational resources and medical care, and to deliver their people from malaria, one of the most preventable and yet deadly diseases that plaques the country. In 2006, 45% of the death toll from malaria was comprised of children under the age of 5.
Networking and organization are keys to successfully reaching the greatest number of people; the pastors I worked often worked against themselves for lack of coordinating efforts. Just as Paul mentioned in his response regarding the pervasive efforts to help protect the people of Louisiana who are at this moment in the midst of Hurricane Gustav with Hannah on its heels, it is a simple matter of reaching out in one accord to help. Politics has no interest in compassion, neither are politics capable of compassion.
Today I saw the commercial for ONE for the first time and immediately came to the site. The greater good is not a platform or a party or private interest; the greater good is the person next to you who needs your help.
Glory to God for the things He has done, for they are marvelous in our sight. No matter how dark the world gets, He continues to shine His Light.
Blessings!
September 1st, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Wow, Colleen, well said!
I know a lot of people who worked on the ONE commercial will be really excited to know it brought you here.
Welcome!
September 1st, 2008 at 3:56 pm
What part of the constitution requires the President of the United States to combat global poverty? If hollywood really wanted to, they could achieve an end to poverty by themselves. Simply cede royalties from their films, TV programs, and other entertainment licensing to the third world. They could retain enough to maintain an upper middle class lifestyle; a single upscale home, 2 decent late model cars, commercial flights, but they could eradicate poverty in the blink of an eye and in perpetuity. Why are they so concerned that the US president use the force of his office and of law to require the citizens to combat global poverty. That is really what you people want, right? Tell you what, ONE. I’ll go second.
September 1st, 2008 at 4:28 pm
No, you go first.
If you truly care about people, start helping people and stop looking to others to see what they “should” do better. (And if you want an example, look at the governments of various other nations, which give a larger percentage of GNI that the U.S. government,)
But your comment isn’t really about helping people, is it? This is about you feeling a little better and smarter than people already trying to help out.
I should know better than to respond to people like you. We should all ignore people like you, who come with divisiveness and judgement, and not in any spirit of caring, compromise or communication.
We “see” your type here every day. Anonymous little grouches who sit there, typing away, in love with their brilliant insights, with a heart that’s the equivalent of the Grinch’s: small, shriveled, mean-spirited and half-dead.
If I’ve mischaracterized you based on your response, whatever your name may be, I do apologize.
But if you want to help, and this is your primary motive, I say it again:
YOU go first. Donate time and money. Set an example for others who aren’t doing it as well, in your opinion, to follow.
But until you do, anyone who has the misfortune to read your comments will write you off exactly like I do: as just another mean-spirited whiner.
Thanks
September 1st, 2008 at 5:49 pm
“YOU go first. Donate time and money. Set an example for others who aren’t doing it as well, in your opinion, to follow.”
My private life is just that. As a devout Roman Catholic, i have donated my time, skills, and money since before my first Holy Communion. My wife and I will soon put our belief in the sanctity of Life into action by adopting and raising an unwanted child. Our existence is dedicated to the principle of sharing our rich blessings with others. I don’t want to use the machinery of the State to enforce charity on others. I wonder why you do, and use hollywood celebrity types to help in your cause. Surely hollywood is the greatest community of flagrant money-wasters, pleasure seekers, let-them-eat-cakers and hypocrites since the later Julio-Claudians shuffled off the stage of history.
You don’t want us to go first. You want us to go ALONE, gun at our back, with civil and criminal penalties if we don’t pony up. That isn’t charity, its tyranny.
September 1st, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Hi The Rhineland:
People’s objections to ONE on this blog and elsewhere have proven to be very educational, and I thank you.
I have to say, respectfully, I don’t see what “gun” is pointing at your back, for what purpose.
The practice of allocating a certain percentage of a national budget to aid for less fortunate countries is widespread: in fact, the U.S. gives about _1/5_ via taxes of what Norway gives, per person, only 1/4 of what Sweden gives, and 1/2 that of Ireland, for example.
ONE uses celebrities because celebrities (in my field experience), add credibility and visibility to the message. And, perhaps even more potently, politicians (the very people who can help push the needed legislation), have an affinity for celebrities. Why? Because politicians know well that celebrities have a funny way of reaching out to (guess who?) voters!
So while the use of celebrities may be a mixed blessing to some, it’s been my experience that people’s ears perk up just a bit when they hear the name of a celebrity they respect, and sometimes that “little extra” bit of interest is just what’s needed to get people to listen to the rest of the sentence.
Your quasi-hysteria (and please excuse me if that characterization seems too harsh), over the involvement of government, if I may be frank, and I say this respectfully, reminds me of the paranoia expressed by so many deep-woods militia groups and online conspiracy theorists, who seem to see the federal government’s heavy hand everywhere.
And yet, looking around us, I fail to see how the federal government’s “intrusion” (unless you consider the ages-old practice of taxation an intrusion, as you may), has prevented the state of general, de facto prosperity that most in the U.S. now enjoy and take wholly for granted.
A quick visit to the Third World proves an eye opener to how other political and economic systems have failed to deliver the way ours have.
So excuse me if I don’t see the basis for your extreme remarks and day-terrors. Are you saying that the process of taxation, and the small percentage allocated to helping less fortunate countries, has somehow stymied you from accumulating a moderate degree of wealth and prosperity?
Based on the level of education you demonstrate, and your references to your own prosperity and blessings, the “tyranny” you allude to seems to be a paper tiger, at best.
I admire your dedication to making a difference, and would ask that you not attack an organization you seem to have only scratched the surface of. Respect works both ways. I, for one, am happy to give respect to those who give me a fair shot at being someone who is sincere and intelligent, rather than someone who deserves, along with other individuals, a poison arrow casually flung from some clandestine Internet server.
I know very well this won’t change your mind, but I am more than happy to express my point of view, and again I thank you for the opportunity to explain my feelings on the matter.
September 1st, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Paul, thank you for so eloquently expressing the view of so many of us. I believe strongly in what One is accomplishing and truly feel that we can all work together to accomplish many of One’s goals. You have expressed far better than I could what i think. Thank you again.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:17 am
My goodness, it did not take long for politics and religion to set themselves above the heart of God, Who wants all men to saved and live in the unimaginable blessings of His Redemption’s Sacrifice.
Dear Rhineland, our Constitution is based on the understanding of our Godly forefathers (who, yes, did some ungodly things–but then give glory and praise to our Merciful
Father in whom there is ALWAYS forgiveness) who incorporated Scriptural Truth as applied to every human being equally.
ONE may use celebrities to bring attention to the poverty sticken of the world; Christian organizations use the poverty stricken themselves for the same purpose. The Catholic Church used Mother Teresa’s compassion to the same end.
And Rhineland, the very enouragement to reach out and help others that offends you so much is exactly what you are doing in adopting, so why does it make you angry?
I will share this with you because the Lord taught me quite a lesson by it. For several years I believed that as part of the Children’s Miinistries at our church we should have weekly family movies. Nothing I did woudl persuade my pastor to do so and it was quite a disappointment. Not long ago, a fairly new church in the area began to do that very thing and I was hurt, resentful, and angry. It took my heart a while to accept the Lord’s correction: what is the difference WHO is bringing family movies to the community? It was being done. That pastor would have never known my dark heart but I needed to share it with h im and repent, for jealousy and the desire for acknowledgment are masks of pride, The human heart without Christ wants all the attention and the glory and the praise, which belong to the Creator of our hearts.
So please do not allow this forum to become a boxing ring; do not bring “my politics” or “my religion” or “my opinion” in here and be one more copy of the world.
Do unto others as you would have them do to you.
Sow only what you desire to reap in life, for the harvest far outweighs the sowing.
Whatever you do for or to a Child, you do for and to Me,
Jesus says those things. Whether you beliieve in Him or not, Truth never changes, never lies.
God created gravity, you know. You don’t have to believe in it, but don’t jump off anything too hign.
September 2nd, 2008 at 11:00 am
Thank you for your kind words, GinnyD.
Colleen, I loved your story. It’s true that the ego has a funny way of invading our plans to help others, and pride tends to slip into our lives under the guise of wisdom. (The desire to be “right” above our desire to be of service.) It’s something I think about often, and I thank you for your great story.
Take care and have a great day, everyone. : ]
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Dear Paul,
You are most welcome, and I thank you for one more opportunity to reach out and help. As long as we have willing hearts, we always have something to give, if only kind words or embraces of comfort.
Blessed afternoons, everyone!
Colleen