ONG's

Or as we call them in the US, NGO's or Non-Governmental Organizations. I am developing a strong love/hate relationship with them.

On one hand, you have a lot of money and funding flozing into countries that are desperately in need. I will say that in general, for crisis, NGO's do some great work. Quickly getting supplies to an area desperately in need is something they do pretty well.

As for their abilities as long term developmental organizations, I would have to say that in general, they are insanely ineffective. This is, fundamentally why I decided to join Peace Corps. By no means is it perfect, but they understand that you need to take time to learn a community and produce sustainable changes. Also, they know that throwing money at a country without adequate oversight is not effective.

I have seen countless materials printed in English for health workers here that hardly even speak French! Also, they give out Money and Medication without any level of accountability. I have witnessed how much medicine my little health post gets after it travels through the large cities where they steal it and sell it to local pharmacies. This is medicine that should be given to people in the communities free or almost free.

If they took a tiny percent of the money and used it to follow the money or medicine, or put in place a system of tracking it effectively, the practical benefit to the community would increase a hundred fold.

I real;ly do believe that the problem is that, regardless of the changes, or in this care, lack there of, they still get the same funding each year. They can honestly say they gave TONS of medicines to these countries, and therefore can get their donors to continue giving, while the reality is that little of that is going to the people that need it most, and almst none of it can be self sustaining within the country.

Al the while, the people that work for the NGO's still get the same salary, which, I highly doubt is tied to the practical effectiveness of the NGO.

This really gets me thinking about joining one after I finish my Masters (or PhD, Amma). Trying to infiltrate and improve even one of these organizations would do a world of good.