Field Notes from the Development Industry 8/10/2013
1. More and more, I am thinking that the power of social media and new tech in foreign aid (as opposed to development in general) is in the ability to decentralize decision-making. That could mean giving more power to aid agency staff on the ground, to governments of the countries that receive aid, or (this… Read More »
Field Notes from the Development Industry 2/28/2013
1) A reader wrote in to ask for advice on an NGO that packages and sends rice and beans to “starving people.” I though my answer might be useful for others: It’s a lot better for the local economy to procure the food there. The reason hungry people need food is not because it isn’t… Read More »
Things I don’t believe in – handicraft projects
I don’t like handicraft projects. They seem to be very popular with private donors and small NGOs, but they’re mostly a bad idea. Here’s why: It always seems to be women who are targeted with these efforts. Do you really empower a woman by sitting her in a room to knit all day? Not every… Read More »
because this is my life now
Today I bought a giant can of Nescafé just to get the free sugar bowl that came with it. We already have a whole set of Nescafe mugs I acquired the same way. My husband thinks I’m crazy and he keeps hiding the mugs in the deepest recess of the kitchen cupboard. But I like… Read More »
Me, in other places
Some recent appearances on the internets: I wrote about birth kits for the Disruptive Women in Healthcare blog. I love that blog, so it was a big thrill to be asked to contribute. I talked to Hildy Gottlieb about community and connectedeness, for philanthropy.com. It’s a podcast, which… Read More »
On Mother’s Day
Motherhood and international development are linked for me. I’ve been working in development longer than I’ve been a parent, but becoming a mom changed the whole way I do this. My children are the core of my work, now. I want a better world… Read More »
UNCTAD – Day 6
The last day of the conference was fascinating. The negotiating delegates were up late last night working out the wording of the document; this morning you could tell a lot of people were worse for wear. It was the kind of thing diplomats train for. Horse-trading, side switching, and shifting alliances. They had to delay… Read More »