Explanations from another planet

Actually it is fantastic - life and people can always surprise you.
Some time back there was need to make it clear that claiming - and receiving - travel expenses for exactly the same trip from two sources is not allowed, to put it politely.
But there was an explanation - the reason for the doubble claim was that the trip had two purposes.
The great opportunity for cost saving was not lost since it was never found. What was lost instead was credibility.

More of the same

I am starting to believe that the more we change the more we stay the same - unless we become brave enough to effect a real transformation.
This is not easy. It implies we would need to know what was there before the intervention in order to know if something is a true change. We would also need be aware of the power relationships and be prepared to face the resistance to change. And first and foremost we would have to appreciate peoples inherent ability to change and develop - both of themselves and their relationships within a structure - and actively involve them in defining the desired outcome.

Round and round

It was a memorable moment.
We we approaching a roundabout, and just to show my dry-land navigation skills, I reminded my colleague who was driving to go straight - which is why he turned left. Why - one might want to ask? Simply because that is what he thought I meant.

Of Elections

One of my former Kenyan partner-in-development used to say that his organization should never conduct elections because it is always the wrong, greedy people who get elected. He meant those who have the power - usually financial - to influence the elections, but neither the commitment nor the skills to lead the organization. And he was one of elected leaders himself.
Recently there were national elections in North Korea with only one candidate. Everyone could vote against the candidate, but that meant joining a separate line for entering a booth for the secret ballot – not an easy thing to do.
So the vote is sold to the highest bidder, or voters resign either out of fear or apathy. This can happen in your organization and in your country.
But in Darfur, long time ago, people voted for their local leaders not with ballots, but rather with their attitudes of respect for those who stand out in their service to their communities. These local communities formed sultanships, lead by a sultan, who knew the communities, kept the tally in his head, and appointed the local leaders listening to the will and wisdom of the people. (as described by Daud Hari in “The Translator”)

Reminder

Am I capacitating organisations to become more effective delivery vehicles for donor agendas, or can I remember that the real change and developement is built by local organisations that:
- have their own purpose and principles
- express the will of their constituents
- are not trying to clone development
- reflect on their own experience and learn, adapt, cooperate, collaborate

Thank you CDRA of reminding me

When to Quit

In the middle of the chaos and change I can take a break with books and blogs. They can help me to try and stay focused by asking me:
• What are your obligations to the people you serve?
• What are your obligations to the people who work for you?
But when I start suspecting that my leaders have ignored these questions, would it be proper to remind them, and if not - is it decent to stay?

Lydia Hällefors and Naomi Klein

They have nothing in common. Lydia Hällefors wrote about rural Finland in 19th century, Naomi Klein is an award-winning journalist, author and film maker.
After the 1860s famine in Finland Lydia visited her former home and noted that "once the famine was over, the poor had disappeared, which seemed to surprise, even greatly shock, the better-off villagers".
Naomi Klein discusses what she calls disaster capitalism in her book "The Shock Doctrine". She gives examples of how disasters are treated as exiting market opportunities, and how the vulnerable are left even worse off than before dispite some aid efforts after the catastrophies.
The world was not better before, but nor is it better now.