[afro-nets] Is the NGO good or bad? Who knows? (6)

[Peter Burgess <Profitinafrica@aol.com>]

Is the NGO good or bad? Who knows? (6)
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Dear Colleagues

I am sorry that some participants were disturbed by the question
Gisele asked? I think her question deserves an answer. If you
recall, I tried to make the point that "a good organization that
has no money may have to disappoint Gisele. Or a bad organiza-
tion, may just have spent the money inappropriately." I tried to
highlight the fact that there are good and bad.

People running good NGOs with not very much money need to ask
why it is that they do not have much money. Part of the answer
is that a lot of money gets used in ways that do not do much
good.

The recent UN MDG report coordinated by Jeffrey Sachs (I have
not read the whole report yet) points up many good initiatives
that would help improve the development situation, especially in
Africa, but in the end it is an appeal for more money, without
an equivalent appeal for getting existing money to be used more
effectively.

I am very supportive of local CBOs that do a lot with very lit-
tle. These good organizations need to be much more visible.
Likewise, I am a critic of big programs that are well funded and
do not seem to do very much. Their lack of valuable output
should also be visible. This is what I understand by transpar-
ency and accountability.

Though I am professionally trained in accountancy, small good
things do not require complex accounting. But the good story
needs to be put on the record somewhere. Similarly scams and
rip-offs need to be put on the record somewhere. We ought to be
able to track funds from the donors to their eventual destina-
tion... and see results. When big fund flows go missing, there
should be a lot of noise about it.

People running good NGOs with not very much money need to ask
why it is that they do not have much money. Another part of the
answer is that people who might want to help have no way of get-
ting it to this good NGO. They cannot tell the difference be-
tween good and bad. They give nothing. But when the tsunami dis-
aster happened, the outpouring of generous help was impressive.
Why were people moved to give under these circumstances?

Please do not hesitate to suggest my thinking makes no sense.
But I believe helping to get facts about good NGOs on the record
(and bad NGOs as well) is a step in the right direction. Tr-Ac-
Net is moving along these lines... and in time will give organi-
zations a "rating" so that people can feel more comfortable
about supporting them.

Sincerely,

Peter Burgess
CCSD Foundation / C-WISP / Tr-Ac-Net in New York
Tel: +1-212 772 6918
mailto:peterb@afrifund.com
mailto:tracnet@gmail.com
http://www.afrifund.com
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