Sustainable Good

Now is the Time for Haiti!

We must take advantage of this time of opportunity in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, where illiteracy stands at 48% and unemployment is at 50%.

Outreach International runs 74 schools in Haiti, ten of which have nutrition programs. Altogether, we are providing opportunity through education to 7,000 students.

Health Care--What you don't hear

We have been hearing about health care all over the place recently: from screaming town hall meetings to vigils to facebook. I was reminded of something--strike that--someone, that has been left out of the debate: the global poor. I certainly agree that we need health care reform in the US so that more people are covered with better coverage.

As a matter of fact, for the last few days my facebook status has been: " Stephen Donahoe thinks that no one should die because they can not afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick. If you agree please post this as your status for the rest of the day....let's get up to speed with the rest of the civilized world and take care of each other!"

Then a friend brought to my attention that the global poor are left out of this conversation.

In the Meantime, Children are Dying

There is legislation in both the US House and Senate to revamp and rewrite the way that the US does foeign assitance, something that we talk about a lot on this blog.  Experts know what is required for international aid to be truly effective, and yet the current international aid process is outdated, inefficient, and often ineffective.  Sometimes Western countries' aid even makes problems worse, as Matt reported in an ealier post.  There is hope that the Foreign Aid Reform bills in the House and the Senate will change this situation.  However, there just isn't the political will-power to move this legislation right now.  And in the meantime, 3 million children die every year because they are undernourished.

Hillary in Africa

You have probably heard about Sec. of State Hillary Clinton's 11-day trip around Africa. She just completed almost the entire trip, visiting Nigeria today, the 5th of 7 countries scheduled for the trip. Clinton heads home on Sunday. You can follow her trip on this interactive map. Recognizing the importance of this trip, Outreach International joined with other Africa advocacy organizations to send recommendations for issues she should address.

A Spectacular Opportunity to Teach and Learn

A great post about Spectacular from guest blogger, Paige Webberley:

I have never considered myself a proficient teacher—mediocre at best.  Even with my favorite subjects of science and math, I often find it difficult to explain to others something I know very well myself.  Nor am I the best public speaker, which is clearly a strength a teacher should possess.  Nonetheless, as part of my summer internship with Outreach International I found myself teaching the Outreach class at Spectacular (Spec), a youth event sponsored by the Community of Christ that takes place every summer at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa.

International Youth Forum- Finding purpose amoung the masses

In the middle of the stress and strain of preparing for an event at the International Youth Forum (IYF), I suddenly felt a deep sense of appreciation for the opportunity to be a part of the work of Outreach International. I was part of the team of interns and staff of Outreach International that were in charge of the Wednesday activity at IYF in Independence, MO. It was a daunting and stressful task to lead a group of almost 1,000 high school aged youth from around the world in a group activity.

But as I sat listening to Matt Naylor, the President of Outreach International, talk about the difference we are making in the lives of the poor, I was inspired! 

What do words mean?

As an advocate for Native Americans, I was glad to see that Sen. Brownback from Kansas introduced a joint resolution to "acknowledge a long history of official depredations and ill-conceived policies by the United States Government regarding Indian tribes and offer an apology to all Native Peoples on behalf of the United States." 

Finally -- SOMEONE representing the U.S. government will simply acknowledge the fact that our European ancestors committed awful crimes against humanity:  genocide against a people who have lived on this land for thousands of years before white settlers stepped foot on it.

SOMEONE will apologize for the forced removal of Native Americans from their homes and their sacred and spiritual spaces.  Someone will apologize for stealing lands and treasures and never returning them. 

SOMEONE will apologize for the forced assimilation techniques white people used to "kill the Indian, save the man."  This included separating children from their families and forcing them into boarding schools where they were punished if they spoke their own language or practiced their tribal customs.  This also included sterilizing many women and some men so that they could not bear children.

Point A to Point B Isn't So Simple

I arrived at the bus stop in NYC’s Chinatown just as our bus was pulling away.  Two hours of waiting in the hot summer sun later, I finally got on the bus to DC.  What I thought was going to be a simple bus ride from point A to point B turned out to be a sweaty, frustrating, complicated ordeal.

It was easy to be angry about the transportation situation that I faced today.  But now that I am on the air conditioned bus it is important for me to realize that most of the world has it much worse.  Transportation is one of the key factors in a country’s development; depending on its quality, it can be a huge hindrance or an immense boon for growth.

What Do Vultures Have To Do with International Development?

Many scholars have claimed that the lifestyles we have gotten used to in the United States perpetuate the ongoing poverty in other countries.  Some say that the U.S. (5% of the world's population) takes up 25% of world's resources, which forces poorer countries to make do with less.  Others disagree -- claiming that the world has limitless resources due to technology and ingenuity.   Economists go back and forth on this debate, each side citing different numbers and various graphs to prove their points. 

An extreme example of exploitation, however is when companies buy international debt, for pennies on the dollar.  If the U.S. cancels the debt, these companies sue the developing countries for the whole debt plus interest.  These funds are called "vulture funds", and rightly so.  They allow companies to sit and wait for the perfect time to attack, when countries are at their most vulnerable state.

Many countries whose debt is just canceled are now made to pay these companies the money that could have gone to help reduce the AIDS epidemic, build new schools, or anything else that would promote well-being and economic recovery.

This is so awful, that Representative Maxine Waters recently introduced a bill to outlaw such funds.

"The act would protect impoverished countries from the predatory practices of vulture funds and allow these countries to use their limited resources to meet the needs of their people," said Waters. "I am proud of my work in Congress to cancel poor countries' debts. We cannot allow vulture funds to erode the progress that has enabled many of the world's most impoverished nations to reduce poverty."

Iran, Democracy and Development

The recent election dispute in Iran and the seemingly likely vote-rigging in that election make me realize again how important free and fair elections are. While I try to respect other forms of government different from democracy and recognize that there are benefits and drawbacks in every form of government, I truly believe in the power of participation. I believe that every person has the right to participate in their government. This right should be protected by the government and it should be treasured by the people. And it is essential to development.

Development in Fiction

I have often found works of fiction explore the complexities of poverty and development in much richer detail than technocratic and sterile policy reports put out by thinktanks, the World Bank and UN. Books like the Poisonwood Bible, Acts of Faith, The Song of Lawino, The Quiet American and Cause Celeb seem to capture the moral dilemmas, politics, psychology and cultural clashes that infuse change in the developing world. No Human Development Report could ever match the descriptive power of Graham Greene or Barbara Kingsolver.

It turns out that I am not alone in preferring a good novel to the latest Famine Early Warning System report. A group of scholars associated with the Institute for Development Policy and Management at Manchester University have come up with a list of works of fiction they believe provide a rich and sophisticated portrait of poverty and development.

Diarrhoea: An Unpopular but Important Cause

Diarrhoea kills some 1.7 million children every year -- that over three times the population of Kansas City wiped out annually by a preventable disease.  And yet, given the 'gross-out factor' it is highly unlikely that this disease will ever get the kind of celebrity endorsements that have helped raise awareness of breast cancer and AIDS.  Likewise, few development professionals want to become known as a 'diarrhoea expert.'  There is no glamor, it seems, in excrement.

Obama's Budget: How is it for the poor?

For those of us who don't follow politics every day (I was one of those people for a long time), it may seem from the headlines that Obama's budget has passed and that we are done worrying about the budget this year. Unfortunately, we are far from that point. 

What passed in early April, was the top line numbers for the budget, the upper limits for accounts that include a wide range of programs. On this blog we were concerned mostly about the International Affairs Budget, which includes funding for a lot of development programs. We were successful in lobbying for an increase of the International Affairs Budget--It was increased by over $4 Billion!

Now Obama has submitted his specific requests for each program and it is time to lobby again. As you can see from the chart above, there are some very important programs that are underfunded in this budget.

Five Good Non-Fiction Books on Africa

1. “Africa: A Biography of the Continent,” by John Reader. A wide-reaching and sweeping look at trends and broader explanations for the way things are, covering history, geography, anthropology, biology and politics. While it is a thick tome (some 700 pages) it manages to be engaging, interesting and easy to read. This would be a good place to start for the interested newcomer to African issues.

2. “Africa Works: Disorder as a Political Instrument,” by Patrick Chabal and Jean-Pascal Daloz. A lucid and theoretically-rich exposition of African politics. Describing how systems of patronage operate within the context of modern states, Chabal and Daloz provide powerful explanations for conflict, corruption and poor economic development. It also introduces English-speakers to the rich seam of francophone research and literature about Africa.

Earth Day's Over...Do you still care?

Earth Day is one of my favorite days, but today is 5 days after the day we honor our Earth (technically 6), so why I am still talking about it?

On April 22nd ever year, it is popular to talk about how great the environment is and how much we should be doing to end climate change, protect endangered species, promote clean energy, and the like. And on April 23rd, we move on to other things and we all pat ourselves on the back for being such good environmentalists on Earth Day.

Along the same lines, greenwashing  has also become a hip, new trend, as this Earth Day comic indicates. This is especially true of advertising. Every product and every company is trying to convince us that they are "green". (One of my pet peeves is seeing ads in the metro station from Chevron asking me to go green...I don't need an oil company telling me how to save the environment.) The greenwashing of politicians' speeches is also a growing epidemic. And yet, despite the cacophany of voices claiming to be green, the kind of massive, system change that we need seems far from realization.

The point of all of this is to say that I don't want to just add to the mass of people trying to capitalize on the "green revolution." So I am going to ask us to do something different this year. Today, not less than five days after Earth Day, I am asking us to take seriously the plea to make every day Earth Day.

On April 22nd, Obama made his Earth Day speech proclaiming: "My Administration is also working to achieve a comprehensive energy and climate policy, one that will lessen our dependence on foreign oil, make the U.S. the global leader in clean energy technology, and prevent the worst impacts of climate change. "

The President is encouraging action. And Congress is moving toward action on climate legislation....Finally! A first draft of climate change legislation, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 was released. Now WE must act! The proposed legislation needs to be improved by leaving out the carbon trading and simply capping carbon emissions. Congress also needs to ensure that the revenue from this system is returned to consumers. Take the opportunity today to show that you care about the earth every day by writing your members of Congress, encouraging them to pass climate legislation with these improvements.

Write your letter here!

Another way that you can work to create a more sustainable world is by donating to organizations like Outreach International which helps to better the environment and the lives of the poor. Check out this amazing story!

-Stephen Donahoe

Zambia Floods Affect 700,000

Zambia is having the worst flooding it has experienced in 40 years, following an unusually heavy rainy season. Government estimates suggest some 600,000 to 700,000 people "have been either displaced or severely crippled" by the flooding. Click here to learn more.

Outreach International has worked in Zambia for many years, helping develop sustainable community organizations, improving agriculture and increasing access to clean water and sanitation. Click here to learn more about Outreach International's programs in Zambia.  Click here to read a story about Outreach International's impact on one particular Zambian community.

-Matthew Bolton

We are Learning!

It is easy to be discouraged by foreign aid efforts. Too often it seems that there is not enough money, the projects aren't sustainable enough, local people aren't involved enough...the list of "not enoughs" could go on for a long time.

When I find myself feeling cynical about the woes of international development, I normally think about some of the amazing projects I have experienced with Outreach International. Today I found another great source of hope that we are actually learning something...that there are other people and groups that are creating sustainable good as well. On Aid Watch, William Easterly (author of White Man's Burden) writes about a micro-finance project in Ghana that exemplified the main principle that we advocate for on this blog, the participation of local people in their own development.

I'm no economist but...

 

I think everyone can agree that business investment is helpful to local economies of the poorest billion people.

I came across a great blog today -- Bottom Billion Blog.  In it, Jean-Louis Warnholz wrote an interesting article called, "A Secret Unveiled: Africa is Open for Business."  Economists and others more economically savvy than me say now is the time for investment.  Warnholz points out that investing in a business in Africa is actully one of the ten ideas changing the world right now.

There is a debate going on these days on whether international aid is helpful to developing nations or downright destructive --in the end creating more problems than solutions. 

One way or the other, trade and business development (rather than aid) is the best way to invest in local economies -- but many corporations are still timid about the risks involved with such a venture.  Apparently, those perceptions are a bit old fashioned.  Time writes, "Democracy is up. Inflation and interest rates are in single digits. Terms of trade have improved. Crucially, said Nellor, 'growth is taking off.' The IMF puts Africa's average annual growth for 2004 to '08 at more than 6% — better than any developed economy — and predicts the continent will buck the global recessionary trend to grow nearly 3.3% this year."

China is leading the trend in investing in Africa -- and maybe it's time for other businesses to do the same.

What do you think?

-Karyn Wingard-Manuel

Now It's Getting Personal

I truly believe Karyn's post the other day that relationships are the main factor in giving, because through relationships we truly understand the depth of a problem. This has happened to me just in the last few days. I have been sympathetic to those that have been affected by the global financial crisis since the beginning (except for the giant corporate CEO's and Madoff's of the crisis). I hate to hear on the news the stories about people being laid off, companies going bankrupt, towns in financial meltdown.

However, the depth of the pain of this crisis didn't hit me until the other day when my mom told me that she had been laid off. After 28 years working at the same company, she doesn't have a job, and won't for the next 4-6 months.

What Motivates You to Give?

Non-profit organizations (like Outreach International) are constantly wondering how to motivate people to donate money to good causes.  In last week's Newsweek,  Professor Peter Singer writes this intriguing (and possibly motivating?)  scenario:

Imagine that you are walking near a shallow ornamental pond when you notice that a small child has fallen in, and is apparently in danger of drowning. You look around for the child's caregiver, but there is no one in sight. Without pausing even to pull off the expensive pair of shoes you are wearing, you rush into the water to save the child."

"You don't have to be a hero to do that. We expect it of you. You'd have to be a monster to put the cost of your shoes ahead of saving the child's life."

"Or would you? "

Books You Must Read

This post comes from guest writer, Diane Sadler who works in the Communications Department at Outreach International:

Wednesday night on Charlie Rose (KCPT), he interviewed 2 amazing women who have written books about development & poverty, and also Peter Singer and his new book.

Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa
by Dambisa Moyo

The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World
by Jacqueline Novogratz

The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty
by Peter Singer

You can watch the segments from these links:
Peter Singer, Dambisa Moyo, Jacqueline Novogratz 

Dambisa Moyo has a brilliant insight into aid. Jacqueline Novogratz has a story you must hear – The Blue Sweater.

A Powerful Opportunity – for Women & Children

Diane Sadler, Communications Specialist for Outreach International, went to see "A Powerful Noise" last Thursday.  She wrote some great thoughts about the movie.

 

 

On March 5th, ten employees and friends of Outreach International attended the special showing of “A Powerful Noise,” a film on women’s challenges and victories, and the kind of empowerment that Outreach International has been fortunate enough to participate in. The stories seemed so much like the ones we hear first-hand every day: Madame Urbain in Africa who, because her father had the foresight and love to send his daughter to school, traveled Mali to talk to girls and their fathers about protecting them from the dangers of illiteracy. Hanh, the young woman in VietNam who contracted HIV and wasn’t about to take the shame and exclusion, but began teaching others the simple science of how to prevent it. Nada, a mother whose family and community were ravaged by wars in Bosnia, and yet organized a group of women to create agricultural cooperatives and fair trade markets to restore their lives.

All of these women, in addition to caring for themselves and their families, also energized themselves to care for others – strangers – those in mutual exclusion and pain. And in doing so, lives, and communities, and countries are being changed.

"Well, Did it Change Your Life?"

I am inspired to know that more people keep realizing the value of the development process that Outreach International uses. This is Chelsea Carter's reflection after she returned from a site visit to Nicaragua with Outreach International:

Just over one year ago, I began to think about taking the Nicaragua Winter Term. The first time I heard about the trip was in a Sunday night service at Graceland University. The speaker shared her testimony about the trip, and described how the experience radically changed her life in profound ways. This is the sort of story that seemed to come from everyone who talked about his or her visit to Nicaragua. The stories stayed consistent from student to student in terms of how the trip so greatly impacted their lives. It almost became a sort of joke between my circle of friends and I. Every semester when we heard that someone had just got back from Nicaragua, our first question to them was always, “Well did it change your life!?”

After hearing this same testimony over and over from a broad spectrum of personalities across campus, I began to consider the possibility that maybe I should check out this potentially life changing experience too.

Slumdog Millionaire and social justice?

Tonight I finally went to see the Academy Award all-star Slumdog Millionaire. I wanted to love it, and did. I also wanted to believe that it would inspire many more people around the world to care about the poorest of the poor in India, like Jamal in the movie; but I am not convinced of that. It was mostly a love story, not a call for economic justice.

One part that I thought was especially powerful and insightful was when Jamal was leading two Americans down toward a river to see where women washed their clothes. While they were gone, other children stripped their car of everything. When Jamal brought the couple back, the driver blamed Jamal for the theft and started beating him up. Jamal exclaimed that he "just wanted to give them a taste of the real India." The couple stopped the driver and the woman said, "and here's a taste of the real America" and gave him $100. At first it was sad for me to think that to her America was money, then I looked at it at a deeper level.

Poverty is Systematic, Not Just a Lack of Things

In an op-ed in this weekend's Examiner (Independence, MO), I highlighted Outreach International's work struggling against poverty in communities around the world. I argued that one cannot simply blame the poor for their poverty or assume that it is simply due to a lack of money or skills. Rather, the roots of poverty lie in poor people’s lack of power over and participation in the institutions and systems – economic, political, social and cultural – that determine the course of their lives.

To read the whole article, click here.

- Matthew Bolton

Haiti Still Struggling to Recover from Hurricanes

Haiti is struggling to overcome the impact of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike that hit during August and September this year. In Gonaives, hit worst by the terrible storms, only a fifth of the city has been cleared of the mud that buried much of the town.

Haiti's government says that 60% of the expected harvest was lost and the the hurricane's cost the country some $900 million -- almost a tenth of Haiti's GDP.  World Bank President Robert Zoellick described the damage caused by the hurricane as 'eye-popping.'

Reflections on Water

I am visiting my brother and sister-in-law (Matthew Bolton and Emily Welty) in Kampala, Uganda. Although I have traveled to several countries before, this is my first visit to a developing nation. My visit is full of new experiences even for things as simple and essential as water.

Every morning I make a short trip from the basement apartment to the filtered water supply in the main house above. It requires a little practice and training to transfer the water from the supply bottle which can weigh up to 55 pounds to our five liter bottle (1.3 US gallons) without spilling.  Moreover, though we have running water for washing, our building has poor plumbing and electrical work. Pipes leak and visits to the sink or shower are frequently accompanied with a buzzing sensation or electrical shock.

"How Beautiful!"

The next post in our series of posts reflecting on the Nicaragua Site Visit with Outreach International comes from Nicky Kerr, a senior at Graceland University. She reflects on her definition of poverty, how Outreach International's process of development called the Participatory Human Development Process (or PHDP), the empowerment she saw in the communities where OI works and the impact this trip had on her own life. -Stephen Donahoe

"1. My definition of poverty is still forming, and is uniquely based on my
personal experiences. Because my story and my relationship with poverty will
continue, I expect my definition to evolve, and I don’t claim it’s absolute
completeness or truth over other definitions.

"That being said, I have thought about how I define poverty extensively. We
often differentiate between material poverty (poverty you can see), and
poverty of the mind (poverty you can’t see). I recognize that poverty can be a
mentality, and that changing your mindset can be life changing in the midst of
tragic material circumstances. Still, I struggle with this sharp duality that
we have created. It is important to know that they feed into each other, and
to remember that both need radical change if poverty is going to become
history.

Mi Corazón Está en Nicaragua

My Heart is in Nicaragua...That's how Jena Wight ends her reflection on her Winter Term (a shortened school term that takes place in the month of January) which took place in Nicaragua. For six years, groups of Graceland University students have been transformed by the Outreach International Site Visits to Nicaragua. We are going to be posting several powerful reflections from the students who ventured out of their comfort zones and learned from the people who deal with poverty on a day to day basis. Jana desribes how this experience impacted her. Check it out and reflect on your own understanding of poverty, development and different cultures.  - Stephen Donahoe

"I can’t say that my trip to Nicaragua gave me an eye opening encounter to the conditions of poverty—it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to research and understand poverty in the world, only ignorant people to ignore it and cause the problems we have today. So being fairly experienced and educated in the area, the conditions weren’t a shock. But what this trip did bring me was an invigoration of my passion, an introduction to a new culture, a deeper knowledge of Outreach International and its work, and a better understanding of the nature of humans and the relationships and love we can share with one another.

The Fight Against Poverty Takes a Backseat at the World Economic Forum

The 2009 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum ended yesterday having come up with few solutions to the global economic crisis. One thing mos t everyone seemed to agree on was an urgent plea to resist responding to the crisis with protectionism. The problem is that the poorest people in the world are not being protected by globalization, so the logical response for these people and their governments is protectionism.

Openness – The Foundational Concept

When asked to write a guest column, one usually starts with a riveting topic.  But ‘openness’? – Where’s the sizzle in that?  - It sounds so mundane as to verge on a ‘motherhood’ (parenthood) issue!  I agree and hopefully will have more compelling articles later.  But to use ‘sizzle’ as an analogy, I’d say openness is not the food sizzling in the fry pan, nor the fry pan, nor even the fire, oxygen or wood – the best analogy would be that it is the possibility that bringing together wood, oxygen and a spark will create a fire.

Fine.  But isn’t this blog about the gritty topic of poverty and its elimination? – surely such esoteric topics should be discussed elsewhere!  True.  But occasionally it is worth some reflection to ensure things are well-anchored. 

As a crusty-old activist who has been involved in peace and justice activities for over 30 years, including many years on the Board of a similar international development organization in Canada – World Accord - I have found that almost any issue has openness as one of the core components for a lasting resolution.  So that is always where I like to start.  In fact it is why I like this blog, for its basis  – to redefine poverty – is an acknowledgement to remain open to how old and even current thoughts may need refining.

The People Behind the Numbers

I listened to This American Life this weekend and it talked about people who quantify things that should never be quantified, such as their love lives, the perfect song, and every daily task. One of the lessons of the show (I hate to give it away) was that quantifying deep experiences prevents us from feeling the depth...It glazes over them. This morning I was walking to work and I started thinking about some of the numbers in my life that prevent me from engaging in the depth behind them.

And I remembered that 25,000 children die every day from poverty-related causes.

Poverty and the Impact of the Economic Crisis

Spending Christmastime with my in-laws in Michigan really opened my eyes to the depth of the economic crisis. I heard many people talking about their fear of slowdown and layoffs in the auto industry and the surprising number of small businesses that have gone under.  I spoke with the owner of a small independent bookshop that has struggled to make ends meet as people have cut back on spending.

No one has thrown shoes at Outreach International

It is my firm belief that the kind of work Outreach International is involved in provides more than just health care, education, economic security, and nutrition.  It devlops more than self-esteem and an ability to voice struggles to those in power.

Outreach International  prevents shoes being thrown at presidents. 

You may or may not sympatize with Muntader al-Zaidi, the journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush, but that's beside the point.

Far too often, wars begin because there is a fight over limited resources.  Economic insecurity breeds political insecurity which breeds conflict.  Of course wars, and in particular the Iraq war, cannot be described in such simplistic terms.  But I can't help but think about Outreach's philosphy -- building community, and then supporting that community in solving their own problems -- and wonder if States adopted this way of working out problems, there would be as many international conflicts as there are these days.  Bush claimed that American soldiers were going to come to Iraq as liberators.  Cue the images of Iraquis showering us with flowers and praise.

Address Needs, not Impose Pre-Subscribed Solutions

I am a freelance filmmaker and cameraman, just returned from The Philippines, where I’ve been documenting some of the work Outreach International is doing. (The videos should start popping up on the Outreach website in the new year)

Outreach have been working in the country for around 30 years, so it seemed a good time to go. It would be an opportunity to look at both communities who at present receive support, and those who’ve been helped out in the past.

I was interested in seeing how sustainable the work is. The NGO community is riddled with stories of organisations not being able to offer long-term solutions to communities with immediate needs, whether through lack of understanding or unforeseeable hurdles. I’ve wondered in the past whether faults might be, in part, a consequence of a global system founded on ‘box ticking’, which satisfies funding bodies in the developed world, but has no relevance for the needs of the developing world. After this trip, I’m increasingly sure this is the case. Which is where I think organisations like Outreach can set themselves apart; by having and retaining their independence. The independence to be able to go into communities, work with local people and address genuine needs, rather than attempt to impose pre-subscribed solutions.

‘Great Change’ in Malawi: The Story of Lewis Mhango, Human Development Facilitator

Lewis Mhango is a human development specialist with Outreach International in northern Malawi.  Soft-spoken and thoughtful, he works at the grassroots in impoverished rural communities, organizing and facilitating sustainable change.

Studies Show--Development Pays

It is the arguement that the Sustainable Good blog was founded on and Outreach International works from every day: doing long-term development is much more successful than short-term, reactionary humanitarian aid. And one of my coworkers found a great report by the Center for American Progress with evidence to back this up. The report called "The Cost of Reaction: The Long-Term Costs of Short-Term Cures" argues that the United States has been pursuing short-term solutions to development for much too long, at the detriment to the safety and security of everyone, including the self-serving interests of the U.S.

The report argues that U.S. foreign aid is much too reactive, instead of proactive. Much of the funding the U.S. provides goes toward areas after conflict or disaster in the form of humanitarian or security (military) aid. After the crisis has subsided, or the U.S. interest in the region diminishes, aid "flatlines." This has created an aid system that is incapable of doing anything but emergencies services. Imagine a hospital where after the emergency is averted there is no follow-up, no cures offered, no ability to help prevent the next emergency.

Building Peace at the Local Level in Uganda

Negotiators for the Ugandan government waited in vain last week for the illusive rebel leader, Joseph Kony to emerge and sign a peace agreement to end the twenty year civil war in Northern Uganda. Once again, Kony failed to appear, demanding further concessions. However, while Kony continues to stall peace efforts, the people of Uganda have continued to pursue peace amongst themselves.

This week, we travelled to Soroti, in eastern Uganda to meet with an inspiring local organization which is taking peace into its own hands. The Teso Dioceses Development Office (TEDDO) has a peace project  headed by Pastor Sam Eibu which specializes in community-based mediation. Under Eibu’s initiative, a group of one hundred “peace promoters” have been trained to carry out localized conflict resolution and conciliation initiatives in the villages surrounding Soroti.

‘Working for Outreach International Not Only Changes the Poor, It Changes You'

McAdamson Nkhoma has an infectious laugh. With twinkling eyes and a big smile, you can count on him to inject a healthy dose of humor into a dull meeting.  But McAdamson is also a deeply serious man who brings wisdom and experience to his job as Outreach International’s country program coordinator in Malawi.

A Christian Response to Poverty

During my recent visit to Outreach International’s programs in Malawi I heard an interesting sermon by Malawian Community of Christ minister Patrick Gausi on Christian responses to social problems. He reflected in particular on Outreach International’s approach to ending poverty, which maintains people’s dignity and seeks sustainable, rather than stop-gap, solutions.

I think his sermon would make a good resource for church groups studying or reflecting on Outreach International’s work, so I have posted a transcription of it below.

-Matthew Bolton

To Feed the Child, Nourish the Village

Almost half of Malawi's children under five are orphaned, largely due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic which has impacted the country severely. Traditionally, orphans have been incorporated into the families of relatives.  However, the current crisis is straining this support system. As a result, rural communities are struggling to feed, clothe and educate the orphans in their midst.

First we have to See the Need

A really great thing happened on the bus today--a woman saw the need of another passenger and responded without even hesitating. The person she helped was a tattered-looking woman who boarded the bus with a trash bag full of something. She sat her bag down and began to put change into the machine, but the bus driver told her it wasn't enough and that the pennies she put in the machine were useless. It was obvious that the woman didn't understand and that the driver wasn't going to give in. So the woman next to me got up, put money in the machine and walked back to her seat.

This made me think. I bet most people would respond in that situation. I would have given the $.35 if I had the change. And I bet if no one else paid, several other passengers would have paid for her if she was going to get kicked off the bus. However we wouldn't have the urge to respond if we didn't see the need.

Community-Organizer-In-Chief!

I have hesitated to say much about the elections, for fear of making Outreach International look like a partisan organization. And today I realized something...Barack is our president (elect) now and there is nothing partisan about loving your president!

There are so many things to be excited about this election, so I am just going to mention a couple, and I want to hear what you are excited about in the comments section. I am excited that we have elected the first African American as president! I am excited that we have elected a man that lived in Indonesia for a few years during his childhood! I am excited that we have elected someone who knows the constitution!

And most of all, I am excited that this was the most participatory election in my lifetime! I am excited that WE elected him. We elected a community organizer--someone that knows that if anything is going to change in this country we are all going to have to be involved. And he got us involved. He mobilized the masses. And now we have to continue to mobilize him.

New WorldService Corps Website

The WorldService Corps, a volunteer agency affiliated with the Community of Christ, launched a new website this week (http://www.worldservicecorps.org), providing information to young adults who are searching for service opportunities.

I must admit that I found the old website rather dull, which stood in direct contrast with how exciting, challenging and engaging my time as volunteer was.  Thankfully, the new website is very cool – well designed with lots of multimedia resources telling the stories of past volunteers.

It was my experience as a summer WorldService Corps volunteer in Kenya that first got me really excited about Outreach International. I had never been in the developing world as an adult and the immersion into extremely poor communities in the midst of a fraught political environment grabbed me like no other previous job or assignment.  I found going back to college after the summer very hard – nothing in class seemed to match the level of education I had gotten out in the field.

It's just an election -- what could happen?

Today is a big day.  Lines of people are weaving in an out of polling places.  "I voted" stickers are the newest fashion accessory of the day.  Radio stations, news channels, and blogs are all talking about the election non-stop.  Websites like www.fivethirtyeight.com obsessively count and recount the polls and are predicting the winners of the various campaigns throughout the country. This is a pretty big deal (understatement of the year.)  

I was watching the Daily Show the other night and Bill Kristol, conservative op-ed writer for the New York Times, muttered (jokingly?) “It’s just an election”.  Jon Stewart looked flabbergasted and replied, “Yeah, it’s just an election, what could happen?”  Truth is, the person in the White House for the next four years will have a lot of power. And yes Bill Kristol, a lot can happen.

Witches, Witch Doctors and Exorcisms

Conversations about real-life witches, witch doctors, exorcisms and the like are some of the most uncomfortable moments in my travels. Before I went to India for two months to teach English with World Service Corps, I was told that I would definitely be asked to do exorcisms. So, I was sitting in the last church service thanking God that I was not going to have to do an exorcism in India. And then after the service, one of the congregation members came up to me and said through translation that he was plagued by a demon. That was my cue to stumble and fumble through a prayer for the man's wholeness.

This brings to light one of the most difficult challenges of international development--being culturally sensitive. The belief in the supernaturally evil is not common in Western culture. However, it is normal in a lot of the world. This means that when Western organizations are working in other cultures, they must balance their criticism of some culture norms (such as female circumcision) with their respect for local customs.

This balance of respect and critique in local cultures is one of the best things about Outreach International. Because local people who work with Outreach International carry out their own community development, it is easier to work in culturally sensitive ways. Outreach International dialogues with local human development facilitators to challenge some of their own cultural norms, especially repressive practices that prevent everyone from participating fully in the community.

-Stephen Donahoe & Karyn Wingard-Manuel

Uganda Rising

This week I have been attending a film festival in Kampala, Uganda, run by Makerere University Law School and the Refugee Law Project, aimed at spurring discussion on ways forward in the country’s peace process.

While things are more peaceful these days, Uganda has suffered from a devastating conflict in its northern region for some 20 years. Over 1 million people were forcibly displaced into camps by government troops, 25,000 children were abducted by brutal rebel forces that believe they are divinely inspired.  The country now faces the challenges of reintegrating former rebels, mostly abducted children.  It struggles with hope best to seek justice and accountability while also recognizing the need for reconciliation.

Last night I saw a particularly impressive documentary called Uganda Rising (available from www.ugandarising.com) that delves into the roots of this conflict, tells the story of survivors and provides sophisticated analysis from academics and policymakers.

The Gift of Goats: Sustainable Good in Zimwanda, Malawi

A small goat project in rural Malawi might seem insignificant in light of the many problems faced by  one of Africa's poorest countries.  However, in this short web video, you can see clips of my conversation with a family -- Teresa, Fabian and their seven kids -- whose lives have changed for the better thanks to a goat project organized by their community with the help of Outreach International.

Tips on Serving in the Developing World

Living in Uganda, I run across many young North Americans and Europeans who have come seeking to help out with aid efforts.  Uganda certainly has a lot of need, coming out of a lengthy civil war and burdened by high levels of poverty.

However, the influx of international charities, while spurring economic growth, has also contributed to inflation, especially in land prices. Many local people feel expectations of aid have not been met and are suspicious that foreign aid workers come for self-serving reasons such as career development, resume-padding, high paying salaries or ‘adventure.’

Such issues are unfortunately quite common in aid ‘hot spots’ – disaster and conflict zones that receive intensive international political and media attention. When the excitement dies down, additional problems arise from the rapid withdrawal of personnel and agencies moving onto the next big cause celebre disaster.

Based on my experience working as an aid worker, researcher and journalist in several such ‘hot spots’, I have observed several ways in which good-hearted young people can serve in the developing world while minimizing burdens on local people.

Malawi Site Visit Video

Seeking to see the impact of sustainable change in rural communities, ten American supporters of Outreach International visited Malawi last week.  They visited Outreach International's program areas, met people in their homes, viewed development projects and engaged in cross-cultural dialogue.

Click on the video above to see a short film about the Site Visit.  Click here to read an article from The Examiner (Independence, MO) about Outreach International's work in Malawi.