The Brown Faces of the NGO World: Diversity & Inclusion in the 'Global South'

Before deciding to post a picture of me surrounded by 17 beautiful children of Zambia, I reconsidered. Even though the mom of two of the children asked that I take a picture, I didn't want to look exploitive . Even though the children were healthy, nourished and happy, I didn't want to paint any type of picture of poverty- a well-worn record played by organizations, media and the international community. 

I like to show the warm and welcoming people I come across in my global work and travels. Luckily for me, that is predominantly children. They are drawn to me. They steal glances and shy smiles before always inevitably coming to play. More than anything else, young people show me the soul of the communities I work within.

So, I posted it within a travel group I am a member of on Facebook. I gave the backstory of how I was shooting a technical video in the northern province of Luapula in Mansa, Zambia. It was well-received. Comments came around the cuteness of the children and our smiles. Then a young lady spoke to the feeling I couldn't quite pin down internally. The feeling that gnawed at me.

As much as I hate to admit how much my reaction reflects that I do see color, all I could think when I first saw this was "It's nice to see someone who actually looks like the kids with the kids."

That was it. I am so used to seeing white faces in these aid/relief/non-governmental (NGO) images, and in a greater sense, the development world. 

She went on to say that this does not negate from the good and great work of these people (a point I wholeheartedly agree with), but it's just....nice. It's not to offend anybody that doesn't look like the community they serve; it's to be excited for those who do and are also going into theses places and making a positive impact.

I have always been one of few brown faces in my personal NGO work. It is a feeling I am used to since it is the same in journalism, especially major newsrooms (including the bureaus within the United Nations. From Amnesty International in Washington DC and Seoul to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) work in my beloved Haiti, to malaria and WASH work in Zambia- African Americans are far and few between. I clarify African Americans because I work with Zambians everyday and I worked with Haitians in Haiti. However, people of color period are not present or underrepresented in NGO boards and higher positions.

The majority of these organizations work for populations that are non-European. Many cover issues like gender rights and equality. Yet, according to The Guardian, 66 percent of the governing bodies of the top 100 NGOs are European. The majority male and of Western education.

In Global_Geneva's third annual Top 500 NGO ranking , the statistics are even more worrisome. Only 26 (5 percent) of the 500 NGOs listed have their headquarters in Africa, yet 33 percent of activity takes place in that region. Out of all the CEOs, only 4 percent are of African descent.

On a larger scale, this sends signals that what has value comes from the West and perpetuates the misconception that it is the West that will save (and is best equipped to change) the rest of the world.

I believe diversity in development needs to be increased. I believe the sector should actively engage black and minority (especially women of color) communities, especially since it is many of these communities that have a link to the countries these organizations work in and serve. I do not know how this pool of volunteers and workers can be increased, but I do know that when it does- it will be a rich resource of invaluable skills.