INSIGHT: Are INGOs ready to let go of power?

'Colonialism is alive and well in international development' is one of many controversial quotes in this excellent article that tackles the power imbalance between south and north NGOs (i.e. local and international NGO) in trying to answer the question: Are INGOs ready to give up power (see link below)?

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/transformation/are-ingos-ready-give-power/

Having worked for INGOs most of my life before founding a local NGO, I can now appreciate the frustration of local NGOs face when trying to be autonomous and/or even sustainable in a constricted funding landscape. Most of my time is spent finding money, making sure people are paid on time and delivering social impact all whilst staying on mission. It keeps me up at night. As much as I agree, in principle, with the need to shift power from north to south NGOs (which is the ethical thing to do given that the lived experiences of south voices makes them better forgers of their own future), local NGOs have not made it easy for funders and taxpayers to trust them, something I learned all too well whilst working with INGOs. Cases of fraud/fake receipts, double-dipping, founder's syndrome and ‘cosmetic charity’ are rife among local NGOs; now whether this is because of this power imbalance highlighted in this article, I don’t know. But we cannot talk about 'shifting the power' without also addressing, honestly, the problems plaguing local/south NGOs; we (local/south NGOs) must also be held accountable.

This is a conversation the development sector needs to have – this is our #metoo conversation; it’s about time we had it.

#aidtoo #shifthepower #povery #povertyreduction #development #philanthropy