Myths About Aid Work

by Michael Bear · 2009-09-03 16:50:00 UTC
Topics:

Last week posted a piece sent in by a friend, providing advice no one will give you - including advice about reporting fraud, working with less-than-pleasant colleagues, and the dangers of relying on your organization's emergency evacuation plan.

Continuing that trend, below are other links to help dispel various myths about aid work:

- Chris Blattman takes on the myth that local NGOs are more altruistic and sustainable than local governments.

- Tales from the Hood explains that -- contrary to popular belief -- NGOs are, in fact, the "establishment".  Even the small ones.  The piece also includes other useful advice, such as: schmooze like crazy, never get married, never have children, go to Cambodia to find your first job overseas, apply audaciously, be prepared to lower your personal job-standards, and don't feel guilty about riding in a white Landcruiser.

- Bill Easterly is not always right.  Tho he does remain the only person alive capable of working Beyonce into a post about the importance of aid agency specialization.

Finally, one myth that is true - my former change.org blogger Alanna Shaikh does walk on water.  At least occasionally. That, and she's also the single best global health blogger around. She's started a new blog called Global Health Basics; if you're at all interested in the topic, you should definitely check it out.

PS - for a rather scathing response to various criticism about the MSF ad, please see the recent post by my genocide co-blogger Michelle.

[Image from author]

Michael Bear
PREVIOUS STORY:
Looking for a Few Good Bloggers
NEXT STORY:
Campaign about Apple Factories in China Gains Wide and Diverse Support

COMMENTS (1)

    Comment Policy

    · All fields are required to comment.

    [X]

    Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the campaign on Change.org. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments which, as determined solely in our discretion: (1) are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; (2) include content solely intended to personally attack the campaign creator, (3) are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them; and/or (4) violate our terms of service and/or privacy policy. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion. Please also be advised that: (A) we do not actively curate and/or monitor in any manner whatsoever the comments made on the Change.org platform, and (B) the creator of each campaign on Change.org may remove any comment at her/his/its discretion.