For this special Saturday edition, we bring you the tale of one NGO trying to navigate an ugly past, turbulent present, and uncertain future — a journey that many development organizations can relate to. Plus, a bonus scoop on the friction that’s overtaken an arm of UNESCO.
Localization is great in theory, but often messy in practice. After all, who doesn’t support the notion that people on the ground should have more of a say in their own development? But abdicating power, sharing resources, and possibly putting yourself out of a job can be antithetical to an organization’s instinct for self-preservation.
“Everyone tries to put a happy face on this by saying that INGOs will still have an important role to play, but we’re kind of vague about what that role is and completely unrealistic or ignorant of the fact that changing the business model implies shrinking the INGOs in a way that would make most unsustainable,” a recently retired global health CEO tells my colleague Michael Igoe.
About the author
Anna Gawel
Anna Gawel is the Managing Editor of Devex. She previously worked as the managing editor of The Washington Diplomat, the flagship publication of D.C.’s diplomatic community. She’s had hundreds of articles published on world affairs, U.S. foreign policy, politics, security, trade, travel and the arts on topics ranging from the impact of State Department budget cuts to Caribbean efforts to fight climate change. She was also a broadcast producer and digital editor at WTOP News and host of the Global 360 podcast. She holds a journalism degree from the University of Maryland in College Park.
