tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389181255786430083.post32105151121523896..comments2023-10-11T05:46:26.432-05:00Comments on Where: Taking the "I" out of "AID"Brendan Crainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00528698033763911972noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389181255786430083.post-12007215620172917652008-10-20T11:51:00.000-05:002008-10-20T11:51:00.000-05:00That's where local civil society comes in. Check o...That's where local civil society comes in. Check out the website of the NGO I work for, SPARC (www.sparcindia.org). That's exactly what they do: interface between groups of the poor and aid agencies, government officials, etc. However, their aim is to make this link and let go little by little, as poor people and other actors get more comfortable negotiating with one another. It has worked here, as former housemaids who live in slums hold meetings with the municipal commissioner of large cities and attend the World Urban Forum! The hope, slowly materializing, is that organized networks of the poor can be active on the international front as well.Katia Savchukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03989789952744062598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389181255786430083.post-37187566152588259642008-10-16T05:16:00.000-05:002008-10-16T05:16:00.000-05:00You make excellent points, and I'm left wondering ...You make excellent points, and I'm left wondering if <I>any</I> aid relationship between a large Western entity distributing millions and a local women's collective will be able to be balanced. Even where "empowerment" has been sought, it will remain impossible for the local group to effectively negotiate with an organization that dwarfs them in power.<BR/><BR/>Would it be helpful instead for Western agencies to only deal with other governments or large locally-based aid organizations? Is there a local development NGO in India that could serve as representation for these smaller outfits when dealing with western funders?Daniel Ahkiamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06897333348366330359noreply@blogger.com