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Rick Maurer Tip #69
What We Can Learn About Leading Change
From the Crisis in Haiti |
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January 22, 2010
Greetings!
What We Can Learn About Leading Change from the Crisis in Haiti
It seems that millions want to help the people in Haiti. And there was a similar generous outpouring in the wake of the Indonesian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and countless other disasters. But in a rush to ease the suffering, our help may be frivolous or get in the way of real aide.
According to a 2004 BBC News report, "The federation (International Red Cross and Red Crescent) says aid agencies must do more to help people help themselves." There is a tendency for people to travel to the country and offer to help, or create their own private charities to send shoes and food. Sounds noble. But without an infrastructure, there are not clearinghouses so that these "helpers" can get assigned or (in some cases) licensed to practice medicine, etc. in the country. And who is going to distribute all this unasked for bounty of supplies? These gifts often just clog the ports making it harder for real relief workers to do what they need to do.
Yesterday, I read a blog post written by Nathanial Whittemore on the Social Entrepreneur blog of change.org titled What Goes Wrong with Rebuilding Efforts (and How to do Better This Time.) It is an object lesson in what to avoid. And I think his column provides sound warnings those of us who want to create changes that we believe are urgently needed.
Here is Whittemore's blog post.
"What Goes Wrong with Rebuilding Efforts (and How to do Better This Time)"
1. Lack of local knowledge: Every place has its own traditions, perspectives, customs and that dictate behaviors and responses to crisis. This local knowledge and local context is essential for being able to effectively engage local populations and effectively adapting relief best practices to successfully deliver aid. What this means: Look for and support the leadership of organizations like Partners in Health that have been in Haiti for years.
2. One-dimensional, victim-centric view of impacted populations: Everyone impacted by this earthquake is a victim, but to successfully implement immediate and long-term relief programs, aid organizations have to be able to get beyond the "victimhood" of the people they're serving to actively engage their ideas and talents to work with, not only for, local people. What this means: Look for organizations that have a commitment to the equal capacity of everyone to contribute to change.
3. Lack of respect for local economic systems: One of the most challenging parts of development and relief is delivering necessities like shelter and food that must be right in a way that doesn't harm local economic capacity. While right now, the name of the game is get people what they need, it will take smart planning (plus constant adjustment) to rebuild in a way that gets Haiti back on the right economic foot. What this means: Look for organizations like Architecture for Humanity that view every rebuilding program as a program for job training and creation.
4. Lack of appreciation for the importance of political power: At the end of the day, poverty is as much about power as it is about economics. For most of the history of the country, average Haitians have lived without discernible political power through which they could claim their rights. The long view of rebuilding Haiti has to include a commitment to enabling (even just not interfering would be a good start) with local political processes. What this means: Look for organizations that understand that all humanitarian actions have political consequences and strive to appreciate and understand how that should impact their programs.
5. Lack of commitment: There is something of a mission problem that happens midway through the rebuilding process. Humanitarian relief organizations are inherently focused on disaster relief. After some period of time, the Haiti earthquake will not be a "recent" event by the industry's standards. Something else will happen and donor dollars will flow elsewhere. Almost certainly, Haiti's infrastructure will still be bulwarked by relief institutions at that point, and even with careful planning in the transition from relief to rebuilding, these resource outflows can be devastating. What this means: Look for organizations that are, from the very beginning, building widespread alliances across sectors.
End of Whittemore's post.
Here is a list of organizations that seem to avoid the traps he describes, and actually do good work in the country where they have a presence.
Warm regards,
Rick Maurer
President
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