World Bank could lead the exodus of aid agencies

The society has shaped its people such that whenever some communities are in difficult humanitarian situations, there are agencies that come to their rescue.

Being an emergency, the expectation of aid always exists. So, in addition to expecting some response from the government, we will also expect aid agencies to come running, carrying with them some goodies.

Like food, blankets, medicine and these days, we have some organisations that carry with them physical cash to give out to cushion the adversity of the suffering people.

It is the way the society has shaped itself – unsustainable aid. For the betterment of our future, this thinking needs to move to development aid.

We need to start to think differently. That initially, when things have gone haywire, relief aid is welcome. It is appropriate as it provides immediate answers to an emergency.

After the situation ends, we need to see that the assistance that people get should be a stepping stone for sustainability of livelihoods.

Gone should be the days when aid agencies set up food distribution points to serve rations of yellow flour for the displaced community. Gone are days when medical teams pitch-camp at remote locations on days that are widely publicised on mobile radios – to provide free medical clinics.

When such days would arrive, they come, treat and go away. In many cases, it does not leave room for follow-up. These are nice-to-have opportunities. They are temporary. They bring change that leave people needing more. We really need the must-have aid interventions.

Every year as we know, development partners plan and come to throw time, money and food into good-intentioned aid interventions.

A few years later, the problems that see these resources used still exist. They persist with no solutions. The side-effect of this intervention is in the creation of a chronic pattern of dependency.

The well-intentioned interventions have taught us some important lessons. We need to understand that lasting change must come not through quick fixes. Lasting change should aim at things we need, not those we want.

Unsustainable aid does not help us to solve our pressing problems. But only leave us wanting and needing more.

We need to look beyond that, such as the innovative solutions that work for the challenges and needs of populations. And that is what will change the lives of communities.

An agency that respects the local community setting - the knowledge and way of life of the local community, and appreciates the culture and desires of a community and its way of doing things will provide for the exact need of that community.

Such an agency works towards breaking the cycle of aid dependency. It should not override the tradition of those communities in the developing world.

They give seedlings that people only plant to take only a few cycles of planting and not one that last longer. After that, people start to look for seeds to plant, unlike the indigenous ones that communities survived on forever.

Communities need a better way to do agriculture. Against this background therefore, communities ought to stay firm on some of their olden practices. The community must start to refuse short-term solutions.

Start to manage our problems for the long-term. Only then shall we address our problem. Yes. It takes some time to realise success. And yes, it will take time to convince everybody – temporary discomfort for the long-term success.

Since quick solutions are tempting and, therefore, easy to choose, it is hard to embrace the notion of a change that lasts. But it is the only way to transform our society for generations.

Our country should brace for some difficult times because of Uganda’s position on anti-homosexuality. It rubs aid agencies wrongly. The World Bank has started the exodus. Who goes next?

Simon J. Mone is a civil rngineer, [email protected]