Reliance on NGOs distorts the Palestinian economy and makes self-determination harder.
This article triggered me to write this note which I was thinking of these issues for long time during my work for several funding agencies in different countries. Although those comments in the article somehow applicable to other countries but I believe that effect is much more in Palestine.
I do not want to be on any side of the extremes, to stop the funding or not stop it or are they useful or not. I see lot of opportunities both on the short and long term coming from the funding agencies but I have different opinion.
It is true and understandable that the external donors have their own priorities in supporting countries no one can argue with that and I do not blame them for that. Everyone has the right to think for his advantage.
Historically lot of countries have benefited from such donor money to build their sustainable economies. I do not want to go into detailed discussion about such countries but have a look at Germany, Korea, East Europe and some Middle Eastern countries all were able to achieve a lot (to some extent) using such support schemes.
The main problem in my opinion is the ability of the locals to utilize those programs or funds.
From what I see in Palestine that NGOs are focusing on very short term objectives and building not sustainable programs that will enable the employees to live on the existing fund and look for the next round of funding.
On contrary the NGOs should focus on creating sustainable programs for long term objectives which will help them to survive after the end of the fund.
The other day I was talking to one of the NGOs who have very wonderful program funded by donors that will have large impact on the society in different aspects, but I asked them what will you do after the end of the fund how are you going to run your operations? They said we will apply for next fund. But what if the next fund has different objectives than now what are they going to do? No idea most probably they will start new project that suits the new objective of the donor.
That is why we get in the trap of the donor money. That is why the salaries in the “not for profit” NGOs is very high because they want to anticipate the risk they have and the donors money help them in that.
If they plan from the beginning programs that will sustain they would not think of providing high salaries because they will think how they are going to pay such salaries after the end of the fund.
What is wrong if the “not for profit” NGOs can generate revenues to spend them on their operations and programs why do they want always be dependent on the government or the donors money?
On the other hand the donors sometimes are mislead by the lack of information they get from the locals and the lack of clear strategic plans about what the local communities need. This reminds me of the term “garbage in, garbage out”. That is what we will get if we misinform the donors about our strategies and needs.
In short my opinion is that the donors contribute only to 30% of the problem the rest if the locals responsibility.
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