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Title Development in Africa: Diminishing Development Aid - A global trend affecting International NGOs in Third World Countries: The case of an International NGO coping with this trend in Tanzania, East Africa.
Date 2013
Author(s) Ngutih, Victor Che
Contributor(s) Farah, Abdulkadir Osman
Abstract Topic: Diminishing Development Aid - A global trend affecting International NGOs in Third World Countries: The case of an International NGO coping with this trend in Tanzania, East Africa.<br/><br/>Introduction:<br/><br/>This project is written on the basis of an internship conducted at Global Platform Tanzania (GPTZA) under Mellemfolkelight Samvirke ActionAid Denmark (MS/AADK), where I conducted an internship in the capacity of a Fundraising Intern. In this project, GPTZA and MS/AADK are regularly stated because GPTZA is created by MS/AADK as part of its structural and programmatic change to cope with diminishing funding. Although it is an internship project, its conduct is the same as that of a normal semester project because of the approach and complexity of the problem it addresses. This project provides in-depth discussion about the host country Tanzania and the host organization's reactions to diminishing funding in time and space using such to guide responses to the problem formulation, the methodology, the empirical considerations, the analysis, the perspectives and suggestions as well as the conclusions.<br/><br/>Chapter two of the project presents general information on the host organization and presents the problem formulation. The former presents a summary of the organization and my tasks as an intern, the name of the organization, duration of internship and specific agreed upon for the internship. Of course more information about the host organization is presented and discussed under Empirical Considerations. The latter is considered the project proper because it presents the problem formulation. The thinking that developed into the problem formulation and the project's question stems from the fact that world financial recession causes several donors to suspend or reduce funding to most International Non-government (INGO). Most affected INGOs terminate their activities or considerably reduce their programs. Only a few strive to stay on and even expand. The project is focused one of these few INGOs that stay on; it finds out and discusses the reasons why this INGO survives and, also, if its coping strategy can be replicated.<br/>The project migrates from the usual discussions on aid, which documents, discussions, write-ups; books, etc focus on aid inefficiency, the need to increase or decrease, or the need to stop aid, etc to Africa. It also deviates from other discussions on aid that focus on 'policy statements of donors ' including poverty alleviation…' (Mavrotas et al, 2009 in Review of Development Economics, 2009:374,375). It seems very little is known about strategies adopted by organizations that make them continue operating in the midst of the financial constraints. <br/><br/>This internship provided an opportunity find out more about such coping strategies. The following question guided this research: 'Why should International Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs) persist with development work in Africa despite diminishing funds from major donors?' The organization studied in responding to this question is GPTZA, whose creation seems to be a clear result of coping strategies adopted by MS/AADK to tackle incidences of diminishing funds. This is seen in greater details under the Theories and Empirical Considerations chapters.<br/><br/>Chapter three on methods is important because it shows scientific or scholarly conduct of the project. In this wise, it discusses reasons why the topic, country, organization/sector were chosen. It also discusses the concepts and actors used. For instance the concept of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Tanzania, as well as actors like DANIDA, MS/AADK, GPTZA, TCDC, local NGOs and communities are outlined. Furthermore, it outlines the data collection process; its approach, documentation methodology used and its limitations, etc; the use of data (qualitative and quantitative data); the ontology which guides understanding of the objective, subject stances as well as use of constructivism in the debate. It also discusses the use of the deductive approach. <br/>To add more, the data collection process is explained starting from use of textbooks, journals, web-sites to interviews concluding with a brief outline of the number of chapters in this project. Last but not the least, this section outlines the conduct of writing this project as well as the lesson learned from the Problem Based Learning and Problem Formulation processes.<br/><br/>Chapter four on Theories is developed to direct discussions that scientifically situate responses to the problem formulation question. In this chapter three theories are chosen; liberalism, Theory of Change, and Theory of Human Needs. Each of the theories is discussed to situate its contribution to responding to the project's main question seen under the problem formulation. The choice of theories is outlined as follows:<br/>Liberalism is chosen because its stance on the fact that it is possible for institutions to collaborate for greater achievements and peace even if they differ in opinions. It therefore helps to explain why GPTZA and its founder MS/AADK resort to creating partnerships and collaborations with other organizations in the conduct of work in Tanzania despite the fact that each organization is unique in its operations. <br/>The Theory of Change is chosen because it is one used in designing Organization Development Processes, which include programs, Logical Frameworks, Strategies and Action Plans as well as Monitoring and Evaluation Tools. A contextual discussion is made on how this theory is used at the micro, meso and macro levels. It therefore helps in backing-up the programmatic and strategic developments around GPTZA used as a coping strategy to survive diminishing funds. <br/>Finally, the Theory of Human Needs is chosen because it outlines the importance of selecting appropriate needs of target populations to use as guidelines to design programs that can help in attaining such needs. It helps in explaining why individual dignity and satisfaction of needs is an essential consideration in designing training courses at GPTZA.<br/><br/>Chapter five on Empirical Considerations presents discussions that provide possible answers to the Problem Formulation and brings to light the coping strategy of programmatic and structural changes adopted by MS/AADK leading to the creation of GPTZA. It is divided into three sections. The first section looks at the historical perspectives of ODA, IMF/WB practices in Tanzania and how two Tanzanian governments adopted separate coping strategies to avoid or work with these financial bodies. This is considered the Macro level of discussing coping strategies. The second section looks GPTZA and MS/AADK in a similar light of strategizing, but this time on how it works with DANIDA and its coping strategy at the point where its privileges and funding were compromised by DANIDA. This is considered the meso discussions. The third section focuses on the events leading to the creation of GPTZA seen in this project as the outcome of structural and programmatic changes used by MS/AADK in coping with diminishing funds. This is the micro level. Throughout this section, several discussions are made at each level to illuminate the daunting task of developing such complicated but effective coping strategies. <br/>This project also tries to elaborate on the reasons why MS/AADK and GPTZA would consider fundraising important to the extent of having a position for a fundraising intern. This discussion situates such premise and provides the understanding that it is part of a coping strategy for GPTZA to choose an academic approach to conduct productive fundraising at little or no cost. <br/><br/>Chapter six on analysis is used to further discuss relevant concepts and principles in the project matching discussions from Theories and Empirical Considerations together to derive comprehensive conclusions. The analyses illuminates on the reaction of Tanzanian governments to diminishing funds; also on the creation of GPTZA; the design of courses; the choice of the target group; and collaborations. Apart from working with theories, educational philosophies of John Dewy and Paulo Freire are introduced and used to balance the reason why courses at GPTZA are planned to provide unrestricted skills learning avenues to its target group. Also, Ali Mazrui is introduced to illuminate on the choice of language of instruction for the courses. Above all, the chapter on analysis practicalizes the structural and programmatic changes used by MS/AADK as coping strategies to the diminishing funds it is facing, demonstrating that despite some flows, this strategy seems to be what most INGOs should adopt and thus replicable.<br/><br/>Chapter seven focuses on perspectives and suggestions. Here a look at an African NGO trying to cope in the midst of similar problems is addressed. It seems to have similar coping approaches; structural and programmatic adjustments, although not practicalized. More studies required here.<br/><br/>In the concluding chapter, the subjective stance of the project is portrays the positive views of the structural and programmatic coping strategy used by GPTZA and MS/AADK and advocates for an evolutionary adjustment so that it can be utilized by most organizations facing current diminishing funds from NGOs.<br/><br/>
Subject(s) Development; diminshing funds; coping strategies; strategic structural and programmatic changes
Coverage 45 pages
Language eng
Relation Udvikling og Internationale Relationer, Kandidat; Development and International Relations, Master; 3. semester; 3. term; http://vbn.aau.dk/ws/files/77523514/Development_in_East_Africa_Victor_Ngutih_Internship_Project.doc
Type of publication TERMPAPER
Format application/msword
Repository Aalborg - Aalborg University
Added to C-A: 2015-04-15;14:12:09