Why is volunteerism so widely maligned?

by Sarah Huxley on May 17, 2012

Why is volunteerism underestimated in development? Sarah Huxley provides her thoughts after attending the launch of the first United Nations Volunteers report on the state of volunteerism, and reflects on what is holding back the role of volunteerism in development.

{ 2 comments }

Don’t change the message. Change the messenger.

by Weh Yeoh on May 16, 2012

Everything that we do in development is about selling a message. But how do we convince people when a message goes against the grain of what they already believe? As Weh Yeoh argues, framing the argument is important, but even more important is the person who is doing the framing.

{ 4 comments }

Why I support isolated aid workers across the globe and so should you!

by Jennifer Lentfer on May 14, 2012

Aid workers need to be able to know themselves before they can help others. Supporting and encouraging dedicated and self-identified change agents within aid institutions is crucial to moving this profession forward. In a guest post with us, Jennifer Lentfer, of the wildly successful blog How Matters, explains why a network to support aid workers is so important.

{ 0 comments }

Africans Feeding Africa: using social enterprise for success

by Tanya Cothran on May 11, 2012

“We learned that free has no value.” Tanya Cothran interviews Rachel Zedek, founder of Backpack Farm in Kenya, to learn more about how this social enterprise hosts trainings for small-scale farmers in East Africa and sells them green agriculture technologies and supplies– all in a backpack.

{ 1 comment }

On dreams and those who live them

by Allison Smith

As part of a blog link-up on dreams with over 20 other bloggers from around the world, Allison shares her thoughts on how her dreams have found her, and what she’s learned from others living their dreams. Are you living your dream in aid and development?

May 9, 2012 Career Advice 3 comments Keep Reading

International Volunteerism: who benefits most?

by Michaela Brown

In international development, shrinking aid budgets and a increased desire to engage youth in global issues means that international volunteerism is increasingly relevant. However, how does this relate to the desired goal of sustainability? Based upon her experience working with an international volunteer organisation, Michaela Brown enters into this discussion, uneasily.

May 7, 2012 Ethical Tourism 14 comments Keep Reading

What does nihilism have to do with sustainable development?

by Jen

There is an increased sense of loss and disaffection, particularly amongst young people, and more pronounced after the Global Financial Crisis. What effect does this have on development, and alternatives for a new paradigm? In her first guest post on whydev, Jen, of the blog Integrating Development, hopes that a new way emerges, for the sake of development, and for her husband.

May 3, 2012 Alternatives in development 5 comments Keep Reading

Mining and development: how to get the balance right?

by Anthony Persaud

One of the common themes in recent development discourse has been the dichotomy between natural resource extraction and human and environmental rights. Mining is ubiquitous in the developing world, boosting foreign direct investment and creating jobs, but bringing with it a series of social and environmental problems. In his first post for whydev, Anthony Persaud explains how this tension is being resolved across the globe.

May 2, 2012 Environment 0 comments Keep Reading

The end of aid through trade?

by Sarah Chambers

In light of the improved economic performance of developing countries, should there be a shift in the debate to be more focused on how the global community achieves the end of aid? Sarah Chambers argues that yes, we need to start talking about the next step beyond aid, and that this next step is trade.

April 30, 2012 Foreign Aid 0 comments Keep Reading

Peer coaching: it’s happening, but we need your help

by Weh Yeoh

Back in February 2012, we announced that we’re starting a peer coaching matching service, in partnership with Shana Montesol Johnson of Development Crossroads. We’ve been overwhelmed by the response, with over 300 people telling us that they wanted to sign up. In order to get this project up and running as quickly as possible, and in the most comprehensive and professional manner, we think that we need a little seed funding to start it off. This is where we need your help.

April 26, 2012 Career Advice 6 comments Keep Reading

The universalism of human rights (conditions apply)

by Beth Rosen

Following Uganda’s reintroduction of a bill to further penalise homosexuality, the US and the UK decided to tie their aid to human rights in developing countries. While this decision pleased many human rights activists, Beth Rosen examines what it says about the relationship between developed and developing countries and their record on human rights.

April 25, 2012 Foreign Aid 2 comments Keep Reading

Promoting education: change the world or change yourself?

by Peck Gee Chua

In this reflective piece, Peck-Gee Chua, from Malaysia, discusses how her initial preconceptions around delivering education training to people in Timor-Leste shifted over time. The old way of development says that change occurs from the top down, and by her own admission, this still occurs despite a paradigm shift. Yet, is there a case for another paradigm shift in development – changing yourself before you seek to change others?

April 23, 2012 Education 2 comments Keep Reading

52 reasons why you should date an aid worker

by Weh Yeoh

In the romance stakes, aid workers often get a bad rap. In fact, recently over at On Motherhood and Sanity, we heard about 52 reasons why you shouldn’t date an aid worker. We love that site, but respectfully, we disagree (yep, clearly not breaking any of the stereotypes outlined). Here’s why.

April 19, 2012 Humour 11 comments Keep Reading

Why Kony 2012: Part II Failed

by Tom Murphy

The original Kony 2012 video (the 11th in the series) generated an incredible amount of hype and well over 100 million views. Why then, did the follow up, Kony 2012: Part II only receive 1% as many hits as the original? In his first post on whydev, Tom Murphy of View From The Cave fame, explores.

April 18, 2012 Ethics in development 4 comments Keep Reading

A story from Uganda: being young, female and having a disability

by Weh Yeoh

Even though whydev brings a younger voice to issues and discussion around aid and development, it is rare that we have a chance to hear from a young person from Uganda. Weh recently had the pleasure of interviewing Josephine Narimiru, a representative of Leonard Cheshire Disability’s Young Voices program. In the ten-minute interview, she spoke about the challenges associated with being young, female, and having a disability in Uganda.

April 16, 2012 Disability 4 comments Keep Reading

The archaeology of my professional identity in development

by Brendan Rigby

In this personal reflection, Brendan Rigby considers what forms the basis of his professional identity in development. In the midst of confusion about the present, uncertainty about the future, the disconnect between the public nature of online engagement and the private nature of true social interaction, and realism of the impact that can be made in the development world, what professional identity can be formed?

April 12, 2012 Career Advice 13 comments Keep Reading

Aid and development: what works?

by Guest Author

Using meta-analyses is one of the best ways to work out the effectiveness of programs in aid and development. Yet, getting this work off the ground is often difficult and costly. This week’s post, from Eva Vivalt, highlights an interesting new initiative being started by student volunteers which is definitely worth supporting.

April 9, 2012 Foreign Aid 5 comments Keep Reading

Don’t cut Australian aid (except to UNESCO, FAO and other multilateral agencies)

by Brendan Rigby

Australia has just released its own report on the effectiveness of multilateral agencies and development banks. It was released in the same week of rumours that the Australian Government may put a promised increase on foreign aid on the backburner by 3-5 years. In this post, Brendan tells you what you need to know about this assessment, presents AID/WATCH’s alternate multilateral assessments, and argues for the need to stay focused on aid effectiveness, not volume.

April 5, 2012 Foreign Aid 1 comment Keep Reading

Literacy in Development: the flaws with using literacy rates to inform development policy (part 3)

by Alex Grey

In her third post on literacy and development, Alex Grey examines some of the issues associated with using literacy rates as a measurement to inform development policy, and shows how problematic approaches to monitoring literacy can lead to problems on the ground.

April 4, 2012 Education 1 comment Keep Reading

← Previous Entries