I spent nine years in the back of dusty Land Cruisers across South Sudan and the DRC, watching millions of dollars in aid vanish into …
Choosing Where to Give
Who Decides What Gets Funded
I spent a decade watching people in air-conditioned offices in Geneva and Nairobi argue over “strategic frameworks” and “multi-stakeholder engagement models.” They treat the process …
The Vaguest Phrase in Development
I spent three years in South Sudan watching consultants in crisp safari shirts present glossy slide decks about “institutional strengthening” while our local warehouse staff …
Going Back Six Months Later
I remember sitting in a humid office in Goma, staring at a stack of empty shipping crates and a report that claimed a “transformative” shipment …
Why Good Evidence Does Not Change Policy
I once sat in a humid, windowless briefing room in Goma, watching a consultant present a thirty-page slide deck on “optimal resource allocation models.” He …
Planning to Leave From the Start
I once sat in a humid briefing room in Goma, watching a consultant in a crisp linen suit present a sixty-page slide deck on sustainability. …
Paying for Reporting Nobody Commissions
I spent nine years in the bush, watching NGOs raise millions for “empowerment” while I sat in a humid warehouse waiting for a single truck …
Having an Account and Using One
I spent nine years in South Sudan and the DRC watching NGOs move millions of dollars in aid, but I learned early on that a …
Value for Money and Its Four Es
I spent a decade watching headquarters in Geneva and London pour over spreadsheets, debating the nuances of procurement frameworks and theoretical cost-benefit ratios. They love …
Pitching a Story From a Place Nobody Covers
I spent nine years in South Sudan and the DRC watching people mistake “awareness” for “impact.” I’ve seen editors get blinded by sweeping, sweeping narratives …