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OGL 365: Imagining NGOs

Dr. Emily Mertz

November 17, 2021

Arizona State University

Killing with Kindness 3

In my opinion, the differing fundamental relationship between the two NGOs and

the Haitian governments boils down to leadership. Strong leaders who initially stay true

to their values when dealing with donors have fewer regrets about what they become

later down the road. When the NGOs give an inch, the donors take a mile. While NGOs

and their leaders have good intentions in seeking or making deals with donors, they fail

to see the possible consequences. These consequences can lead NGOs to make

choices they may have otherwise not have made. The choices may not always be

through a written contract. The pressure to bend to the donors can also come from the

sense of obligation to repay donor contributions.

The Sove Lavi had less participation from their team than the Fanm Tet Ansanm

from the very beginning negotiations with donors. Not to say that Mme Versailles's

choices were wrong and Mme Dominique's choices were right, but I believe the

inclusion of staff in meetings is a great way to keep even leaders honest. Discussions

being out in the open so that staff can listen in and give their opinion is essential,

especially when the staff is a part of the community who have skin in the game.

Conversations were often held in the open, as were most aspects of work at Fanm Tet
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Ansanm. (Schuller, p.128) I believe this was powerful for the NGO to realign with its

values and goals and see that there could be other options. The more diversity involved

in the discussion, the better. Perhaps if Mme Versailles and Sove Lavi took this

approach within the NGO, it would have come naturally in the decision-making process.

Instead, out of what felt like a necessity, plans were pushed aside to be considered

later. They agreed because they felt they needed the donors and immediately. There

were many contradictions, but through the unprofessionalism of the meeting, it just went

along, one-sided because of desperation.

I believe that Fanm Tet Ansanm was able to balance their internal management

with the management of relationships in the broader environment within which the

NGOs operate because they stayed true to their values and didn't fall victim to the

pressure of striking a deal for funding. I find this quite honorable as with many

organizations in the United States; an organization rarely refuses funding from a donor.

(Schuller, p.130) When reading Chapter 4, I immediately thought of politicians in

America and many other places and how flexible their stances are when they get

significant funding. They most likely run from a good place with good values but are

forced to stand behind promises made to donors. Sove Lavi's balance with their internal

management and the management with the broader environment quickly disintegrated

as they described the relationship internally as a form of slavery, making way for the

relationship with the external environment to be untrustworthy and of little significance to

help.

Resources
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Schuller, M. (2012). Killing with Kindness: Haiti, International Aid, and Ngos.

Rutgers University Press.