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Published: February 15th 2006
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A few days ago I had two interesting discussions, both, coincedentally, with Dutch Girls about voluntary work and development projects. I explained how I was trying to get going an English school with the idea of passing on the reins once it had got going and eventually trying to move the idea onwards and upwards. I have encountered more problems than I had anticipated, mainly a mixture of the Mañana culture of the people and unreliability of my partner in business.
The first Dutch girl saw the benefit of what I was trying to do, but generally had a negative attitude towards development seeing it as a no-win situation with regards to setting up workable schemes. In her view, on one side you have western people running things for locals leathered with difficulties because of cultural differences and of course this isn't a satisfying, diserable or satisfactory solution in the long-term. She also argued that simply passing things on to local people would also fail because they don't have the commitment or know-how to make things happen. This seem to cover everyone and subsquently one would logically conclude all projects are doomed to fail to some extent. But this initial classification is flawed because of generalisations in differences in culture and the believe that ways of thinkings are a permenant characteristic, fixed for eternity.
The town I'm from in England in many ways has a similar unambitious outlook like many a town here. My tennis club at home is a good example. (This may seem like a completely different thing, but maybe not. One is development of tennis (a skill, education) the other a foreign langauge, or for that matter any other type of skill or education. EFL is only a example here)
At my tennis club trying to arrange any structure for player or club development always proved a constant battle. I would arrange lessons and give information about tournaments and they wouldn't take advantage of my help. Always another time. Therefore I am Western person with 'western' thought processes but I'm familiar with the problem. In fact I think this unreliable culture, with regards to development, is true in a lot of 'real' England (i.e. Not London - which most foreigners and Londoners seem to think are interchangeable) and is most obvious when you get involved in such thing. I can't speak for rural areas in other Western countries, but I imagine it's most the same. The other thing this brings me on too is: here is a rural area as is many a underdeveloped part of Guatemala, maybe as much a difference exists in mentality between rural-urban areas and it only gets manifested as western-Latino because that is the well known stereotype. But London is very different to the rest of England, so to class London as forward thinking and thus England is, is a flawed argument. And, hence, to characterise all people from Western countries as forward thinking because there best known parts are, is flawed.
In summary to the first fallacy, I think many Western people are not detached from the 'local thought process' as initially thought. Although, naturally, travellers and people in development are likely to be forward thinking because they are in ambitious fields with friends of similar thought processes. Maybe it is not a problem of Western People not 'getting' local culture in general, more than people in development (anywhere in the world) are ambitious and well educated, and can see the big picture, but are trying to help people who frequently aren't. Her attitude that a passive, conservative culture signifies that poor people will not do anything to help situation also seems incorrect. It is likely that that huge related field of tradition v development (to be discussed at another time) is the main reason. This brings me nicely drifting to the second point.
Several main areas here. The first, the perceived problem that handing projects over to local people will fail because the poor lack ambition, business sense or are lazy. Therefore it is only successful if the already successful run it, who need no help. Ok if the first bit is true to an extent this can be changed with better education (which in a near to vicious circle type of way is also when we are talking about here). Business sense can be taught although of course some people have more of a nack for it than others.
It mustn't be forgotten that education is often brief and poor quality over here. In the local school for example, in their English classes they just teach words, no grammar, so they know numbers and colours etc but they can't put a sentence together. In some age groups they don't even have a teacher.
With regards to people being lazy, well if working 12-15hrs a day, seven days a week makes you lazy, I don't know what I am! With some education and foresight the virtues of development and the benefits of ambitiousness would become more apparent. (I mean education in a general sense not solely formal education, which education as a whole all too often gets confused as, but informal education as well i.e. encouraging self-learning and a inquisitive mind)
With regards to the people who don't need to be richer, it begs the question: why is this so bad? A) Being a local, their money will be going back into the community anyway. B) They would be being successful by providing things for the community e.g. increasing knowledge of English or other useful things. Of course there is a potential problem here that personal ambition to make money for themselves and to be successful can be conflicting interests.
The first girl was solely cynical, I think she cared but couldn't see the light or had no faith in the system. Which on a worldwide scale is part of the reason why development and charities never make as big difference as people would hope, most people don't believe there help is making much difference, deep down, and therefore don't donate. A mixture of this, and vast inefficiency in many projects. The second point may seem to validate the first, but giving something is always better than giving nothing and with more money, support and help, efficiency can be improved. And lets face it most people could give much more but they would prefer a bigger TV.
The second girl had been working for a year in Antigua through some kind of large educational project. She admitted to thinking like the first girl for many months before finding a way to adapt her approach to find a way that works. It is possible. I found the same thing with the tennis thing previously mentioned. Bringing money to the table helps. A commitment as a principal interest and a lot of thought is necessary to make things really happen. Giving things for free means a lack of commitment on both sides, it's a shame but true. The other necessary part is to make it flexiable but regular and get upfront payment. (Note: the principal of paying is the key point here, it might be a very little amount of money to make it open to all, but money makes things happens regardless). For example: same time every week but flexiable for people's important commitments, that way they can prioritise things.
I managed to make tournaments work with this type of culture present while also making it financially viable for me and affordable for the members (was not a rich club), the same for coaching courses. Admittably I got messed around at times but overall it worked. I lacked the time or commmitment to really follow it through and it died somewhat by making the mistake of hoping someone would take over the reins rather than ensuring it. But I learned from the experience and I still consider myself in an important educational part of my life, even though I finished University three years ago (Again informal education can be as valuable as formal).
I think things are possible here too and after a shaky start things are picking up with demand although I need time to get more fixed and permanent set-ups in place.
I'm human like every one else, and I am willing to admit there are other things I want to do as well and maybe I will lack the commitment and persistence to really push through with it, but we will see.
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