Kristof presents an important idea in his article, Getting Smart on Aid, written in May 2011, not long after the negative spotlight descended on Greg Mortenson. Specifically, Kristof reminds us in this article that aid can work and that we shouldn't give up.
However, we are still responsible to ask the question: what is the most effective type of aid?
I am going to look into the Proving Impact Fund. It is definitely helpful to see that is has been upheld by rigorous trials and proven to be "cost-effective." The IPA also looks interesting, but presents itself on the website as possibly being focused most intently on selling books... which reminds me of another story.
But, they have to make money somehow... right? I find it frustrating that they all start up their own non-profit organizations and then spend a lot of energy competing for donors rather than combining efforts with others to actually tackle poverty.
However, the more I read on the website, the more it becomes clear that the IPA may possibly focus the majority of their efforts on collaboration, relying heavily on research and policy - two hugely relevant and important aspects for instigating change.
1 comment:
You should read the book Poor Economics. It is great and they talk a lot about how to determine whether aid is effective and what types of help actually work. They summarize all sorts of research.
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