Foreign Aid & Civil Society | United Nations

The Problem of Helping People

An interesting point was made today by the UNDP driver, on the way back from a meeting. Having worked here for a long time, and taken much of the staff around the country on missions, he knows quite a bit about development work.

There is a drought in Kenya, and the UN and other agencies are contributing food to the north. The food being offered is generally maize and beans - the staple food for Kenya. However, that area is home to a large number of Somali’s, who having been colonized by Italy, prefer pasta. So the maize ends up going to feed cattle, not the people themselves. What’s more - if the food aid comes from a non-muslim state, at least some people are unwilling to accept it.

An even more perverse impact relates to security regulations. UN Security regulations require that employees on mission in high-risk areas (known as Phase 3 areas) must travel with a security detail, in an appropriate 4×4 truck. The total cost can be about Ksh. 13,000 per day. For a 10-day mission, that is a good amount of money. Appearently, when the UN downgrades a certain area to Phase 2, the very security guards that previously protected the cars, are directed to take out a few tires of those cars. The increased incidence of crime results in an increased security assessment, and everyone is happy again.

Helping people is not easy, and can give rise to some perverse incentives for those one hopes to help. What is one to do - stay out of these areas, or do what appears right, anyway?

© 2006 The Discomfort Zone.