Ensuring aid works

Community dialogue organized by Oasis for Posterity and attended by BHP Director Alex Berland

In a recent article, the former head of large international aid organizations wrote, “The public expect that their donations go directly to needs at the grassroots level or on the front line….[We need] a new model of giving, one that channels resources directly to local and national actors, builds trust and solidarity rather than control-heavy compliance and redefines accountability around communities, not intermediaries…. Can organisations show that at least 90% of their funding is flowing directly to locally led organisations – with real decision-making force behind local leaders?” A similar tone is evident in an article by another former aid official: “Donor money has a way of changing what it touches – making organisations proposal-dependent, pulling them away from members and towards funders.”

These comments reflect the concerns of BHP Directors. We are volunteers and pay for all the Society’s administrative costs. All donor contributions go to our support for the work of Oasis for Posterity, a grass-roots organization led by members of the community. OfP is based in Jaldhaka, a sub-district in Bangladesh's Rangpur division — an area long affected by seasonal famine known locally as monga.

OfP's Bluebell primary school is tuition-free, and its graduates receive free tuition for OIST, the technical training institute. OIST fees are modest and many poor students attend with deferred payment schemes. The community health program has also been built step-wise, initially focusing on individual support; adding group activities such as immunization, nutrition and health education sessions in the primary school; developing a chronic illness clinic run by volunteers; then a primary care service with one paid employee, and most recently, a caregiver training program.

The photo above shows a community dialogue to discuss health concerns. OfP Founder Rabiul Islam always organizes one of these events when BHP directors and advisers make a site visit. They are well-attended and highly interactive so that we hear directly from beneficiaries about their priorities. The highlight of the event in the photo was sparked by a young woman's heartfelt message about the problem of early marriage and its effect on all family members. The audience responded with enthusiastic applause, leading to a spirited discussion about root cause problems like poverty, inadequate health education and lack of opportunities for youth. This is the real decision-making force behind local leaders in action.