It’s an interesting view from up here…

Sharna Bremner
Outreach Blogger
26 May 2010

As our departure date draws ever-closer, I think it’s fair to say that preparations are in full swing. For me, this meant a trip to Sydney for  training at the ActionAid offices. Complete with a 6.45 a.m. flight out of Adelaide. Yikes.

Joel and I were provided with a mind-blowing amount of information, and I want to give a huge shout out to the ActionAid staff for their help, advice and well-wishes, especially Mark for his never-ending enthusiasm (and for not losing his voice despite talking all day!), Kaetlyn for her many tips which will no doubt be invaluable, and to CEO Archie Law for taking the time to have a chat and wish us luck.

Part of the journey we’re currently undertaking includes media interviews, which for me meant an interview and a photoshoot with The Advertiser. I picked up a copy of Tuesday’s issue, hoping to see an article on Project TOTO, accompanied by a not-so-flattering photo of yours truly, but instead saw an article regarding Australia’s foreign aid program. Now, while I agree with some of the content in the article, I was struck by the title that featured a few pages in: “The millions we waste on foreign aid”.

Ummm… What?

There’s really no need for an in-depth analysis of the article that accompanied this headline. If you’re interested, you’ll probably read it and make your own judgements. What I will say is that I found the aforementioned headline infuriating and a little misleading, considering the content of the article. Many of the comments on the Advertiser website showed just how damaging such a headline can be, with several people stating they do not, and will not; donate their money to foreign aid programs, believing that most of it will be lost in bureaucratic madness or administration.

So here’s a few of my thoughts.

Sure AusAid, the Australian Government’s overseas aid program, is likely to be filled with bureaucracy and red tape. You’d be hard-pressed to find a government department that isn’t.

Yes, a portion of your donated money will go towards administration and other costs, meaning not every cent of every dollar you donate will go directly to the world’s poorest communities. Thinking that aid comes without costs is unrealistic and naïve.

Is the Rudd Government’s decision to double annual spending on aid irresponsible? Absolutely not. It could be said that as a Development Studies student, I’m showing a bit of bias here, but as a human being I believe we shouldn’t be questioning how much money is being spent, but how effectively it is being spent.

The way I see it, the aid/development industry is tough. I’ve been studying this stuff for a while now and I’ve realised that there is no right answer. Everyone has a different idea, a different opinion on what will work and what won’t.

That’s where Project TOTO comes in.

TOTO is giving a voice to those who need it. Those who are directly affected by Australia’s aid programs will be given a chance to express their thoughts on its effectiveness. They will be able to tell the world what they need, not through the words of a highly-paid consultant, a government official, or an aid worker, but in their own words.

At the end of the day, aid will only be effective if it’s the right kind of aid. It has to reflect the wants and needs of the communities it’s being provided to, and I defy anyone to argue otherwise.

Now, if someone could just help me get down off of this soapbox…