Can Foreign Aid Reduce Poverty In Ghana?

Can Foreign Aid Reduce Poverty in Ghana?

Development practitioners often think there is no way the world can change without necessarily extending hands and support to the more needy in society. The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, The United Nations are leading in funding when the name of foreign aid is mentioned. International Service is changing and transforming lives of people with the UK tax payer’s money in partnership with local entities in Ghana. Young and energetic youth sacrifice their time, disconnect themselves from family and friends to put smiles in the faces of our target group. United Kingdom Volunteers (UKVs) and In- Country Volunteers (ICVs) bring their knowledge from various fields of academic discipline to achieve their common goal. Here we are in Tolon, building the capacity of Income Generating Groups and finally assisting them to become cooperatives so they can source funding to expand their business. Although this can be very tedious, we need to achieve this since the world cannot move forward when sections of the population who need more are neglected.

     




 



 Raising Awareness During Market Day, The Importance of Aid.

The fundamental questions I ask is: can foreign aid reduce poverty and all the bad examples you can talk of in Ghana? I say YES, foreign aid can assist in achieving all the Sustainable Development Goals and in the long term, reduce dependency. Millions of money is transferred from the developed world to some parts of Ghana, all in the name of helping the less privileged and the vulnerable, but why is poverty still walking ‘naked on the street of northern Ghana? From my own perspective, I think donor countries have not done enough to track the footsteps of these funds and this had led to serious exploitation in the country.

Again, conditionality associated with aid has also led to misplaced priority in the country. I think target groups should be given enough space to define their own needs and aspiration in a more sustainable way. If this is done it would lead to bottom-up approach to development instead of top- down approach which is always not sustainable. The springing up of NGOs in the country best fit my description where people form ‘family’ NGOs with big proposals with the aim of alleviating poverty but honestly diverting funds for their selfish and personal interest.

International Service is doing a great job in Tolon, basically building the capacity of women to form sustainable cooperatives and reduce dependency on stakeholders and duty-bearers in the long term. Volunteers in Tolon are breaking the barriers using participatory approaches in development to address the concerns, needs and demands of the people.

Foreign Aid can help successive government move the country to the next level since it reduces government burden in providing basic needs to people. Through aid people can access education, medical facility, grow business and make their families a better one. Politicians in the country I think must stop riding their shoulder high that the country is a lower middle income country since that could possibly expose the country from getting support or reduce the money transferred into the country. I am saying this because statistics and observation has clearly shown that the country is still a developing one and needs technical and monetary advice and assistance from the developed world.

 Foreign aid should be properly introduced to the populace to avoid killing their brains and innovation. In other words, some may refuse to think to define and solve their own issue, and instead, always rely on donors for support. I always walk on the street of Ghana and see NGOs who had already worked and left beneficiaries without any sustainable plan.

The fundamental question I ask is where was their exit plan? NGOs including International Service should have an exit plan for target populations in case donors halt funding as politicians are claiming the country is better off and for that matter is Lower-Middle Income Country. I am not saying this as an expert but a mere beneficiary of aid which has expose me and connect me to Katie Connan my UKV team leader to discuss issues of human rights which is one of the main component of International Citizen Service program.

Due to aid from the UK government, past volunteers from International Service have a lot of experience to face the job market since employers would prefer to employ someone who has experience from the field than a fresh graduate. The youth go for an interview and they ask: Do you have experience? And they respond, Yes I Do due to International Service.

In summary, aid whether in any form can transform the lives of the vulnerable if proper feasibility studies, community based research, bottom-up approach and finally effective public tracking mechanism to ensure funds get to the target groups.

Long Live the Ghana

Long Live the UK Government

Long Live International Service

Long Live All Volunteers

Writer: Amadu Issaka Atusi, a Volunteer.