It’s not too difficult for an NGO to exist in a vacuum. Non-governmental organizations are independent, non-for-profit groups that in some way advocate for the disadvantaged. As long as there is funding, an NGO’s goals and methodology are determined by the leaders of the organization and are a reflection of their personal ideals. These goals can be anything. At GHEI, we value cooperation with local leaders. They help define the needs of our communities and how we should work to satisfy them. We volunteer information about our organization and insist on monitoring and critical feedback; always holding ourselves accountable to the highest standard. For our communities, we strive to serve as a partner in development.
A few weeks ago, GHEI’s Country Director, Education Program Coordinator, Health Program Coordinator and Communications Officer traveled to the capital of our district, Bibiani. Armed with copies of the GHEI 2013 Annual Report, we sat down to talk about our programs with the district leaders.
Almost 30 copies of the 14-page report were personally delivered and critically discussed with district officials, head teachers, and chiefs from our catchment communities. The report states GHEI’s mission, lists all of our staff and volunteers, and updates and outlines the performance of each of GHEI’s programs for the 2013 calendar year. At each office, we invited feedback on our interventions; and often found ourselves in long discussions on the finer points of each program and how GHEI can better serve our communities.
This level of collaboration with government officials in planning and evaluating our programs is invaluable. In rural districts like Bibiani-Anwhiaso-Bekwai, local leaders commonly struggle with the problem of setting goals and making plans to improve development and the welfare of their population, without the capacity to follow through with the programs that they know are necessary. This gap between planning and implementation creates the perfect opportunity for organizations like GHEI to step in.
Many of GHEI’s programs have been guided by the advice of the offices that we regularly visit. A great example is the Vision program we are piloting this summer in partnership with University of Texas Houston’s Medical School. The local district has set a goal to do vision screenings at schools; however, due to insufficient staffing, they have prudently chosen against beginning a project they may not be able to finish. To help solve this problem, GHEI has been working with district officials to write screening protocols and bring a small version of the program to life. The Vision pilot we will be running will rely on GHEI resources, international volunteers, and district-level expertise to help complete vision screenings and basic interventions for local students. Our interventions work with already existing public programs, rather than against them (as some NGOs’ unfortunately do).
The value of transparent, accurate and understandable reporting beyond what is required by the state cannot be overstated. Inviting local officials to monitor our organization and directly communicate with us nurtures trust. We have formed relationships with the people at these offices, work well with them, and always enjoy a nice visit.
GHEI strives to function as part of the community. We collaborate with local officials to plan and implement the most relevant programs, and then closely monitor them and report back. We encourage leaders to give us their most critical evaluation. GHEI does not exist in a vacuum. We work openly and strategically with those around us.
