Many “aid” projects designed for the developing world ultimately fail, not because of bad intentions on the part of the donor or even bad project design and implementation, but due to a lack of investment and incentives from within the community.

Understanding the Issue:

It has become a normal routine for NGO’s and charity organizations to provide funds for projects that do not have the level of community investment to make them sustainable. Until the implementation of the NTC Kwala Committee and Kwala Fund, NTC was no different. Of course, we listened to the needs of the community and built the relationships necessary to get feedback and accountability on our projects. But the real problem came down to a lack of investment and incentives from within the community to make sure that projects became sustainable for the long run. For example, NGO’s will build libraries and purchase textbooks for schools, offer them as free “gifts” to the school, and the libraries will remain unopened or misused because no one from within the community had incentives to open the library. Incentives come in many different packages, and not always just money. For example, increased status in the community or recognition from peers as a volunteer helping schools in the community are also forms of incentives. In order to make projects sustainable within the community, community incentives need to be aligned with the goals and objectives of the project.

NTC Solution:

NTC believes that the people our work seeks to benefit should be at the center of decision-making.  To this end, the NTC Kwala Committee, comprised of twelve community leaders from different institutions in Kwala and NTC’s Project Directors, meets monthly to propose, debate, and vote on projects designed to meet community articulated educational goals.  The NTC Kwala Committee has direct and exclusive access to the NTC Kwala Fund, which is supported by fundraising initiatives in the United States and by visitors to the Kwala community. Project proposals are accepted at these meetings, proposed by committee members, including school headmasters, village chairpersons and health center workers. In order to propose a project, a formal proposal and budget must be submitted.  NTC offers training in these areas for those who wish to have it.

Once proposals are made, they are voted on and those that receive the greatest number of votes are selected for implementation. “Winning” institutions work with NTC Project Directors to research the best method to carry out the project. As projects begin, they are monitored to make sure they are meeting their intended goals.   Those implementing projects must report back to the Kwala Committee to ensure accountability and feedback.

The NTC Kwala Fund and Committee create ownership for and investment in NTC projects within the community. Those institutions who receive funding from the Kwala Fund have incentives to make sure that projects run effectively and as intended, because they are now using money that is available to the whole community for a wide range of projects. Thus, those who “win” projects by vote of the community are sure to take care of their projects, otherwise they will not receive funding in the future. Further, the process empowers citizens of Kwala to projects into their own hands, rather than waiting for handouts from others.

Visit our Completed Projects page to learn more about what projects the Kwala Committee has implemented to improve education in the Kwala Community.

Please contribute to the Kwala Fund today and empower individuals in Kwala to make a difference in the lives of their children!