CSOs for ‘aid decolonisation’ for donations to have impact

07Feb 2024
Mary Kadoke
DAR ES SALAAM
News
The Guardian
CSOs for ‘aid decolonisation’ for donations to have impact

SEVERAL civil society organizations (CSOs) have called for aid decolonisation to ensure donations reach marginalized communities in the country.

Foundation for Civil Society executive director Francis Kiwanga addresses journalists shortly after ‘Conversation on Aid Localisation’ discussions held
in Dar es Salaam on Thursday. Photo: Correspondent Mary Kadoke

Representatives of the CSOs spoke in Dar es Salaam on Thursday at a discussion dubbed ‘A Conversation on Aid Localization’ meant to see ways that can make aid transform lives as intended by donors.

Francis Kiwanga, the Foundation for Civil Society Organizations (FCS) executive director said the discussion meant to test some assump[1]tions on development aid and examine if they were still needed in the industry.

 “It was an essential conversation aimed at looking at ways on how to localize develop[1]ment initiatives. With the discussion we are trying to look on the aid grounds to ensure their significance and their reach to targeted people,” he said.

“Aid comes with so many conditions that at the end of the day do not help. The industry is faced with misappropriation of the allocated funds. Therefore, this platform gives us a common voice of what is our aspiration on equitable development.”

Kiwanga said that with the turbulent world with so many power imbalances that need to be changed, the better solution to problems would be bringing people closer for them to solve them than those from outside hence stakeholders need to bold enough to interrogate such issues and come up with deliberate ways of readjusting world economies and world equation.

 Women Fund Tanzania (WFT) executive director Rose Marandu said there is need for aid decolonization as the same is being managed and utilised by people sitting in offices without effetely addressing problems facing communities on the ground.

“Interrogating our own power is very important. What has pushed us to this level is poverty. We need to have our own strong governance where our tummies are full because when they are empty, we will not be able to negotiate,” she said.

Dr Charles Sokile, Oxford Policy Management country director, said people in developing countries have to own all processes in development and they have to be at the centre of decision-making.

“The amount of aid that is coming to the developing world is extremely small. Big countries like the United Kingdom are only giving 0.7 percent of their GDP which cannot change the situation unless we are bold enough to question this and come up with more deliberate ways of readjusting world economies and the entire aid equation,” he said

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