The Ability to Recognize “No” When we Hear it.

How frequently do people decline gifts?  Is it an easy thing to do?  When people are offered a present do they often respond “I don’t want it.  Of what possible use could it be to me?”  To the contrary, universal gift giving protocol requires the acceptance of the gift and the appropriate expression of gratitude.  Hold this observation in mind and let’s explore the concept of offering aid to developing nations.

Is it any wonder that so many projects are undertaken in developing nations without local “buy in”? Locals often report that when foreign nationals come to their countries to try to “help” them, the locals are primarily interested in developing  relationships with the foreign nationals and getting to know them. Locals are eager to learn from foreign nationals.  Seldom do locals report any desire for the “things” that foreign nationals leave behind.  The objects foreign nationals bring quite often increase group tension and actually have a negative impact within a collective society.

Some aid given is really much more about power and exploitation.  It may be more about expanding capitalism and creating markets for goods that the locals do not really need.  

Conversation matters.  In order for assistance to be helpful, locals need to actually want the assistance. 

The absorptive capacity of the locals needs to be assessed first.  As Cohen Levinthal states, “the ability to evaluate and utilize outside knowledge is largely a function of the  level of prior related knowledge.  At the most elemental level, this prior knowledge includes basic skills or even a shared language but it may also include knowledge of most recent scientific developments in a given field.

The question must be asked:  Are experts pushing the assistance on the locals or are the locals pulling the assistance in?  Are aid workers able to recognize “no” when they hear it? Do those being offered assistance want it? Or are they simply interested in getting to know foreign nationals?

It is critical to assess the client’s  abilities to metabolize assistance (Tichy, 1997)  They may not be ready to be helped.  What does an organization or group need to shed or stop doing to create more space and opportunity for development? These considerations need to be explored prior to implementing any aid effort abroad.