Friends of compassion, do not withdraw aid

Feb 26, 2018

Stopping continuous funding of charity organisations is also not the best solution. It only leaves vulnerable communities suffering.

Simon J. Mone

Friends of compassion, please don't withdraw aid, communities need it


The humanitarian world has been rocked by revelations of misconduct. Now, news of misdemeanour stretching as far back as 2010 is emerging to baffle friends of compassion. It is shameful that sexual misconduct committed by humanitarian workers can only be detected eight years later. It is even more disgraceful that it has to come from the least of our suspects - the people who are supposed to safeguard vulnerable communities.

Had it not been for an act of whistle blowing, probably this story could still be wrapped up safely under Oxfam's carpet. Fortunately, someone was courageous enough to lift the lid on this serious matter. This whistle blower needs a medal. He is already the humanitarian hero of 2018 by far. Surely, one can run but not hide.

According to reports, over 120 personnel of international aid agencies were axed last year after being discovered to have got involved in sexual exploitation of the people that they were deployed to serve - the most vulnerable communities in our difficult world of emergencies. The hot cake for now remains that of some aid workers, working for charity organisation, Oxfam.

These fellows were employed in Haiti to cushion the humanitarian situation of the Haitians, after a powerful earthquake left many dead and displaced many more. Instead of delivering results as expected, these fellows got a glorious opportunity to take advantage of the vulnerable women. Following this revelation, there is suspicion that a lot more of such cases happen all over the world and yet are never reported. Reporters have not got their hands on the evidence.

Last week, some more scandals were unearthed in South Sudan, involving policemen. They too, got caught exploiting displaced women. From what we gather, they have been forced to pack up and head back home. These are some of the challenges vulnerable communities face as beneficiaries of aid.

Here in Uganda, news revealed that money meant to support refugees disappeared, putting United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Government in a spot of bother. Many more stories continue to point accusing finger at staff of aid organisations. That they misappropriate relief items meant to be distributed to refugees and other displaced persons. That aid personnel create non-existent distribution lists of items they distributed, when in fact, it is they that keep the items for reasons only they can explain.

Such acts of misconduct must stop. It betrays the trust of funders, governments and donors, who give out their money with the objective of supporting needy people. We require humanitarian workers who have the compassion to serve vulnerable people. Humanitarian workers should display the most professional of conduct and with high integrity.

Therefore, it is important that aid agencies come out clean about such cases of misconduct. Failure to do so undermines the integrity of aid service provision. So it is imperative that affected charity organisations deal with the matter in quick time, before God becomes annoyed. And not discourage funding agencies into stopping.

Stopping continuous funding of charity organisations is also not the best solution. It only leaves vulnerable communities suffering. But if funding agencies should continue, they must be more stringent in safeguarding their donations to charity organisations. Among the stringent steps they can take is; review and amend aid procedures and include strict accountability clauses.

All of us have a duty to ensure that vulnerable people get back their smiles. So let there be zero tolerance on exploitation of vulnerable people. Then friends of compassion will not withdraw aid. Discontinuation of aid only punishes the vulnerable community that need it. Rather, deal with every case of misconduct. And encourage whistle blowing in order to stamp out humanitarian wrongdoing.

The writer is a civil engineer

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