joerg
05-13-2009, 05:55 PM
Hi Mark and other contributors,
I worked for more then 20 years on develpment aid and got quite some insights how new ideas and technologies were accepted by local dwellers. Let me say it rightaway: sometimes our best ideas are worth nothing because our technology is not aacepted at all, mostly due to small but for dwellers most important factors: cultural or other social reasons. So we "westeners" with all our knowledge have to learn first from them and then try to step into an eye-to-eye level conversation. Not an easy job, it takes often some time to open the window.
But it is also right that changes take their time - a lot of time! And this means that we have to be patient with our expected results. From getting one villager to accept and try our new technique to accepting the whole village might take decades. I have seen failing project due to too high and short termed expectations. Best results have shown projects with NO time horizon (like those of churches or foundations). I hope, Mark, you started this idea with this understanding. I personally got tired of governmental programs (from the donor as well the counterpart sides) because most of the input was lost on administration and publicity. Low profile on long term perspective will have the best success.
A friend of mine, working on his "life-project" of similar type since almost 20 years, had good results and it would be worthwile to interchange experiences. He (and me) is working and living in Ecuador. If you are interested you may contact me: joerg@henninger-worldwide.de
Joerg
I worked for more then 20 years on develpment aid and got quite some insights how new ideas and technologies were accepted by local dwellers. Let me say it rightaway: sometimes our best ideas are worth nothing because our technology is not aacepted at all, mostly due to small but for dwellers most important factors: cultural or other social reasons. So we "westeners" with all our knowledge have to learn first from them and then try to step into an eye-to-eye level conversation. Not an easy job, it takes often some time to open the window.
But it is also right that changes take their time - a lot of time! And this means that we have to be patient with our expected results. From getting one villager to accept and try our new technique to accepting the whole village might take decades. I have seen failing project due to too high and short termed expectations. Best results have shown projects with NO time horizon (like those of churches or foundations). I hope, Mark, you started this idea with this understanding. I personally got tired of governmental programs (from the donor as well the counterpart sides) because most of the input was lost on administration and publicity. Low profile on long term perspective will have the best success.
A friend of mine, working on his "life-project" of similar type since almost 20 years, had good results and it would be worthwile to interchange experiences. He (and me) is working and living in Ecuador. If you are interested you may contact me: joerg@henninger-worldwide.de
Joerg