Nicholas Kristof wrote a NY Times Magazine article that has created quite a reaction among readers. In the article, he profiles an organization – SHE – that has Rwandan staff enrolled in our most popular course – OL 101: From the Ground Up.

However, in the article he promotes the the concept of individuals – individuals with plenty of motivation, but little professional experience – going into the developing world to solve complex problems. Below there are the links to the article, one reaction from a concerned reader, one CSDi newsletter and Kristof’s response to a week’s worth of comments.

This is a wonderfully thought provoking series of articles. How do you feel about this subject? Readers: What are your thoughts on whether individuals can make a difference in the developing world? Please comment below – we want to hear from you. Or comment in our Development Community or on Facebook.

The Articles:
D.I.Y. Foreign-Aid Revolution; Kristof
Kristof answering Readers on DIY Aid
D.I.Y. aid might inspire but doesn’t address the underbelly of feel-good projects
How Serious are We About Long-Term Impact?

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Yemen Partner Project Update: Partners like Omondi Aloo and Conrad Otterness are providing improved health, nutrition, pure water and access to education to Yemenis: This is a formula for Peace and Prosperity.   

Last spring Omondi and I were talking about a family garden project for his community in Yemen – but he didn’t think it could be done in the desert.  Learn more about their project.

“I am happy to inform you that our Food Security project is progressing well. 140 families are actively participating and the kitchen gardens are doing very well. Indeed I had said that I am based in a desert along a coastline at the Red Sea. However, with time I came to realize that there are some limited areas close to the mountains that could actually support home gardening  activities. The challenge of course is water.”

 

“So in the Food Security project we went into the Ashoukhna district and conducted a needs assessment; in August we started the implementation. The project ends by the end of this month (November) since it was a 5 month project. However, we will look for other partners who can support another phase of the project.” Omondi Aloo.

Readers: What are your thoughts on whether health, nutrition, pure water and access to education can bring peace and prosperity the developing world? Please comment below – we want to hear from you. Or comment in our Development Community or on Facebook. Read the Food Security proposal that Omondi wrote for the family garden project.

Here is an interesting OP-ED piece by Nicholas Kristof from the New York Times: What Oman Can Teach Us”.

See the example assignment with photos from Yemen.

OL 303 Food Security, Nutrition and Home Gardens

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Kenyan Partner Project update: Demonstration family garden developed in August was selected to host this year’s World Food Day in NW Kenya. Photos of food crops and family gardeners.

The demonstration garden online students Conrad Otterness and Bosco Odongo developed in August was selected to host this year’s World Food Day celebrations in his district. Learn more about his project.

“After the WFD demonstrations, and having had a short tour of their home gardens, we realized that there were three things that the home gardeners were the most interested in, the concept of mulching and its three main benefits, using plastic bottles with holes in the bottom to slowly water the plants below the surface of the soil (to reduce the amount of water they would have to carry to their garden), and preparation of liquid manure.”

What are your thoughts on how we can expand upon the number of family gardens for nutrition in the developing world? Please comment below – we want to hear your thoughts.

See the example assignment with photos from Kenya.

OL 304 Food Security, Nutrition and Home Gardens

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Be sure to visit the adaptation working group at CSDi’s Development Community. Join colleagues in sharing resources & collaborating online: