The little development engine that could
Its model of emphasizing small philanthropic gifts has taught women how to be responsible donors as well as grantees, and given them the tools to overcome dependency and powerlessness.
Likewise, Kenyaas Makutano Community Development AssociationA undertook a long-term commitment to building community capacity, resulting in the construction of a road, nine dams, 17 wells, 162 pit latrines and a secondary school, as well as putting 10,000 acres of land to productive use.
While international donors, including the U.S. Nonetheless, the United States and the international community can bolster community philanthropy in other ways, such as by providing technical assistance and training to build the capacity of these organizations to raise and manage funds, monitor and evaluate grants, and build trust among the communities they serve.
Equally important, donors can link these foundations with sustainable sources of funding, such as the local private sector and foreign remittances a which is where the July conference onA Financing for DevelopmentA comes in.
As the world considers how to pay for an ambitious new set of sustainable development goals, itas important to remember that foreign aid pales in comparison to private flows. In 2012, total official development assistance stood at $126 billion, while remittances hit $406 billion, and illicit outflows from developing countries approached $1 trillion.
With these numbers in mind, what if entrepreneurs and wealthy individuals in poor countries, instead of parking their money in foreign bank accounts, had a realistic way of investing it at home?
