New Security Beat: Dir. Lyndsey McMahan Shares How NGOs Can Provide More Sustainable Outcomes
By focusing only on short-term data, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) often miss the real, long-term benefits that matter to the local communities they serve. Lyndsey McMahan, director of inclusive pedagogy at BU School of Social Work, explains in a blog post how adapting evaluations to be more flexible and culturally relevant ensures that programs truly help the people they aim to serve. This approach can lead to more effective development strategies and sustainable outcomes.
Excerpt from “Rethinking NGO Effectiveness: Lessons from Rwanda’s Early Childhood Development Programs” by Lyndsey McMahan:
During our time in Rwanda, we encountered the real-life struggles of bringing early childhood development (ECD) programs to life in places where resources are scarce. In rural areas, where poverty and food insecurity are part of everyday life, families shared the challenges they face in putting the program’s teachings into practice. While these programs have done an incredible job raising awareness about the need for proper nutrition, hygiene, and early education, many families simply can’t afford the resources needed to follow through.
This disconnect between the program’s ambitions and the harsh realities some communities face forces us to rethink how we define and measure success.
And as we dug deeper into how effectiveness is understood at different levels, a clear tension emerged between efforts within the ECD sector and the broader work of NGOs.”