Do You Speak NGOish?

An article in the Economist, ”Anyone here speak NGOish?”, describes how the population in Sudan has grown so used to NGOs and UN agencies that they are accustomed to the culture. The people of Sudan has quickly learnt the fashionable terms to use within the development sector. As one woman explained in the article using terms such as ”stakeholder”, ”sustainability” and ”accountability” is the secret to a successful project proposal. The situation is similar in Zimbabwe where the population is well familiar with development acronyms. NGO workers with shiny, white Toyota land cruisers and spacious houses with tennis courts and swimming pools sends a message of future prosperity. Perhaps it is not surprising that most youth in Zimbabwe would rather work for an NGO than become a lawayer or a doctor.