Helping build homes for South Africa's poor is not at odds with Irish Aid guidelines, writes Paddy Maguinness.
David Adams's article in last Friday's Irish Times, "Aid rhetoric masks hard line on trade", criticises the work of the Niall Mellon Township Trust, the United Nations and attacks the policies of Irish Aid and the European Union.
Two specific criticisms were levied at the trust. Firstly, the 7,000 houses being built by it in South Africa in 2008 would be better built for more deserving poor people in another African country. Secondly, that the charity is possibly in breach of Irish Aid guidelines, as, according to Adams, these houses are built by Irish volunteers and therefore not employing and empowering locals.
We are surprised that Adams made no effort to contact our charity before going to print. He is incorrect in claiming we may be in breach of Irish Aid guidelines. We are in complete compliance with Irish Aid guidelines. This year, 6,750 of the 7,000 houses we plan to build will be built by our South African workforce, many of whom were previously unemployed. The remaining 250 houses will be built by volunteers from Ireland.
We believe, as Irish Aid does, in local empowerment, working in partnership with governments and supporting local institutions. The 7,000 houses have a value of approximately €34 million, the majority of which will be financed by the South African government. The €5 million allocated by Irish Aid will be directed towards the construction of some of these homes and to finance community development programmes in the townships.
The other main criticism Adams levels, that there are more deserving poor than the poor in South African townships, almost beggars belief, as anyone who has visited a poor township will testify.
Poverty has its roots in inequality and exclusion, and nowhere else in Africa is this better exemplified than in South Africa, where the deliberate marginalisation of non-white groups created the poor. South Africa remains a country of extreme disparities and its poor have not been lifted out of the poverty trap caused by centuries of wilful neglect, abuse and racism.
Living in a shack in Freedom Park in Cape Town is no different than living in a shack in Kabira in Nairobi.
What is also a reality is that euro for euro, development aid in South Africa will inevitably go further and last longer than actualities allow in many other African countries. Moreover, South Africa is massively influential on the entire sub-region, if not the entire continent; this influence may be primarily economic, but South Africa is certainly also an inspiring example of democracy, freedom and good governance.
Adams's article also takes exception to Irish Aid's recently opened volunteer centre in Dublin, stating that its focus will take away volunteers from organisations like Concern and Goal in favour of UN agencies. This is nonsense.
We believe in the spirit of volunteering that complements, but does not substitute for , local empowerment. Most large international Irish non-governmental organisations do not use many volunteers - they employ staff. In fact, there is an over-supply of volunteers wishing to be involved in development work but there are little or no volunteering opportunities within most Irish NGOs.
We believe that Irish Aid volunteer centres will have a positive impact on this issue.
The Irish Aid volunteer centres also have the potential to engage Irish citizens in development issues. Visitors can see where and how Government, NGO and other agencies spend money, including large sums of taxpayers' money, and learn what is possible, and not possible, from a volunteering perspective.
The Niall Mellon Township Trust has experienced the benefits of volunteering. Thousands of volunteers from Ireland have joined our charity and give their time, money and skills to directly and practically help people out of poverty. We make no apologies for this work.
Paddy Maguinness is chief executive of the Niall Mellon Township Trust. He was previously deputy chief executive of Concern.