In a section titled “End-Of-Mission Highlights,” it says the Western-backed Afghan government sometimes didn’t even want projects that the United States proposed.
“For example, SIGAR found that most of the buildings at five Afghan Border Police facilities costing $26 million were either unoccupied or being used for unintended purposes, including one used as a chicken coop,” it says.
The report states that Western countries and global institutions flooded Afghanistan with money that fueled corruption, which US officials overlooked as they “prioritized security and political goals.”
But the final SIGAR report is not only a look back at the mission as a whole.
It also underlines the humanitarian impact of the Trump administration’s decisions to cut aid to Afghanistan and says the State Department did not explain why specific programs were being terminated.
SIGAR will cease operations in September.
Before then, it will produce one more report looking at how lessons learned in Afghanistan, Gaza, Syria, and elsewhere can be applied to future situations where aid missions face interference in undemocratic countries.
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Diego, our wonderful local liaison, Stephanie, our incredible group leader, and the Habitat Global Village volunteers in Paraguay in May 2025. We are filthy and it’s only the first day. I’m the fat girl on the viewer’s right.
I’m back from my week-long stint volunteering as a part of Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village program, where I helped build a foundation for a house for a family in a low-income community outside of Asunción, Paraguay.
I wrote about the trip for the local Habitat affiliate I work for, part-time, here in Oregon, focusing on what we did day-to-day, how we built the foundation, challenges we faced, what I packed, how I fundraised for the trip, etc., along with tips for anyone who might want to explore being a team leader for such a trip in the future. But I wanted to write about the trip from the perspective of me the volunteer management consultant and researcher, and me the skeptic regarding most volunTOURism trips.
What is volunTOURism? It’s where a person pays a lot of money to travel somewhere for a volunteering experience, coupled with at least some tourism/cultural exchange. Habitat for Humanity would REALLY like to move away from this label, and I respect that – however, by the definition I use, that’s still what this program is. And that’s NOT something to be ashamed of: what they are doing is ethical voluntourism.
I used to think all volunTOURism – all instances where someone pays to volunteer abroad – was bad, period. People in the United Nations and working for other international development agencies tend to look down on people paying to volunteer, mostly because it can often seem to be all about the volunteer and their feel-good, photo-friendly experience (“Vanity Volunteering”), not about actually engaging in sustainable development, in activities that empower local people, that aren’t just charity, and it often can reinforce the worst ideas of white saviorism and colonialism. Some volunteering programs can take away jobs from local people (an example is the backlash against volunteers coming into NOLA after Hurricane Katrina from carpenters, roofers and others who were desperate for work).
More dire horror stories about volunTOURism abound: so-called wildlife sanctuaries that care for orphan animals, but the animals are orphaned because their parents have been killed so that the sanctuary has baby animals for the foreign volunteers to care for. So-called orphanages where, in many cases, children have parents, but parents are paid for their children to live in these “orphanages”, and foreigners come for a few days or weeks to “care for” the “orphans.” And cases where volunteers harm people they are supposed to be caring for, including harming women and children in the worst ways imaginable.
I started to change my mind about all volunTOURism being all bad when I noticed a few programs that seemed to be designed by local people themselves, where there were written standards for both volunteers and for the kinds of work volunteers could, and shouldn’t, engage in, where there were strict rules regarding safety and safeguarding for both volunteers and those served, and where the work by the volunteers was needed and not being done by anyone else. Like Africa Fire Mission, a nonprofit that brings together experienced firefighters from developed countries to train firefighters in various African countries regarding effective emergency response and fire prevention and response services. Or HistoriCorps, a program in the USA where volunteers pay a fee and help restore a historic site on public lands, sometimes in very remote places.
The one volunTOURism program that stood out most was the Global Village program by Habitat for Humanity. Through this program, local Habitat programs in impoverished areas in South America, Central America and Asia receive much needed funding, in part per the fees paid by international volunteers, and an intense, hyper-productive week of labor: the volunteers get an incredible amount done in a week, working right along side local contractors (which the volunteers’ fees have helped fund). The additional goals of the program are that there is an increased understanding by the visiting volunteers of home ownership challenges globally and the role Habitat for Humanity plays in such, that volunteers become better advocates for Habitat’s vision where everyone has a decent place to live, and that people from different cultures get to come together and work side-by-side, leading to greater understanding and appreciation of each other – what Habitat calls God’s love into action, what I call humanism in action and necessary for our survival.
In all my years as a volunteer management consultant, long before I started working for a Habitat affiliate here in Oregon, I was a fan of Habitat for Humanity and its model for volunteer engagement locally. Habitat fully acknowledges that it is not going to solve the housing crisis anywhere by volunteers coming together when they have some time and building some houses here and there; the much needed resolution in the global housing crisis will come only through drastic and impactful policy changes and enforcement of those changes. But those changes will come only through the will of a mass of people, and one of the best ways to get people on your side, to turn people into advocates for your cause, is to get them involved as volunteers at your organization.
Habitat has strict guidelines for volunteer engagement on a local level, and when those principles are well applied, they are, IMO, the best in the “business” of volunteer engagement. Habitat’s engagement of groups of volunteers, when done in alignment with Habitat rules and policies, are models for other organizations. For the volunteer, the bar to participation should feel quick and easy, but behind the scenes, if done properly, a lot of thought, time and care goes into the volunteer feeling that way.
But what about Habitat’s volunteering-abroad program? How do I think it measures up in terms of ethics and impact? I’ll cut to the chase and it won’t be a surprise: this was a model group volunteering endeavor. This is the standard every short-term program should aspire to, whether it’s a local or international program:
Volunteers were provided all the materials beforehand, with all the information they needed to know exactly what they were getting into.
Volunteers were provided details on exactly what the money they had to raise, or pay, would pay for.
Volunteers knew exactly what to pack, what would be provided and what would not.
The group leader, also a volunteer, stayed in touch regularly, but not overwhelmingly, before departure. She sent regular reminders and had answers to all questions. And then after the trip, she sent an outstanding followup message that explained how we could continue to support Habitat and how we could get involved in advocacy efforts.
A WhatsApp group was set up for all volunteers just before we departed, so we would know who was arriving when, we could easily share links to photos, and we could further build community (and trust) with each other (that makes this a virtual volunteering effort, BTW!).
Volunteers always knew where to be and when to be there.
We were warmly welcomed at the work site.
The work was ready for the volunteers to do immediately, every day.
There were several people providing guidance whenever needed.
The safety and safeguarding briefing was clear and provided exactly the information needed, clearly and without any ambiguity.
Volunteers’ time was never, ever wasted.
Drinking water was provided (I can’t believe how many group endeavors don’t provide this).
A bathroom was provided (again, I can’t believe how many group endeavors don’t have this).
The volunteers worked like freakin’ machines. Unstoppable, ever-fueled machines. Get. Out. Of. Their. Way. The team leader definitely recruited exactly the right group for this gig (with one exception: me. I was no where near as productive as the other volunteers. But I had an excuse: I was so sick the week before that I almost had to cancel my trip, and the very strong antibiotics I was on those first days did NOT help).
In all fairness, I have to point out that this group of volunteers in Paraguay was full of ringers: there were 11 volunteers in all, and four were employees of Habitat for Humanity International, and all but two – and one of those two was me – were veterans of the Global Village program. So I was the only person starting from absolute zero. And given that I’m a rather seasoned international traveler, and a volunteer management consultant and trainer, I was a bit of a ringer myself.
But, of course, Habitat’s global volunteering program is more than a group volunteering gig abroad. It’s volunTOURism: volunteers are paying to go abroad and paying a fee to participate. How did THAT aspect measure up in terms of my oh-so-picky list of volunTOURism ethics?
Habitat’s Global Village program was put on hold during COVID so the program could be redesigned to be more locally-focused, more impactful for local communities, and less about tourism. I can’t compare my experience to before the pandemic. But here’s what I can say about my experience, in terms of the changes Habitat said they wanted to implement in the program:
In changing the program, Habitat said they wanted these volunteer activities to be focused on volunteers engaging in mutual learning and exchange with local people, rather than tourism activities. I think they nailed this. There were tourism activities, which took place on the day or two before work began, and in the evenings. But the focus of this trip was on the work itself, and the work took place right alongside the local contractors and local staff.
I was never so happy at my meager Spanish skills: I got to talk a lot with local staff, the local construction workers, the family we served and even some of the local kids gathered to watch. Each day when we arrived at the site, I would greet each member of the family that had come out to watch us work, holding hands, giving greetings and kissing each other on the cheek. One volunteer told me that, while I was feeling envious of the energy and strength of all the volunteers (I really was not nearly as productive as they were), she was envious of me having conversations with the Paraguayans. She said she felt like there was a wall between her and them, and she didn’t know how to bridge it, and she was envious every time I walked over and started chatting with local folks. I definitely got the “mutual learning and exchange with local people” aspect, but I’m not sure all the volunteers did (but those who didn’t were the ones why were hyper productive in building the foundation of this house, and that’s what they seemed to want to do most).
The redesigned program does not want international volunteers to enter a community with their own ideas of what needs to be done. The “agenda of change” needs to be defined by and led by the local people being served, not the outside volunteers coming into a community. I think this was adhered to, but not because volunteers were ever told this priority; the volunteers I was with in Paraguay were all veterans of these kinds of Habitat programs, save one person besides me, and they already knew better than to walk in to a work site and say things should be done differently.
Per the programs’ redesign, a promotion of safeguarding was supposed to be much more emphasized throughout the experience than before. I don’t know what it was like before, but I can say that what I experienced was a MODEL emphasis on and explanation of safeguarding and safety, one that the affiliate I work for still hasn’t mastered. Kudos.
Habitat Global Village projects are supposed to be designed by local communities and the focus should be on local ownership and local sustainability. They nailed this goal too. There was no doubt who was in charge – and it was NOT us, the volunteers – and whose project this was – NOT ours, but the local people themselves.
Also per the redesign of the program, from the beginning, volunteers were supposed to learn about the need for adequate housing around the world, so we can become advocates regarding the cause and champions for equitable housing long after their trip has ended. For me, this goal came up just a bit short. Why is there a shortage of housing in Paraguay? What policies and practices are keeping people from having housing in Paraguay? What’s the unemployment rate? How much would a family need to make to build their own house without NGO assistance? Are all kids in school? How does lack of housing affect education in Paraguay? Where is Paraguay in the UNDP Human Development Index? Where does it rank in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index? I don’t think it would have taken a huge amount of time to touch on answers to these questions, so we could get more context to why Habitat is needed in Paraguay (and other countries). But that said, the followup message from Habitat, after we returned, was spot on: it provided information on how we could be continued advocates for Habitat, how we could become involved with our local Habitat affiliates, etc. There’s an entire paragraph in my blog about the trip for the local Habitat affiliate I work for about advocacy and its importance, and it wouldn’t have been there had we not gotten this follow up email.
Personally, I felt uncomfortable at the stark contrast of our accommodations and our morning and evening meals to the lives of the people in the neighborhood where we worked in Paraguay. I’m a motorcycle traveler, including in developing countries, and I don’t stay in hotels as nice as what we experienced in Paraguay, and I don’t eat at restaurants nearly so nice when traveling. But from what I understand, our level of accommodations in Asunción were necessary because of the security situation in the region where we worked – we were very obviously a big group of relatively wealthy Americans, and we REALLY stood out in the countryside. As for the food at very nice restaurants, I think Habitat is dedicated to volunteers not getting sick, as they have just one week to work (and did I mention it is REAL WORK?). No one wants any volunteer to spend their week mostly in a hotel room bathroom. So, I get why our accommodations and food were as they were.
With all that said, let me be clear: this was an amazing experience. I cried when it was over. So. Much. Hugging. One of the local staff told me, “You were my favorite” and I nearly collapsed in weeping. This experience ticked all the boxes: international volunteers really were needed and really did make a difference, the effort was locally led, I know things about Paraguay I didn’t know before and I am in love with the country, I had an amazing experience, and I am even more committed to the mission of Habitat than I was before. I have a stronger connection to Habitat than ever before – and I intend to turn these feelings into more effective action at the affiliate where I work.
And a few days after I returned home, the homeowner that we had helped had “liked” my Facebook page, and written on one of the posts about Paraguay, “Gracias por todo Ojalá algún día vuelvan las puertas de mi casa siempre estará abiertas para todos ustedes Dios los bendiga.” (Thank you for everything I hope one day you come back the doors of my house will always be open to all of you God bless you.)
That comment, and so much of this experience, is what is too often missing almost entirely in professional international development work. I have worked for the United Nations three times. The first time was at a UN program HQ, and I rarely got this moving emotional experience there like I had in Paraguay, because I was so far removed from the people actually being served, and there were times that this kind of inspiration would have made me much more motivated – something very much needed amid the stress and bureaucracy of the UN work environment. When I worked in Afghanistan and Ukraine, I made a point to get beyond the office space, to get to know Afghans and Ukrainians, and as a result, I loved that field work so, so much more than HQ work. And I cried when I left those countries. And still cry for them.
When I worked at United Nations Volunteers HQ, part of UNDP, the head of UNV, Sharon Capeling-Alakija, said that the reason she was passionate about the UN’s Online Volunteering service, which I managed, was because it gave far more people a chance to be involved in the work of the UN. She felt it unfair that the ONLY way to be involved in the UN was to have a Master’s Degree, 10 years of experience and a job at a UN agency; she wanted a way for people with less experience, but with just as much interest and passion and good ideas, to get to be involved, to get an idea of what the UN does beyond what they read in the media, and maybe it could create a more caring world. Her words came back to me as I was a part of this Habitat experience. It’s still a rather exclusive experience: you have to pay all of your travel costs (or some angel in your life has to pay such for you) and you have to fundraise your program costs, or pay those yourself, and that means it’s not something just anyone can participate in. But it’s an avenue into working abroad with a much lower bar than getting a paid job and giving up your home and all your friends and family for a few years. And it really does have impact. It really does make a difference.
Any program that’s creating a greater feeling of solidarity and understanding among people, that cultivates empathy and caring and learning, is worth supporting, because oh how the world needs that right now.
Local volunteers in Paraguay will now begin to work on the site along those same wonderful contractors we worked with. The staff at Hábitat para la Humanidad Paraguay will update their Facebook and Instagram accounts about this family, so we – and YOU – will be able to see the progress and the finished product. They already have photos and videos there of our volunteer group in action.
And back here where I live in Oregon, I hope that we can incorporate the practices of Habitat Paraguay in making sure volunteers feel supported and prepared, that volunteers feel like they’ve made a real difference by the end of a day of work, and that they feel a part of Habitat for Humanity, so much so that they want to learn more about why there is a lack of affordable housing and why so many thousands and thousands of hard working people in our community cannot afford a house.
One more thing: there were a group of pre teens on bicycles, pretty rough, who came to watch us almost every day. They would call out words in English to see if we would respond. And one day, one of them yelled, “W.W.E!” That stands for World Wrestling Entertainment. One of the volunteers turned around and yelled back the name of a well-known wrestler. And BOOM, that volunteer was The Greatest American To Ever Visit This Village. The kids yelled wrestler names, the volunteer yelled back other wrestler names, imitating how the wrestlers get introduced in the ring. The kids could not get enough of him. At one point, I looked over and the volunteer was helping to repair one of the kid’s bicycles, with the kids all gathered around him. I bring this up because I have blogged about how much kids worldwide, from Kabul to Kansas, LOVE professional wrestling, and I cannot for the life of me understand why international development agencies and governments don’t leverage this. Yeah, People Magazine, I will never forgive you for all but mocking me when I dared to mention wrasslin’ in that project back we worked on in the 1990s…
Habitat is seeking people to become Global Village Team Leaders. Candidates need to be from organized groups, such as university classes or clubs, social clubs, communities of faith, volunteers or staff from local Habitat affiliates, employees from a company, etc. Candidates take the Global Village online trainings and then lead their organized group of co-workers, club members, students, congregation members or other association on a Global Village program trip abroad. Visit the Global Village team leader FAQ to find out if leading a team is right for you. The option for independent volunteers to join teams with whom they do not already have an association is not currently available, but you should sign up at the Habitat web site for updates in case this changes.
New Global Village build dates for 2026 will be released in July! Now is the perfect time to take the team leader trainings and to talk to your co-workers, fellow students, fellow members of your community of faith, other members of your civic club, or your local Habitat affiliate where you already volunteer about this program, to generate interest among your associates for possibly joining your team. That will help you to be ready to book early and secure your team’s spot in the Habitat program. Global Village groups usually consist of up to 16 individuals. Potential participants should understand that each Global Village volunteer raises funds among their associates or contributes a donation ranging from US$1,625-$2,700 that supports Habitat’s housing programs. Volunteers are responsible for paying for their own on-site accommodations (arranged by Habitat), meals, ground transportation and transportation to the country, as well as arranging for any necessary visas.
As this blog publishes, I should be in Paraguay, on my first international Habitat for Humanity build. In fact, it’s my first Habitat build, period – my work schedule or personal schedule kept me being involved in the builds here in Oregon, at the Habitat affiliate I work for, and then, when my schedule freed up, we took a break from construction.
I’ve been asked by a few people what I’m packing. I’m relying on both my experience working in Afghanistan and Ukraine and my motorcycle travels to come up with what I need. I’ll have two carry-ons, one to go under the seat in front of me, and everything has to fit into them.
It takes a full day of flights (three) to get to Paraguay, and then I’ll be there for eight days for building a house, then just a couple of days in Brazil as a tourist. What I take will be somewhat different from what I tell humanitarians to take on their first mission abroad. For instance, I’ll be taking work shoes that I intend to leave in the country when the work is done: they are terrific, tough trail running shoes, but the soles are worn and can’t be repaired. They are great for spilling paint on but not for trail running. In fact, or team leader says that we can leave any clothes we want to, that are still whole and in good condition – they will be used by locals. Added bonus: it will create room at the end of the trip for things I might want to bring back.
I’ll most definitely be taking a carbon monoxide detector. When I worked at UNDP/UN Volunteers, one of our volunteers died in the field because of carbon monoxide poisoning in his guest house, and I once read about almost everyone dying in a guest house in Spain from carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s a scary and very possible reality. I take one even for travel in the USA. But I will NOT be leaving the carbon monoxide detector behind… I need it!
And for sure I’ll take The Dress. You’ve probably seen it in a few of my photos. In fact, if you do a search for the word UNICEF in my photo account, most of my dress photos will come up. I get tired of wearing motorcycle clothes or even just shorts and t-shirts when I travel, especially if I’m going to have a day just walking on a beach or going out at night. I bought it from the UNICEF Market. I love UNICEF, the UNICEF Market has items procured directly from artisans in Asia, Africa and Latin America. By buying through the UNICEF Market, I support these local artists and small, fragile economies abroad, and also support UNICEF (which gets a portion of sales). This dress is multi-colored (easy to hide spills), comes almost to my knees (which it was a BIT longer), HAS POCKETS (oh, yes, you read that right) and dries quickly (terrific to wear over a swimsuit).
Follow me online to read more about this Paraguay adventure – and whatever else I might be doing!
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one is a list of volunteering abroad programs where participants do NOT have to pay (these are all long-term volunteering gigs, like the Peace Corps, UNV, etc.), and
the other is a list of where participants DO pay but the programs also meet the criteria for an ethical volunTOURism company (they don’t take absolutely anyone so long as they can pay, they vet participants, the activities are designed by local people, no “white saviorism” type activities, no working with orphans or wildlife, etc.).
But I’m sorry to say that COVID seems to have taken away a lot of programs, particularly on that second list. I just updated the page, removing those now defunct programs. But I’d like to add to the page, if there are additions out there.
If you know of a volunteering abroad program that you think meets the requirements to be listed on my page, either DM me or use this form to contact me. Please FIRST view my page and see if I already have it listed.
Do NOT use the comments to recommend a company – I’ll delete it as soon as I see it. I will accept ONLY DMs or recommendations on the contact form.
I’m well known in many corners of the Interwebs for speaking out against unethical voluntourism, where people from North America, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand pay money to a company to go abroad for a week or two for a feel-good experience and lots of photos, doing things that can actually be harmful: interacting with orphans and refugees (who need long-term relationships and should never be used as Instagram props), interacting with wildlife (who should never be exposed to repeated human interactions, especially tourists), doing activities that local people want to do themselves and paid for (building a school, building a well), and undertaking activities that aren’t a priority for nor led by local people. Unethical voluntourism is vanity volunteering at it’s WORST.
But there is such a thing as ethical voluntourism: where local people define the activity and lead it. Where the focus is on educating the visitors so they can become advocates back in their own countries. Where the activity actually creates jobs for local people. Where short-term visitors are kept away from vulnerable people, like orphans, and view wildlife from afar, not interacting with them as though they are pets. Where intercultural learning really does happen. And, yes, volunteers might have fun and take lots of photos, but in an ethical matter: no photos of children without parental permission, for instance.
I’ve long promoted the idea of transire benefaciendo, “to travel along while doing good.” When I travel abroad, I try to eat at locally-run restaurants, eat locally-sourced food, drink locally-produced beer, book local guides, and stay in locally-run, small guest houses as much as possible. I try not to create a lot of waste. I refuse to have my photo taken with supposed “orphaned” or performing wildlife. I find an adult to ask permission of before taking a photo with a recognizable kid in it. As I say on my web site,
I think transire benefaciendo is also about traveling with purpose. It’s a trip, a journey, with the intention of learning, with an intention of local interaction. It’s travel that is mutually beneficial for both the traveler and the people in the place where the journey will take place. transire benefaciendo is purposeful travel, about widening a traveler’s understanding of the world rather than ticking something off a bucket list.
But I’ve never thought about a voluntourism trip for myself… until now.
In May 2025, if all goes as planned, I’m going to Paraguay with Habitat for Humanity. And if I know you – as in, we’re linked in LinkedIn or my personal Facebook page, or we have worked together, YOU CAN COME WITH ME.
From the beginning, volunteers participating in this program will learn about the need for adequate housing around the world, so they can become advocates regarding the cause and champions for equitable housing long after their trip has ended.
Habitat wants to avoid, specifically, “voluntourism” and “white Saviorism.” International volunteers should be “partners”, not “saviors.” The program is moving away from the charity mindset to a community-partnership mindset. Community-centered volunteering focuses on local leadership and local impact. International volunteers should to enter a community with their own ideas of what needs to be done. Local people should be listened to. The “agenda of change” needs to be defined by and led by the local people being served, not the funder, not the outside volunteers coming into a community.
Habitat Global Village projects are designed by local communities. Focus will be on local ownership and local sustainability. Local leaders will be identified and will be leaders in these Habitat projects. The goal of the builds will be to support existing projects in the country.
Local partners will be front and center in communications and marketing.
Habitat wants to be involved in more than just the creation of a structure – it’s also the support for “development,” like better safety and security, children doing better in school, etc.
Volunteer activities will be focused on volunteers engaging in mutual learning and exchange with local people, rather than tourism activities.
A promotion of safeguarding will be much more emphasized throughout the experience.
I was thrilled as I sat through this presentation, especially when the research cited for these changes was from UN Volunteers (my former employer) and VSO (one of my former consulting clients). And I was even more thrilled when I got the invitation from the team leader to go to Paraguay!
So, what will it take for you to come with me?
You need to email me and say you are interested. If you know me, you have my email.
You need to read the information I send you. And if you decide you want to go, you let me know and I will connect you with the group leader.
(but what if I do NOT know you & you want to go? Then you are going to have to do some very effective convincing for me to know you are a good, reliable, appropriate person to recommend for this trip).
The following comment is on a subreddit now, posted anonymously (and I have a screen capture in case it gets deleted):
Welp, it finally happened. The national office of the small non-profit I work for has asked the whole organization to remove any DEI related language from our website and social media. Not because their stance on supporting DEI has changed, but because they are afraid that the current administration will cut our federal funding.
This goes beyond removing any “diversity and inclusion” statements. They are asking us to remove all individual instances & variations of the words diversity, equity, and inclusion.
I’m pushing back. I won’t win, but I’ll push back anyways.
My advice to this web site manager, and to everyone else: say no. I wrote in directly to word his “no” this way, in writing:
I will not remove language on the web site with regard to diversity, equity or inclusion. I will not remove information from the web site regarding any aspects of human rights or civil rights. If management wants this removed, you will have to do this yourself. If you want to reprimand me, I request that the reprimand be in writing, and please detail the exact language I was refusing to remove. I cannot in good conscience commit the actions you are asking me to.
The likelihood of being fired for this is REALLY remote at a nonprofit, because they are terrified of bad publicity.
I also suggested leaking that the nonprofit HQ was asking affiliates to do this to a credible media outlet, and to keep doing so until someone picks up the story and asks the HQ for comment.
None of this is to punish the nonprofit. But if a nonprofit can be pressured “from the top”, why not from elsewhere, and to actually do the RIGHT thing? Some in senior management will no doubt be grateful that their staff is showing true character and saying no, and that the press has the story and the public can understand what is happening and pressure the nonprofit NOT to do this.
So, to be clear:
If you, a staff person, are asked by a senior staff member or your organization’s HQ to remove information on your web site or social media that affirms any commitment to diversity, equity or inclusion, or that supports racial equality or social justice, you should first ask for the request to be in writing. Say that you cannot follow-up on any such request unless it is in writing. And then, when the request comes in writing, leak it to the press and also refuse to delete the information. Tell management they can do it themselves, but you won’t.
Other ways you can stand up for core values of civility, human rights and dignity:
If you are asked by a funder to remove information on your web site or social media that affirms any commitment to diversity, equity or inclusion, or that supports racial equality or social justice, ask for the request to be in writing. Say that you cannot follow-up on any such request unless it is in writing. And then, when the request comes in writing, leak it to the press and also refuse to delete the information.
If not removing the language would jeopardize an amount of funding that, if lost, would harm your clients, then remove the language and put a press release on your web site stating that you are removing the funding at the request of whomever is making the request (NAME THEM), have a scan of their communication asking or telling you to do this linked from the web page, and tell people if they would like to see the pre-censored version of the web pages you had to alter, to go to archive.org and look such up. Be sure to share on social media that this is happening.
Do not comply with any request by phone from the federal government that involves turning over client or staff personal information to a federal office; tell the requester that the request must be in writing. Consult legal counsel regarding whether or not you legally have to do it.
Post on social media about your organization’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, or about activities your organization undertakes regarding such, or regarding related to racial equality or social justice, at least every quarter.
Attend public events by nonprofit in your area that are focused on serving minority communities, such as immigrants, refugees, local LBGTQ people, etc. Share a photo of yourself on social media with a member of that nonprofit, celebrating that you are together at the event.
Like, and if it’s appropriate, share, on your own social media account, posts of organizations in your area that support refugees and immigrants, LBGTQ people, and anyone else targeted by the current executive branch of government.
Go on social media using your organization’s profile and “like” the posts by your area’s elected officials and government offices that acknowledge diversity, equity and inclusion, racial equity, social justice issues, ALL religious holidays, etc.
Post acknowledgements at the start of Black History Month (February), Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May), Pride Month (June), National Hispanic Heritage Month is annually observed (September 15 to October 15), and National American Indian Heritage Month (November).
Post acknowledgements of a diversity of religiously-affiliated and “patriot”-affiliated celebratory days:
MLK Day
Chinese New Year
Easter (and perhaps Eastern Orthodox Easter as well, depending on your community)
First and Last days of Ramadan (varies each year – in 2025, it may start on Friday, Feb. 28, or Saturday, March 1, 2025)
Armed Forces Day (People currently serving in the United States military – celebrate on the third Saturday in May).
Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
July 4th
Labor Day (first Monday in September)
Veterans Day November 11
Rosh Hashanah
Yom Kuppur
Christmas.
Tell your volunteers they have the right to refuse the Presidential Service Award. Encourage anyone who will do so to write the office in charge and your executive director to say they will be refusing it for at least the next four years.
If you have to refer to these regions, then make sure you call them what they are: the Gulf of Mexico and Denali. And spell it Kyiv.
Have a plan for what to do if the police or federal law enforcement, such as ICE, shows up at your organization. Make sure all staff know that the first thing to do is to call the Executive Director and to say, “I am not authorized to give you permission to search these premises.” Even if they have a warrant and the Executive has to relent, create time for clients and others to leave the area.
Addition on February 13, from a colleague on LinkedIn:
Practical protection for nonprofits – Check your recent email subscribers to see if there was recently added DEIAreports[@]opm[.]gov as a subscription, meant to monitor DEIA activity.
Consider temporarily filtering out anyone with .gov email, as the current executive order requires government workers to report any DEIA efforts or face adverse actions.
A final thought on the seriousness of what is happening:
Ever wonder what you would have done at the darkest times of history – when Nazis were about to take over all of Europe and were murdering millions of people, most of them Jewish? When black people were enslaved and tortured regularly and systematically in the USA? During the US Civil Rights movement? When the mass murders of ethnic groups was happening in Rwanda or Srebrenica? – Well, you are doing it now.
BTW, I’m jeopardizing my own career, such that it is, by suggesting all this. Yet, here I am.
“Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice, which make philanthropy necessary.”
In late August, I had the honor of presenting a live webinar for the Beyond Africa Podcast. You can see a recording of the webinar on YouTube. You can also download the slides I used and see resources I used in the webinar and that I encouraged people to view after the webinar here on my web site.
The webinar opened with a question I have never been asked: why am I doing this? Why am I posting on r/UNPath and other online communities about how to work in international development? As briefly as possible, and among other reasons, because I don’t think there’s equity in who know about and has access to careers in international development, including at the United Nations. You can hear my full answer by listening to the webinar.
Please note that I did this pro bono for this group, but that I usually charge for my consulting, including delivering trainings.
A frequent lament of people on online groups who want to work for the United Nations is “It’s impossible because there’s no way for me to get the experience needed.”
These aforementioned blogs are about how to get expertise that can be applied to UN positions, usually at the P level and above.
But a lot of people want to work at a headquarters or break into UN work at the administrative level. They claim the aforementioned doesn’t apply to them and then, again, say, “It’s impossible for me to get the experience necessary.”
I spent an hour going through G-level positions currently being recruited at some UN agencies. I then made a list of some commonalities in the positions, which I have listed below, stripping out UN-specific references. And as I read through these, it was obvious to me that:
If you have been a longish-term leadership volunteer in your community, managing other volunteers, in any project – Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, an NGO that helps refugees, a children’s theater camp, a hospice, a food bank, etc. – you have probably done most of these activities.
If you have been a successful Girl Scout leader for more than two years, and been on the board or core organizers of your service unit in that time, you have probably done most of these activities.
If you have been a leadership volunteer at a local farmer’s market or artists cooperative for an entire season, you have probably done most of these activities.
If you have been on the board of a nonprofit for at least a year, you have probably done most of these activities.
Often it’s how you frame and phrase your responsibilities on your CV and applications as to whether or not you look qualified for a position.
I was part of a hiring committee that hired a guy with extensive hotel management experience for a G level administrative support position: his procurement skills, his experience in dealing with conflict, his organizational skills, his multi-language skills, his client-focused mindset and his experience with international clients were all represented on his CV , explicitly. He was an incredible and perfect fit for the job (he did also have a Master’s degree – I think it was in business).
Job responsibilities that show up on a lot of G-level positions that you can learn through leadership volunteering and through most administrative jobs at nonprofits and local government agencies as well:
Schedule internal and external meetings and events, and communicate these dates, or possible dates, to the team/partners.
Assist in organizing events, workshops, webinars, launches of publications, seminars, conferences and campaigns.
Support the team with planning and implementing of operational activities.
Gather relevant and corresponding data (socio-economic, gender, etc.) needed for project development, proposals, reports, presentations, etc.
Support activities contributing to the regular communication with project partners to monitor deadlines, commitments made, actions taken, etc.
Support in mapping and identifying relevant stakeholders or desired audiences or potential partners.
Populate and maintain a database of potential partners, or area NGOs, or area small businesses, or some other needed data set for a project.
Review and proofread drafts of reports, drafts of online materials, etc.
Closely follow up with other staff, consultants, partner organizations, etc. regarding collaborative projects, data, etc.
Review reports developed by others and edit/contribute as needed.
Verify the accuracy and validity of research conducted or feedback provided by others.
Continuously monitor and collect all data indicators relevant to the project.
Provide support in the dissemination and sharing of relevant data and lessons learned.
Keep pulse on emerging best practices nationally, regionally, and internationally that relate to the work.
Regularly read knowledge networks and communities of practice related to the project/program area.
Support program-related knowledge building, management and sharing activities for both external and internal audiences.
Assist in preparation of official correspondence to all relevant project partners, HQ, etc.
Provide inputs in the development and producing knowledge products, i.e. case studies, success stories, lessons learnt reports, press releases and etc.
Contribute to the creation of content for specific stakeholders, including presentation decks, photos videos, programme briefs, webinar/event cards, literature.
Monitor online platforms including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, etc. regarding mentions of the program and activities by partners/stakeholders.
Assist the Project Manager/other staff in preparation of the regular progress reports in line with reporting schedules, as well as any other reports requested by management, donor, government, press and/or other stakeholders/audiences.
Support other staff in implementing project M&E activities and providing on-going feedback and technical backstopping.
Make logistical arrangements for HQ staff visits and external visitors, preparing briefing kits and background materials.
Quit complaining that “the fix is in” and you can’t get a UN position unless you “know someone on the inside.” I’ve worked for the UN three times, at three different UNDP offices, in three different countries, and I knew NO ONE in those offices that hired me. I’ve been on several UN hiring committees and only one time in all those times was I pressured to hire someone who someone on the hiring committee knew – a practice common in the private sector! (I refused to change my score regarding her interview and qualifications, but she did still get hired somehow). Every other time, we hired the person obviously most qualified.
Get busy taking a hard look at all you have done to date and think about how to better frame it. And if you lack needed skills for the jobs you want, get busy with volunteering or working locally to get them!
What I did in Afghanistan for the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, via the United Nations.
If you have benefited from this blog or other parts of my web site and would like to support the time that went into researching information, developing material, preparing articles, updating pages, etc. (I receive no funding for this work), here is how you can help.
This is an account written by an Afghan colleague, with grammar and spelling corrected by me. She was able to flee Afghanistan and now lives in an English-speaking country as a legal refugee. This account is regarding what life is like for her sister back in Kabul, Afghanistan:
When I lived in Afghanistan, I lived with my adult, unmarried sister and my widowed mother, without a male family member, in Kabul. My nieces also frequently stayed with us and I, an unmarried woman, was the head of the household. My brothers lived with their families in Kabul, but across the city from us, and we did not rely on them for shopping or for money. Because of my job, the job of my sister, and a small inheritance from my father, we could all live together, even sometimes travel together, in relative peace and prosperity.
I worked for the Afghan government, as did my sister. We are both university educated. She and I could go to and from work on our own, but when we left the house for appointments, shopping and other tasks, or to walk in a nearby park or to visit relatives, we were accompanied by each other or my mother. This was accepted by society in Kabul before the Taliban.
In the chaos of the Taliban takeover, I was able to flee Afghanistan along with my nieces and my mother. We were able to flee to a country where I had studied many years ago, and we now have asylum here. My nieces, then all under 18, now live in safety. But I had to leave my sister behind, as the government of the country where I live now was unsure if they could count her as my immediate family, and she insisted we go without her and not delay.
After we fled Afghanistan, my sister immediately lost her job, as all women working for the government did, per the orders of the Taliban. She immediately lost her right to go to appointments or shopping for food alone or even with just another female family member – it had to be with a male family member. And she was immediately living by herself. Her male relatives, my brothers, do not live immediately close to her. I am sorry to say our brothers are not helpful to her as they should be, for many reasons: one brother is busy trying to provide for his family, to feed his young sons and ensure their safety. Another brother is dealing with a great deal of drama with a former wife and former in-laws, who are threatening his well-being. Both of my brothers are reluctant to accompany my sister in public, both because they do not see it as a priority and because she has a speech impediment, and in my culture, people with disabilities are not treated well on the streets, with many people openly mocking such people, and my brothers do not know how to deal with such disrespect and mocking (my mother was treated with great respect and no one would mock my sister when she was present).
My sister is an educated, professional woman. She graduated from Kabul University with a Bachelor of Science and she loved her job with the Afghan Ministry she was a part of, working in a small department where she felt her work was very important – I cannot say much about her work for fear she could be identified. She never had health problems, other than her speech impediment, in all of our years together. All of that has changed now.
Her work and life puts her in danger with the Taliban: she is unmarried, she lives alone, she is university educated, she worked for the government, she worked for a program funded by foreign governments that Taliban sees as the enemy, and she has studied and worked alongside men that are not her family members. She sometimes even worked directly with foreigners who represented the US and Canadian funders of her work.
I try to talk to her every day on WhatsApp. I am in great fear for her. I am afraid I will die before I ever see her again.
My sister is now solely reliant on just a few trusted people bringing her food, and doing it in a way that neighbors never see her. She cannot go to doctor’s appointments. She will go days with no interaction with any other human being. The Taliban are targeting Shia Muslims and people of Tajik ethnicity with oppression and physical violence – this is what my family is. My sister’s neighbors support the Taliban and are of a different ethnicity than us, and while they know there is someone in the apartment where my sister is, they are not entirely sure which family members are still there. She lives in constant fear of her neighbors. We believe that if they knew she was there, alone, they would inform on her, to garner favor from the Taliban, and the Taliban would take over the apartment and turn my sister out to beg on the streets, or perhaps decide she has broken their law and punish her physically and put her in prison. She is now, in many ways, in a prison, as she cannot leave her home or even be seen by neighbors. The isolation, lack of human interaction, stress, lack of physical exercise, lack of exposure to the outdoors and lack of regular nutrition are causing her to experience intense headaches. She has recently informed me that she has fainted at least twice and is unsure how long she was unconscious.
And I know she’s not the only one. I know there are more women in her situation – and much worse.
I have filed all of the paperwork with the government where I live for my sister to join me, my mother and my sisters here. I have gone to public meetings with national officials to try to meet them in-person and petition them to help bring my sister here. It’s been almost three years since we fled. I wonder if she will die before her case is even decided, and I fear what a rejection will drive her to do.
It is impossible to find comfort in this land of safety when I know what my sister experiences in Afghanistan. And I know that even in this dire state, she is in a more advantageous position than so many other women, than most women, in the country, at least for now.
