Laudable Relations: Some Reflections on Working with International NGOs

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), being values-based organisations pose a particular set of issues for academic researchers when working with them. NGOs often engage with universities to provide academic credibility to evaluate the effectiveness of their fieldwork. At the same time, they are nervous about two things: that the evaluation will shatter their belief, they are doing good work, rather than the outcome will always be lauded by some, loathed by others. The second fear is that the NGO being held accountable to donors for activities which are long term and slow in showing sustainable change. This article will draw on the literature as well as my own experiences to explore these issues. My key finding is that the farther away (geographically) from the work an NGO is, the greater in the self-belief of their work. The closer to the local communities NGOs are, they tend to have a tempered view of their work. The article will conclude with some reflections on how a more fruitful dialogue can occur between the two.