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Building a climbing gym in Kabul 27-Jul-2010 At 8:23:15 AM RNM

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Interesting topic, seems somewhat deep for chockstone.

I can understand how building a skate park can seem trite in the context of a country wracked by war and poverty.

Last year I was working in Sri Lanka with the Tamil people who were being held in large camps by Sri Lankan Army. Over 300,000 people, living in the dirt in tents and make shift shelters. Comparrisons were drawn with World War II prison camps. There were stacks of NGO's all wanting access to the camps to monitor the well being of the people, all of whom had been displaced by the civil war. The people were being held captive, and rumor had it that conditions in the camps were bad. Access was denied to all the big NGOs, and there was much high level pouting, threats, and general political hoo haa. On the ground it meant that our hospital (built between several of the camps, a 'flap in the breeze' field hospital) could only treat people sent to us by the Army. When we noticed an increase in malnourished children, and quietly raised our concern with the Army, suggesting that we could start a feeding program, we stopped receiving ANY children for a week, and rarely got to see any more malnourished children. Pretty stink, and a hugely frustrating context to work in. At the time we were living in tents, and rarely saw other westeners where we lived. Then one day we met an American and a German guy at the local shop. What the hell were they doing here?! "Oh, we're touring the camps with our Puppet Show. We wanted to do something, and this is what we do". WTF!?!? They had cruised in and achieved what none of the big NGOs, UN, or foreign governments could... they had entered every camp, seen the conditions, spent time with the children and families in the camp. Not only that, but they were individuals who cared. They weren't under the banner of a big fancy NGO, and that means a lot to local people. Individuals can often achieve things that large organisations cannot.

In my experience, as important as material aid can be, a personal presence and human touch are remembered and can have as much impact. Unlocking the potential in young people is a huge and important achievement. And that is what the original poster is doing, each and every day by the sounds of it.

It is easy to shoot down this idea, and suggest that money is better spent fueling the big fancy Land Cruisers of big NGOs, but I guarantee that you will get more 'value for money' from a low key grass roots group who are on the ground and doing it for the love.

Besides, are those that criticise actually choosing to support alternative organisations, or simply justifying living a comfortable and indulgent life in Australia and not doing anything to help?

Good on you Jake, you have my respect and admiration. Keep up the good work.