Without new aid model world’s poorest ‘will wait centuries’ for change

It will take 100 years for some of the world’s poorest people to get basic health care, sanitation and education services, unless the current approach to aid is radically changed, acording to a report released on Tuesday by the British think-tank the Overseas Development Institute (ODI). The current “one size fits all” approach to aid doesn’t recognise the political realities or the competence of certain countries to deliver donor-funded aid programmes, the report stated. For example, across sub-Saharan Africa, boys from healthy urban families will be able to complete primary school education, but it will take 65 years before girls from poor rural families have the same opportunities.

Our research has shown us that projects delivering good results are locally led, politically smart and often employ entrepreneurial techniques. Looking at how aid works is more important than how much to spend.

Leni Wild, lead author of the report

World global poverty