Progressive Humanitarian Aid: Values and Power

Progressive-minded people who want to contribute to humanitarian aid efforts too often abandon their progressive principles, particularly in crisis situations. Why? They want to help, and they want to do so quickly.

But there are ways to ensure that your donations not only help provide relief from catastrophe, but also build the foundation for long-term, deep social change.

Timothy A. Wise, who was Executive Director of Grassroots International in the 1990s and is currently deputy director of Tufts University’s Global Development and Environment Institute (GDAE), has written a set of guildelines for progressive giving in crisis situations.

We hope that, in addition to providing much-needed funds for relief and rebuilding, our support for the member organizations of the Via Campesina in the affected area will help reshape the power dynamics of development in the area, giving the people themselves more of a say in the way they live their lives. [This campaign is now closed.]