Sustainable development blog : ecology and humanitarian aid

Picture by Seguya Henry Kizito (courtesy CDSi)

It’s a question that became the central theme for an online community created by Tim Magee, former business owner and Director of Development at the University of the Valley of Guatemala. During his three-year tenure with the university his job was to build a development team, which led to a working relationship with hundreds of NGO’s, universities, donors andlarge and small non-profit organisations across the country. As the three years in Guatemala turned into seven, Magee realised that many of the issues and problems that he and others were working on in relation to humanitarian development were the same. “What immediately struck me while working with this many different cultures from such diverse locations is that most of the students were working on projects that had very similar themes,” he says. That led him to think about a way to bring all that scattered talent and expertise together in one place, and the idea began to form for an online, global community where information could be exchanged, collaborations formed and educational resources developed to help those involved in development work around the world.

Picture by Baba Bodiang (courtsey CSDi)

As a result, Magee started the Center for Sustainable Development (CSDi), a non-profit organisation that provides sound, evidence-based information, tools and training for humanitarian development professionals worldwide. According to its website it is an organisation “firmly committed to proven, results-based solutions to end suffering and poverty.” The CSDi is now also a professional development community that offers online courses and workshops that offer training in project design and development, fundraising, project management, donor reporting, community assessments and many other skills required crucial to successful international development projects. A new course for January 2011 centres on the theme of Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change.

Magee has worked with students from over 80 countries and never ceases to be amazed at the wonderful grassroots ideas that come from people involved at the grassroots level that have helped shape the format and direction of the educational tools available through CSDi. “I have learned an incredible amount from these course participants; they've had excellent ideas for their projects and they've had access to information that I had not seen before,” says Magee.

The CSDi builds on the practical, simple tools and solutions that have shown evidence of having worked and that can be understood, implemented and maintained by a range of people types. These tools and solutions are sustainable and impact-oriented. This led to the formation of the new online CSDi Development Community: http://developmentcommunity.csd-i.org/ . Participants from 81 countries and 150 institutions are now using CSDi online courses to develop new, community-centered, sustainable development projects that are impacting over 70,000 beneficiaries.

“These students are of all different ages, genders and professions – donors, executive directors, field staff, business owners with a conscience, students, scientists, consultants and people who would like to transition into development work,” says Magee. He encourages people to visit the community to seek solutions to their development challenges, and benefit from the knowledge and generosity of CSDi Development Community members who will reach out to help them.

Picture by Kimbowa Richard (courtsey CSDi)

Another goal of this development community is to share and collaborate with members that have similar interests. It already has a number of ‘starter’ groups that have expertise in the following areas, although anyone who has experience with other areas of expertise is encouraged to start a new group. Starter Groups: Subsistence Farming Education and Literacy Family Food Security Community Empowerment Adapting to Climate Change Family WaterCommunity Water Conservation and Restoration Community Health and Sanitation Family Health and Hygiene Forests and Trees Feature your Project Ultimately through collaboration, co-operation and community the CSDi is hoping to find an answer to the question of “What works in development?”