Processing the Greg Mortenson Controversy

I had other ideas on this week's posts, including ideas sent from some of you.  However, I felt compelled to process my feelings about the Greg Mortenson controversy. 


I saw the 60 mins. story Sunday night, read the Outside Online exclusive interview with Greg and am just sitting here heartbroken.  So, I decided to check in with another hero of mine, Kristof to see if he had been writing anything and sure enough he'd written today's column about it.  As expected, Kristof nailed it on so many levels and because I couldn't even begin to capture it as well,  I am posting my favorite parts of his article.

"My inclination is to reserve judgment until we know more, for disorganization may explain more faults than dishonesty."

"He was right about the need for American outreach in the Muslim world. He was right that building schools tends to promote stability more than dropping bombs. He was right about the transformative power of education, especially girls’ education. He was right about the need to listen to local people — yes, over cup after cup after cup of tea — rather than just issue instructions. "

"I worry that scandals like this — or like the disputes about microfinance in India and Bangladesh — will leave Americans disillusioned and cynical. And it’s true that in their struggle to raise money, aid groups sometimes oversell how easy it is to get results. Helping people is more difficult than it seems."

"The furor over Greg’s work breaks my heart. And the greatest loss will be felt not by those of us whose hero is discredited, nor even by Greg himself, but by countless children in Afghanistan who now won’t get an education after all. But let’s not forget that even if all the allegations turn out to be true, Greg has still built more schools and transformed more children’s lives than you or I ever will."

"As we sift the truth of these allegations, let’s not allow this uproar to obscure that larger message of the possibility of change."

TAKEAWAYS:


Don't stop giving, just start asking.

I fear the big loser will be the underserved in the world because people will be scared of giving.  Even if there is a way to prove everything 60 mins said as wrong, and let's face it, some of it is probably true, the damage is done.  Greg inspired people.  He inspired people to be philanthropists regardless of the cause they gave to.  He inspired people to feel they could make a change.

I'm worried people will stop giving out of fear.  There's a gap between the unrealistic expectations we have of nonprofits, the reality of actually implementing help in complicated situations, and the lack of business expertise within nonprofits.

I don't know how to reconcile all of this, but I do know I don't want people to stop giving, but instead start asking more questions so you have a realistic understanding of issues facing the nonprofits you support.  Who knows, by better understanding their challenges, you might find additional ways of supporting them.