Foreign Policy Blogs

Steamrolling and Backhoeing to Increased Access

Over the past few weeks, the spotlight has been on Greg Mortenson, the founder of Central Asia Institute and co-author of Three Cups of Tea, for alleged financial fraud and false claims–with one of the most damning accounts coming from Jon Krakauer.  One of the refrains I’ve heard from colleagues and friends is a frustration that this kind of attention will end up hurting cash-strapped NGOs even more–as potential donors shy away from the risk of being duped.  Even without the Mortenson affairs, there’s an increased demand among donors and foundations, it feels, for programs to demonstrate their impact.  Expensive programs are especially challenged, but even the former darlings of the conference circuit and social entrepreneurship circles are being scrutinized.

At the same time, however, solutions for global health, development, and rights issues don’t always get the bang for their buck that they could–and simple solutions are often overlooked.  Nick Kristof has an interesting perspective (to get more kids in school, de-worm them).  But one of the most vital solutions, and one that I’ve thought about for a long while, is the importance of good roads.  Although perhaps not cheap (or easy in countries without many backhoes or steamrollers), good road infrastructure addresses so many issues, particularly those around health and access to care.  The frequency of medicine stock-outs decrease, women in labor can get to clinics or hospitals, and healthcare workers are more likely to agree to rural postings.  Being 250K from the capital city is not terrible when the road is smooth and wide; when it’s a potholed, muddy mess, supply trucks can’t get there, doctors won’t go there, and sick people don’t have access to equitable care.

There are some organizations out there, such as Riders for Health, that try to get around the existing issue: part of Riders’ program is to supply motorcycles, which can better handle bad roads, to healthcare workers.  And there are large-scale construction project partnerships between countries–you don’t have to tell me twice about China’s strong presence in much of sub-Saharan Africa.  And it sounds like at one time (perhaps still?) there’s been what seems like a quixotic effort for a Trans-African Highway:

Steamrolling and Backhoeing to Increased Access

Global efforts like the Millennium Development Goals seek for improved health, education, and rights, and they argue that these are inextricably linked.  Roads don’t come up very strongly as a real solution–perhaps partially because it’s not the “sexiest” way to galvanize donors.  And obviously there are big questions to be addressed around road maintenance and traffic safety, not to mention the difficulty of constructing roads in conflict zones or places with extreme weather.  Cost, of course, is real issue.  But it’s just so darn simple: roads.  What if Gates announced a new initiative for transportation infrastructure improvements, or if a big construction company announced that it had created a non-profit to pave roads in developing nations?  It’s not the most exciting endeavor out there, but perhaps it could get the job done.

 

Author

Julia Robinson

Julia Robinson has worked in South Africa at an NGO that helps to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and in Sierra Leone for an organization that provides surgeries, medical care, and support to women suffering from obstetric fistula. She is interested in human rights, global health, social justice, and innovative, unconventional solutions to global issues. Julia lives in San Francisco, where she works for a sustainability and corporate social responsibility non-profit. She has a BA in African History from Columbia University.