Humanitarian Initiatives: Launching a Project

The desire to help will always find the way. Working with an established humanitarian agency is just one way to put ideals into practice. Another option is to launch a humanitarian project reflecting the founders’ interests, values, and mission. Such a project would allow providers to apply their expertise and skills most effectively, but there are many essential components that must be carefully considered. This chapter is designed as a walk-through, an exercise that encourages readers to think like a humanitarian about what makes a successful and ethical GMH project. This chapter explores different forms of individual involvement and examines its advantages and problematic aspects. Examples of “do-it-yourself” aid when providers work in self-initiated projects are voluntourism, MONGOs (“My Own NGOs”), and GINGOs (“Grassroots NGOs”). Understanding what starting and managing a GMH project entails allows readers to develop an appreciation, explore different choices, and gain a better insight into how humanitarian sector and other NGOs operate. After learning about specifics of the needs assessment, programming, fundraising, and quality assurance in humanitarian work, the readers can use this knowledge to practice the development of an ethical and effective GMH-centered or integrated project.