Within this year, we have withdrawn from five projects because we cannot, on a project, regardless of how much the budget is, compromise on the values we strive for. We have ethical obligations to carry out our work with transparency to inspire accountability and trust among the people we serve, by responsibly using our resources to their benefits. That is, we have a responsibility to make sure that we do not accept funds from donors, individuals, and organisations that could directly or indirectly compromise our independence. 

Accountability means holding our organisation to the very highest standards in terms of accomplishing tasks and using the budget effectively, which also involves providing accessible and transparent financial reporting information. Transparency and access to information is about making project’s information, financial reports, and results publicly accessible. So, for us to withdraw from a project, a natural tension exists between the needs of the project coordinator to consolidate power using money versus setting those needs high enough to the point of compromising our indepence. As a result of this powerplay, trust and fairness suffer, and set in motion perverse incentives. 

At all steps of the project preparations, we meet our commitment, information and documents are provided on time, and we always offer support that goes beyond monetary incentives. So, if the project is approved for funding and we see changes in the decision making process without seeking partners’ views, we voice concerns and provide a detailed, reasonable solution. The solution is based on our capacity and experience as a partner and coordinator. Partners participation not only helps reach a common agreement but also helps obtain project ownership. So, for us to be a part of a project, the needs and interests of partners must form the basis on which the implementation’s rules are built.