Me and my long-term partner

I was waxing lyrical the other day about the benefits of Kiva and other such fundraising platforms. I was well into my rant about 'the free market and letting the donors choose' when a thought struck me. When did I start believing that free markets and donor choice was such a great thing for the beneficiary?

Why am I signing up to a system that effectively boycotts the integrity and expertise of the well-established NGO for a charity e-bay?

A system where we as donors (sorry I mean investors) are asked to make long-term funding decisions, on the basis of 'personal choice' influenced by a photo and a short funding application.

Don't get me wrong. I love Kiva and I love being an investor. Being placed on the 'inside track' with the transparency, control and feedback I get is great. I like the social networking side of it and its fresh and straight-talking approach. And you just can't beat that direct-link with the beneficiary.

But I am not an expert on development issues and my needs shouldn't outweigh the needs of the beneficiary. I know that supporting an international NGO's advocacy programme to improve working rights and conditions will prove a better long-term investment than my funding a young farmer in Bosnia to set up her own business.

But despite that I did and I'm hooked, and unless charities listen to their donors and answer these needs the right programmes might struggle to find that long-term partner.

Tim