Development aid is traditionally driven by large NGOs from the Global North, often focused on providing resources and expertise to regions in the Global South. However, the process of localising development work is far from simple. It requires more than just adjusting the methods of operation or transferring responsibilities. It involves a deep exploration of the identity of the organisation, its values, and its ability to adapt while maintaining a cohesive global presence. This is particularly true for NGOs like Viva con Agua (VCA), a German-based organisation working in Uganda.
Founded in the early 2000s in Hamburg’s vibrant St. Pauli District, VCA emerged from a culture of inclusivity, activism, and collaboration with musicians, football fans, and artists. When the organisation expanded to Uganda in 2007, its founding values aligned with the local ethos of civic engagement, helping it form strong partnerships and create initial goodwill. However, VCA soon encountered challenges. Their water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure initiatives, although effective elsewhere, did not always resonate with local norms in Uganda. A key example involved latrines that were initially built for communities in northern Uganda but were not widely used due to cultural norms around shared facilities.
This clash between global ideals and local customs underlined the complexity of localising development aid. Rather than simply transferring successful models, VCA had to reconsider what it meant to be an NGO operating in Uganda. This article takes an in-depth look at how VCA navigated these complexities over a 15-year period, offering insights into the challenges and solutions they encountered along the way.
Viva con Agua’s Identity and Local Challenges
Viva con Agua’s journey in Uganda highlights the key tensions involved in localising development aid. Initially, the organisation’s vibrant identity, shaped by its roots in Hamburg’s activist culture, worked in its favour, helping build rapport with local collaborators. However, as the organisation grew, it became evident that cultural alignment alone was insufficient for meaningful impact. The water and sanitation systems that worked in other countries, like those used by VCA in Latin America, did not seamlessly fit the Ugandan context. Cultural practices and local traditions, such as the prohibition of shared latrines between certain family members, presented significant barriers to the acceptance and use of the infrastructure provided.
In response, VCA adjusted its strategies, incorporating more culturally relevant methods. For instance, they introduced education-through-sport programmes like Football4WASH and Dance4WASH to engage communities in a way that resonated with local traditions. These programs aimed to make hygiene education more relatable by connecting it with widely enjoyed activities like football and dance. The results were promising. Local schools began incorporating handwashing gestures from the Dance4WASH programme into daily routines, and parents took notice during parent-teacher meetings. Such initiatives not only promoted hygiene but also helped VCA build a stronger connection with the community.
The Tensions Between Global and Local Identity
The process of adapting to the Ugandan context raised questions within VCA about their organisational identity. As VCA expanded its presence in Uganda, they faced a complex dilemma: how could they remain true to their core values while also evolving to meet the needs of the Ugandan population? The local team in Uganda, although aligned with VCA’s values, began to take more initiative and responsibility for the development projects. This raised important questions about autonomy and organisational coherence. Who, exactly, defines what it means to be part of VCA? How much independence can the Ugandan team have without compromising the organisation’s global identity?
These questions became more urgent as VCA’s activities in Uganda grew. The tension between maintaining global standards and embracing local practices created what the researchers call an “asymmetric paradox knot.” VCA’s efforts to adapt their work to local contexts were deeply interwoven with the organisation’s internal legitimacy, leadership, and overall coherence. The more they adapted locally, the more questions arose about what VCA truly stood for and how they could continue to function as a cohesive unit while managing their international operations.
Innovative Solutions and Localisation Strategies
Despite the challenges, VCA found ways to address these tensions through creative and strategic mechanisms. One key strategy was the integration of local staff into the organisation’s leadership and decision-making processes. By allowing Ugandan team members to take ownership of local projects, VCA facilitated a deeper sense of autonomy and responsibility. For instance, VCA helped the Ugandan team build their own branch of the organisation, encouraging them to initiate local fundraising and collaborate with local social enterprises. This helped to bridge the gap between the core values of VCA and the specific needs of Ugandan communities.
Additionally, VCA contextualised their programmes by adjusting content and delivery methods to suit local norms. For example, in their Football4WASH programmes, VCA noticed that some teachers kept the footballs for themselves instead of using them for the children. The local team responded by implementing a competition where schools that successfully incorporated the hygiene exercises into their curriculum would be rewarded with additional footballs. This simple yet effective strategy ensured that teachers were more engaged and motivated to lead hygiene education sessions.
The Role of Everyday Practices in Shaping the Localised Organisation
Beyond formal strategies, small shifts in everyday practices helped VCA move towards a more locally integrated model. In 2019, for the first time, the Ugandan team organised field visits for a German delegation, showcasing how far the local team had come in terms of autonomy and coordination. The delegation visited a wide range of project sites across the country, where they were joined by local artists, musicians, and dancers who helped raise awareness of VCA’s work in the region. These visits not only showcased the organisation’s reach but also reinforced a more horizontal, trust-based communication model.
In 2017, the Ugandan VCA team was officially recognised as an independent chapter of the organisation, signalling the success of their efforts to decentralise decision-making and empower local staff. Weekly calls between the global team in Hamburg and the local team in Kampala became more than just coordination meetings; they became opportunities to continuously renegotiate the identity and alignment of the organisation.
Broader Implications for Development Organisations
VCA’s experience provides valuable insights into the complexities of localising development aid. It shows that the process involves much more than logistical adjustments or transferring responsibility; it requires deep reflection on organisational identity and values. As the aid sector continues to decentralise and evolve, VCA’s experience serves as a useful diagnostic tool for understanding how organisations can adapt to local contexts without losing their core identity. Through strategic localisation and identity management, development organisations can navigate the complexities of global-local interactions and avoid fragmentation.
