International Development

About the Book

No aid organization is a monochrome. Rather, it is a rainbow coalition of middleclass suburbanites, balanced by shades of extravagant politicians, blessed by curious-looking eccentrics, coloured by the hues of multicultural opinions of academia, tinted by zealots from NGOs and skewed by sometimes shady entrepreneurs.

If you are a religious person who believes that spirituality is part of life, then you may find a job in foreign aid, but possibly only as a reformer. If you believe that every act is holy, then you may discover that many people in sustainable development are involved in sinful activities. If you are a humanitarian, you may uncover scores of individuals who are up-lifting as well as a host of persons who are callous and exploitive. If you're ambitious, the sky is the limit. If you're a control freak, you' ll feel right at home associating with all the cutthroats, thieves and dictators in the developed and developing world. On the international stage, foreign aid reflects the contradictions in the global village — an imprint of life itself. What is unfortunate is that there are too few geniuses who can turn water into wine.

In the 21^st century, there are constituencies both in the North and South that have profound doubts about foreign aid. Still, others cling to the ideal that international development assistance enhances people's choices. The most critical of these are to live a long and healthy life, to be educated and to have access to resources needed for a decent standard of living. Out of the ashes of the Cold War, democracy, market economies and human rights have become more universal and the bedrock of development.

There are opportunities in working abroad to explore unusual, out of the ordinary destinations like the ruins of ancient civilizations. Imagine the awe and wonder when a person arrives in the village of Mot, Egypt, on the edge of the Sahara desert and realizes that this was the last outpost of the Roman Empire. Close by, the crew on the archaeological dig begin yelling. Flesh crawls with anticipation and excitement. "It's a skull, a Roman skull." Or perhaps, walk through a crowded West African craft market. It's a bit like visiting the Louvre in Paris. There are many ordinary pieces but then there are some superb carvings in ebony and mahogany sold at bargain basement prices. Gazing at the new acquisitions in the comfort of one's home, one has a sense of connectedness to Africa and the local artist and his community.

People want to feel alive —that they're really living. Working overseas for the betterment of humanity is not exactly a hair-shirt experience. It offers a chance to travel, live in an exotic culture and undertake challenges that stretch the mind. It's one helluva ride. Foreign aid workers will say that to be an internationalist is life's true raison d'étre.

About the Author

Fred E. Haack was born in 1932 in Vancouver, Canada. He studied at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Concordia University, Montreal; and Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.

From 1965-1967, Mr. Haack was guest lecturer in history at Akropong Teachers' College, (founded in 1830), Ghana, West Africa. He returned to Canada and joined the Canadian government, serving with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Industry, Canada and The Department of Foreign Affairs, Canada.

During his twelve years in Africa as a Foreign Service Officer, Mr. Haack managed Canada's development assistance programs in Tanzania and Zambia and initiated Canada's bilateral development programs to Egypt and The Sudan. His last posting was Accra, Ghana, where he held the rank of Counsellor with accreditation to Togo, Benin, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

He has served as a Trade Commissioner, International Trade Centre, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and in 1991, returned to Ottawa to join the staff of the Export Controls Division of the Department Of Foreign Affairs And International Trade, Ottawa, Canada.

Mr. Haack has published numerous book reviews and short stories on Africa. His novel, In the Land of the Talking Drums, has been described as perfect for one who loves reading with comforter and slippers before a warm fireplace on a stormy night.

Mr. Haack is retired, lives in Victoria, B.C. and travels extensively, writing about international problems, the people he meets and the vagaries in life.