t’s very important to see what an organization actually does. A lot of them
say they are doing one thing, but in reality, the money is spent differently: on overheads, on administration, on inefficient and ineffective programs.
We wanted to see their work firsthand, to make sure it was all being done the way they said it was. And we weren’t disappointed.
What impressed us about Innovation: Africa (iA) is that the funds are going where they’re needed. The organization spends time in every community. They don’t just come in with their solutions, they talk to people, and more importantly, they listen. Then they help them to solve the community’s challenges with Israeli technology. They don’t inflate costs—they are effective and thoughtful. They analyze their projects carefully, and build real partnerships on the ground with obligations on both ends. It’s not a one-sided project where iA just gives. The community knows that they have to make their projects sustainable, and maintain them properly. That’s rare. But they do it because the infrastructure iA brings gives them opportunities they’ve never had before: clean water, the ability to study at night, a decrease in maternal mortality, vaccinations, food and so much more.
The communities iA works with know that they’re getting all of this, and that they need to hold up their end of the bargain. This allows them to become self-sufficient. It gives them a sense of pride and ownership, and encourages them to further develop their own village. That’s so important, and makes every one of iA’s projects a real partnership. As a donor, that’s what you want to see, that’s what gives you confidence that the projects are going to work in the long-term.