URGENT - Please act now if you care about what really happens in "development projects" May 28, 2012
See the newly launched fast tractor website - http://fasttractor.net/ pass on the news and help the right thing to happen. This is against the clock - please - create a buzz.
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The sad truth about development projects
Aid often goes astray - or simply gets locked up somewhere in the administrative system.
At http://fasttractor.net/ you'll find a true story of subsidised tractors. It's been quite a saga
More than two years ago John Dada of Fantsuam Foundation paid a £2,000 deposit for a government subsidised tractor. It was a struggle to find the deposit as funds are always needed for urgent local needs - but it seemed that the offer was too good to miss. However Fantsuam Foundation is still without the tractor.
More than one year ago there were stories of some of the tractors being ready for collection at Kaduna. They weren't there.
When the new administration came in my friends at Fantsuam Foundation had new hopes that the project would be resurrected.
A couple of weeks ago John was called to Kaduna. He was told he could collect his tractor - but only if he could pay the remainder of the money - approx £7,200 - within 21 days. He can only do this if he can borrow the balance. He will repay the loan once he has the tractor (Fantsuam Foundation will hire it out to other users as well as using at its Attachb eco-farm site). Given how he struggled to find the deposit this sudden payment demand is way out of reach.
We thought it was impossible to find the money that John needs to borrow, but then other friends came to our rescue and created this project http://fasttractor.net/
which went live today. It's against the clock but we are giving it our best shot - and we need your help to make it happen. We need to find 200 people willing to give £50 (or 400 willing to give £25) and we need it by June 4th.
If we raise the money then the tractor goes where it should - to genuine grassroots beneficiaries. If not then someone who has the money to hand will be able to buy this subsidised tractor instead, and sell it on in the open market. John will of course struggle to get his deposit returned.
The new governor is said to support agricultural development - perhaps that is why the tractors are now so tantalisingly close:
For the right thing to happen we need to create a buzz - and quickly.
Please see the website and share the story http://fasttractor.net/ - These are people I know and care about, whose work at the grassroots I have admired for many years., I have visited often, I know the site where the tractor is needed. Please - join me and my friends to get the word out and make a real difference - now - before you do anything else.
Thank you.
Pamela McLean