From NED to Ouagadougou

Some lessons in development practice

By Mansoor Ali

Health warning!

• Looking back makes a good story• Relevance to Pakistan• This is just one pathway• Not much about secondary cities

Journey

• From NED (1980 – 1985) to some of the most recent work in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)• Key challenges and learning

Hunger for the chang; the final project (1983)

From NED to Orangi• Students for Orangi and Baldia• Learning from Dr Akhtar Hameed

Khan and Arif Hasan• Potential and limitations of our studies• Learning from the common people• Building on the existing capabilities• First training on writing and reflections

Father’s aspirations and the support from NED (1984)

Upgrading Slums in Quetta (1986)

• More conventional surveys and work• Working with Quetta Development

Authority• First exposure to Rural Deprivation

Working with KMC (1990-92)

• Understanding the official systems• Keep learning about the real systems• Realization of ‘different worlds’• Debate with the city mayor

Prof John Pickford at WEDC, Loughborough UK (1992)

Finding a global context (1994)

• Billions of people without basic services• Expectations from technical professionals

Key Learning at WEDC

• Understanding different perspectives• Learning about research and writing• From teaching to learning

Feeling the pride (2000)papers, books, funds …..

Rejecting the pride ..

All this bring the fame but where is the change?

So, who is benefitting from all this? Me?

Move to Practical Action (Intermediate Technology) (2006)

• Many projects on the ground• Strong Philosophy• A good name• Importance of young leadership

Work in Ouagadougou (2011)

• Working with CREPA/ WSA• Young Technical Professionals in Africa• Appreciating good ways of working

methods of Gates Foundation– Collaborative working– Innovation– Less writing more talking– Importance of change

Changing role of Technical Professionals

• Working for the majority – urban poor• From technology to systems – then technology• The issues are multidisciplinary in nature• From controlled conditions to the complex

realities• From knowledge to change• From a final book to an engagement process• An ability to understand the larger picture

Thanks to my teachers …

From NED (1985) to NED (2012) – NED say NED tak