School Visits OU to Learn about Development

On 26 November a group of local VI form students from Ousedale School visited the OU to attend Dr Henrietta Blackmore's seminar A New Focus on Results? Improving Basic Services in Ethiopia and Somaliland. The event formed part of the International Seminar Series organised by IKD and hosted by DPP.

During her introduction Dr Blackmore, who is Head of Save the Children's East Africa Regional Portfolio team, focused on the NGO's work in Ethiopia to discuss the ways in which the funding environment for overseas aid and development is becoming increasingly complex, and the fact that donors are continuing to introduce stricter requirements to demonstrate value for money and effectiveness.

In particular, she looked at contracting and payment by results mechanisms for delivering development and humanitarian projects, considering their possible impact, the challenges and risks posed, and the opportunities offered for implementers, donors and – most importantly – their partners.

Afterwards Dr Blackmore stayed behind to chat with the students, who expressed their gratitude for the chance to learn more about the world of development. The students reported that after their visit they were even more motivated to study international development. The experience it afforded will not only help their future plans, but also their current studies – as part of their extended project qualifications one of them is looking at women's issues in Zambia and another at health in Rwanda.

Read the full International Development Seminar Series schedule or view A New Focus on Results? Improving Basic Services in Ethiopia and Somaliland on our podcast page.