My point is that EVEN IF the donor gives funds towards a project which is immediately looted by those receiving the donation, it is not the donor's fault. The b

My point is that EVEN IF the donor gives funds towards a project which is immediately looted by those receiving the donation, it is not the donor's fault. The blame for this would still lie squarely on the shoulders of the locals who looted the project to their own detriment. One of the issues with the thinking around community projects is the propensity to consider beneficiaries of donations as though they can't possibly do anything wrong - so the thinking goes that if a project fails the blame should never be placed on the beneficiaries - it can be placed on donors, the intermediate agencies, monitoring agencies.. EVERYONE apart from the beneficiary. I am not supportive of such an approach. I think it is far more helpful in the long run to make it very clear to the folks in these areas that if the donations made to them are misused that it will impact all donations in the future - that it is contingent upon them to ensure that the donations are well used, that the equipment is protected etc.. and that there are real consequences to not doing that. That is, treat them as adults - not as infants. Make them accountable. Stop pussyfooting around talking about tough issues. Have people explain why something was allowed to be looted etc.