Mapping for Results: Pinpointing Anti-Poverty Programs

Apr 22nd, 2011 12:28 PM UTC
By Sara Tansey

You’ve heard the arguments before. Foreign assistance—whether funded by US programs or global institutions like the World Bank—is a waste of money. Bureaucrats are out of touch with what’s happening on the ground, and the help never reaches those who need it most. We know how much we’ve accomplished, and how important our support is. But the chorus resounds: why should we support these programs when we don’t know where the money is going?

Now we do. The World Bank recently launched its Mapping for Results Platform, offering a great visualization of where and how its programs are helping. The platform breaks down the World Bank’s investments by country and sector.

Mapping for Results isn’t designed for policy wonks and geocoding geeks—quite the opposite. It’s a resource for students, concerned citizens, and anyone interested in seeing how foreign assistance operates beyond statistical tables. More importantly, it’s educating people worldwide about projects taking shape in their own communities. Citizens can get involved in new initiatives and hold their governments accountable for funds received—without reading through pages of dreary reports.

This video explains the links among geography, aid, and empowerment—and encourages other organizations to join the movement:

Mapping for Results eliminates some of the drudgery associated with foreign assistance. It unearths the programs buried in technical documents and places them squarely on the map. Development initiatives are doing plenty of good across the globe—you just have to zoom in.

TAGS: Policy News