When I read the subject title of Charles Kelly's announcement I was
reminded of a short paper I once wrote: "A Case for micro-funding: Natural
disaster preparedness and prevention in island states". It makes the case
for the funding of small projects in small places and for not always
responding to (the threat of) massive disasters with massive projects. It
is a case that is currently relevant in the Caribbean, for example, as
large islands and tiny islands of the groups and archipelagoes have again
been thrashed by recurrent hurricanes; and it is a case that I have
repeated many times and not only in the context of islands. Numerous
projects for locally identified "preventive" measures would involve the
positive direct participation of numerous communities anywhere.
Charles Kelly's subject title could apply to such a funding programme. The
reality is that the small grants are for researchers, a policy with which
I have no argument. I can understand, however, the frustration of people on
the ground so to speak, desperate to reduce their vulnerability but who
perceive themselves as unlikely to benefit from remotely administered
funding in centres and organisations distant to them - or who see the
shortcomings on the ground of remotely identified projects.
I would be interested to know if their are programmes for natural hazard
micro-funding anywhere; meanwhile I have to admit to some small personal
disappointment, again, that the case for project micro-funding had not been
taken up in this instance !
James Lewis
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