Want to know the latest about who is going to jail, or where IICD tuition money goes, or how IICD fits into the rest of the Tvind family?
For anyone who wants in depth information on the parent group behind IICD, known as Tvind, please check out the Tvind Alert web site.
The folks who maintain that site are mostly former participants in the teacher's group or former volunteers with programs like IICD. They have conducted years of research on the shadowy financial and political world behind IICD.
The site is still in development, but you'll find fabulous information there as well as a few mysteries still to be solved.
March 31, 2009
March 30, 2009
Why the IICD Truth Blog?
Over 20 years ago, in 1987, I joined up with the Institute for International Cooperation and Development (IICD) because I wanted to volunteer in Africa.
The program made sense on paper-- 2 months preparing in Massachusetts, 5 months in Tanzania, planting fruit trees, and then 2 months back in the US, educating people about Africa.
But almost from day one, there were problems. We studied ki-swahili, but were eventually sent to Zambia where that language is not spoken. We were woken up at 2 am by a group of Danish people (the Tvind members who run the school) and informed that our group leaders were changing. We were sent out to do crazy fundraising tasks including working on a race track.
Things went from bad to worse when we got to Africa. We were stuck in Kenya for a month due to visa problems. Then we were sent to Zambia with no preparations about Zambian language, culture, or ecology. The project we worked on planted trees that were not suited to the local environment.
Since then, I have conducted extensive research on IICD, including careful review of IICD and CCTG form 990s (available for free on Guidestar). I have visited IICD projects in Zimbabwe, and re-visited the project I worked on in Zambia. I have spoken with dozensof IICD former volunteers. I researched IICD for the book I co-wrote, How To Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas (Penguin, 2002).
My conclusion: IICD is part of a cult like organization, known by its Danish name, Tvind. Volunteers are used to pay program fees, and they are given inadequat training. The development projects by the affiliated organization, Tvind, are largely unsustainable. To the extent that good work goes on at IICD it is dispite, not because of, the organization.
Potential volunteers should be aware of the problems with IICD. I have notified the IRS of potential tax fraud with the organization.
If you are a current or former volunteer, I welcome your comments. By sharing our different experiences and perspectives, we can get at the truth.
The program made sense on paper-- 2 months preparing in Massachusetts, 5 months in Tanzania, planting fruit trees, and then 2 months back in the US, educating people about Africa.
But almost from day one, there were problems. We studied ki-swahili, but were eventually sent to Zambia where that language is not spoken. We were woken up at 2 am by a group of Danish people (the Tvind members who run the school) and informed that our group leaders were changing. We were sent out to do crazy fundraising tasks including working on a race track.
Things went from bad to worse when we got to Africa. We were stuck in Kenya for a month due to visa problems. Then we were sent to Zambia with no preparations about Zambian language, culture, or ecology. The project we worked on planted trees that were not suited to the local environment.
Since then, I have conducted extensive research on IICD, including careful review of IICD and CCTG form 990s (available for free on Guidestar). I have visited IICD projects in Zimbabwe, and re-visited the project I worked on in Zambia. I have spoken with dozensof IICD former volunteers. I researched IICD for the book I co-wrote, How To Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas (Penguin, 2002).
My conclusion: IICD is part of a cult like organization, known by its Danish name, Tvind. Volunteers are used to pay program fees, and they are given inadequat training. The development projects by the affiliated organization, Tvind, are largely unsustainable. To the extent that good work goes on at IICD it is dispite, not because of, the organization.
Potential volunteers should be aware of the problems with IICD. I have notified the IRS of potential tax fraud with the organization.
If you are a current or former volunteer, I welcome your comments. By sharing our different experiences and perspectives, we can get at the truth.
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