Corruption exists in all societies. Corruption is a violation of public trust for personal gain. It affects the everyday life of individuals at all levels of society, though they may not be aware of it because they have never known anything else. When many people participate in corruption, system integrity breaks down and some people resort to corruption to survive. Corruption is a development issue because it erodes the infrastructure, threatens economic competitiveness and public health and safety, and undermines accountability and trust.
Unfortunately, numerous NGOs start up and then fail because the passion of the founder is not supported by a sustainable organization. There are countless examples of worthwhile projects that failed because steps were not taken to build an infrastructure to support service growth. Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) can make a difference by helping promising NGOs develop the organizational strength required to achieve their missions.
This training provides Volunteers with a process that helps people help themselves. This simple process is effective when applied to an activity, such as a training or counseling session; or a project, such as organizing community gardens, building latrines or water systems, or increasing immunization coverage.