The revelations about sexual exploitation by senior Oxfam staff have been shocking. As the Prime Minister has said, their behaviour has been horrific and far below the standards expected of a major charity receiving taxpayer’s money.
Organisations like Oxfam claim to help the world’s poorest, most vulnerable people often facing the aftermath of war or natural disasters. However, they have been exposed covering up their own staff using their powerful positions to exploit these same people.
This week, Oxfam’s leadership was grilled in Parliament and they are now barred from bidding for new public money whilst current funding is reconsidered. All other aid charities receiving public money have been told to open up about any cases they have tried to hide too.
Those who support our aid budget will be as appalled by these revelations as those who want it scrapped. Inevitably, many now question whether the UK should be spending aid at all. It is always right to ask whether taxpayer’s money is being used properly, all the more so when we see evidence of misuse.
Last month, the new International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, set out her approach on this. She recognised that checking how aid money is spent is vital but that we must do more. Other countries governments failing to take responsibility for their own people should be called out, and aid relationships should work for the UK too.
Having spent time volunteering at a school in Bangladesh and sponsoring a child from war-torn Sierra Leone through the excellent Kids in Kailahun charity, based in Pendle, I have seen how aid projects can genuinely help.
I also know how much help people in these countries need and think we should offer that to them. Charity may start at home but for a relatively wealthy country like the UK, it should not end here.
My view is that it is the thousands of smaller charities like Kids in Kailahun that are best at helping people in genuine need. They are far less likely to waste money on big salaries and expensive promotional activity. I will continue to back their work and call for our government to support more small charities like them.