I grew up in Zambia and have worked in Africa and Asia for over fifteen years so I have seen how little it takes to improve many peoples’ lives. Taxpayers, philanthropists and the people they are trying to help deserve at least as much management competence, accountability and efficiency as stakeholders in the private sector. Mismanagement in the development sector is even more crucial since you are trying to save and improve lives. The best intentions are sometimes no match for poor infrastructure and stifling layers of bureaucracy, corruption and mismanagement. It is also harder to be openly critical of people or organisations that are trying to do good, but change and improvement require an open and honest dialogue.

The lives of so many are improving thanks to globalisation, more accountability and transparency, plus a more experienced, professional and pragmatic development industry. Local economies are becoming viable and vibrant as more people have access to healthcare, education, information and financing while their countries' resources have improved access to global markets. The increasing competition for land, water and commodities will bring new challenges as some countries agressively put their own strategic needs ahead of the needs of the world's most vulnerable.