In South Africa, our democracy and governance programs played a key role in the peaceful transition from apartheid to a non-racial democracy. We helped train 200 mediators to facilitate a problem-solving dialogue and to help people negotiate differences. 2,600 grassroots workers were trained in conflict resolution for the same purpose. We supported the development of indigenous NGOs to help nurture a civil society that could support democratic rule. Despite the skeptics, South Africa made it through its transition without the bloodbath many predicted.
Development programs can help address explosive social issues.
While many people may not see the link between literacy, environmental, economic, or health programs and conflict, when you work on the ground these links become self-evident. For example, we deal with property rights and land tenure issues. We see a similar pattern with many environmental and health issues. To people in the United States, the environment means dealing with national parks and clean air. But to people in the developing world, these issues are crucial to their livelihoods and their way of life.