How Ordinary People Make Aid Work : Civic Engagement and Health Aid Effectiveness

How community organizations and civic engagement drive the success of global health aid. What makes health-related development assistance truly effective?In How Ordinary People Make Aid Work, Stefan Kruse argues that the answer lies in the power of ordinary citizens.By examining the role of community organizations and social movements, Kruse challenges conventional approaches to aid, showing that true accountability requires more than institutional reforms or participatory spaces that offer citizens a seat at the table. Through rigorous analysis and compelling case studies, the book reveals how traditional forms of exercising voice-especially in politically challenging contexts-drive the success of donor-funded health projects.Kruse demonstrates that reducing infant mortality since the 1990s owes more to an engaged citizenry than to formal accountability mechanisms.Surprisingly, state capacity and democratic institutions show little effect on the success of health aid once citizen invo