As part of their SSRC-funded Covid-19 research, Marlie Holtzhausen and Cori Wielenga examine what a relational approach can tell us about the efficiency of development interventions and how a relational approach can inform whether certain interventions are sustainable during a crisis. Looking at two development organizations in South Africa, they find that “success” for these organizations was not defined by a quantifiable measures like funds raised or people helped but by the dignity of the care and aid provided, which is possible thanks to a foundation of strong relationships.
Cori Wielenga
Cori Wielenga is a senior lecturer in the Department of Political Sciences and the deputy director of the Centre for the Study of Governance Innovation at the University of Pretoria. She holds a PhD in conflict resolution and peace studies from the University of KwaZulu Natal. Her research interest is in the intersection of state-led and grassroots justice systems during transitions. This has led to in-depth research on Rwanda’s gacaca courts, South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and comparative projects on the indigenous justice systems in South Africa, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Namibia.