ABSTRACT
In a reflective personal narrative, Lynd describes his youthful ambitions implementing a national teacher training program in Africa, only to discover that “input-based thinking” and hard work are not enough to make change happen. Confronted by weak government capacity, corruption, and other markers of “a fragile state,” Lynd describes his realization that lasting results require more than traditional project planning approaches. His essay proposes strategies for thinking more deeply about our work, and it closes with examples of alternative approaches to project design.
