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Contribution short abstract:

This paper explores the boundaries of development organisations in a case study of two NGOs working on youth employment in rural Uganda. Organisational boundaries are blurry as consortia work together on projects, build on previous projects, and often depend on work of various outside actors.

Contribution long abstract:

Where does the world of international development projects start or end? On an organisational level, development tends to ‘arrive’ in the form of planned interventions that turn into projects that are pioneered by development organisations, partner organisations, or implementing organisations. It is typical that one project is done by multiple organisations co-working, while those organisations are simultaneously working on other projects in other collaborations. In addition, development is temporally stretched out, as organisations use lessons, infrastructure, personnel, partnerships from previous projects they worked on – sometimes literally copying them. Also in terms of those who are working in development – the employees or development workers – it may be quite unclear who is working for, working with, or is on the receiving end.

Based on a study with two development organisations in Uganda, this paper explores these boundaries. It follows an ethnography of development approach with an agricultural development organisation and a direct cash transfer and graduation programme that are both working on promoting decent work in rural areas. This paper argues for better understanding of the world of work in international development organisations, and how this understanding affects development as a concept both in theory and in practice.