Last modified on Sat 22 May 2021 02.17 EDT
One of the world’s largest children’s rights charities has admitted it “made a number of mistakes” when it left Sri Lanka abruptly last year, amid accusations it had misled the public and donors and failed 20,000 vulnerable children in the country.
Former employees and provincial governors who spoke to the Guardian described Plan International’s exit as “irresponsible”, “cynical and indefensible”.
Child sponsors, who provided most of Plan International’s funding in Sri Lanka, said they were “shocked and disappointed” by the charity’s handling of its departure and the lack of transparency over the impact of the move on the children.
May 10, 2021 at 9:34 am
Covid-19 has been a lengthy wake-up call. It is a loud and costly reminder of our lack of preparedness. One of many crucial questions this deadly pandemic is confronting us with pertains to the real definitions of human development, wealth, and power.
When militarily powerful and rich countries, like the United States, find themselves in the unenviable position of leading the world in terms of the number of overall Covid-19 cases and deaths, then it is only befitting to ponder whether wealth and power, in their current form, are convincing indicators of development. While the US scrambled to contain the spread of the virus, much poorer countries like Cuba, Vietnam, and even Rwanda continue to lead the way in combating the deadly disease.
Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, 37, the son of Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno, is seen during a military broadcast announcing the death of his father on state television Tuesday, April 20, 2021. (Tele Tchad via AP)
NIAMEY, Niger (AFP) Chad’s new leader, General Mahamat Idriss Deby, on Monday made his first visit to Niger, a fellow Sahel country fighting jihadist insurgents, since coming to power at the head of a military junta after the shock death of his father last month.
The junta took charge on April 20 after President Idriss Deby Itno, Chad’s 30-year leader, died fighting rebels.
After arriving in Niamey, the Niger capital, the 37-year-old general held talks with newly elected President Mohamed Bazoum, an aide to Bazoum said.
Mahamat Idriss Deby, son of late Chadian President Idriss Deby, attends his father’s state funeral in N’Djamena, Chad, April 23, 2021. Christophe Petit Tesson/Pool via REUTERS
Chad’s new leader, General Mahamat Idriss Deby, on Monday, made his first visit to Niger, a fellow Sahel country fighting jihadist insurgents, since coming to power at the head of a military junta after the shock death of his father last month. x
The junta took charge on April 20 after President Idriss Deby Itno, Chad’s 30-year leader, died fighting rebels.
After arriving in Niamey, the Niger capital, the 37-year-old general held talks with newly elected President Mohamed Bazoum, an aide to Bazoum said.