Mary Ann Clements: Dismantling Development

The Good Problem

Working in a sector that is traditionally seen as ‘doing good’ can mean that often, actions and behaviours that are not good at all, and in fact, cause harm are able to proliferate.

The international development sector is built upon colonial ideals and has traditionally perpetuated those through a harmful system of top-down do-gooding that actively suppresses development instead of encouraging it.

In recent times, voices speaking out against the system have gotten louder and louder, and in fact, a number of them have been guests on this podcast. Today, I’ve invited Mary Ann Clements on to the podcast. Mary Ann is one of AltoLearn's course creators, and is someone who has been speaking loudly about these issues for years now and actively interrogating her own role in the system. Mary Ann is currently Chief Transformation Officer (interim CEO) at ADD International.

She’s a feminist author, facilitator, activist, and coach and has spent two decades working in the international development sector.

She’s also the creator of Healing Solidarity, a project that brings together activists, practitioners, and thinkers interested in welcoming the change we need in international development practice and figuring out how to care for ourselves and one another in the process.