What Happens Next?: Why Development Programmes and Social Enterprises Must Take a Longer View to Create Lasting Impact
November 12, 2026
Every year, development organizations and social enterprises invest in programs and products designed to help people build more secure lives, developing clear targets and reporting measurable outputs as their work progresses. But as John Kennedy Philip at Shishu Mandir argues, people’s lives do not follow project timelines, and output numbers do not always tell us whether change will last. He explores how social programs and enterprises can take a longer view, providing support beyond the end of a project or the delivery of a beneficial product, while ensuring that this support builds skills and confidence, not dependency.
