Dear JLI -

In our JLI class, we talked a lot about leadership and our roles as leaders. A friend of mine told me about this situation she recently encountered and didn't know how to handle it.

She works for an organization that deals with helping citizens in 3rd world countries get a leg up. Her role specifically is to take the donors to the organization to visit the sites where their funds are going. On one such trip, the group was visiting an NGO that supports and empowers sex-workers by giving them skills in English language, computer training and other education on safe sex and labor rights. Of course, this is a difficult situation for us as Americans to deal with because of our clear sense of moral certitude.

Upon bringing the group of donors to meet these sex-workers, one of the donors on the trip was extremely vocal and judgemental about the NGO's work and their approach. The donor felt that the NGO should have been working to rehabilitate sex workers and that the efforts to make their jobs safe were misguided and morally wrong. The donor made her opinions very public to the entire group. She and others began to take pictures and disrespect an earlier request to be patient and sensitive with these women and specifically not take photographs.

The situation was particularly challenging because of the dynamic between my friend's aid organization and the community, and between her as a staff member and the donors. The problematic donor had given a substantial gift to the organization, and she feard insulting her, but at the same time feared creating a strained relationship between her organizaation and the people they are committed to helping.

What should she have done in the situation?