In this book, the former coordinator of the Technical Assistance Project of the African Association for Literacy and Adult Education (AALAE) provides an insider's account of the corruption, political management, and organizational mismanagement of the AALAE in 1991-1996. Chapter 1 introduces six myths regarding nongovernmental organizations (NGOs): NGOs have the capacity to reach the poor and vulnerable; NGOs are better placed than governments to address the needs of the poor and vulnerable; NGO work is characterized by innovation and flexibility; NGOs have greater potential than government bureaucracies in empowering people at the grassroots to achieve self-reliant development; African NGOs are people's organizations; and NGOs complement governments' development efforts. These are among the topics discussed in chapters 2-12, which systematically expose each myth, are as follows: ownership of the AALAE; organizational dysfunction; roots, causes, and essence of the AALAE's current crisis; action by donors and partners; the AALAE audit; issues uncovered; and lessons learned. Fifteen tables/figures are included. Appended are the following: questionnaire used to survey of AALAE members on the AALAE's reorganization; survey findings; chronological account of the AALAE's crisis; case study of program mismanagement; and list of executive council members. The book contains 187 references. (MN)