"...wanting to do something to help is no excuse for not knowing the consequences of what you're doing."
An article at TIME.com engages the help that people send to poor countries... And questions the ability to positively impact the poor. To really help.
In a world where we often think that our leftovers, the unwanted items and slightly used or broken goods, could be better used and appreciated by those in Africa or Asia, people are starting to challenge that.
“Eat that food, Sally. There are starving children in Africa.” IS it better for a starving child in Africa to get your left-over cheeseburger? What will that do for him? Is it going to give him the nutrients to survive into adulthood? Will he even have the ability to survive tomorrow, after not getting another free left-over cheeseburger? And is a greasy cheeseburger really what he needs?
Living and working in East Africa, in eastern DR Congo for almost two years – has certainly opened up my eyes to a lot of things – to some ugly things. And I don’t mean just the impact of war, living after rape or abuse, even malnourished children or starving older adults. I’ve also come face to face with the damage that humanitarian and non-government organizations (NGOs) have done, and are doing.
A day does not go by where people don’t ask me for things: For candy, money, the shoes on my feet, the skirt I’m wearing. Almost daily, young children scream, “Monique!” when they see me. M.O.N.U.C. is the UN’s force here in the DR Congo. “Monique” is a poor pronunciation of “M.O.N.U.C.”
Why do children often shout MONUC when they see me? Because I’m clearly not Congolese. And so they think I work with MONUC. And to the children, MONUC means cookies, candy, sweets, treats… Even money.
It’s not just children. Men and women, even old men and women, will ask for things. This is not because the culture here breeds lazy or greedy people. It’s not because they think they are entitled to something from anyone and everyone. But it’s because this is what people have been shown. This is what they’ve been taught.
Just like the missionaries taught that it is a downright sin to have a drink or taste of alcohol, of any kind, if you really are a true Protestant (Catholics are exempt from this no-alcohol rule) – the UN and NGOs have taught that foreigners are here with handouts. That is the message that the people have received. And the people live and breathe by it. You will not ever catch a good Protestant with a glass of beer, wine or anything – especially those that have stayed in Beni most of their lives, or are older than 40… They know that they will be committing a terrible sin (as the white missionaries taught them, instead of explaining moderation and self-control!). And people will continue to expect cookies and sweets from foreigners, as long as MONUC and NGOs continue to throw things at the people (is that their solution??).
So, what does it do to people here, to have bags and bags of free t-shirts given to the community? Well, without question, one person (or a small group) will get a hold of them all – and start selling them. I often see the mosquito nets that are packaged and donated by NGOs like Unicef, to help prevent Malaria – sold along the side of the road - $5, or $15. There were meant to be free, to help those who couldn’t afford to purchase a mosquito net, still get one, and prevent their children from dying of the disease. But they are for sale. And the poor still can’t afford to buy mosquito nets.
But that is a tangent that I shouldn’t go on now. I’m talking about t-shirts from the West, here in Beni.
Sometimes it’s surprising to see how many women do not wear kikwembes (the traditional dress), that they have worn for generations. However, three yards of fabric (about how much one woman uses on her Kikwembe) costs about $8-10. And to have it tailored, is an additional $5-10, depending on what is done to the dress.
A junky second-hand Green Bay Packers t-shirt can cost $1-5. (I have not seen any Cubs, Bears or Vikings gear here – just the good old Packers, one Washington Redskins shirt and lots of hockey jerseys, the teams I couldn’t begin to remember)
One dollar? That’s a great price for a mother, or child or parent. However, what is it doing to the local economy? One man or woman just made a dollar. Another only had to spend a dollar to get a shirt that will be worn much longer than it should. But what about the woman who sells fabric in the market? And the tailor? There are so many tailors and people selling beautiful fabrics – too many, really. And not many make very much money. Partially because competition is so high (all offer the same product, the same service at the same price, so there is no differentiation). Also, it’s cheaper to buy some crummy beat up shirt than it is to buy something locally that will last lots longer.
And that’s one of the problems with shipping our unwanted goods into poor countries. They just get overloaded with unwanted things, nothing that they exactly need or that will truly benefit them. It’s just our left-overs. And how much good does that really do?
This is not to say that I think we should stop supporting poor, war-torn or developing countries or sending aid. Not at all! But my wish, my desire, is that we would really evaluate WHAT it is that we are sending or doing, and WHAT the impact of that will be on the communities. I don’t think humanitarian aid should cease. But I do think we need to be careful of what we do, and how we do it. Our thought should be on how the aid can help the person who receives it – and not just on us being able to unload our garbage somewhere.
I must say, I do like seeing the Green Bay Packers t-shirts (yes, there are multiple!). It makes me smile and it reminds me of where I’ve come from – a place that the people wearing the shirts, know nothing about! If only they knew how cold it can get there!!
Alright well I think I’ve rambled on enough for one day… I hope you’ll read the article. And hopefully you’ll understand a bit of my heart, my perception… through my words.
With Love,
Bethany
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