From Charity to Opportunity
At EWB we’ve been struggling with the question of how to build on people’s natural inclination to help those who are less fortunate than them to translate those intentions into actions that will lead to real impact. When it comes to the challenges faced by so many people in Africa, the charitable approach too often undermines dignity and creates dependence.
However, for many of us, a charitable instinct is what initially lights the flame. My first involvement in international development came when I was the class representative in University and I asked the class to sponsor a a child through world vision. It was this exposure – and the terrible feeling of having a representative come to my door (this was pre-internet days) with a collection of profiles and asking me which one we wanted to sponsor. Even then, that didn’t feel right. But it was a way into these issues.
The challenge with the charitable instinct as applied to Africa is that it usually manifests itself as a giving relationship – and this dominates the landscape. When charity complements a thriving business sector, it can catch those who fall through the cracks. But if charity overwhelms the business sector, it can undermine one of the key ways for people and countries to improve their lives.
When westerners give clothes, or toys, or money to people who have little, their motivations are good. However, that goodness can undermine the local textile industry, or can put small business that supply farmers out of a job because the farmer was given free fertilizer or seeds.
There are others who are working hard on this challenge of communicating these ideas more widely. Acumen Fund has produced a terrific video here that in 90 seconds captures the challenges as well as anything I’ve seen.
And there’s a new book out – The Aid Trap - that argues that until the west begins to treat the issues in many African countries as one of fostering broad based economic growth, people will be condemned.
It’s not a book I’d recommend to someone who wasn’t familiar with the issues already, but it is a book that I think will resonate with many EWBers who have seen the challenges firsthand.
The ideas in this video and book – and many others – reflect what is at the heart of EWB’s work – helping foster a widespread change in attitudes from Charity to Opportunity. We believe that we need Canadians of all walks of life to understand how they and how Canada can better foster positive change in Africa by seeking to contribute to opportunities.
It’s likely a long struggle – but one that will be needed if we are to see an end to extreme poverty in our lifetime.