I understand appealing to emotions, but why appeal with this picture?
I’ve always wanted to join the Peace Corps and fight poverty and corruption on the ground level. It’s not out of fear that I’ve hesitated. Fear of seeing so much suffering, danger of being captured as an American aid worker or loneliness in such a huge change in lifestyle. I have great admiration for those who do step out of their environment to help others.
I just don’t necessarily believe that aid workers are doing much long term good. Most of the relief that the NGOs are delivering tend to be short term. Of course, children need immediate vaccination, and northern countries of Sub-Saharan Africa need food and shelter to survive through the civil wars and food shortages. But how much are the NGOs providing in terms of long term industrial development? Infrastructure building? Skills training and education? Sometimes, it seems that major US and Chinese corporations are doing more in road and communications development than any nonprofit agency. Yes, they’re doing it for selfish reasons but what lovely side effects.
At the end of the day, I personally feel like such volunteerism leads more to egotistical superiority than any sustainable development for the people I could have helped.
I’ve left my comfortable life to live in a mosquito infested village, helping vaccinate people against malaria and educating women about HIV prevention. What have you done lately?
Or this picture...
Well, yes, you have been altruistic/self-sacrificing to help those in need. But what happens to them after you leave? Are you going to continue keeping in touch with the families you’ve aided? What will they do if someone doesn ‘t come to replace your position?
The process just seems so convoluted. You join the Peace Corps and think you’re aiding some poor bloke in Ethiopia or Malaysia or Nicaragua (not that there aren’t programs in more developed nations). The NGOs operate the best they can within the web of political agendas. Developing nations are struggling to provide the basic services, while fighting guerilla movements/militants, debt/interest, corruption and a whole host of other problems. The guerilla warriors are revelling in their power and not at all helping ‘those they represent.’ OECDs are lending money to these nations with strict stipulations that don’t lead to sustainable development. All the while, they’re making money off incredible loans and interest rates.
Conclusion: the people who really need aid are fucked. They don’t have a voice, and all the other parties can’t get on the same page. And now with a global recession and OECDs worrying about their own debt and development problems, who’s going to think about the starving and dying in Kenya, Brasil or Kyrgyzstan?
I mean our Salvation Army and Goodwill donations have actually dessimated the textile industry in Zambia. How fucked up is that?
How do we get out of this vicious cycle? How do we focus on long term development, education and job training instead of the basic necessities of food, vaccination and water? What can I do to form a better solution?
And not more images like this?
