International Aid - the right way!

Hi all!

I had an interesting conversation with a friend the other day. I mentioned watching a video of Kenyan man’s negative take on International Aid. My friend asked, “Why would anyone think that international aid is negative?” After watching the video and being in Uganda I actually have an answer.

The man in Kenya has watched the children of his village grow up in a time where war and climate forced people to rely on aid. This is fine in the short run, but can have dire consequences over long periods of time. The children of his village are now used to living on the aid and do not possess the skills necessary to survive, should that aid stop. I too have come to the conclusion that aid, when possible, should be provided in a way that encourages and enables the people of that region to provide for themselves. It is much like the “give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime” saying.

This is just one of the reasons I support the IC. They work with the people of Gulu and help provide programs that are focused on long-term goals and programs that encourage the children to take responsibility for their future. They do not hand out money or clothes or food. They hand out scholarships to schools for students who are motivated. The money was raised by American high school students who are in turn learning to see a world bigger than themselves. They provide self-sustaining jobs, such as bracelet makers, where the selling of one bracelet provides the worker’s wages and materials for more bracelets. They provide saving and investment programs so that employees can save for the future of their children. They are three kids from San Diego who wanted to see a change – and instead became one.

“ In education we develop a whole human being into a full participant in the development of their country. It is only through education that we can be able to raise the next generation that can become self-reliant…”