The absurdity inherent in most ‘developmental aids’ given to so-called
‘Low and Middle Income Countries’(LMIC's) by the so-called ‘High Income
Countries' is typified by the real life story of the homeless man who was given
a pair of U.S.$100 boots by a police officer on the streets of New York.
The Police officer (who had the 'good-sense' of making sure his act of
‘giving’ was caught on camera) had been celebrated as a unique
‘man-of-compassion’ and mention had been made of the officer being nominated
for the Nobel Peace prize. Barely a week later, the same homeless man is, once
more, barefoot again.
Lesson: Tackle the system which made the man homeless and not just
give him shoes. For the LMIC’s where corrupt governments have rendered otherwise
vibrant and prosperous economies aid-dependent – tackle the corruption behemoth
and not give fake ‘international aids’ that ultimately trickle back to the same
banks from whence the ‘funds emanated in the first instance.
At the individual level, do not merely as the saying goes, give a man fish, rather teach him how to fish: at the State level, do not merely give dubious 'loans' and 'developmental aids', allow markets access and integrated development.
At the individual level, do not merely as the saying goes, give a man fish, rather teach him how to fish: at the State level, do not merely give dubious 'loans' and 'developmental aids', allow markets access and integrated development.
Picture: The New York city police officer's wasteful gift of a shoe to
a homeless man.
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