Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Poverty in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, Argentina is a difficult place to be poor.

The government announced earlier in 2014 that poverty levels at the national level continue to decline. Between 2011 and 2012, the nation’s poverty levels dropped from 5.7 percent to 4.3 percent. However, the impoverished of Buenos Aires continue to experience hardships.

Despite a slight reduction in poverty in the first decade of the century, Buenos Aires’ residents considered to be either poor or extremely poor continue to heavily populate the city.

Rising food prices in recent years have contributed to the problem. Crime is also a common problem in and around Buenos Aires. According to a 2011 report, crime is considered to be “one of the biggest burdens facing residents.” Robberies, especially muggings at bus stops, as well as street violence and other shootings are not unordinary in part due to a lack of police presence in areas of the city and the metropolitan region’s poorer areas.

Not helping the level of poverty in Buenos Aires is the city’s inadequate housing. Much of the city’s substandard housing was built with second-hand materials. Some of the buildings were never even finished.

While the city’s water and sanitation levels are adequate, Buenos Aires’ general infrastructure is subpar. The metropolitan areas lack the necessary architectural support to withstand hazards and extreme weather events.

In addition to such shortcomings, notable discrepancies exist among the city’s wealthy and poor. Even though certain areas of Buenos Aires remain inadequate, the more wealthy parts of the city possess newer, stable infrastructure.

Like other regions in South America, Buenos Aires features an abundance of low-income housing on unstable land. This includes land with contamination, low-lying and flood-prone areas and land on or near landfills.

One of the government’s most notable criticisms is its indecision in implementing a national poverty line. Even though many developed and some developing nations maintain such a threshold, Argentina does not.

In recent years, the Argentinean government stated that six pesos, or roughly $1.30, are enough for a citizen to sustain an entire day’s worth of food. The statement drew outrage both domestically and internationally. Given the expenses of living in a city, the average Buenos Aires resident would face financial hardships subsisting on such an amount.

Recently, children inhabiting one of Buenos Aires’ most dangerous slums have utilized cricket and the competitive spirit of sport as a means to separate themselves from a life of poverty. The Caacupe cricket team has seen some of its players enter training sessions at private schools and even play internationally.

“You can really use it in life as well,” fourteen-year-old Alexis Gaona said in an Associated Press article from March. “From here you have a reference for the rest of your life.”

It is a silver lining in a city where being poor poses many challenges.

– Ethan Safran 

Sources: Buenos Aires Herald, Yahoo News, International Institute for Environment and Development, Worldbulletin
Photo: Flickr

Five Books About Poverty

Poverty is not heroic. It is cruel, unfair and undignified. Poverty is so often about numbers: 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty, and three billion live on less than $2.50 a day. Nearly 800 million suffer from hunger. It is so easy to get lost in the numbers and forget that all seven billion people in this world are human – complex, beautiful and wonderful. Literature tries to catalog and understand some of that complexity. Here are five books about poverty and the people who are victims of it.

Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat

Claire is born on the day her mother dies; “her birthday was also a day of death.” For years, her father implores wealthy Madame Gaelle, a fabric shop owner, to adopt his daughter. He needs to search for work and can’t provide for Claire. When Madame Gaelle finally agrees, Claire runs away.

She connects the residents of Ville Rose, Haiti. They – her father, ‘milk-mother,’ relatives and friends – search for her. As their loves and tragedies are unwound, the struggles of Haiti and its people are clearly, sympathetically revealed.

The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born by Ayi Kwei Armah

It is 1965, and the fledgling Ghanian government is a snakes nest of wealthy and ambitious elites. Corruption has swept the country. Our protagonist, an unnamed and humble railway station worker, is very much an ‘everyman.’ An honest man, he refuses bribes, choosing his integrity over money he desperately needs.

It is honesty that resigns him to poverty. He witnesses the rise of “the black masters,” as power hungry and ruthless as the colonists. He sees “the teacher” losing hope for a better Ghana. He must navigate life in post-colonial Ghana and its inherent chaos.

Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya

Nectar in a Sieve is the story of an Indian woman’s life from her marriage at 12 until her death. Though she is well educated, her poverty-stricken father marries her to a ‘good-hearted’ man much her senior.

She has six children, five of which are sons. While it is seen as an accomplishment she is commended for, she is not able to feed her children. Survival becomes the only goal for Rukmani. Her daughter marries early. Her sons look for any work they can find. Still, their fates are decided by unreliable weather, unpredictable harvests and the changing industry of the 20th century.

Brick Lane by Monica Ali

At age 18, Nanzeen is a garment worker – she lives and works in Bangladesh, sewing buttons and zippers. Sent to London, she is married to immigrant and complete stranger Chanu.

She does not speak English, and her husband sees no reason to teach her. Her children, he reasons, will teach her eventually. Though he is not unkind, her inability to speak English severely limits her independence. Uncomfortable outside the confines of her home, she never leaves it.

The centerpiece of the story is her passionate affair with a young man, Karim. The relationships between Nanzeen, her lover and her husband are tantamount. What happens when a woman is empowered to think beyond her traditional position? How does it affect the culture from which she comes? How will her daughters live, when their mother wants freedom and education for them?

City of God by Paulo Lins

During the 1960s, the Brazilian government moved many of its favelas outside city centers. One such slum was named City of God. In his semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, Paulo Lins describes life there.

The progression of violence from hold ups to drugs dealing, drug dealing to cartels and cartels to armed gangs is manifest in the lives of petty criminals and gangsters. They are trapped in a cycle of poverty and violence, living in what The Guardian calls “a picture postcard of hell.”

– Olivia Kostreva

Sources: Africa Book Club, The Guardian 1, The Guardian 2, Society of Women Engineers, New York Times
Photo: The Guardian

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Why You Should Donate Time

There are many ways to give to your charity of choice, but one of the most effective ways to give back is to donate time – that is to say, volunteer. Being generous with your time is beneficial to both you and to your cause of choice.

The effort to eliminate poverty worldwide would not have advanced as far as it has without the hard work of thousands of volunteers – and continued initiatives to reduce poverty will require more volunteers as well. Here are three reasons why you should donate your time.

1. Volunteering Benefits Charities

When volunteers give their time to an organization, it allows that organization to use the money it would have otherwise paid someone to do the same task to make improvements elsewhere. According to the University of California San Diego, an average volunteer hour is worth $15.39. Volunteering permits organizations to make intelligent decisions about where that money is better spent.

Giving your time also saves you money, allowing you to invest it in other causes as you see fit – it truly spreads the wealth in more ways than one.

2. You Reap the Rewards

As opposed to donating money, donating your time allows you to see first-hand the difference you’re making. Volunteering also allows you to meet new people, explore new causes and develop skills that may be useful to you later in life. Not only that, volunteers often end up learning lessons that stick with them throughout their entire lives and lead to other opportunities.

3. Your Community is Enhanced

No matter what cause you support, donating your time enhances your community in that it brings people together. Even if your efforts aren’t aimed locally (for instance, in nearby schools, youth programs or elderly facilities), working to better the world makes your community a better place to live. Engaging in service strengthens individuals’ sense of “civic responsibility” and encourages further investment into communities everywhere.

Donating time is one of the best ways to give back to not only your charity of choice but also your community. In 2013, over a quarter of Americans volunteered in some fashion. Increasing the number of volunteers — and the hours they spend volunteering — across the world is sure to make a difference for a number of causes, poverty-elimination included.

– Elise L. Riley 

Sources: University of California San Diego, Huffington Post
Photo: Flickr

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Top 7 Donors to Gaza and West Bank

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has stated that Palestinians in Gaza currently face an “enormous reconstruction task.” While rebuilding will probably be left up to humanitarian aid organizations, these organizations will depend on donations from the international community. International organizations play an important role in the economy of the Palestinian territories.

1. United States ($440 million)

Despite being in a difficult position in the Middle East, the United States is the largest donor to the Palestinian territories. On top of military aid to Israel, the U.S. has contributed humanitarian and economic recovery aid to the Gaza and West Bank in an attempt to alleviate poverty and suffering in those areas.

2. European Union ($370 million)

The European Union provides aid to the Palestinian territories in order to improve areas that are important in forming a thriving and peaceful state and relieving poverty. The European Union’s aid assists the Palestinian Authority in providing social assistance, supporting public service delivery, paying the salaries of public workers and supporting the private sector strengthens the rule of law and improves sanitation and water. Its total humanitarian assistance for Gaza and West Bank this year is at around $42.3 million. Two-thirds of this is allocated for emergency response and food assistance in Gaza.

3. UNRWA ($310 million)

UNRWA is seen mostly as a stabilizing agency in Gaza and West Bank, providing education, health care and food in those areas. Although Israel has accused the organization of being one-sided and members of U.S. Congress are concerned that U.S. aid to UNRWA could be funding Hamas, UNRWA has continued to provide services to Palestinian refugees in the Middle East.

4. United Kingdom ($136 million)

Although the United Kingdom believes that Israel has a right to self-defense, it is currently debating if they should still sell arms to Israel. Support from the United Kingdom for Gaza and West Bank is also large. In 2014, the United Kingdom will give $19 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority, which will be used to provide education needs as well as alleviate hunger and poverty in the Palestinian territories.

5. Japan ($76 million)

Japan is very outspoken in its support for the Palestinian territories. In July, Japan promised $5.5 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza to assist in distributing medicine, food and improving water and sanitation. Some of Japan’s 2014 bilateral aid spending will go to West Bank, improving public services in Jordan Valley and strengthening water infrastructure in Jericho City.

6. Germany ($55 million)

Germany’s aid programs in Gaza and West Bank highlight economic development, security, governance, environment and water infrastructure as important areas to work on. On top of strengthening institutions to provide and regulate water services, Germany works with the Palestinian Ministry of Women’s Affairs to empower women to take on management positions in the water sector. Germany also works with refugee communities in the West Bank and provides psychosocial support in Gaza’s schools.

7. France ($40 million)

Through the French Development Agency’s investments in water and energy, France has been supporting Gaza and West Bank humanitarian rebuilding efforts. Last year, France gave $25.7 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority. In July, President François Hollande stated that France would give almost $15 million to Gaza. Almost $11 million of that will go to the Palestinian Authority, and the rest will go to Gaza-based NGOs.

Christopher Gunness, a spokesman for UNRWA, said that the work ahead of them in reconstruction efforts is enormous. “Some estimates say as many as 10,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, affecting tens of thousands of people. So the catastrophic human displacement crisis is morphing into a homelessness crisis on a massive scale.”

– Colleen Moore

Sources: Devex, International Business Times
Photo: The Guardian

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Spotlight on Heifer International

Dan West was a farmer from America’s heartland when a church mission called him to the front lines of the Spanish Civil War. There he served war-weary refugees. Each were given a cup of milk per day, an amount West considered woefully inadequate. His solution was not more milk. It was more cows. In 1944, he founded Heifers for Relief, which proceeded to later become Heifer International. The organization seeks to end world hunger and poverty, one cow, sheep, goat and duck at a time.

The bulk of Heifer services is manifest through livestock. Donors can access an online catalogue of animals and purchase one for a family in need.

In many parts of the world, cattle provide a steady source of milk as well as a steady source of income through the selling of the excess. Sheep’s wool is spun into wool for clothing; the extra is sold. Water buffalo provide both milk and power by pulling plows to till soil. Yet Heifer International does not deal exclusively with large animals; they also have ducks, rabbits, fish and honeybees for purchase.

All animals come to families on two conditions. The first is that the family “pass on the gift.” The first female offspring of a family’s Heifer International livestock must be given to a neighboring family. Entire communities have been enriched this way. Heifer has touched over 20.7 million families. In fact, some Heifer animals can be traced back 22 generations.

The second condition is that the families receive animal-care training. Not all families aided by Heifer International are farmers, so they are taught to build pens and grow fodder, everything essential for the well-being of their animal.

While the organization is best known for its animal catalogue, it is involved in a wide variety of projects. For example, Heifer teaches communities sustainable farming practices and water conservation. Women are thus empowered to use their skills to become self-sufficient within their own communities.

Heifer International recently marked its 70th anniversary battling poverty and hunger. According to President and CEO Pierre Ferrari, “We know that smallholder farmers are the solution. We are proud of Heifer’s success, but there is still much to do.”

– Olivia Kostreva

Sources: Heifer International 2, Heifer International 3, Charity Navigator
Photo: Heifer International Flickr

Decriminalization of Drug Use and Sex Work

In its continued, seemingly amplified crusade against HIV, the WHO spoke out from convention by advising nations all over the world to reform their laws that inadvertently enable the spread of HIV/AIDS. Most notably, the WHO advised for the decriminalization of drug use, especially intravenous drugs, and protections for sex workers.

The report, titled “Consolidated Guidelines on HIV Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment and Care for Key Populations,” was released in July 2014 and contained the following declarations:

• “Countries should work toward developing policies and laws that decriminalize injection and other use of drugs and, thereby, reduce incarceration.”

• “Countries should work toward developing policies and laws that decriminalize the use of clean needles and syringes (and that permit needle and syringe programmes) and that legalize opioid substitution therapy for people who are opioid-dependent.”

• “Countries should work toward decriminalization of sex work and elimination of the unjust application of non-criminal laws and regulations against sex workers.”

• “Countries should work towards legal recognition for transgender people.”

• “Countries should work toward developing policies and laws that decriminalize same-sex behaviors.”

Each of the groups addressed in these statements, including sex workers, drug users, homosexuals and transgendered people, falls into the category of “key populations” at risk for HIV/AIDS. These populations also typically face laws and cultures that ostracize their lifestyles, leading to cycles of abuse and incarceration.

These factors create a formula that consistently punishes populations most in need of sound medical counseling, preventative education and medical treatment. As stated in the report, the key populations in question are “disproportionately affected by HIV in all countries and settings.”

Another notable aspect of the WHO’s report lies less in the substance of the text itself, but more so in the fact that it directly opposes the United Nation’s stance on the same issues. According to The Economist, the U.N. still holds to the 1988 position that every nation should dictate the criminalization of intentional possession and use of illegal narcotics under domestic law as it sees fit.

The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime shares the dissenting attitude toward the WHO’s report, as well, the idea that rehabilitation and societal reintegration tactics should be considered as alternatives to criminal sanctions.

Carefully worded, the report does not call for the legalization of activities such as drug use, but urges legal reform that focuses on rehabilitation versus criminalization.

In a statement to the Huffington Post, the senior adviser on strategy, policy and equity in the WHO’s Department of HIV Dr. Andrew Ball stated, “The guidelines recommend decriminalization of a range of behaviors of key populations…on public health grounds, so as to improve access to and utilization of health services, to reduce the likelihood of the adoption of riskier behaviors and to reduce incarceration rates.”

The HIV/AIDS world crisis is one of those issues that transcend border lines and cultures. The WHO has noted an increase in the number of cases in large cities in the United States, Europe, Asia and Africa. However, the poorest countries with the harshest incarceration laws, prominent cultural stigmas or least resources available are positioned to strongly heed the WHO’s reform considerations as they apply to each nation individually.

– Edward Heinrich

Sources: io9, Washington Blade, The Economist, Huffington Post, PRI
Photo: io9

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Five Charitable Companies

Corporations and charities aren’t two ideas that necessarily go hand in hand. Corporations generally exist to make money; charities give it away (or use it to give away items or resources to people in need). However, some companies do freely give their profits to charities, showing that even the corporations that make the biggest profits are also invested in people who make the least. Here are the five most charitable companies.

1. Kroger

The biggest grocery store chain in America is also one of its most charitable companies, in terms of percentage of profits. In 2010, Kroger donated more than 10 percent of its overall profits – approximately $64 million – to charities at both local and national levels. Kroger’s charitable endeavors include not only donations, but also employee volunteering efforts programs and participation in programs to feed the hungry. Kroger’s store loyalty card-holders can also choose local charities to which they would like a portion of their bill to be donated, allowing communities to rally around local causes.

2. Macy’s

Charity may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a company that sponsors showy events like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but this department store actually gives a significant amount of its profits to charities around the country. Macy’s consistently gives approximately $40 million annually to charitable organizations, and encourages its customers to give back around the holidays with its “Thanks for Sharing” campaign.

3. Walmart

Walmart giving does not total much of its overall profits (less than 1.5 percent, actually), but because this corporation is such a behemoth, its charitable donations, dollar for dollar, are more than almost any other company in the world – it was knocked down to #2 in 2013 by Wells Fargo. Walmart donates over $300 million per year to charity. The company also donates significant amounts of food to charities and hunger-prevention programs.

4. Goldman Sachs

Another surprising company that ranks high on the corporate giving list is Goldman Sachs. Despite its alleged role in causing the recession of 2008, Goldman actually works in some ways to prevent poverty by donating millions to charity. In fact, during a time period in which its own profits dropped by 35 percent, Goldman increased its charitable giving by a whopping 300 percent, bringing them to $315 million total. Though the company has been accused of using charitable donations to bolster their image after the fiscal crisis, the fact remains that few companies have donated more than Goldman.

5. Target

Target makes the top 10 charitable corporations list, with its donations coming in at five percent of total profits. Target’s employees are some of the most generous with their time as well, as Target runs a substantial employee service program. Target’s goal is to transform for the better every community with a Target store, and by giving to charities that support education, hunger prevention and public safety, they’re doing just that.

– Elise L. Riley

Sources: Forbes, Business Insider
Photo: CrainsNY

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A Masters in Public Health

While many young science-minded individuals focus their aspirations on medical school, a Masters in Public Health provides an opportunity for those passionate about healthcare to expand their expertise beyond the walls of a hospital into a variety of institutions and organizations.

The MPH focuses on leadership in public health–allowing graduates the ability to be hired in a number of outlets. From high-level roles in state, federal and international health organizations, to positions in research settings or the private sector, an MPH offers a versatile career path.

Participants acquire skills during the course of an MPH from a number of disciplines. Students become proficient in leadership, business, communication, education and medical subjects.

Typically the MPH degree takes two years to complete.

Any individual with an undergraduate degree may pursue a Masters in Public Health. Although it is not a clinical degree, an MPH is recognized by many states in the U.S. as an ancillary clinical professional degree. This means an individual with an MPH degree can perform certain functions in clinical and hospital environments apart from directly providing care.

Many hospital systems hire MPH staff to study disease trends with the intent of fighting infections, especially those that are hospital-based. Outside of the confines of hospitals, MPH’s are often valued in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology market research space–advising clients on trends and market potential.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention require the expertise of individuals with MPH degrees to manage both local and international disease outbreaks such as the current Ebola crisis in West Africa.

The demand for various types of public health professionals increases every year. With increased levels of research centered around sanitation and nutrition, governments are recognizing the need to understand the most efficient and cost-effective methods to improve the health of their population.

One of the most significant movements in the public health realm is an emphasis on education and preventative measures for countries struggling with public health issues.

For example in Cuba, the government has implemented an extremely effective public health system that pushes for education and prevention. Even without sophisticated technology, Cuba has been able to increase control of infectious diseases, reduce infant mortality, and make progress in the way of managing chronic disease.

In fact, Cuba’s life expectancy is the same as that of the United States–an impressive feat when comparing the infrastructure of the two countries.

An MPH offers a number of career paths in many industries. The need for the comprehensive degree is only expected to increase, especially as the international community continues to work together to fight infectious disease in developing countries.

– Caroline Logan

Sources: Online MPH Degree.net, Harvard School of Public Health: MPH Program, Oxford Journals, Upstate.edu
Photo: MPHDegrees

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What is AmeriCares?

AmeriCares
A good way to learn about an aid organization is to see it at work on a current issue. AmeriCares is one of the organizations currently sending aid to countries affected by the recent West African Ebola outbreak.

Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are directly involved in what is being called the largest recorded Ebola outbreak in history. At least 700 people have already died, with 1,300 more infected. What’s worse, there is no vaccine for Ebola and the fatality rate is almost 60 percent.

AmeriCares has sent three shipments of emergency medical equipment to the affected countries. The delivery weighed 2,700 pounds and included tens of thousands of surgical masks and caps, gloves and various medical supplies.

Support like this is desperately needed in the affected countries, as they are lacking in medical equipment and supplies. Liberia and Sierra Leone have stated that the demand for intravenous fluids is rapidly outnumbering the supply.

Luckily, in conjunction with Baxter International Inc., AmeriCares is sending enough intravenous fluid for 3,000 patients. This should cover everyone affected in both countries for the near future.

AmeriCares is a U.S. based non-profit founded in 1982. Its main goal is to provide direct aid assistance during times of crisis. According to their website, they “deliver medicines, medical supplies and humanitarian aid to a trusted network of clinics, hospitals and health care providers around the world.”

Even though direct aid during times of crisis is its main form of support, it still tries to foster sustainable healthcare practices and to “increase capacity, improve quality and provide more access to health care in the world’s poorest countries.”

This means giving medicine and medical attention to people that would otherwise not be able to afford it. For example, in Romania a boy with hemophilia was given the treatment of Factor VIII so that he could live a normal life. Or in Cambodia, where a woman with breast cancer now has access to the medicine and equipment necessary for her treatment.

AmeriCares’ website has dozens of examples of the everyday lives it changes by simply allowing for access to medical facilities and supplies.

Besides the recent Ebola outbreak, AmeriCares is working on other current crises: it has delivered $19.7 million in relief aid to the Philippines in response to the destruction caused by Typhoon Haiyan. It states that its money is used for, “medicines and medical supplies, antibiotics, chronic care meds, bandages, nutritional supplements, blankets and other relief supplies for hospitals and health centers.” AmeriCares sends volunteers to help in the relief effort, as well.

AmeriCares is also active in the Syrian Conflict. In June 2013, it sent a response team to Jordan and Turkey to assess the situation of Syrian refugees. So far, $2 million have been sent in medical aid for the refugee camps.

The amount of medical aid sent will help around 67,000 people affected by this crisis.

– Eleni Marino

Sources: The Guardian, It’s Relevant, AmeriCares, Charity Navigator
Photo: New York CBS

Martin Luther King and Ivan Illyich on Aid

Martin Luther King and Ivan Illyich give two very strong, yet seemingly opposing views about aiding someone from afar. While King suggests it is our duty to help, Illyich states that it is our duty to stay away before causing any more harm. How can aid be given that truly helps the recipients? Is that even possible?

King’s philosophy on the subject was taken from a letter written when he was placed in Birmingham Jail after participating in a nonviolent protest which he traveled from Atlanta to take part in. His skeletal argument was that one cannot rest if there is injustice anywhere and we have the right and duty to eliminate injustice for the sake of everyone.

Ivan Illyich expressed his view while speaking at the Conference InterAmerican Student Projects in Mexico, boldly telling his entire audience that what they are doing (volunteering abroad) was foolish and not helping anyone.

Although the arguments suggest opposite viewpoints, I don’t think the two authors would entirely disagree with each other.

Ivan Illyich gives very specific reasons for why “Latin American Do-gooders” are harming more than helping. Economically, the money used to operate groups of Americans going abroad could be put directly into the country they would be serving, rather than adding a “feel-good” factor for Americans.

Emotionally, those going abroad to serve are rarely educated about the culture in which they are serving and are diving in headfirst to areas where they are unwanted “there is also a gulf between what you feel and what the Mexican people feel that is incomparably greater.” He recognizes that their intentions are pure, but states that good intentions are not enough, the title of the speech being “To Hell with Good Intentions.”

Illyich would not have “called King out” on his work away from home or even his reasoning behind it. King does make many general statements about how fighting injustice that directly affects you is not good enough, but his efforts, in his situation, would have been justified by Illyich.

King opens up answering the question to why he was in Birmingham Jail, why he bothered visiting Birmingham, and already separates himself from the Illyich “Do-gooder.” King was invited by an organization he was affiliated with. From the start, King had a direct link to his cause and an invitation for entry.

King was not coming into the situation with an absence of true empathy, blinded by his need to help. He was fighting the same injustices he was personally facing at the time. In his letter, he states:

“When you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never knowing what to expect next, and plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of “nobodyness” — then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.”

Martin Luther King would pass Illyich’s standards for having the right to aid others: he was aiding a cause he was directly affected by. But how can others pass those standards? Or do we even need to have the “approval” of Ivan Illyich, when we could just go by King’s standards of aiding other people?

The root of both arguments come from the standards of solidarity amongst people. King argues that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and “whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly”, overall implying that we must stick together as mankind and should not be satisfied when our fellow man is troubled.

Illyich’s argument, while suggesting the opposite action as King’s, uses the lack of solidarity to argue his point: we should stay away from “helping” others, because we don’t truly know what they need, and in the end we cause more harm than good:

“If you have any sense of responsibility at all, stay with your riots here at home. Work for the coming elections: you will know what you are doing, why you are doing it and how to communicate with those to whom you speak.”

What it comes down to is how connected one feels with those they are working with. Do we see them as fellow people trying to make ends meet or do we see them as victims who can only be helped by an outside hand? Are we working with equal partners or charity recipients?

Not only is it important to know what aid recipients are going through, but it is equally important to know the economic and cultural impact being made through the work being done, which is where Illyich’s intended audience usually falls short. It is impossible to truly see through the eyes of others and to know exactly how they feel about the help coming in, but the least that can be done is to do everything in your power to understand the impact being made.

If international aid is done thoughtfully, then the good intentions being done are not backed only by empty deeds.

 – Courtney Prentice

Sources: Swaraj, University of Pennsylvania
Photo: Robbbeck