Help me understand please! Third world countries...

[Goose and Fig]

In lieu of making donations to third world countries, I tend to support fair trade. Especially when it comes to women that are trying to earn a decent living to support their families. There were 2 stores in Cleveland that I would always go first when I wanted something unique & handmade. Everyone that works at the stores are volunteers. They also have a website.

http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/

 

[Wifezilla]

the only charity that I know of at the moment that I would give money to is Heifer.org - they don't give people money, or schooling, or things like that, they give people cows and chickens and geese, ducks, sheep, rabbits, etc

There is another organization that sets women up with chickens....
http://www.careinternational.org.uk/11090/afghanistan/care-in-afghanistan.html

In lieu of making donations to third world countries, I tend to support fair trade.

Another excellent suggestion. I buy from here...
http://www.agbangakarite.com/about_ftsb.php​

 

[Sunny Side Up]

You're right, that Global Rich List is but one way of comparing wealth. But the fact remains that even the poorest US citizen is better situated than a majority of the world's population. These are good questions and this is an extremely complicated issue that deserves the attention of all of us. There are things we can do by voting with our dollars, and by communicating our concerns to those who want our political vote. If you're concerned about greed and corruption spoiling your donations you may want to consider a faith-based charity such as Samaritan's Purse. They work to benefit those in need both in the US and around the world. Check out their gift catalog at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Giving/gift_catalog/c-7-gift-catalog.aspx Item #22 is a clutch of baby chicks.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

The terms some of you are looking for are relative vs absolute poverty. For example, and I am not talking about Xbox here, people here would be considered extremely poor without indoor plumbing, people in other countries do without as a matter of course.

In many other poorer countries school is not public or paid for so people cannot go at all if their family cannot pay for it. It does not mean going to college it means learning to read and write and do basic arithmetic. One of the clearest ideas that has been learned over the years is that educating women, teaching them how to read and write, teaching them basic business skills and then giving them what are referred to as micro loans is the best means of elevating the standards of living for the entire village.

The problem in many of these countries is outside interference in terms of other countries arming some groups and not others, or interfering with the country's ability to trade. It is like Native Americans here, shoved onto land no one wanted because it was uninhabitable and too arid to farm they are then blamed for not being self sustaining.

Perhaps we should not ever give charity to anyone because we spend huge amounts of time attempting to determine who is the deserving poor from those we decide are undeserving. The arrogance in the assumption that we have the right to make that choice simply because we were fortunate enough to be born in a country with a stable government and economy still stuns me.. (Yes, despite its problems right now it is a stable currency.)

Look at world systems theory and see how some countries really abuse other countries and then slam them for needing charity. Everything a charity, designed to do good, does can be undone in an instant by another country sending in troops or stealing water. Do we simply forget any of our obligations to do good? DO we refuse to help anyone because we might be wrong about their deserving? Personally, I am very careful about my charities and if people choose to donate only at home, that is great, but don't refuse to donate elsewhere because of a misunderstanding..... there could be one girl who can change the course of her whole village because she learned to read.

Recently, girls in several countries have begun to revolt against being forced to marry at very young ages and they got the courage to do that when they learned to read and found that there were agencies that would help them if their parents threw them out or beat them for refusing. Sometimes true change happens one person at a time. If my time here on this planet exists in its entirety so that I could improve one other person's life then I can die content.

 

[curliet]

I have to put in my .02.
I also agree that we have large 3rd world countries in every good sized city in this country. And there are local agencies and churches, etc trying to help the people living in these conditions. But, right now our local food pantries are overwhelmed, and shelters are full and people are really suffering. They need help, and we are sending all our money to other countries.

At the same time, I go into a "thrift store" near my neighborhood that I thought was doing good works for these people and discover that they are using the money that they make selling the things that I donate, and with the money that I spend buying things that others donate, to send Bibles to 3rd world countries. Now, I'm definitely not bashing the Bible, or religion, so don't misunderstand me. But these people have their own faiths, and the Bible is not a priority in their lives. Food, clothing, help learning how to drill a well, plant a garden in poor soil, build a home that will adequately shelter them, and take care of their medical and health problems and needs would make such a difference in their lives. For Christians, spreading the word is important, but it seems that if you help these people to take care of their more pressing needs, and let them know that you are doing it because of your Christian convictions, they will look towards the message you are sending on their own.

Again, not bashing Christianity, not bashing the Bible, just wondering how spending my money that way is really helping. BTW, I no longer donate or buy products there. I'm more interested in things like heifer.org, etc.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Most education programs in third world countries aren't for high school or college; they are for basic education. The more educated a populace is, the better economic advantages they have. As someone else mentioned, education for women is one of the most significant factors in benefiting the overall health and wealth of a community. Women are more likely to keep their money and education where they live, and educated women educate their children. Many third world schools also provide a midday meal.

In almost all third world countries, a free education is unheard of. The only well educated people are the wealthy. This helps support the oligarchies that are in power. Many of the Third World countries have amazing natural resources: land for agriculture, coastlines for fishing, mineral wealth, etc. What they don't have is systems of distribution, widespread land ownership, education, roads and infrastructure. Much of the aid to these countries is also diverted due to political or economic reasons. A great deal of food aid ends up on the black market.

One of the best things that the United States could do to improve the war in Afganistan is to build secular schools and encourage progressive madrasses. The first thing the Taliban does is shut down education. Politically, funding secular schools is a wonderful technique for building international goodwill. The Saudis (not necessarily the Saudi gov't, but with gov't consent) fund conservate madrasses on a massive scale, worldwide. This helps advance their worldview.

This is a complex problem, as are all problems of these sorts. Micro loans are one of the best solutions for many communities, as are programs like Heifer. Here in my community, is an entrepenuer who has developed a line of tea based on something from home. He sends a great deal of his profits back home, to build waters systems, schools, etc.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:
What is the name of that organization with that thrift store? Not all Christian charities operate like that, many more focus on providing practical ways to meet the physical needs of others in addition to providing spiritual riches.

 

[australorpchick]

OP - thanks for bringing up this topic. I've thought about this myself. To add a question, and hopefully avoid an all out argument, I've also wondered if this education also includes reproductive lessons (i.e. how to say no, how not to have so many kids, etc.)? Is there anybody on this board who know if this is taught. It's just heartbreaking to see these families who can't feed the kids they have, have more kids. My family used to participate in a Secret Santa for families in SoCal and Tijuana, who lived in shacks and needed food and clothing. It got frustrating after awhile when you saw another kid added to the list every year. I'm Catholic, so I understand the whole you can't use any interferring form of birth control, but you can say "No, not tonight." At what point do you as a parent, decide that any potential child brought into this world may not have shelter or enough to eat. Or am I just looking at this with too much western ideology and I'm just never going understand it? Please no fighting!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:
I'm sure it varies widely depending upon who is sponsoring the program in each particular place. There could not be one common curriculum that everyone could agree upon. That's why it's important to know the organization to which you're donating/supporting, to know what their plans are for your contributions, their beliefs and philosophy.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Yes, the peace corps and other good people have been over in these countries teaching about birth control for YEARS AND YEARS...AND years..
nothing has changed at all...
see the problem is..we are trying to put OUR USA beliefs onto these people....they dont think like us...just like we dont think like them. We cant change anything over there..i recently saw a documentary on AIDS in Africa..thhis african man that lives here went over there to try to help and educate the people over there. Know what he found? Hospitals FULL of dying AIDS patients and when he went to educate and talk to the people.... They KNEW that they had AIDS..and they said that NOONE will use condoms over there..thats just how it is! Period... they just keep spreading it and spreading it..and they know it too..
this man left the country so heartbroken to see how they didnt care to help themselves..he got a tase of reality over there..
they want our free food but dont want to change their ways of life...period.

*and before anyone starts to bash me..one of my best friends is from Ghana...SHE , herself tells me the same.....and i dont want anyone to think that i have a problem with people from these countries....thats not it at all!!!!!!! I am just saying that i believe that our resorces would be better spent here in the USA....thats all.*