[Written for the blog of El Porvenir (see previous post)]
Externalities &
Internalities of Giving:
a critical reflection on foreign charity
Why do we
give? What is our interest in working with and helping people in need? Why do
we do what we do? I’m sure each of us can come up with a surface-level answer
that is meaningful to us, generally something along the lines of wanting to
make the world a better place, sacrificing for others. But these are questions
that invite – nay, demand – a much deeper and more critical examination. What
are the experiences in your life that have awoken this calling in you to do
good for other people? And specifically, why these people & why these
issues? What role does your own self-interest play in it? Is there a part of
you that is doing it because of the way it makes you feel about yourself, or
how it shapes others’ perceptions of you? I don’t mean to imply that
self-interest should not be a motivator for charitable work. Quite to the
contrary, I think that it is essential that we are self-interested in what we
are doing. But it is critical that we understand the role of that
self-interest: the degree to which it is a motivating factor, where it stems
from, and how it affects the way in which you view your charity – whether you
contribute your time, your money, or something else.
There are
many problems that have arisen with foreign charity that I find very
troublesome. The risks of self-interest and imperialism, the idea of coming
into a place and “helping” people who have never asked for any help. Wealthy
anglo saxons pressing Christianity, world-views, & foreign cultures onto
poor people, both actively (mission trips & the like) and passively (they
see us and associate our prosperity with these things). Non-profits existing
more for the benefit of their directors & staff than their constituency,
resulting in the misuse of valuable aid. NGOs doing work that should be done by
the governments- I see a couple issues here: first, being that they do not have
the long-term vision & follow-thru that governments theoretically must have
for their people, NGOs can simply fade out or pack up and move out. They will
have great numbers to show for it (Hello Millennium Development Goals), some
pretty pictures, and self-satisfied donors, but they may leave behind
communities that are worse off than had they been left alone completely.
Second, because NGOs are often more effective and less corrupt than local
governments, foreign aid money has the tendency to filter mostly into NGOs,
arguably helping keep the government in a cycle of ineffectiveness, not
dissimilar to the way in which the water crisis keeps hundreds of millions of people
in the cycle of poverty. Even in the most well intentioned individual or
organization I think that these are relevant issues. I do not have an answer to
these questions, but I think they – like the ones I posed earlier – are very
important ones to consider when engaging in this type of work.
I think
that El Porvenir understands these issues as few other organizations do. It is
why nearly its entire staff consists of native Nicaraguans. It is why “sustainable
self-help” anchors the mission statement. It is why all El Porvenir projects
are initiated at the request of communities, rather than originating in an El
Porvenir office. It is why El Porvenir has made efforts to integrate into the
Peer Water Exchange, which provides long-term accountability for donors,
organizations, and communities. It is why ownership of each project is given to
the community in question, as it provides the labor and a portion of the funds
for each project. It is why El Porvenir empowers those that it helps through
giving leadership, sustainability, and accountability training and
responsibility to community members for each project. It is why work trips have
no religious undertones – they are about people making authentic connections,
learning from each other, and working side by side with each other. The list
goes on and on. Certainly El Porvenir is not perfect – there is always room to
improve. But by maintaining a critical eye that genuinely empathizes with the
needs and values of those it serves, El Porvenir can continue to be a model for
other organizations that seek to do good in the world. I would like to end by
once again turning the reader’s attention inward: what culpability do we have
in the dire lot of the millions who die each year from water & sanitation
related causes? In a largely capitalist world, where our nation’s material
wealth is so firmly rooted in the exploitation of these countries and these
people who we profess to help, how do we reconcile our desire to care for
others with our role as active accomplices in their suffering?
