DIY aid

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August 24, 2011 | 9:00 AM | By  | 

The heroic humanitarian narrative: A force for good or bad? | 

Flickr, Stephen Poff

The heroic narrative is almost irresistable as a storytelling strategy.

But many in the aid and development community think it frequently does more harm than good:

  • By implying individual, private efforts (i.e., DIY or “Do-It-Yourself” aid) are somehow superior to large-scale organizational or government-run programs when the evidence (one rebuttal to DIY aid) suggests otherwise;
  • By disguising a poorly functioning program (e.g., Greg Mortenson’s Three Cups of Tea scandal) or perhaps advancing a commercial interest (e.g.,TOMS shoes) through compelling personal stories that may do more for the hero than those he/she is supposed to be helping;
  • Or by simplistically glossing over the complex political, economic and social problems that often contribute to the problems of poverty, disease or inequities these humanitarians say they are trying to solve.

It is the dog days of August, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a fairly strong negative reaction based on these kind of concerns to a recent column by the New York Times’ David Brooks. Other such tales — though usually well-intended — tend to really irritate those working out there in poor countries for humanitarian organizations actually trying to help poor people.

NYT

David Brooks

Brooks, who is traveling in East Africa, wrote about The Rugged Altruists in which he — perhaps taking a cue from his NYT colleague Nick Kristof, champion of DIY aid — celebrates the good work of some individuals he’s encountered on his trip. Brooks opens by saying:

Many Americans go to the developing world to serve others. A smaller percentage actually end up being useful. Those that (sic) do have often climbed a moral ladder. They start out with certain virtues but then develop more tenacious ones.

Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Basics, David Brooks, development, DIY aid, foreign aid, Kenya, Nick Kristof
June 8, 2011 | 8:00 AM | By  | 

TOMS Shoes guy now selling expensive sunglasses to help the poor | 

TOMS

TOMS shoe, vegan green

The company that sells TOMS Shoes and markets its products as a means for consumers to facilitate shoe donations to the poor has expanded its act to include sunglasses.

As you may recall, not everyone is convinced TOMS is doing much good with his “buy-one-give-one” scheme. Some think it is more about feel-good marketing than it is about truly helping the poor.

In April, a number of aid workers and development experts decided to try to draw public attention to this issue by organizing a counter-demonstration to TOMS Shoes’ popular “Day Without Shoes.” The critics called their action a “Day Without Dignity” to emphasize what they see as a demeaning and unhelpful practice.

The argument against TOMS’ strategy is based on a number of complaints, but is largely focused on the belief that donating goods is less effective — and sometimes even harmful — compared to aid that empowers the poor, strengthens local economies and is more about development than charity.

In this video announcement, TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie says people who buy his $135 sunglasses will fund efforts to restore sight in poor countries:

Mycoskie: “With every pair purchased, TOMS will help give sight to a person in need … From this day forward, TOMS is not a shoe company. It’s not an eyewear company. It’s a one for one company.”

It’s not entirely clear what buying TOMS sunglasses will actually contribute to the vision needs of the poor, but the firm has partnered with the Seva Foundation to administer the eye care programs that are funded by TOMS eyewear.

My main problem with TOMS Shoes is that they all look like girls shoes to me.

FILED UNDER: Basics, charity, DIY aid, Toms Shoes
April 25, 2011 | 8:00 AM | By  | 

Three Cups of Tea update | 

Wikipedia, Penguin

Three Cups of Tea

The uproar over Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea, continues.

The most complete collection of articles and posts written in response to the allegations of wrongdoing raised first by CBS’ 60 Minutes and, in greater detail, by former supporter and author Jon Krakauer’s Three Cups of Deceit can be found at the blog Good Intentions are Not Enough.

I won’t try to summarize the debate at this point, but I did want to take note of a few articles that I think raise some good points about our desire for the “heroic narrative” in humanitarian causes.

I wrote about this last week, in a post asking if this would be a teachable moment, and spoke to KUOW’s Steve Scher on Weekday about the danger so common in DIY aid of even well-intended people conflating their own personal success, as a leader, with the success of the mission.

Here are some more articles along similar lines:

The New Yorker: What Greg Mortenson Got Wrong

Alex Stonehill, Common Language Project: Greg Mortenson and Leadership Narrative Lies

The Guardian: Greg Mortenson’s Flawed One-Man Mission in Pakistan

Forbes: Doing Good is Hard Work

FILED UNDER: Basics, DIY aid, Greg Mortenson, Jon Krakauer, Three Cups of Tea
April 20, 2011 | 10:38 AM | By  | 

Three Cups of Tea: A teachable moment? | 

Wikipedia, Penguin

Three Cups of Tea

The debate about Greg “Three Cups of Tea” Mortenson is raging, and will rage for awhile.

There’s plenty to read out there (here’s a list of more than 80 articles compiled by Good Intentions are Not Enough) — from diatribes that condemn Mortenson as a self-promoting fraud to those who contend the critics are illegitimately focusing only on his failures while neglecting the many positive things he has achieved.

I posted yesterday on the critique written by former Mortenson supporter and fellow climber-author Jon Krakauer, because it appears to be the most informed. Krakauer was there (donating $75,000 to Mortenson’s Central Asia Institute) in the beginning — much of which, it turns out, took place in Seattle — and from his reporting I’d say he knows more than most about how this attempted ascent in humanitarianism has been foiled by an avalanche of misdeeds and poor judgment.

Krakauer’s online booklet, Three Cups of Deceit, emphasizes the bad (because that’s what’s new here) but does take brief note of the good. Anyone who wants to know what happened here should read this.

We are now in the point-counterpoint stage. The points and counterpoints are just going to keep piling up like scree on the side of a mountain, with detractors and supporters tossing rocks at each other.

But what can the rest of us learn from this debacle? Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Basics, DIY aid, Greg Mortenson, Jon Krakauer, Three Cups of Tea
April 18, 2011 | 8:00 AM | By  | 

Greg Mortenson: Three cups to the wind? | 

Wikipedia, Penguin

Three Cups of Tea

Greg Mortenson, the celebrated author of Three Cups of Tea who has been perhaps the world’s leading advocate for girl’s education in Pakistan and Afghanistan, is facing some serious allegations of both literary and financial wrongdoings.

On Sunday’s CBS News 60 Minutes, Mortenson is accused of fabricating key parts of his story, using a high proportion of the funds raised by his philanthropy for personal benefit and misleading donors.

Fellow mountain climber and writer Jon Krakauer, who was one of the early donors and supporters of Mortenson’s Central Asia Institute, is interviewed on the TV news show and says of the story told in Three Cups of Tea that inspired the philanthropy:

“It’s a beautiful story and it’s a lie.”

Mortenson, who refused to be interviewed by 60 Minutes, sent out an email to supporters and staff:

“As those of you who know me and have supported my work over the years will recognize, the story being framed by ’60 Minutes’ to air in a few hours today — as far as we can tell — paints a distorted picture using inaccurate information, innuendo and a microscopic focus on one year’s (2009) IRS 990 financial, and a few points in the book ‘Three Cups of Tea’ that occurred almost 18 years ago.”

His Institute’s website has several responses to the 60 Minutes piece, including this response from the board of directors in which they respond in detail to the claims made against Mortenson.

The New York Times has a story that tends to focus largely on the allegations of literary fabrications or distortions.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle (where Mortenson lives and his philanthropy is based) has a story based on one of the few interviews Mortenson has given responding to the allegations.

ABC News has a story that leads with Mortenson’s rebuttal of the 60 Minutes’ claims.

Here is a link to the video of the 60 Minutes interview.

FILED UNDER: Basics, Central Asia Institute, DIY aid, Greg Mortenson, Three Cups of Tea
April 11, 2011 | 2:08 PM | By  | 

Why young people are flocking to global health and poverty – a series preview | 

For the past few weeks I’ve been talking to young people, mostly around Seattle, who are involved in global poverty issues. And I’m blown away by the number of initiatives being pursued by people in their 20′s and early 30′s.

freestylee/Michael Thompson/flickr

  • A fellow heading to Mongolia to work on microfinance
  • A young Bengali couple who have started an organization to fund smaller projects that often get ignored
  • A woman who plans to work at the International Criminal Court on women’s issues

Others have noted this before, but my conversations have certainly shown it’s true: There’s something special about this generation, Gen-Y or the Millennials. They are much more internationally aware than many of their older cousins or parents, and they are very socially motivated. Whether it’s starting a business or working through a non-profit, they want to have a social impact.

I’ve written about the networking that’s happening in Seattle, creating more of a shared sense of effort or momentum, through the “Party with a Purpose.” I think the individual stories, of young people who’ve not only gotten involved but are making real progress, are more powerful. Stay tuned (and click on the “Millennials” link for more stories).

FILED UNDER: Justice, DIY aid, Millennials, Party with a Purpose, young activists
March 31, 2011 | 8:00 AM | By  | 

Call for a Day Without Shoes & Without Dignity | 

TOMS

TOMS shoe, vegan green

Next week, on April 5, is a day when the humanitarian cobblers at TOMS Shoes call upon folks around the country to participate in a Day Without Shoes.

Here’s what TOMS Shoes’ founder Blake Mycoskie’s says in the Huffington Post:

I think sometimes we forget what we have, and occasionally it’s important to remind ourselves. Most people don’t even realize how many children in developing countries grow up barefoot and all the risks, infections and diseases they endure…. I wanted everyone to personally understand the impact of shoes, and the difference they can make, so we thought, “Why don’t we get a taste of what these kids go through every day?”

As a counterpoint, and to make a point, Saundra Schimmelpfennig at Good Intentions are Not Enough is calling for a Day Without Dignity to accompany the TOMS Day Without Shoes event.

On or about that same day, Schimmelpfennig is calling on aid workers, the diaspora and people from areas that receive donated shoe drops and other forms of charity to speak up in blogs, on twitter, or at school.

She suggests stories or essays for a Day Without Dignity on topics such as:

  • Poor people’s memories of childhood and what their actual needs were
  • The dignity and control that comes from work and not from receiving handouts
  • The glut of unnecessary donated goods
  • Whites in Shining Armor swooping in to “save” people
  • What it really takes to raise awareness, more than just walking barefoot
  • The problems created by handing out shoes or other goods
  • The issue of dignity and how we portray people in our advertising campaigns
  • How doing something because it feels good doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do

As you may have guessed, Saundra is not a big fan of TOMS Shoes, or of most donated goods as a form of aid. For a much more detailed and lengthy discussion on this issue, go here.

I kind of like going barefoot, depending upon the weather, and know that many poor folks do suffer for lack of shoes. Yet I also think Saundra makes some good and important points about the naivete of our approach to fighting poverty. If it’s nice out, maybe I’ll go without shoes to symbolize my lack of decisiveness.

FILED UNDER: Basics, Blake Mycoskie, DIY aid, Saundra Schimmelpfennig, SWEDOW, Toms Shoes
March 28, 2011 | 8:00 AM | By  | 

A few (sour) views on the NYT’s celebration of Sean Penn, Haiti relief worker | 

Flickr, danboarder

Sean Penn

For those of you who read the NYTimes magazine story about Sean Penn’s relief work in Haiti, here are a few thoughts on this high-profile DIY foreign aid operation from Tom Murphy at A View From The Cave:

It is good to hear Penn admit that he had no idea what he was doing for the first six months. However, that means that he could have been making things worse (emphasis on could)…. He was never going to work as a part of a traditional NGO and the article makes it seem that he would not have been effective if he had done so.

The NYTimes magazine claims that Penn’s operation is widely recognized as “one of the most efficient aid outfits working in Haiti today.” The article quotes a few key supporters, but I was left wondering if this was a characterization shared by the rest of the international relief community — or just the writer’s assessment.

I thought this little throw-away sentence interesting:

Penn sometimes carries a Glock, but the fire extinguisher, he claims, is a far more efficient tool for crowd control.

Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Basics, DIY aid, Haiti, relief worker, Sean Penn