Comments on: How do you fight poverty in Africa?

By: Tara

Tara — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 17:46:18 +0000

I can imagine PNG must be really similar. And you’re completely right – it’s really difficult to understand the complexity until you’ve been there and spent time with the people. As you say, working on discrete projects is the way to go – supporting the locals and the community to own the change themselves. And you know if more people did that, the combined effort could be significant.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts – wise words (you can tell you’ve ‘been there’).

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 03:37:28 +0000

Hi Tara,

Very interesting to hear what you’ve written here – it’s similar (with some differences) to some of the things I felt about development in PNG. The complexity of the situation (cultural diversity and the tribal nature of the society, the impact of colonisation, modernity and capitalism, issues of aid and debt, and very different ways of going about things from western countries are all part of the mix) is hard to get a grip on and many people who haven’t been in such a place don’t get the context of the poverty or why it is so intractable and difficult to solve. I always worked on the basis that I can’t solve the big structural stuff (though I can help advocate for change regarding it) such as debt or corruption singlehandedly; what I could do was focus on working in discrete projects to be a catalyst for change, and that change had to be driven by the locals and the community itself. Change one community or village at a time….slow I know, but I had to be realistic what I could achieve, and if you change only 10 lives, or 20 lives, you have still had an important impact. As you said, pole pole….

By: Tara

Tara — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 12:35:55 +0000

Hi Adam. Nice to hear from you.

In fact we did notice that a number of very large infrastructure projects (for example building new roads) were all being funded by Chinese corporations in partnership with the Tanzanian Government.

Trade, as opposed to aid, would indeed assist a country like Tanzania if there was a removal of the terms and conditions of trading that protect and favour the Western world. Sustainable development may however require a ‘helping hand’ from Western nations (not a hand out). A helping hand that continually empowers the Tanzanian people to take control of their own future, through for example capacity building in the areas of organisational Governance, strategic planning and project management.

By: Adam

Adam — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:29:08 +0000

When I studied sustainable development at University many years ago the mantra was on “trade not aid” (and third world debt cancellation).

Given the new emerging world order … I’m interested to know whether you can can see or feel the presence of China on the ground there?

Here is where I’m coming from:

http://www.martinjacques.com/when-china-rules-the-world/shaking-the-world/