first job was for the college group to clear rocks and rubbish from a level area to use as a ground.
Pete
Without entering into convoluted arguments on why the day when all charities-NGOs-Aid organizations et al will be thrown into the deepest deeps of the ocean will be a great bright day for Africa, may I ask a couple of silly questions?
1. Is there a lack of able-bodied, idle, unoccupied youth in the township, that they can't muster the skills and energy to clear their own rubbish for the sake of improving their own environment?
2. When was the last time that Lesotho or any other African country sent a team of anybodies to anywhere in the world to help others solve their real or imaginary problems, be it from a tsunami, an earthquake, or generations of mismanagement and applied graft and laziness?
I know that may sound harsh, but the only positive achievements of aid in almost any form, are the good feelings it provide to the aiders - and comfortable salaries, benefits, and perks for too many of those involved in that racket.
Positive results on the ground, for countless billions of dollars dumped here and there over decades, and untold thousands upon thousands of man-hours of ill-conceived labour? The square root of zero, or slightly less.
Sustainable projects achieved anywhere, anytime, that have actually made an improvement, AND have continued once the external funding and support has ceased? Zero, as far as I'm aware. But then, what do I know... I've only lived on the Continent and dealt with the problems caused by "aid" and interference from well-meaning but totally ill-informed outsiders for twenty years and change...
Hear hear! How many rural economies have been destroyed by Aid removing the incentive for people to work?
Without entering into convoluted arguments on why the day when all charities-NGOs-Aid organizations et al will be thrown into the deepest deeps of the ocean will be a great bright day for Africa, may I ask a couple of silly questions?
1. Is there a lack of able-bodied, idle, unoccupied youth in the township, that they can't muster the skills and energy to clear their own rubbish for the sake of improving their own environment?
2. When was the last time that Lesotho or any other African country sent a team of anybodies to anywhere in the world to help others solve their real or imaginary problems, be it from a tsunami, an earthquake, or generations of mismanagement and applied graft and laziness?
I know that may sound harsh, but the only positive achievements of aid in almost any form, are the good feelings it provide to the aiders - and comfortable salaries, benefits, and perks for too many of those involved in that racket.
Positive results on the ground, for countless billions of dollars dumped here and there over decades, and untold thousands upon thousands of man-hours of ill-conceived labour? The square root of zero, or slightly less.
Sustainable projects achieved anywhere, anytime, that have actually made an improvement, AND have continued once the external funding and support has ceased? Zero, as far as I'm aware. But then, what do I know... I've only lived on the Continent and dealt with the problems caused by "aid" and interference from well-meaning but totally ill-informed outsiders for twenty years and change...
Would personal responsibility be something like, say (just for arguments sake), volunteering to help out with a charity that runs sports coaching for South African kids, maybe personal responsibility would also be something like packing shopping at sainsburys as a fund raiser, or going round businesses to sell sponsorship, or working in the local pub kitchen 'cos (maybe) your parents say you need to appreciate the value of working, not being given.
Sorry if the points lost, and I appreciate that you folks have far more experience of Africa than I, but I'm seeing a paradox here. And maybe, just maybe, your points arent necessarily unpopular, just a bit rude given the original post.
Pete
You keep posting Pete, if people can't read your intent that's their problem.I reckon if you (all) read the original story and post relating to the Lesotho blanket run, you'd understand my comments.
Im not going to post anything here again, other than to say that if we do another fundraiser, please count me in.
Pete