Does charity really help, or does it sometimes just increase a problem.?

Question

I want an honest answer to this question. Everyone knows that charity is a good thing, as giving to those who are less fortunate than yourself is a good thing.

But what I really want to know is does it really help those who are in bad situtations. For example take comic relief and Live AID. Every couple of years comic relief talks about how certain African contries are suffering from AIDS, war, famine etc. Yet check on these Africans in four years time, and with all the money that is supposed to be donated they are still in the same position, if not worse. Surely they should be now learning how to help themselves, and teach one another how to better themselves, they are not stupid, as I know some great people have come out of African Nations. As an African I feel that there is so much more to African than these terrible things, and I want people see Africa for its true beauty.

People out there what do you think?

I am aware that corruption in African Nations doesn't help Africans to develop in ecomically etc. But what I am trying to say is, instead of giving Africans things and leaving them to their own devices, shouldn't charities (who are supposed to have knowledge on their chose subjects) give them the tools and advice so that they can do things for themselves. I feel that you dont learn anything if others are always doing the job for you.

Answer 1

if you have come across answers to some of my previous questions on this issue of poverty and charity, then you'll understand that from where i stand, no amount of money will solve all the problems african countries are facing. events such as live aid, live 8 and comic relief wrongly reinforce the belief that money is the answer to those problems. if you have been following the events in zimbabwe recently, and seen pictures of the shocking scars on morgan tsvangirai, then you'll understand why. that country is led by a mad man in robert mugabe and it's people are suffering. not just because of his actions but partly because people like bob geldof and bono fail to realise that it's people like him that are dragging zimbabwe and the african continent down. and remember, whilst live 8 concerts were held all over the world, 2 years ago, here in the uk, tony blair's government deported a group of zimbabweans, of whom were victims of robert mugabe's opppressive regime and initally escaped to get away from being murdered by his thugs, back to their own country.

so my answer to this question, is no- charity doesn't help. money is not the solution to all it's problems, in fact it takes more than money to make things in africa a whole lot better. events like live 8 and comic relief exist merely for entertainment purposes and for celebs to further increase their chances of being recognised more often, as opposed to helping people. and that is wrong

Answer 2

Africa is truly beautiful. Are you living there at the moment? If not, why not?

My son is engaged to be married to a lovely South African girl. She had the option (many don't) of coming to England to find work and better herself. She works hard and makes a valuable contribution to the country she lives in. Many others have tried to do the same, but they've been sent back, mainly, I suspect, because they're the wrong colour. However, she would not have been able to find a job
here had I not allowed her to live with me. Was that the wrong thing to do? To help someone help themselves?

You make the assumption that the charities involved in crisis relief make those they help dependant and make no effort to help them rebuild their lives after the crisis is over. That is simply not true in the majority of cases. The problems that many have to deal with are drought, displacement, war, all events beyond the control of the people victimised by them, and those that seek to help them. All that decent people can do is to relieve the situation until things change, or the rains come, (less likely if we begin to feel the effects of Global Warming and it's bearing on precipitation). Are you really suggesting that LETTING PEOPLE DIE IS GOOD?

Even if the politicians of the West had the will to effect a 'regime change' in Africa, it would not necessarily improve things (look at Iraq), so ignorance and corruption is still going to hold it back for the forseeable future. What happens to people in need in the meantime? Does this mean that we stand by, do nothing, and let mothers watch their children die of starvation and preventable disease? Only those who had no humanity or compassion could ever think that was acceptable.

As a Christian, I do not.

If you had ever had to accept charity, you would understand the feeling of relief, comfort, and faith in human nature that infuses such an act. As it says in the Bible, 'These three remain, Faith, Hope and Love (Charity), and the greatest of these is Love.'

God be with you, and may you never have to rely on the charity of another for the rest of your life.

Answer 3

You ask about charities and Africa, which is a terrible example. Since I was a boy, I have seen adverts on television asking for money for the starving children, water resourcing, schools, hospitals and any number of other necessities, that Africa needs to stabilise. The problem in Africa is corruption. Until there is an attitude of zero tolerance to corruption across the continent, then the problems in Africa will continue unabated.

As far as charities in general go, the effectiveness of each program depends on the distribution and allocation of funds and resources. If you take homelessness for example, you will find that it is more beneficial for agencies involved in front line assistance to those in need, to keep people in the cycle. In some cities in North America, front line agencies are paid as much as $80 per night per client. Alot of those agencies also offer drug rehabilitation center access to those who come through their doors, and in those cases, the agency can be subsidised as much as $200 per diem. So you can see where the benefits of the agency to the client can become clouded by the benefit of the client to the agency. Not all charity operates as front line resource distributors, many are fund raisers for a larger organisation. Quite often organisations work in union, although seperately funded and managed, to achieve a common goal.

Answer 4

Look at what welfare has done, it is no longer used as it was intended; as a temporary helping hand now it is a way of life for most on it. I would say it definitely hurts. In the cases you point out I would have to say those people are just stupid we try to teach them to use condoms as both birth control and to combat AIDS and yet they don't do it and just sit there until the next handout comes around.

Answer 5

I agree 100% But there are people out there who want the rest of the world to keep a down trodden picture of Africans in their minds. They collect the money by showing the same kind of starvation pictures...but little is given because they really don't want Africans to be seen to change.
In-fact, they go out of their way to keep Africans down by not trading fairly. WE WANT FAIR TRADE, NOT CHARITY!

Answer 6

Creates problems, makes people lazy and dependent on the generosity of others. I'm all for giving to those to who are deserving, not addicts and women that insist on having numerous children...