Kenyan author Binyavanga Wainaina discusses why he wrote How to Write About Africa in these YouTube videos. I especially like his idea that too many villages are in “NGO receivership” and the unusual (and unaccountable) power that international organizations wield.
Presentation to the Joint Chiefs Operations Directorate
November 11, 2022
2 Responses
I am doing my MA right now in Religion & Development. In 2007 I spent 2 months working in Gulu. I, of course, came back from Gulu all inspired to make a difference and better the world. Then I started studying Development academically, and I am now completely confused. This video simply reinforces everything I am beginning to wonder. Can I, a 24 year old female from North America, really do anything of substance? Are my efforts even needed? I was assigned a debate topic this semester to argue "for" the North to completely pay off the debts of the South, and then stop giving aid. I wasn't totally unconvinced. I just can't see aid in the same light that I once did, and that leaves me in a befuddled state.
Interesting videos so will be buying the book soon !
Two comments:
First; while finally a lot of people realize more and more that it is rather peculiar to keep talking about Africa as some homogeneous group of countries I find it interesting to hear a lot of people born somewhere on the African continent to do it as well.
Second; the people working in what generally is called development aid are still stuck to certain patterns as well ( ! ).
Like on transparancy. ‘They’ have to tell what they did with the money. But how often do NGO’s send an annual report (including figures..) to the partners they work with in order to tell how they raised their funds and have been spending it all….
http://vanstokkom.blogspot.com/2007/06/transparancy-two-way-street.html