Really?
Well put, Chip. I just returned from a meeting with a group of American women associated with a Catholic diocese that has been supporting a community in Azua for over 30 years. They do fundraising year round for social projects in this community and request reports on how the projects have been implemented and maintained.
And yes, when they come down they spend a few days assisting the community in reconstruction projects. But to a casual observer they would seem to be doing it for them, not with them. With these projectss, there's a lot going on that we don't necessarily see.
(I won't even go into the fact that many of the repairs are for the eldery and disabled who are unable to do home repairs themselves... hard to get on a construction site when you're 80.)
Finally, what they kept saying over and over again was that they go home and do presentations in local universities and organizations to fundraise for the community. They take what they see and experience and report i back home.
All of this stresses the importance of investing- and I use that word on purpose- your donations or time in responsible organizations.
I base my evaluation of how much people are actually involved/connected with the community on the perception the Dominicans in the community have of what is going on. If someone went to that town, and said what kinds of projects are going on here, would they say 'some Americans give us stuff sometimes, build stuff, come and play with the kids'? Who knows if more than 5 people in the community can name the organization and explain what their actual mission is.
And "helping" over an extended period of time does not make them any more effective or credible. What if the goods just stopped coming in? The construction supplies? What would the community do? Would they be able to write up grants and projects themselves, fundraise and solicit funding, and execute the project? Or would they just stand there with their mouth open and hands held out, palm up?
As far as building for the elderly or disabled, they might not be able to do it but they do have a good supply of perfectly able kids and grandkids, friends and neighbors whose role it is to step in and do it for them. They would if they had to. But hey, they too would rather watch the white girls do it for them so they don't break a sweat.
At least there is a cultural exchange, like with the presentations at home, even if what the volunteers get is a misunderstanding of poverty and how to help people get out of it. I know they mean well and have good intentions, but there are better ways to achieve what they think they are doing. I say this because I was just like them, wanting to help, before I got a better orientation. Giving stuff/doing stuff for people is a development model that is long gone, now it's all about sustainability and with good reason. BTW, sustainable is not continue giving stuff over an extended period.
I haven't commented on what organizations I think are good on my thread because I want to hear what others say first.
