...Poorer by Day

It has been what? 4 days? 5? 6? since I last posted something on here!Oh well, I decided to write something today because I saw on the news that most billionaires are virgos. Some astrologer lady named Susan Miller was laboriously trying to explain why that was the case and frankly I could not make any sense out of it all. But since I am a Virgo, I thought what the heck! I will become a billionaire whether I understand her reasons or not...Anyhooow, here goes my post for today.

You have probably seen, like I have, the "Feed the Children" commercials on TV about helping some organisations curb hunger in the world. Usually these organisations ask for just $1 monthly from you to ensure that someone half way across the globe has a blanket for the cold night. That is the cost of just one McDonald cheeseburger! Don't feel guilty though, because I stumbled upon an article on how extravagant the officers for some of these agencies spent your contributions, that I think I will never donate to some organisation unless I know my dollar will find its way to some kid's starved stomach; and since I can't verify that my dollar will make it to the kid's stomach, I think I may just keep my philanthropy within the confines of my arm's reach.

Yes you heard right. I will refrain from contributing to all the agencies until I figure out a way to channel my aid to the intended. But that may be a long shot so I will start with home and handle only NGOs (Non-governmental Organisations) that prove worthy i.e. me and you.

Charity begins at home so I will give money to only those I know and have seen that the have it worse than I do. For example, if you asked me if I had a dollar for a soda, I may just be kind enough to give you!

Most of your hard earned dollars are put to good use but you may be flawed to know that more than a third of global development funding-about 20 billion US- goes towards technical assistance.Technical assistance here refers to training of officials, research, and the services that consultants offer, which you and I would frankly call exorbitant. Imagine paying someone $200000 monthly to be an adviser on how aid should be distributed in an impoverished country. The job title? Special Counsel on Aid in Africa. Now, I don't know about you but I think these organisations are missing the point. Aid is to go to the poor not the consultants.

In Ghana, it is reported that local Aid workers earn the equivalent of $300 monthly but their foreign counterparts earn this in a matter of hours. The statistics are compelling and one is forced to wonder whether the aid actually goes towards what these Funding programs preach. It is understandable that the development of the poor African nations takes back seat to the enriching motives behind the money-run aid programs.

One major issue that comes with this is that most of the development contracts are awarded to foreign based companies. This, of course in guise to make sure the African companies (which are well-qualified for the contracts awarded) don't grow any bigger or richer than they are, while ensuring that the money being awarded for aid goes in part back to the originator. A case in point is the BDID (British Department for International Development). Of all the contracts they awarded last year, it is confirmed that more than 80% of them went to British companies.

In their obvious argument, they will quickly point out that the money went towards aid and development in Ghana and Kenya. But we all know, so I will not belabor the point.This goes to shed more light on why there can be no real sustainable development in parts of the world predominantly considered third world. This of course is just one of the reasons for the deplorable and incessant dilapidation of the African economy and socio-political climate. One readily thinks of corruption, lack of resources due in part to the encrusted effects of slavery and slave trade amongst other reasons. But that is another discussion.