Not Gideon but Giles. Giles Bolton. Author of ‘Poor Story’ which i am reading at present. He worked for the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and having seen how aid works (or not) in Africa he wrote the book to explain how all of us are let down if the right type of aid doesn’t get to the right people at the right time as donors or consumers of products from Africa. What he recommends to all charity donors is that we look at sites such as charitiesdirect.com to find out what proportion of a charity’s funds are spent on admin. No i haven’t done so yet but i will. Certainly before i get my cheque book out for April donations.
Mr Bolton points out a few things too which i had either not considered at all, or had got wrong. And no i am not going to confess exactly how stupid i am.
Where am i likely to be putting my money these days? Well i like Smile Train & Sightsavers as they have such an instant effect on people’s lives – where there is such a stigma against less than perfect appearance, and such limited opportunities for those who are disabled, even were there greater opportunities and resources, the people so afflicted have v little chance to take advantage.
Tools for Fair Trade seems a good bet simply as it enables people who are willing to earn their own living. Maybe technology will eventually makes sewing machines and bikes and agricultural implements useless but for now i think they might be enough to lift someone from grasping need (a Giles Bolton phrase)into a place where they can plan little, save a little, and be less entirely at the mercy of circumstance.
And who is doing mosquito nets? I must give to a charity which sends those to Africa as illness & poverty are such close allies in much of Africa that if one could be minimised those who are left in better health would be far more capable of overcoming the poverty traps which beset them.
Haven’t finished the book yet but you will no doubt be hearing more of Mr B next month too.
No-one new write me this month but i can tell you i am less & less inclined to give to animal charities even tho i am appalled by the cruelty to domestic pets, and to working animals and farmed animals, and those we hunt ‘for fun’. Also appalled at the rate at which human beings are wiping out bird/insect/animal species when by now we really should know better. Just that as humans – for good or ill – are agents of all which happens on this planet, i want to use my money to give humans the chance to be the best they can so that the land & the seas and all living creatures are cared for.
I know, that made me gag too but that is how i feel right now.
But next book might be telling me how Africa is doomed do don’t waste money there and i’ll suck that up too.
I have an old notebook in which i write down all donations – not the sums involved but the name of the charity and the month. Starts in 1991. Used to give 4 x £5 a month. I was less well-off myself then & by ‘eck a fiver were worth summat in those days…
Websites worth visiting…
[...]here are some links to sites that we link to because we think they are worth visiting[...]……