11–20 of 20 posts
You should read the book “When Helping Hurts” to get a better idea of the harm you can cause by just giving poor people money without addressing root causes and more systematic issues. In fact, I will buy you a copy if you are interested.
Last week I got scammed by some guy that came to my door asking for money so he can have a hand surgery, he showed me his hand which was severly disformed and I got sentimental and gave him some spara change (a few bucks), which considering I'm a student still hurts my tight budget a bit. Anyhow I felt good giving him the money, because I thought it might help him if even just a bit. Turns out he got arrested for bei…
I don't know; helping is helping, whatever the path it took.
You should read the book “When Helping Hurts” to get a better idea of the harm you can cause by just giving poor people money without addressing root causes and more systematic issues. In fact, I will buy you a copy if you are interested.
You give a man a fish, he eats for a day. He eats for a day Don't imagine that doesn't matter. Its easy to give up because its not permanent. Nothing is permanent, but helping is helping, no matter what the cynics say.
The discussion isn’t helping or not helping, but determine how to best help and allocate your resources accordingly.
As other posts point out, it is a risk to flood a foreign market with capital though, you could help one family but screw over people you don't know about who's income ceases because you interfered and your patronage displaced their daily hustle somehow. When I discovered another large bounty of old coins I was hesitant to try this again since I know jack about the local economy. Paying for education seems a better plan, through somebody you know to take a pro makeup/hair course or some other trade. Pro training they can then start their own small business and train an assistant, there's no work in any of these countries like Uganda.
Edit, there's a Gambian newspaper where people can go to their office and request help that's published. Better than random CL/Olx giving http://foroyaa.gm/category/those-who-need-help/
You should read the book “When Helping Hurts” to get a better idea of the harm you can cause by just giving poor people money without addressing root causes and more systematic issues. In fact, I will buy you a copy if you are interested.
You should read the book “When Helping Hurts” to get a better idea of the harm you can cause by just giving poor people money without addressing root causes and more systematic issues. In fact, I will buy you a copy if you are interested.
You give a man a fish, he eats for a day. He eats for a day Don't imagine that doesn't matter. Its easy to give up because its not permanent. Nothing is permanent, but helping is helping, no matter what the cynics say.
I’ve seen the same in the people I’ve given to. No one just wants to take the money and do nothing and become dependent. Everyone, literally everyone to a one, wants to start a business.
I did something like this for 2 years using MTN as well to pay a farmer family in rural Uganda every month but I had met them first through a friend, wouldn't trust Olx and other sites though a few times I sent money randomly that way. It was literally spare bitcoin change I had in various wallets that inflated to a ridiculous price and I exchanged them directly to mobile money, then transferred it for 24mos. As othe…
I’m a pretty generous person in general, but it’s amazing how much my heart has opened upon having a personal connection to people in such need. Right now I’m not only giving as much as I can, but I’m looking for ways to earn more so I can give more. That personal connection and everything that flows from it is, I think, the unique benefit of this approach.
As for finding people via Olx, I should be clear (as I think I stated in another comment), I’m not putting up a post saying that I’m looking to give money away to those in need. That would just make me a target. Instead, I go through various sections of the site and contact posters that seem like they might be on the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum. Given this approach and given the scale I’m doing this on, there’s basically zero chance that I’m sending money to someone that set out to scam me. I’d actually be more leery of a system like you mentioned with The Gambian newspaper, because it has the potential to attract scammers.
There’s some chance that folks may be exaggerating their need to receive more money than I’d otherwise give them, but I talk to my recipients extensively and form very real, meaningful and lasting relationships with them and, in the process, collect a lot of what you could call “collateral evidence” (like photos), so I end with what I really think is a very accurate picture of their lives. Moreover, if this type of exaggeration is happening it’s netting people something on the order of tens of dollars. Both through correlating what different recipients have told me and through independent research, I’ve got a good sense of what the cost of living is there and what is and isn’t a reasonable amount of money. So if someone says they need $310 a month (the most I send anyone) to support their family when they really need $300, it really matter doesn’t matter, and I don’t care.
What's the problem with GiveDirectly.org? How likely is that the poorest have internet access?
There's absolutely no problem with GiveDirectly, and, if you want the most impact for your dollar, absolutely give to them. My approach has the benefit of being much more tangible. I'm helping people I've gotten to know and become friends with. I keep saying this, but it's truly an amazing and perspective altering experience. You don't realize just how much we all have in the West compared to even middle-class person…
Great initiative though, I admire your spirit. If you're not already introduced, givewell.org and 80000 hours would be interesting for you to look up, I think.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
There's absolutely no problem with GiveDirectly, and, if you want the most impact for your dollar, absolutely give to them. My approach has the benefit of being much more tangible. I'm helping people I've gotten to know and become friends with. I keep saying this, but it's truly an amazing and perspective altering experience. You don't realize just how much we all have in the West compared to even middle-class person…
While a donation through GD comes with no strings attached for the receiver, would you say that your method does? Is there a chance that they feel an obligation towards you that affects them negatively? Great initiative though, I admire your spirit. If you're not already introduced, givewell.org and 80000 hours would be interesting for you to look up, I think.
I attach absolutely no strings to any of my donations, but I think you bring up a great point. There’s a huge inherent power differential, so you really have to make sure the the relationship doesn’t become subtly coercive in some way. I spend a great deal of talking to my receipients and get a lot from it. I think they do too, but I’m sure they also realize I enjoy it and may feel some obligation to indulge me. I try my best to make sure they don’t feel like there’s any quid pro quo, but there’s a chance that they feel like there is, and that obligation, in theory, could affect them negatively.
Perhaps I’m gravely misjudging, but the relationships I’ve formed seem very genuine and, in some cases, almost familial. The mere fact of someone half a world away reaching out and opening their wallet for a total stranger really warms people’s hearts and leads to a kind of bonding that seems to be about more than mere self interest. It’s quite amazing, really.
And, because of that, I’m donating $1k a month to people who, at the very least, need it more than me. Would the best choice and the morally right choice been to just have donated $1k a month to GiveDirectly? Absolutely, but I don’t think I’d ever have done that.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
You give a man a fish, he eats for a day. He eats for a day Don't imagine that doesn't matter. Its easy to give up because its not permanent. Nothing is permanent, but helping is helping, no matter what the cynics say.
What happens when the people you are helping become dependent on you and you disappear? The discussion isn’t helping or not helping, but determine how to best help and allocate your resources accordingly.
And, what happens when they eat for a day and then you disappear is, they ate for a day.