Re: The Life in Africa Foundation -- seeking microfinance stories

Elaine Friedland (mailto:elaine3@MINDSPRING.COM)
Tue, 23 Nov 1999 18:12:59 -0500 

Message-ID:  <003d01bf3608$4a0d7f20$6f4579a5@elaine.mindspring.com>
Date:         Tue, 23 Nov 1999 18:12:59 -0500
From: Elaine Friedland <mailto:elaine3@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject:      Re: The Life in Africa Foundation -- seeking microfinance stories
To: mailto:DEVEL-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU


I would like to add to the comment below, a Jewish philosopher in the 13th
century stated that the highest
form of charity is that which ensures that the poor person gains an
independent means of earning a living.
The same should be applied to development projects in Africa.
>However, they forget that Africans are not pets that you save from the

>shelter.  If you are so moved to "save" them, because they are people you

>must give them the respect to understand that the best practice is not

>perpetual paternalism.  If I help a man that is starving, I want to see him

>function on his own.  I don't have any desire for the sense of power that I

>will save him each day of his life by having him come to me each day for

>food, so each day I can feel like a saviour.

                       ELAINE A. FRIEDLAND, Ph.D.
 ANALYST OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY:
                FOREIGN TRADE AND INVESTMENT


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