Do-Gooding

When everyone is poorer than you, who do you help? You can't help everyone. And even if you could, would that help the country grow in the long-term?

What do you do, then, when someone invites you over for drinks and food in their partially built home and tells you it will take 4 years to finish but only 2,000 USD? Or a minority hill tribe women wants to sell you a scarf you dont really need, but you know the money is going to help the tribe? Or a bright novice monk you have been teaching english to tells you he can't afford university without a (presumably foreign) sponsor to pay the meager tuition?

The answer is - I don't know.

It's great to help one person and make a difference in their lives. It makes you feel good and it helps them immensely. And I have take that route sometimes. But the system engineer in me wonders - what about the big picture? Look at Africa - some of the problems there stem from a reliance on foreign aid. If the country is relying on foreign aid to prop itself up, how long is that sustainable? To what extent do the problems of the people need to exist in order to put pressure on the government to provide for its people?

Unfortunately, some governments are really bad, and no well-off country or human being wants to sit back and watch other people suffer while a government turns a blind eye. Well first-off, you hope that there are actual diplomacy efforts at the government level. Beyond that, I think its each person or group's responsibility to realize the larger effect on government interaction and consider how the contribution helps or hurts the larger system. From a bottom-up approach there is a lot of potential good that aid can do in helping educate and moderately increase income for residents. The assumption being that the more educated the population is, the better chance for government reforms from the inside, as these educated individuals become adults. (Although, when you live in a country that doesnt allow freedom of speech or democratic principles how does government reform happen?).

No matter how I analyze the aid question, its still a struggle when I am faced with helping individuals. I try to do it wisely, but to be honest, I always just want to give. :/ Maybe when I get back I can learn more about what methods are doing the most good in growing these developing countries.

On that note....

Anyone want to do some do-gooding? If you read earlier, I taught at the English school in Luang Prabang (Laos). The school consisted of 3 classrooms with a shoddy whiteboard, markers that barely worked (I dont even know how the kids could see the writing half the time) and no whiteboard cleaning solution (the board was basically covered in blue). I can't remember if I wrote about the day we had this stupid english conversation lesson about buying 200 dollar theater tickets or another one about buying someone a $40 necklace. That could be 2 week's pay for them! I guess you can't blame the text book, but it was just so embarrassing to even have to teach them the lesson. Then we had a lesson on budgeting (as if any of them have money) and they had to list their "wants" and "needs." We went around the room - man it was tough to listen to. Most of the wants were books, pens, language dictionary...only one kid named a CD player :) They are such sweet kids. The teachers there are sweet too and humble. When I offered to buy more markers they kinda shook me off but then said I could get some at the market when I asked where to find them. I also asked if they needed more Lao - English dictionaries because some kids cant afford them and they just said, oh no they are too expensive. They are only $2 a pop. :/

The markers at the market were the same bad quality of the ones they had. I thought it would be really great if they could have real Expo markers and cleaning solution. I won't be home for another 6 weeks, so I thought I'd ask if anyone wants to do a good deed and mail them some supplies? I have the address. Please note in the comments if you want to do it. One person is probably enough :) It's just the markers (2 packs?) and cleaning solution and maybe a pack of pens. I'm more than happy to split the cost!

Thanks for reading and let me know if you want to help!