Time for a Different Approach to Aid?

During 2011 I've been challenged about what I do (or rather what I don't do) for the poor - especially for the world's poorest people, who are mostly in Africa and many of whom are Christian brothers and sisters. The solution that would do the most to instantly appease my conscience would be to send some money to an evangelical aid charity and forget about it. But the more I've read about the struggles of sub-saharan Africa the more I've realised that, on the whole, people in evangelical aid charities really don't know very much about aid, its effects and its consequences.

The book that first set me thinking was Paul Theroux's novel "Dark Star Safari," where the author records his experiences on a train trip through Africa from Cairo to Cape Town retracing some of his steps as a young man. His conclusion, supported by many of the people he meet on the trip, both Europeans and Africans, is that the best thing that could happen to Africa would be if all the western aid just went away.

Far less anecdotal, but essentially making the same point is Dambisa Moyo's "Dead Aid," a brutal critique of the aid "industry" which, she argues, corrupts governments, destroys innovation and entrepreneurship and is maintained only because a) so many politically influential westerners depend on the agencies for their livelihoods and b) Western governments are scared of the obvious alternative - changing trade rules so that African economies can compete with ours in areas like agriculture. There are lots of questionable things in the book - Moyo used to work for Goldman Sachs so you may have some questions about her brand of capitalism, and some of her suggestions (such as a single African currency) look rater less credible in 2011 than in 009 when the book was published! But the essence of her argument is undoubtedly true - aid hasn't visibly helped Africa at all in six decades so why carry on like we always have?

Anyone really interested in this subject should also read the (much heavier going) "Development as Freedom" by Nobel Prize winning Economist Amartya Sen, which argues that the thing really counts as development is not so much raising people's dollar incomes but increasing their freedom - through means such as democracy, the consistent rule of law and equality before that law.

In the light of these criticisms (and it seems there are very few people in the world who think our current system of aid to African countries is really working) what should a Christian believer do? Here are my suggestions:

1 As admirable as it is that the UK Government is one of the most generous in the world when it comes to overseas development aid we should recognise that, in many cases, it would be much better if, as a country, we simply invested much of that money (£8 billion a year) in those countries helping people start and grow businesses. One of Moyo's points is that if, for example, Britain sends 100,000 mosquito nets to an African country (and things given by Western countries are almost always imported to the African country they are destined for) one of the main effects will be to put the local mosquito net manufacturers out of business, destroying hundreds of livelihoods and meaning that when our donation of nets are all torn and used there is no local supplier to enable people to get replacements. Christians should be pushing our government for overseas investment as well as overseas aid. You can find out who your MP is to write to them here.

2 The main thing that stops African countries developing is that we tax them for sending us food. Christians should spend more time campaigning on trade barriers than on debt relief (which simply treats responsible and irresponsible countries alike and prevents the countries whose debts are written off accessing capital markets in future). Find out more about how trade rules keep the poor poor here.

3 What applies nationally applies personally - it would generally be better for us to buy things made in African countries (see the Created web site for lots of options) than to simply give money into big pots.

4 Obviously this does not apply to immediate disaster relief where tents, blankets, food etc is all needed very quickly. This is an area where the UK government should be commended for giving large sums to a central global fund that can be released almost instantly to help with major disasters where delays of hours can cost thousands of lives. Christians should always be prepared to give generously to such funds. Give to the Disasters Emergency Committee here.

5 Where you do wish to give money it's important to try and establish a relational link with the people receiving the money and to be confident in your own mind and conscience that the money is going where you are told it is and that the thing it is used for will actually benefit the community it's meant to be for int he long term. One of the main problems with aid is that western governments and citizens have continued for 60 years and more to send money to good governments and bad ones, to good projects and bad ones. On the whole evangelical charities are much better than others in this regard because they tend to work with and through local churches which are far more accountable to their communities than distant governments of multinational aid agencies.

I hope that helps you make a few New Year's resolutions about your giving to the poor!