This news report shows precisely why aid given at any level - person to person, organization to organization, nation to nation, whatever - is supposed to give people a hand up, not a hand out.
Phay is among millions across Africa who have seen their lives upended after the U.S. aid cuts. In Liberia, the American support made up almost 2.6% of the gross national income, the highest percentage anywhere in the world, according to the Center for Global Development.
“The impact of USAID in Liberia cannot be overstated,” said Richlue O. Burphy, who worked for USAID projects for over a decade and manages the National Lottery, a government body. “Everywhere you go, you see the USAID (signs). And almost all the government institutions ... had some kind of USAID partnership.”
The sense of betrayal runs deep in Liberia ... Following civil wars and an Ebola epidemic, Liberia’s survival has depended largely on foreign aid, mainly from the U.S. and the World Bank. Despite abundant natural wealth, six out of 10 Liberians live in poverty, according to the World Bank, and Liberia is among the world’s 10 poorest nations.
There's more at the link.
I'm very sorry for the people of Liberia, and for their suffering (and yes, it really is suffering) brought on by the sudden removal of the aid on which they've relied for so long. However, the reality of Liberia (which can be confirmed by anyone who's been there for long - and yes, I've been there) is very simple:
- Aid arrives from international sources.
- At least half of it, and often two-thirds to three-quarters, is promptly stolen or misused by government ministers, bureaucrats, and corrupt businessmen.
- The remainder trickles down to the people in the form, not of money, but of things they need, for much of which they have to pay up front, even though aid is supposed to be free of charge to them.
By continuing to provide aid under such circumstances for so long, the USA and other donors have effectively allowed the corruption to be perpetuated. If you wonder why Liberia can't provide medication, etc. from its own resources, it's because those same corrupt leaders who stole most of the foreign aid are doing the same thing with the nation's tax and tariff income. They don't care whether their people are suffering. They have their standard of living to maintain - and that's far more important than helping their people stay alive and healthy. Their people see only pennies on the dollar of the nation's income.
That's the simple, honest truth about why Liberia is experiencing these problems . . . but it doesn't fit the politically correct line that all its troubles are the fault of President Trump for ending USAID, so the truth will never be found in the mainstream media.
Peter
5 comments:
Friends of ours got obsessed with feeding hummingbirds in So. Cal. Lots of feeders, she cooked up 5 pounds of sugar with water, a day to keep all the feeders loaded. They went on a month long vacation, when they got back, they were all gone but a few. The neighbors told them that shortly after they left, the hummers started searching around their house, a little while later they disappeared.
So. Cal. is semi arid, not much around for too many hummers. Most of them likely died.
Don't feed the bears, they get lazy and stupid.
I think you will find the same rate of "overhead costs" on grants to states here in the US. The money is siphoned of as administrative cost, new positions created to implement compliance, HR and accounting duties and other not specified costs.
That's how welfare ALWAYS works! Man or beast.
The issue is that the "aid" isn't used to bootstrap them out of the poverty and position they are in, but rather as a way of living.
Much like the hummingbirds discussed in the above comment, they become dependent on it and soon cannot survive without someone else providing at least a portion of their needs.
They trap themselves. Rather than get ahead, they stay where they are with someone else feeding and clothing them.
Shortsighted, but that is africa and the african culture.
When you give people "free" stuff they ALWAYS quickly become addicted to it. All "aid" does is foster dependence on the government...which politicians always want.
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