- Global poverty’s “ugly secret” is that some of the world’s poorest families make terrible spending decisions, buying cigarettes instead of bed nets that could save their children’s lives, wrote columnist Nicholas Kristof in Sunday’s New York Times. William Easterly and Laura Freschi of the Aid Watch blog call his argument a “legitimate” one to raise; but Laura Seay, author of the Texas in Africa blog and an assistant professor at Morehouse College, says it reinforces stereotypes. Holden Karnofsky of the group GiveWell calls Mr. Kristof’s argument interesting but not a case for action; and Max Fisher of the Atlantic Wire summarizes the debate surrounding Mr. Kristof’s article.
- On the blog, Philanthropy Potluck, Ellis Bullock, executive director of the Grotto Foundation, discusses his experience working in the nonprofit world for more than 30 years. He offers tips for success, including learn how to ask the right questions, figure out ways to gain acceptance of ideas among your peers, and work hard and study “because we never stop learning.”
- On the Philantopic blog, the Foundation Center’s Mitch Naufft analyzes the Nature Conservancy’s online chat about its relationship with the oil company BP. (See another discussion about this topic on The Chronicle’s Social Philanthropy blog.)
One Response to Are Bad Choices Part of the Global Poverty Predicament? Plus More: Thursday’s Roundup
gsweeten - May 27, 2010 at 10:09 pm
The truth always reinforces someones stereotypes but if we are to increase the EFFECTIVENESS of charity we must be able to evaluate what orks and what enables families to make bad decisions. I grew up in poverty that came because of the depression and my Dad’s illness. But Dad had a saying, “Poor people have poor ways”. Bythat he meant the chronically poor. And I have seen those poor ways keep poor people in poverty for decades and generations. If we are to facilitate the advancement of poor people out of chronic poverty we must stop enabling the ones who become dependent on aid.