on "Why Development Aid for Africa Has Failed" SPIEGEL ONLINE
Mr. Kurt Gerhardt has clearly indicated "Why the Development Aid Has Failed in Africa.
I come from Ethiopia and live in Germany since 2002. I am ordained Pastor of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, a protestant church that has been receiving development aid for almost 80 years. The development money rather could not develop the country, it did not develop the church after these long years. It rather created dependency syndrom in the minds of Ethiopian people. I remember the discussion about building a kinder garten in one town church. The elders and the members this church were not so poor. Some of them had shops and lived good life. Some had the capacity even to build school alone. However as a group they said "we are unable to build a kinder garten, we will write an application to the Mekane Yesus Church so that she asks donors from abroad to support."
The governments of Emperor Haile Selasse, President Mengistu and Prime Minister Melles Zenawi have "a begging institution" Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (Desaster prevention and Prepardness as they call it to day).
This begging institution calls the donars together to beg Money to stop hunger. All the three governments have gave reasons of hunger to be "no rain, or drought". They could sell their projects to the west donors showing the starving children. The international communities give the money looking at these pictures of starving children. Non of these Ethiopian governemts could manage to feed the Ethiopian people.
None of the donor agencies ask why the green part of Ethiopia (South and West part) that has enough water and even up to 8 monthes of rain per year starve. They just give the money because "the development help is international industry that should exist for ever. If the Ethiopian people could feed themselves the offices of Begging in Addis Ababa and the international organizations who help Ethiopia will be closed. I do agree when Mr. Kurt Gerhardt says about 100,000 people in Germany live from Development help. The question is are these people ready to close this development industry? The answer is clear no they do not want. Why did the three governments of Ethiopia did not stop this help? The answer is simple why should they close the industry that directly or indirectly support the wars they make.
Mr. Gerhardt argues in his article that the idea of developing some body from out side is wrong. I do agree with him too. I believe any person has the capacity to develop herself or himself if she or he is free from dictatorship. The development help that ignores human rights violations, that does not support democracy is the instrument that supress human development. The development that Ethiopia so far got paid no or littel attention to democracy and human rights.
Thank you Mr. Kurt Gerhardt for your clear message.
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Tue, 17 Aug 2010 - 11:45
on "Why Development Aid for Africa Has Failed" SPIEGEL ONLINE
Mr. Kurt Gerhardt has clearly indicated "Why the Development Aid Has Failed in Africa.
I come from Ethiopia and live in Germany since 2002. I am ordained Pastor of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, a protestant church that has been receiving development aid for almost 80 years. The development money rather could not develop the country, it did not develop the church after these long years. It rather created dependency syndrom in the minds of Ethiopian people. I remember the discussion about building a kinder garten in one town church. The elders and the members this church were not so poor. Some of them had shops and lived good life. Some had the capacity even to build school alone. However as a group they said "we are unable to build a kinder garten, we will write an application to the Mekane Yesus Church so that she asks donors from abroad to support."
The governments of Emperor Haile Selasse, President Mengistu and Prime Minister Melles Zenawi have "a begging institution" Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (Desaster prevention and Prepardness as they call it to day).
This begging institution calls the donars together to beg Money to stop hunger. All the three governments have gave reasons of hunger to be "no rain, or drought". They could sell their projects to the west donors showing the starving children. The international communities give the money looking at these pictures of starving children. Non of these Ethiopian governemts could manage to feed the Ethiopian people.
None of the donor agencies ask why the green part of Ethiopia (South and West part) that has enough water and even up to 8 monthes of rain per year starve. They just give the money because "the development help is international industry that should exist for ever. If the Ethiopian people could feed themselves the offices of Begging in Addis Ababa and the international organizations who help Ethiopia will be closed. I do agree when Mr. Kurt Gerhardt says about 100,000 people in Germany live from Development help. The question is are these people ready to close this development industry? The answer is clear no they do not want. Why did the three governments of Ethiopia did not stop this help? The answer is simple why should they close the industry that directly or indirectly support the wars they make.
Mr. Gerhardt argues in his article that the idea of developing some body from out side is wrong. I do agree with him too. I believe any person has the capacity to develop herself or himself if she or he is free from dictatorship. The development help that ignores human rights violations, that does not support democracy is the instrument that supress human development. The development that Ethiopia so far got paid no or littel attention to democracy and human rights.
Thank you Mr. Kurt Gerhardt for your clear message.