Make Affluence History

// November 27th, 2007 // random

I was in a quick meeting this morning looking at ways to help people reimagine their role in creating change in Africa. The idea was to move away from the “western money/ideas/structures will fix everything” mindset, towards a more collabrative approach- meaning- we have some of the answers, they have some of the answers, and together we may actually have the collective intelligence to find some practical solutions.

Those of us engaged with mobilizing people have to move past the “orphanage” model where a few lucky individuals are plucked from poverty and dropped into a western model of, quote unquote, sustainability, because for all intents and purposes this will forever be a drop in the bucket (Hands at Work alone is hoping to reach 100 000 orphans by 2010 and the total number of orphans in Africa grows by some estimates at up to 2.1 million a year). While it’s always worthwhile to save one child- if we are really going to turn the tide there needs to be more effective large scale strategies. These need to be community based initiatives that don’t try to emulate western living standards but attempt to find “actually” sustainable, culturally sensitive, African approaches.

Anyway, after all that, the comment that stuck with me was one Mark Crocker made. Essentially he said we’ve focused so much energy and marketing muscle on the idea of making poverty history when the real challenge is to make affluence history.

To make poverty history from a western perspective would leave little for anyone but an empty husk of a planet. We have to help people to reimagine their role not as bringing people up to our standard of living but in carving away at the margin between the rich and poor from both sides- because the brutal, honest, ugly truth for those of us on the inequitable side of the global equation is that the scope of the problem will take more than generosity and sympathy (sharing the feelings of another) but sacrifice and compassion (sharing in the suffering of another).

2 Responses to “Make Affluence History”

  1. Dan Johns says:
    December 4, 2007 at 2:36 am

    I hear you point and agree; for the most part. It wasn’t until I lived in the community four months ago before I understood. Before I lived in a one room brick house with a seventeen year old boy who looks after his two younger brothers, I couldn’t share those feeling or know the burdens that are experienced. I needed to experience the pain to help end it. However, I disagree somewhat with what you said. I cannot be responsible for helping everyone in need. It has taken a lot of depressing moments and burnout to realize that, however I have come to the realization that If I am responsible for for one of those children or a dozen, then that’s all I can do. I cannot worry about what the world is not doing. Yes Hands has committed to 100,000 by 2010 and I applaud them for that. At least they are doing something. Why do we knock them for only putting a drop in the bucket. At least they have put that drop there while the rest of West sits on their hands and talks about what needs to be done rather then doing it. I can encourage and share to help get people on board, but that can only go so far before it takes away from what I can do for that dozen.
    I agree that a mind shift needs to take place to recognize that the end of affluence is important. However, it needs to go hand in hand with the end of poverty. If I decide to live in a smaller house, sell my car and take the bus, and not buy a new ipod every year, it really won’t do anything for that 15 year old girl who is raising her three younger siblings by herself. The end of affluence really means THE END OF AFFLUENCE. Like you said Jer, It needs to be a full on sacrifice. Being willing to stand with that 15 year old girl and conversing with her and her peers and ASKING what they need and how we can come to a solution with them. That will end poverty. But again, that’s all I am responsible for. From a cynics perspective I do no see much hope for the world. I just read on the hearld web page a proposed $1 billion dollar private club/hotel to be built in Calgary. I can only do so much. Where is my time better spent? encouraging a bunch of corporate dicks to sacrifice, or being with those dozen kids who will effect so much more change then those corporate dicks ever could as they grown up and lead Africa. The west won’t change, but Africa can and will change it self.

  2. jeremyduncan.ca » Blog Archive » Second Thoughts says:
    December 4, 2007 at 1:38 pm

    [...] good friend, Dan Johns, addeds some thoughts from Africa to my last post [read them] and it got me thinking along these lines some [...]

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