Western aid to foreign countries usually arrives in the form of medical assistance, or food provision. Of which are welcome with open arms; however, are these just short term remedial solutions, or do these offers (as long as they are sustained indefinitely), actually help combat the cycle of poverty? World Vision for instance for years, has been at the fore of providing immediate needs for basic survival in poor communities. However, does such an approach to humanitarian aid address the issue of eradicating the cycle of poverty? Would there be merit to tackle the mindset that keeps developing societies in a state of impoverishment; for instance, foreign aid agencies working at not just providing a fish to these communities, but working at teaching them how to fish.
How about an approach that would tackle the immediate needs (which is necessary), but in addition to, an approach that would work at equipping natives of these developing countries with the tools and resources that could eventually provide for them a self-sustaining community. How about starting with the future generation (the children), by providing them with the means to gain a quality education. Or we can say, equipping communities with opportunities to conduct business ventures, and providing them with say, “soft-loans” that can serve as the working capital for such ventures. I believe that tackling such root problems (a lack of education opportunities, a lack of capital resources, foreign aid reliance etc.), would veer a developing society, and poor communities therein, from dependency to self-sustenance and long term sustainability.
