When I put out a call for blog posts that people would like me to write, I got this suggestion:
Q: “I would like a post about “Why Africa?” So many of my friends say they want to support causes close to home, so are less inclined to support causes around the globe. Can you speak to that? I know you have insight about this.”
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A: Thanks for the great question! My reasons for giving internationally fall around five key considerations:
Your money can have a much larger impact internationally.
SIA’s Small Business Grants of $150 can help a family in Malawi or Kenya start a small enterprise. In order to start any business in the U.S. you’d need a much larger investment. Similarly, a small amount spent internationally on de-worming pills can significantly improve a child’s life, whereas the same amount wouldn’t have the same affect on long-term quality of life in the U.S.. Our dollar has much greater purchasing power in so many African countries.
Simply greater need internationally.
Many developing countries have much less government and social support available. There is a lot of infrastructure and also individual rights that we can take for granted in the U.S.. Most people in the U.S. don’t face the same barriers to accessing basic financial services or medical care that are the norm for a majority of people in Uganda. Many parts of Malawi do not have running water or electricity. Those are basic things that are so well-established in the U.S. that we can forget that they are there. Giving internationally can help people access things that we don’t even realize we already have.
Expanding my community and connecting with the larger world.
While giving locally can help people I see around me, I think it is also important to give to those who are beyond my scope of vision and who still need help. There are levels of poverty and violence that are so much greater than anything I see in the U.S. and it is important to remember them even when I can’t see them. Giving internationally, and learning about international issues, helps me to connect with the global community and form a greater understanding of the varied experiences of living on earth that are so different from my own.
To right historic wrongs.
This might be a more controversial consideration but I do think it is important to recall that British, American, and other colonial projects have had massive, lasting, negative impacts on the lives of people in the colonized countries. The U.S. benefited greatly over many generations on the backs of slaves from Africa, as well as minerals and natural resources taken from African countries. Giving internationally can be a way to recognize that history and privilege, and to work for a better future.
Finally, in seeking a balance between local and international giving, consider how you can give differently for each need.
It is much more effective to volunteer and give goods locally than internationally. Travel expenses and shipping costs can add up to significant amounts of money without helping those in need. Similarly, you can be a greater advocate to your local government or for societal change in your own community than attempting those same tasks in a culture where you are an outsider. Consider the old adage “think globally, act locally.” I’d add that while thinking globally, also give globally! Money travels easily around the globe and (see #1) can have an enormous impact in countries where people are living off only $1-5 dollars a day.
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Ultimately, I hope that you will all find both local and international causes that inspire you to give.
If you have other questions or topics on which you’d like me to reflect, let me know in the comments or in an email!
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