More thoughts about giving

I think it would be a good idea for me to clarify a little bit more my thoughts on giving. My views have changed since I came to Africa.

Here is what I believe after four months of living in Africa:

I don't just give out money to people who ask for it. It is completely counter productive. Giving a little bit of money doesn't help. It will maybe feed a person for a day, and there is no way to be sure that a stranger would use the money for the purposes he or she claims. And giving out small amounts of money just reinforces begging. In Kampala they have laws against giving out money to street children who are begging. Parents in the north have been sending their children to the streets of Kampala to beg because it is an easy way to get money. For a country that is trying to lift itself out of poverty, it is really important for people to learn to help themselves. That is why Food for the Hungry has programs that give people job opportunities where they can make their own money, and programs that teach people how to use their money wisely. Uganda went through twenty years of war, in which they got used to getting food and money from organizations that were trying to help. That did a lot of harm because now there is an entire generation of people that don't have the skills to make help themselves because they are used to free hand-outs.

At this point, I will only give my money to people that I know personally and trust that they will put the money to good use. It is even better if I can give clothes or food. I prefer to give money to organizations that will help communities help themselves. I know that it is harder for people who have not lived long term in a developing country to understand why I don't just give things to people when they ask. I am sure it seems ungenerous, and selfish. That is why I wanted to let everyone know why I feel this way, and the good reasons why me and many other people who have stayed for a while don't give handouts.