People frequently give away material things to meet an immediate perceived need, yet this giving might cause more harm than good. People’s good intentions are to aid developing nations in eradicating poverty. Still, they may hinder their actions, “diverting money and attention away from the real issues affecting real people” (Phyllis, 2016). This results in a circle that prevents self-sufficiency, which is essential for economic and personal success, and makes the people and government of the developing country dependent on donations.
People in positions of wealth or influence frequently think they can do good by meeting a need with the presents of material goods or just money. The need to make or sell the same item locally is instantly eliminated when material donations are supplied to a region. As a result, this hurts small enterprises and removes opportunities for individual entrepreneurship.
The recipients of charity and gifts frequently use it as a cover for the real issues. It, therefore, makes the receivers dependent on aid and prevents them from being as self-sufficient as possible. Furthermore, charity interferes with a recipient’s efforts to earn a living. The people are particularly impacted because they are not making progress toward escaping poverty, despite receiving donations from other nations in the form of goods or cash.
Giving people experiencing poverty what they can accomplish for themselves as part of charity weakens them. One of the simplest ways to undermine efforts is to provide people in need with what they can obtain from those they choose to pursue. This is not to say that people should no longer participate in philanthropic causes and deeds.
We should be cautious and ensure we aren’t helping because it makes us feel good. Assisting others naturally leads to feelings of personal contentment. Human nature and normalcy dictate this. Instead, the emphasis should be on what can be done to improve the lives of low-income individuals and ensure that they have a sense of purpose.
References
Phyllis, C. (2016). Charity: the bumpy road paved with good intentions | Phyllis Costanza | TEDxHamburg. YouTube.