You are a National Treasure for ALL. The way of explaining hard issues in the most direct and meaningful ways is brilliant.
You don’t just waste time arguing bout a subject, you explain HOW IT IMPACTS our daily lives and that’s so relevant and refreshing. Bravo Madame Bravo.
USAID is a deceptively named organization that is not a legitimate charity. It is, and always has been an arm of the US government and the CIA. This organization is where ex CIA directors go after they "retire" to continue operations. This group has been working to overthrow and destabilize governments all over the world under the disguise of an aid organization - Vietnam, Haiti, USSR. All of this to allow corporations to exploit cheap labor and install cooperative (often brutal) governments. Thank you for standing up and exposing this deception!
100% accurate. Do not be misled into thinking the US Deep State is interested in a free and self-sufficient Africa. Quite the contrary. The perpetual bureaucracy WANTS Africa dependent on US foreign aid so they can continue to manipulate the economic and political future of the continent.
Well said! However, the 'popular demand' for Aid in the West is still reasonably high (just look at Mr Beasts videos)... We'll have to wait and see what the lasting effects of this are.
Not sure sure what you mean by "the 'popular demand' for Aid in the West is still reasonably high (just look at Mr Beasts videos)". Could you please explain?
Just a reference to the viral sucess of the Mr Beast Youtube Channel and their philanthropy videos in Africa. Since these videos are so popular it might suggest there's some appetite for traditional foreign aid step ups in some western countries.
Thank you Magatte for writing this! I wondered what you would have to say and I am not a bit surprised. I wish they would actually talk to honest citizens from the receiving countries, but grifts once instituted, regardless of intention, are hard to uproot. Hope you are thriving.
Preach it, sister. Been there, done that, tired of the self-serving fairy tales. Shiny white Landcruisers, big expat budgets and homes, 10% for the people who are supposed to be helped, and then we pat ourselves on the back about how virtuous we are. And that’s just from the community development side. The sinister CIA and cultural imperialism side is far more immoral.
But this is nothing new. Google “The Development Set,” a poem by Ross Coggins. He wrote about all of this back in 1976.
Add to that the hubris of these people. A friend of mine asked one of his friends who works in one of these US foreign aid agencies to read my book "The Heart of the Cheetah".
In the book I speak of the hardships of people living in poverty and misery and the harsh realities of poor medical support with people laying on hospital beds where the cats are waiting beneath the bed to catch any drip of blood falling down.
Her feedback after reading it was: "Well it is just not my lived experience on the ground".
But how could her lived experience in Africa be similar to mine when, courtesy of taxpayers money, she gets to enjoy a driver for their big Range/Land Rovers, a cook, a gardener, business class tickets for the whole family to go back home in the West at least once a year, a nanny for each of her three children... in short enjoying the posh life of an expat full of fancy parties and elite access to pretty much anything her heart desires. For the sickest among them, it might even include access to little boys or girls.
The worse is these people live in an alternate world. They live in their bubbles from where they just don't and can't see us.
Hubris. Arrogance. “We” have superior knowledge “we” impose on people who know how to live in situations “we” could never survive on “our” own experience alone.
Their “lived” experience is inside the expert bubble. Everything you said is spot on.
I’ve posted a couple extended comments about my experiences with USAID over the past few days and have received some surprisingly dogged and unpleasant responses. I’ve wondered why the respondents were so upset, then realized they are trying to defend their belief that they are somehow virtuous because of their blind support for the defunct agency. They actually think their support for USAID is virtuous and that they can outsource their need to be virtuous. They would rather ignore or argue with the reality than to be told they supported a corrupt and harmful institution.
It is helpful to hear from "real" people for those of us unaware. I see your book "The Heart of the Cheetah" on Amazon & will look into it. Thank you for sharing.
Africa probably does not need USAID, especially given that much of USAID funding is spent on US admin + implementation costs.
But then some countries will have to fund certain programs (malaria, TB, HIV, women’s health) from domestic resources without the usual excuse of « Les bailleurs de fonds imposent des conditions inacceptables » when their governments fail to deliver on commitments to their own people.
Un pays magnifique (comme le Nigeria et l’Ethiopie) plein de capacités et de gens brilliants mais abîmé par la corruption et la politique politicienne.
This is only the first pillar of the aid industrial complex. The real change will happen once the world bank and IMF are abolished.
Furthermore there needs to be harsh punishments for countries that default on their debts. I think it's fair game for America to invade Argentina if Milei fails to unfuck his country's finances.
Th only way to abolish the like of the WB and IMF is to render them irrelevant. For that to happen we need to ensure there is no more poor nation, which means we need to get serious about prosperity building, hence my focus on Economic Freedom and Energy as the winning formula.
Nah. They need to be abolished as soon as possible. You will only get more failure if you continue to subsidize it. Besides economic development or industrialisation is a very difficult process and some societies will never make it.
On a side note, Argentina is not a poor country. It's per capita income is similar to that of China and Malaysia. 5 times richer than India. However, they're the biggest beneficiary of the IMF and the aid industrial complex. It's not about money, it's about moral character.
We’ve directly supported a friends’ girls home in Eswatini. It's called Hosea’s Heart. She moved there decades ago, the money goes straight to them. It's a small endeavor.
I don't trust these huge non profits in the BUSINESS of helping.
Everyone who pays attention would quickly realize that foreign aid doesn’t exist help Africans, but to help Western NGO’s.
Anytime questions are asked, they’ll throw up an ad with starving African children, neglecting the fact that NGO’s contribute to the problems that cause food shortages.
It’s a scandal that this type of analysis, which has been available for decades, has failed to penetrate the consciousness of anyone in authority. Apparently the people who are focused on keeping this corrupt system going. I’ve managed to suppress any rational and humane analysis of what’s actually happening. I hope this message gets through during the Trump years. Maybe some actual Positive benefit could flow to the people of Africa from changed policies, rather than the same destructive “aid“ that has been flowing there for so long.
Wowww this is very revealing. Thank you for writing this piece. I didn’t know how these programs impacted the local community and economy. I just sort of assumed it was all due to corruption rather than mismanagement.
I think we probably need to do a case by case analysis. For instance, the withdrawal of aid will mean 4 million more Africans will die of HIV Aids than before the aid (no pun intended) was withdrawn. So i think it needs a more nuanced analysis. I also dont think Ron Paul is anyone i would like to quote because of his Libertarian credentials which are closely aligned with Musk,Thiel and the rest of the Project 25 crew. This is the same crew who have pushed for the removal DEI in the USA. We may as well ask do Black folk really need DEI? My answer would be yes, we do. Finally, economic freedom as defined by Milton Friedman is a freedom where workers don't have any rights. And judging by the vid I think that's pretty close to what the author wants as well. The ability to fire at will.
If you lost your job, would you continue to go out to dinner each night, keep your gym membership, retain your nanny/maid and go to the theater every weekend? Or would you stop all of those activities and fire your maid/nanny u til you were able to do a case by case review of your cash outflow?
It’s not the same as USAID blowing money on anything and everything, but I hope you get the gist of my example.
A pause in ALL aid until WE figure out which agencies are going to continue to receive aid is not only fiscally responsible, but as a taxpayer, I demand it. My local govt is unable to pave the streets and give raises to the firefighters and police officers due to a lack of money. Yet, foolish politicians are throwing money at foolish and worthless programs all over the world? No thanks. Put the oxygen mask on yourself before helping those around you.
I have heard this same message about aid in Africa doing more harm than help. Pushing renewable energy on the continent while western countries use fossil fuels to live a life of luxury by most countries standards is hypocrisy at its best. Africa should be able to build and use whatever energy methods and policies they wish. The countries are sovereign nations and should rule themselves.
There is a psychological and economic war, albeit subtle, on Africans and Africa. This war is presented as foreign Aid, democracy and cooperation. The solution is mental and economic freedom. But sadly most Africans hate hate it.
You are a National Treasure for ALL. The way of explaining hard issues in the most direct and meaningful ways is brilliant.
You don’t just waste time arguing bout a subject, you explain HOW IT IMPACTS our daily lives and that’s so relevant and refreshing. Bravo Madame Bravo.
Thank you for making my brain bigger.
Maria
Thank you!
USAID is a deceptively named organization that is not a legitimate charity. It is, and always has been an arm of the US government and the CIA. This organization is where ex CIA directors go after they "retire" to continue operations. This group has been working to overthrow and destabilize governments all over the world under the disguise of an aid organization - Vietnam, Haiti, USSR. All of this to allow corporations to exploit cheap labor and install cooperative (often brutal) governments. Thank you for standing up and exposing this deception!
Thank you. We haven't even began to understand the amount of harm done by this agency.
Exactly right!
100% accurate. Do not be misled into thinking the US Deep State is interested in a free and self-sufficient Africa. Quite the contrary. The perpetual bureaucracy WANTS Africa dependent on US foreign aid so they can continue to manipulate the economic and political future of the continent.
Well said! However, the 'popular demand' for Aid in the West is still reasonably high (just look at Mr Beasts videos)... We'll have to wait and see what the lasting effects of this are.
Not sure sure what you mean by "the 'popular demand' for Aid in the West is still reasonably high (just look at Mr Beasts videos)". Could you please explain?
Just a reference to the viral sucess of the Mr Beast Youtube Channel and their philanthropy videos in Africa. Since these videos are so popular it might suggest there's some appetite for traditional foreign aid step ups in some western countries.
Thank you Magatte for writing this! I wondered what you would have to say and I am not a bit surprised. I wish they would actually talk to honest citizens from the receiving countries, but grifts once instituted, regardless of intention, are hard to uproot. Hope you are thriving.
Thanks so much, Reena. I am glad this issue is finally being acted on, not just debated ad nauseam. Hope you guys are thriving too!
Yes! All good. M is an adult living in nyc and we’re empty nesters up to our usual. Love to you & Michael.
Preach it, sister. Been there, done that, tired of the self-serving fairy tales. Shiny white Landcruisers, big expat budgets and homes, 10% for the people who are supposed to be helped, and then we pat ourselves on the back about how virtuous we are. And that’s just from the community development side. The sinister CIA and cultural imperialism side is far more immoral.
But this is nothing new. Google “The Development Set,” a poem by Ross Coggins. He wrote about all of this back in 1976.
Add to that the hubris of these people. A friend of mine asked one of his friends who works in one of these US foreign aid agencies to read my book "The Heart of the Cheetah".
In the book I speak of the hardships of people living in poverty and misery and the harsh realities of poor medical support with people laying on hospital beds where the cats are waiting beneath the bed to catch any drip of blood falling down.
Her feedback after reading it was: "Well it is just not my lived experience on the ground".
But how could her lived experience in Africa be similar to mine when, courtesy of taxpayers money, she gets to enjoy a driver for their big Range/Land Rovers, a cook, a gardener, business class tickets for the whole family to go back home in the West at least once a year, a nanny for each of her three children... in short enjoying the posh life of an expat full of fancy parties and elite access to pretty much anything her heart desires. For the sickest among them, it might even include access to little boys or girls.
The worse is these people live in an alternate world. They live in their bubbles from where they just don't and can't see us.
Hubris. Arrogance. “We” have superior knowledge “we” impose on people who know how to live in situations “we” could never survive on “our” own experience alone.
Their “lived” experience is inside the expert bubble. Everything you said is spot on.
I’ll check out your book.
Thank you. I look forward to your thoughts after you have read it.
I’ve posted a couple extended comments about my experiences with USAID over the past few days and have received some surprisingly dogged and unpleasant responses. I’ve wondered why the respondents were so upset, then realized they are trying to defend their belief that they are somehow virtuous because of their blind support for the defunct agency. They actually think their support for USAID is virtuous and that they can outsource their need to be virtuous. They would rather ignore or argue with the reality than to be told they supported a corrupt and harmful institution.
It is helpful to hear from "real" people for those of us unaware. I see your book "The Heart of the Cheetah" on Amazon & will look into it. Thank you for sharing.
Fantastic piece that hits at the heart of the issue with aid money!
Thank you for taking the time to read it.
Thank you , Magatte, for your courage and honesty. We all need our eyes wide open to the truth. I’m getting your book. God bless.
Africa probably does not need USAID, especially given that much of USAID funding is spent on US admin + implementation costs.
But then some countries will have to fund certain programs (malaria, TB, HIV, women’s health) from domestic resources without the usual excuse of « Les bailleurs de fonds imposent des conditions inacceptables » when their governments fail to deliver on commitments to their own people.
Foreign Aid has delayed very necessary reforms by bailing out corrupt leaders and inefficient systems.
Tout à fait.
Notre cher Suunugal étant grand spécialiste en la matière.
Please do not get me started...(sigh)
Un pays magnifique (comme le Nigeria et l’Ethiopie) plein de capacités et de gens brilliants mais abîmé par la corruption et la politique politicienne.
This is only the first pillar of the aid industrial complex. The real change will happen once the world bank and IMF are abolished.
Furthermore there needs to be harsh punishments for countries that default on their debts. I think it's fair game for America to invade Argentina if Milei fails to unfuck his country's finances.
Th only way to abolish the like of the WB and IMF is to render them irrelevant. For that to happen we need to ensure there is no more poor nation, which means we need to get serious about prosperity building, hence my focus on Economic Freedom and Energy as the winning formula.
Nah. They need to be abolished as soon as possible. You will only get more failure if you continue to subsidize it. Besides economic development or industrialisation is a very difficult process and some societies will never make it.
On a side note, Argentina is not a poor country. It's per capita income is similar to that of China and Malaysia. 5 times richer than India. However, they're the biggest beneficiary of the IMF and the aid industrial complex. It's not about money, it's about moral character.
We’ve directly supported a friends’ girls home in Eswatini. It's called Hosea’s Heart. She moved there decades ago, the money goes straight to them. It's a small endeavor.
I don't trust these huge non profits in the BUSINESS of helping.
Everyone who pays attention would quickly realize that foreign aid doesn’t exist help Africans, but to help Western NGO’s.
Anytime questions are asked, they’ll throw up an ad with starving African children, neglecting the fact that NGO’s contribute to the problems that cause food shortages.
The “flies in the eyes” photos are a basic requirement for good aid porn.
It’s a scandal that this type of analysis, which has been available for decades, has failed to penetrate the consciousness of anyone in authority. Apparently the people who are focused on keeping this corrupt system going. I’ve managed to suppress any rational and humane analysis of what’s actually happening. I hope this message gets through during the Trump years. Maybe some actual Positive benefit could flow to the people of Africa from changed policies, rather than the same destructive “aid“ that has been flowing there for so long.
Wowww this is very revealing. Thank you for writing this piece. I didn’t know how these programs impacted the local community and economy. I just sort of assumed it was all due to corruption rather than mismanagement.
I think we probably need to do a case by case analysis. For instance, the withdrawal of aid will mean 4 million more Africans will die of HIV Aids than before the aid (no pun intended) was withdrawn. So i think it needs a more nuanced analysis. I also dont think Ron Paul is anyone i would like to quote because of his Libertarian credentials which are closely aligned with Musk,Thiel and the rest of the Project 25 crew. This is the same crew who have pushed for the removal DEI in the USA. We may as well ask do Black folk really need DEI? My answer would be yes, we do. Finally, economic freedom as defined by Milton Friedman is a freedom where workers don't have any rights. And judging by the vid I think that's pretty close to what the author wants as well. The ability to fire at will.
If you lost your job, would you continue to go out to dinner each night, keep your gym membership, retain your nanny/maid and go to the theater every weekend? Or would you stop all of those activities and fire your maid/nanny u til you were able to do a case by case review of your cash outflow?
It’s not the same as USAID blowing money on anything and everything, but I hope you get the gist of my example.
A pause in ALL aid until WE figure out which agencies are going to continue to receive aid is not only fiscally responsible, but as a taxpayer, I demand it. My local govt is unable to pave the streets and give raises to the firefighters and police officers due to a lack of money. Yet, foolish politicians are throwing money at foolish and worthless programs all over the world? No thanks. Put the oxygen mask on yourself before helping those around you.
I have heard this same message about aid in Africa doing more harm than help. Pushing renewable energy on the continent while western countries use fossil fuels to live a life of luxury by most countries standards is hypocrisy at its best. Africa should be able to build and use whatever energy methods and policies they wish. The countries are sovereign nations and should rule themselves.
There is a psychological and economic war, albeit subtle, on Africans and Africa. This war is presented as foreign Aid, democracy and cooperation. The solution is mental and economic freedom. But sadly most Africans hate hate it.
Nor the Peace Corps.