Does Aid Really Aid? Photo

Photographer’s Note

From my whole Ethiopian trip, this is my favorite photo. Its a very sad picture which sums up the sad state of affairs both in Ethiopia and perhaps in Africa:

Everyone I have spoken to beleives Ethiopia to be an arid wasteland. Images of deserts and malnourished children inmediately come up to people's minds. This is probably why around 35% of Ethiopia's GDP comes from foreign aid. This is why I heard from many Ethiopians that the government deliberately does nothing to improve the country's image.

Ethiopia is really a green country. If you look at a map of the place, you will find several lakes and rivers. There is abundant rain. HOwever only 4% of all cutlivated land is irrigated.... there are milions of cows, goats, and sheep, but there is no dairy industry.

The front page of the newspapers and the top newscasts talk about the grants and aid that the country is receiving that week. People have eased themselves into a mindset of becoming aid recipients, and you see very little iniciative in the country.

Are we really helping such countries by sending them food aid? I beleive we are making the problem worse. If we want to help, we should send technical assistance, machinery, and help in order to assist them in assisting themselves. Just giving out food, takes away people's dignity and their desire to improve their lives.

Just my personal thoughts.

Taken inside a monastery outside Bilbila.

Luan, SamB, Emile, gabrielpat, ALIRIZA, Homerhomer, maximage, AmiBe, Vato_Law, vagabondtravels, Traveller, tobourge, axiotea, tjanze, vincz, rhizomes, Click3, Bien, fireflyz, Jeronimo, Clairedelune has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

SamB (1948) 2006-09-05 15:45

Nice piece and interesting commentary. i agree in large part with what you have to say, that far too often aid causes only temporary relief and ultimate dependency and loss of pride. At first the soft focus on the person bugged me a little bit, but i think i can see where you're going with it, that just as the government of Ethiopia is focused on the USA and their aid more than on the people, the focus of the shot is on the aid, but still leaves the people of Ethiopia in the forefront.

Thanks!
sam

Emile (20107) 2006-09-05 15:52

Hola Daniel.
Tu foto es muy interesante no solo por la foto en si sino por lo que encierra tu pregunta, creo que en ese pais que es considerado el mas pobre del mundo tu nos das un punto de vista muy distinto a lo que muchas personas no saben que existe, el decirnos que es un pais fertil, con rios, etc y ver que no existe el mas minimo deseo de mejorar la condicion de vida por el mismo pueblo de Etiopia eso llena de pena y al mismo tiempo de rabia a los que constantemente vemos fotos de ninos muriendo de hambre. Ahora yo me pregunto, como puede una madre, un padre ver morir sus hijos por falta de comida cuando ellos pueden cultivar la tierra y hacer muchas otras cosas por su familia. De verdad que ha sido una sorpresa leer tu nota y te lo agradezco.
Tu foto es muy ilustrativa de tu excelente nota.
Abrazos.

gabrielpat (6553) 2006-09-05 15:58

hi daniel,
of course this kind of aid is not usefull,it can be usefull just for a while ,during a special crisis,but not for years and years....it is just a strategy to keep people dependant of your help.because after so many years,they dont need to work for a few corn if they have tonnes from foreign countries.
Confucius said;"if you want to help your ennemy,give him a fish,if you want to help a friend,learn him to fish.."

ALIRIZA (16197) 2006-09-05 16:10

Hi Daniel,
Only... MAGNIFICENT....
This is a very important document.
What can I say more!...
Best wishes...
Ali Rıza

king (2602) 2006-09-05 16:13

Hello Daniel
Thank you for your picture and your comment.
I agree with you that assistence in economic development is necessary for countries like Ethiopia.
But in the case of acute hunger, it's also the duty of rich countries to send food. They can do both: send adequate technology, capital for the long run and food-aid for the short run.
Agree?

Huub de K.

maximage (13592) 2006-09-05 16:37

Bonsoir Daniel,
Une photo poignante et à double sense, ces "USA" qui peuvent faire beaucoup de bien mais aussi beaucoup de mal par méconnaissance et par naïveté.
Mais bons, sur TE on ne fait pas de politique.
Amitiés,
max

AmiBe (6042) 2006-09-05 16:51

Tchô... c'est encore moi :)
très bonne note et photo très poignante.
Le regard est terrible.
J'aime vraiment tes photos de ce pays... sincérement.
Bien vu

Vato_Law (11686) 2006-09-05 17:36

Hello Daniel,
Very strong and sad picture, unfortunately it's not hard to find such kind of situations even in 'first world countries'. Maybe the entourage is not the same but the final result is the same.
About what our countries could do towards this situation, it's better not to say anything because I could be little bit rough...
Although it's a very sad picture and theme, your photo is very well composed and this man's expression is really strong and powerful adding a lot to the photo's strenght.
Cheers,
Paulo

ribeiroantonio (21967) 2006-09-05 18:37

Your note is sums up very well the problem of most African countries. Governments do not care about their people well being. So, in my opinion, AID does not help at all. It only aggravates the problem. It is much easier to get aid than work the land and govern the country. Your picture shows us a very sad person and it is also sad by itself. Very good work. Congratulations.
Antonio

vagabondtravels (6115) 2006-09-05 23:40

A great bit of reportage. Really nice image. Great comp and colors.

I agree with Ralaf. (But I think UNICEF is having their 60th anniversary and it's 20th as a donor nation.) None the less, South Korea is a poster child for this organization.

Anyway really good work.
Ben

Traveller (667) 2006-09-06 0:52 [Comment]

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barrufeto_77 (25935) 2006-09-06 1:39

Hola Daniel.

Bonita foto con mensaje. Es triste que haya gente en esta situación.

La cara de la persona de la foto, por cierto, está muy lograda.

Un saludo, Oscar

tobourge (925) 2006-09-06 1:45

Bonjour Daniel,

Une photo très poignante!!!

Je ne peux qu'adhérer à ta note mais malheureusement de telles aides sont et seront encore nécessaires.

Mais dans le fond il faut bien sûr approter une aide technique.

Donne un poisson à un homme qui a faim, tu le nourris une journée. Apprend lui à pêcher, tu le nourris toute sa vie.

Merci pour le partage de tes photos

Amic.

Tony

axiotea (16263) 2006-09-06 2:47

Bonjour Daniel,
Une image boulversante, a la note pertinente concernant la misere en Ethiopie et le "laisser-faire" du gouvernement!
Amicalement,
Marilyn

jinju (14265) 2006-09-06 3:28

Youve touched on a real issue. Im not really well informed about Africa but North Korea is a case thats much closer to me, where the aid that the country has got really doesnt do much for the regular people. The reason is that the north Korean government takes that aid and gives it to the loyal supporters of the regime and the army. Infact the rice aid from the UN was suspended by the NK govt in favor of getting South Korean rice aid. Reason is that the SK rice aid is not monitored while the UN was, so now the NK govt just gives rice to whoever it wants with no care for those who need it. Its a really bad situation. However, in the long run, for all 3rd world countries, aid should not be counted on as a savior. Countries must be helped to develop their socirties, infrastructure, so that they can eventaually be self reliant. Africa is very much in need of that.

This is a really important photo in the scope of TE because you are doing more than just posting a pretty picture, you are addressing a problem. If a country gets the mentaility of being a recipient, nothing will ever change. We are now in the 60th year of UNESCO. South Korea is sort of a poster child for this organization. Going from recipient to donor in about 50 years.

tjanze (5674) 2006-09-06 4:04

Hi Daniel!
Really sad photo.I am not smart enough how to help this peoples.I know about 20 years ago,Yugoslavia (I live there in that time) send new tractors in Africa.
Everything OK,until first small breakdown.Nobody repair tractor.And after next 10 years the same tractor was still on the field.... Regards!

vincz (19045) 2006-09-06 4:32

Interesting picture and a commentary with which I agree a lot.

rhizomes (15325) 2006-09-06 14:40

Hi Daniel,
Very interesting reflection about international aid. Your picture is sad but this is reality.
Christophe

Click3 (1871) 2006-09-06 20:42

Daniel...I find very interesting your "thoughts" around this photo which is a Great capture to accompany them & visually show us what you mean.
An image to remember & Think ! Saludos, Robert

Bien (4729) 2006-09-07 12:31

Hi Daniel, A very interesting note to accompany this gripping shot. There are few words I can find to describe what I feel when watching this photo; but it surely moves me and makes me think. The despair dripping from that man's face is really very confronting. A very honourable statement you have made here. Sabine

t0mmm1 (5434) 2006-09-08 16:47

Hi Daniel,
I think you're right...
two friends of mine were volonteers in Congo to help the people of "don't know where" village. And there they had repaired the tractors, and other macchinery that arrive there by "some aid" but people didn't know how to use it, don't even immagine how to repair it... The two friends stayed there one year... I guess, now after 2 years that they are home, everything's the same as it was before... I feel so sorry for this facts...
Tomi

fireflyz (2079) 2006-09-09 15:40 [Comment]

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Jeronimo (1377) 2006-09-10 19:31

Je suis tout a fait d'accord avec ta note, et la photo est impressionnante. L'aide internationale est une maniere de faire pression politiquement. Le développement est, a mon gout, quelque chose qui doit se faire de maniere interne donc pas forcement par le biais de l'industrie dans un premier temps, mais de l'agriculture puis de l'industrie. Il y a un probleme a mon gout dans le systeme politque planetaire avec de grandes puissances qui ont des stratégies de surproduction de cereales avec comme grand argument: il y a de plus en plus de bouches a nourires. Mais le probleme c'est la distribution de cette force de production qui est souvent une stratégie de pression politique.
Je suis a la rochelle en décembre, le 15. Ce sera un plaisir de te recevoir, je pense pouvoir te loger si tu veux. Je ne sais pas si j'aurais la possibilité de voyager beaucoup car ma bourse se termine et je serais en recherche de boulot, mais ca me ferais super plaisir de te voir. Ma copine adore tes photos. Elles sont pleine de sensibilité. Ca me donne envie de te connaitre et pourquoi pas, faire un petit tour pour prendre des photos dans ma région que je connais bien.
A bientôt.

jrzufferey (7249) 2006-09-17 8:28

Hello Daniel,
Une photographie qui illustre bien les problèmes économiques de l'Ethiopie. Les pluies deviennent de plus en plus rares et le programme d'aide internationale est nécessaire. La culture traditionnelle du Tef, céréale locale avec laquelle est préparée l'Injéra le plat le plus rependu.

Luan (15935) 2006-09-25 8:23

olala, tout un symbol ici avec USA derriere, une image tres dure, un paradoxe, superbe Daniel. Je viens de decouvrir la gallerie sur ton voyage.
A+
Luan

Clairedelune (4885) 2006-10-14 12:14

You know the saying: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Maybe it is a bit what you mean. At least, it is what I think could be more efficient. But, it may be a lot more trouble to do, isn’t it? Giving money, when we have a lot and feel guilty about is is much less trouble...
Difficult photo. Big bags of wheat. And dry land with dry hay. To give us the impression that they really need that aid?
The person here seems to be wrapped in a bag too...
Claire

Or_Han (810) 2006-10-17 2:11

this photo is very expressive. I'm affected...

in my opinion, The people of all world have to try to understand why african people is poor and sad and what did we(our fathers) do in the past? especially, european and american people...

firstly, we have to know, after that we have to do someting to change the world. otherwise the world will turn to the hell :(