african friends and money
Let me start this post by acknowledging up front that I have only spent 3 weeks in Africa and know that I know nothing.
During even just 3 weeks, it was impossible not to feel awkward and unsure of how to behave as a foreigner with money.
Walking around with our 1.5 liter bottles of drinking water, eyed by all the street children that followed us around.
Riding local buses with ipods in our ears and cameras in our bags.
Pulling out Power bars that we brought from home to eat, without having enough to share with everyone around us.
People we interacted with for an hour or two would ask us to buy them a cellphone, or pay their school fees. It was easy to judge these requests as outrageously forward and inappropriate. But hopefully, at some point, I'll understand a bit better.
A friend recommended we read African Friends and Money Matters by David Maranz. From page 4:
"What is the one most fundamental economic consideration in the majority of African societies? I believe the answer is approximately this: the distribution of economic resources so that all persons may have their minimum needs met, or at least that they may survive. This distribution is the African social security system...
What is the one most fundamental economic consideration in Western society? The answer is the accumulation of capital and wealth. This is possible because natural resources are bountiful and rationally developed. Consequently, most citizens have had opportunity to achieve a comfortable life with ample material goods."
During even just 3 weeks, it was impossible not to feel awkward and unsure of how to behave as a foreigner with money.
Walking around with our 1.5 liter bottles of drinking water, eyed by all the street children that followed us around.
Riding local buses with ipods in our ears and cameras in our bags.
Pulling out Power bars that we brought from home to eat, without having enough to share with everyone around us.
People we interacted with for an hour or two would ask us to buy them a cellphone, or pay their school fees. It was easy to judge these requests as outrageously forward and inappropriate. But hopefully, at some point, I'll understand a bit better.
A friend recommended we read African Friends and Money Matters by David Maranz. From page 4:
"What is the one most fundamental economic consideration in the majority of African societies? I believe the answer is approximately this: the distribution of economic resources so that all persons may have their minimum needs met, or at least that they may survive. This distribution is the African social security system...
What is the one most fundamental economic consideration in Western society? The answer is the accumulation of capital and wealth. This is possible because natural resources are bountiful and rationally developed. Consequently, most citizens have had opportunity to achieve a comfortable life with ample material goods."
posted by Duncan and Jen | 9:13 PM
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