Why Community Development(?)
For people in developing countries, quality infrastructure can change everything.
The Challenge
“The focus of foreign assistance needs to shift from aid to enterprise, from poverty alleviation to wealth creation, from handouts to investments, from seeing the poor as consumers to seeing them as creators.” (1)
Poverty alleviation efforts must shift from enabling dependency through charity and aid, to empowering local communities to lead their own community development through investing in long-term solutions.
The Challenge
“The focus of foreign assistance needs to shift from aid to enterprise, from poverty alleviation to wealth creation, from handouts to investments, from seeing the poor as consumers to seeing them as creators.” (1)
Poverty alleviation efforts must shift from enabling dependency through charity and aid, to empowering local communities to lead their own community development through investing in long-term solutions.
Charity vs. Development
Charity does for others
Development takes the long view and enables others to do for themselves
Charity treats the symptom
Development addresses the root cause
Charity gives a fish
Development teaches one to fish
Poverty is not just a lack of money; it is not having the capability to realize one's full potential as a human being.
When we do for those in need what they can do for themselves, we disempower them.
It is this realization and understanding of when helping hurts that has shaped Musana into what it is today. What Ugandans need is restored hope and dignity in their own economic and social capacity that will enable them to not only survive, but to thrive.
