The Micro-Macro Paradox

The following is an except taken from the book, "Dead Aid" by Dambisa Moyo.

There's a mosquito net maker in Africa. He manufactures around 500 nets a week. He employs ten people, who (as with many African countries) each have to support upwards of fifteen relatives. However hard they work, they can't make enough nets to combat the malaria-carrying mosquito.

Enter vociferous Hollywood movie star who rallies the masses, and goads Western governments to collect and send 100,000 mosquito nets to the afflicted region, at a cost of a million dollars. The nets arrive, the nets are distributed, and a 'good' deed is done.

With the market flooded with foreign nets, however, our mosquito net maker is promptly put out of business. His ten workers can no longer support their 150 dependents (who are now forced to rely on handouts), and one mustn't forget that in a maximum of five years the majority of the imported nets will be torn, damaged and of no further use.

This is the micro-macro paradox. A short-term efficacious intervention may have few discernible, sustainable long-term benefits. Worse still, it can unintentionally undermine whatever fragile chance for sustainable development may already be in play.

Focus Group

A few Saturdays ago the whole One Mission team (in Peñasco) spent half a day asking leaders in the community different questions about their community. We found people that we saw as natural leaders in their community. They hold no formal position of authority, they simply hold influence in a community where natural influence is hard to come by. Below are some great quotes from the experience.

Our community is very open to ideas and willing to serve when given the opportunity, we're not very good at finding that opportunity. - Teresa

There are at least ten drug dealers in my neighborhood I see a couple times a week. - Tony

Two years ago I didn't know any of my neighbors. Now I know almost everyone on my street, our kids walk to school together everyday. - Teresa

There are no safe places for kids other than in their homes, school isn't even safe anymore. - Maricela

Volunteering with people has really built a lot of relationships within my neighborhood. - Maricela

People I volunteer with at One Mission have become part of my family - Jesus

For me, poverty is a heart issue. Its not looking for opportunities or fighting for whats necessary to sustain my family. Its lack of initiative. - Maricela

Poverty is able people waiting for solutions to fall from the sky - Teresa

As you can see their feelings and responses are all over the board. One of the most important discoveries we made from the whole process is that poverty isn't a matter of lacking something (food, clothes, house, etc...). Poverty, according to the people living it, is being stuck. Its not being able to do anything about your own situation. Its the shame associated with not being able to sustain your family. Its not even knowing what you can possibly do today to make tomorrow better.