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Lesotho Blanket Run.

wobbly

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My boy has just got back from SA doing volunteer work, which reminded me that I havent read of a blanket run for a while.

Is another planned?

Pete
 
Hey Pete we missed this years. i can post the trip if you want but the club did not seem to push it so it slipped my mind if i am honest.

New club admin and a change in forum format meant it went un noticed by manny and they did not push it near as much has they have in the past. I used to get a call or email to ask if we can help but not this year.

Next year I am sure we/I will get around to posting something.
 
Cheers.

Joe really benefitted from the trip - it was run by his college and he went out to a township for 2 weeks to run sports events - first job was for the college group to clear rocks and rubbish from a level area to use as a ground.

Pete
 
first job was for the college group to clear rocks and rubbish from a level area to use as a ground.

Pete

Without entering into convoluted arguments on why the day when all charities-NGOs-Aid organizations et al will be thrown into the deepest deeps of the ocean will be a great bright day for Africa, may I ask a couple of silly questions?

1. Is there a lack of able-bodied, idle, unoccupied youth in the township, that they can't muster the skills and energy to clear their own rubbish for the sake of improving their own environment?

2. When was the last time that Lesotho or any other African country sent a team of anybodies to anywhere in the world to help others solve their real or imaginary problems, be it from a tsunami, an earthquake, or generations of mismanagement and applied graft and laziness?

I know that may sound harsh, but the only positive achievements of aid in almost any form, are the good feelings it provide to the aiders - and comfortable salaries, benefits, and perks for too many of those involved in that racket.

Positive results on the ground, for countless billions of dollars dumped here and there over decades, and untold thousands upon thousands of man-hours of ill-conceived labour? The square root of zero, or slightly less.

Sustainable projects achieved anywhere, anytime, that have actually made an improvement, AND have continued once the external funding and support has ceased? Zero, as far as I'm aware. But then, what do I know... I've only lived on the Continent and dealt with the problems caused by "aid" and interference from well-meaning but totally ill-informed outsiders for twenty years and change...
 
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Without entering into convoluted arguments on why the day when all charities-NGOs-Aid organizations et al will be thrown into the deepest deeps of the ocean will be a great bright day for Africa, may I ask a couple of silly questions?

1. Is there a lack of able-bodied, idle, unoccupied youth in the township, that they can't muster the skills and energy to clear their own rubbish for the sake of improving their own environment?

2. When was the last time that Lesotho or any other African country sent a team of anybodies to anywhere in the world to help others solve their real or imaginary problems, be it from a tsunami, an earthquake, or generations of mismanagement and applied graft and laziness?

I know that may sound harsh, but the only positive achievements of aid in almost any form, are the good feelings it provide to the aiders - and comfortable salaries, benefits, and perks for too many of those involved in that racket.

Positive results on the ground, for countless billions of dollars dumped here and there over decades, and untold thousands upon thousands of man-hours of ill-conceived labour? The square root of zero, or slightly less.

Sustainable projects achieved anywhere, anytime, that have actually made an improvement, AND have continued once the external funding and support has ceased? Zero, as far as I'm aware. But then, what do I know... I've only lived on the Continent and dealt with the problems caused by "aid" and interference from well-meaning but totally ill-informed outsiders for twenty years and change...

Hear hear! How many rural economies have been destroyed by Aid removing the incentive for people to work?
 
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Hear hear! How many rural economies have been destroyed by Aid removing the incentive for people to work?


I'm afraid I agree. I didn't, until I went there myself. We can throw money at Africa for ever but until they help each other (as against helping themselves, which is what happens to most of the aid at the moment!) they will never resolve their problems.

Outside agencies seem to know or understand very little. I saw a school with donated computers, but they don't have electricity to run them. The headmaster of the school we delivered a ton of books to was mostly interested in what we could do for him personally, vehicles donated to projects with no thought as to how they will be maintained, or even who will pay for running them, the list is endless. It was a disappointing and disillusioning experience.

Don't even get me started on the peace corps, bringing a little bit of America to the world!!

well done to Philip for having the courage to type what could be a pretty unpopular opinion:thumbup:
 
While I agree with Phillips basic sentiment regarding reliance on aid organizations/NGO's I do not agree at all that it would be a good day for Africa if they pulled out. Unfortunately there is now a reliance on these organizations and their money and so if they all pulled over night it would literally be hell on earth! I also do not agree with tarnishing all organizations with one brush, there are many organizations that are doing the right things like teaching appropriate sustainability skills and helping people set up small business using micro finance to name a couple of examples. I have seen evidence that these can work if done right.
However as Phillip does say the bottom line is that people need to want too help themselves and get out of their ’victim mentality’. The other thing that is needed is that the wealth of countries needs to be distributed more evenly...
 
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Without entering into convoluted arguments on why the day when all charities-NGOs-Aid organizations et al will be thrown into the deepest deeps of the ocean will be a great bright day for Africa, may I ask a couple of silly questions?

1. Is there a lack of able-bodied, idle, unoccupied youth in the township, that they can't muster the skills and energy to clear their own rubbish for the sake of improving their own environment?

2. When was the last time that Lesotho or any other African country sent a team of anybodies to anywhere in the world to help others solve their real or imaginary problems, be it from a tsunami, an earthquake, or generations of mismanagement and applied graft and laziness?

I know that may sound harsh, but the only positive achievements of aid in almost any form, are the good feelings it provide to the aiders - and comfortable salaries, benefits, and perks for too many of those involved in that racket.

Positive results on the ground, for countless billions of dollars dumped here and there over decades, and untold thousands upon thousands of man-hours of ill-conceived labour? The square root of zero, or slightly less.

Sustainable projects achieved anywhere, anytime, that have actually made an improvement, AND have continued once the external funding and support has ceased? Zero, as far as I'm aware. But then, what do I know... I've only lived on the Continent and dealt with the problems caused by "aid" and interference from well-meaning but totally ill-informed outsiders for twenty years and change...

Here here!!

But you don't have to go as far as Africa to see the effects of 'good intentions'. Walk down to the nearest council estate and look around. Vandalism, laziness, petty crime, obesity etc etc. All brought about by not letting people fend for themselves and creating a culture of 'entitlement' and waste. And the overall result; 3rd, 4th and 5th generations that don't know what work or personal responsibility is.
 
Would personal responsibility be something like, say (just for arguments sake), volunteering to help out with a charity that runs sports coaching for South African kids, maybe personal responsibility would also be something like packing shopping at sainsburys as a fund raiser, or going round businesses to sell sponsorship, or working in the local pub kitchen 'cos (maybe) your parents say you need to appreciate the value of working, not being given.

Sorry if the points lost, and I appreciate that you folks have far more experience of Africa than I, but I'm seeing a paradox here. And maybe, just maybe, your points arent necessarily unpopular, just a bit rude given the original post.

Pete
 
Would personal responsibility be something like, say (just for arguments sake), volunteering to help out with a charity that runs sports coaching for South African kids, maybe personal responsibility would also be something like packing shopping at sainsburys as a fund raiser, or going round businesses to sell sponsorship, or working in the local pub kitchen 'cos (maybe) your parents say you need to appreciate the value of working, not being given.

Sorry if the points lost, and I appreciate that you folks have far more experience of Africa than I, but I'm seeing a paradox here. And maybe, just maybe, your points arent necessarily unpopular, just a bit rude given the original post.

Pete

Fair enough Pete, I'll admit to reading Philips post first, and basically replying to it.

I'm not knocking what yourself and other people do, or your commitment to it. That's admirable, and there is certainly nothing wrong with charity as a concept. The problem I have with a lot (but not all of it) is that it removes the will of people (and the need, perhaps the same thing) to get up off their ass and help themselves.

It also has lead to a massive Americanisation of the world, and the accompanying pathetic desire for shiny stuff that is rapidly raping the world, and often if not always serves to fuel the underlying corruption that is the root cause of most of the problems the charity work is trying to overcome.

You can't 'help people to help themselves', they have to manage that alone.

Now someone above mentioned the 'Peace Corps'. The friendly wing of the CIA?? Gods but if there is one thing the world needs its less Americans.
 
I reckon if you (all) read the original story and post relating to the Lesotho blanket run, you'd understand my comments.

Its not an ngo or aid group, its a south african landcruiser club who raise funds, buy blankets and distribute them to the very poor in Lesotho. 2 years ago folks here made a donation, after reading the write ups here, I sent a few quid.

If people that live there think its a good idea, and folks on here whose opinion I value, think it needs doing, then im happy to do it again.

Once youve read the story, make you own minds up, I can only speak for myself.

Im not going to post anything here again, other than to say that if we do another fundraiser, please count me in.

Pete
 
I reckon if you (all) read the original story and post relating to the Lesotho blanket run, you'd understand my comments.
Im not going to post anything here again, other than to say that if we do another fundraiser, please count me in.

Pete
You keep posting Pete, if people can't read your intent that's their problem.
 
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