Extreme poverty is not beautiful

Jayne Cravens wrote:

I was in a convoy heading to the Pansjir Valley in Afghanistan once upon a time, when a non-Afghan man in the back seat started talking to his non-Afghan colleague about how beautiful and simply the people lived in Afghanistan, how idillic it was, how it was a shame to bring them aid and development if it meant they would have to give up their beautiful, simple life.

I wanted to stop the SUV, throw him out of it, and let him see how he liked living “simply” for a few weeks.

Being poor is NOT the same as living in extreme poverty.

My comment… be thoughtful about what you make ‘exotic’ and ‘beautiful’ without the experience of being.

Please read Extreme poverty is not beautiful
by Jayne Cravens ~ 1 March 2009
in Jayne Blog on Volunteerism, Nonprofit Tech, Civil Society, Aid & Development, Communications & Random Thoughts

Also see Jayne’s Coyote Communications
… since 1996, as long as I’ve been online!

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