Did I miss Bono at the Skoll World Forum? In his piece “Africa Reboots” in today’s New York Times, he talks about many of the themes that were brought up during this past week’s social entrepreneurship gathering: citizens and entrepreneurs and catalysts and partnerships between the two to make change happen.
In reading the article, however, I realize why Bono would never actually turn up in Oxford for Skoll, and why he, and not Nick Kristof, should be writing about development. U2’s lead singer is focused on the real changemakers in the developing world: developing world citizens.
Bono writes not about white guys with MBAs who have launched a start-up after back packing in Mozambique and who are now receiving awards for their efforts. He writes about John Githongo, Mo Ibrahim and Luisa Diogo, African men and women who are working to solve Africa’s problems because they have to.
The biggest problem I have with “saving the world” is the megalomania that surrounds it. Without question everyone involved in social entrepreneurship, development and philanthropy do it, not because they have to, but because they want to. Yet it is naïve to believe that this “want” is the same across the board. Not all wants are equal.
Sure there are those that get into this space because they are driven “to do good.” At the same time, I’m afraid, there are also those who get into this space because it looks good. I suppose that given the extent of the world’s challenges motive shouldn’t matter – the ends justify the means. Or do they?
Development is about lifting the poor out of poverty, curing disease and fighting illiteracy. Hence, it is the developing world citizen that matters. Why then do our thought leaders push them to the sidelines in order to glorify the acts of a few in the West?
5 Comments
Hear Hear!
Question: As a fellow megalomaniac without Bono’s rock star status, how do “save the world types” like me become enablers of developing world pioneers rather than competitors?
J
Truth of the matter is that we Africans need more of that, competition that is. If the ‘West’ didn’t overly subsidize and restrict access to markets, we would be well on our way. Africans have to means to solve its own problems, I think the key is that we be given the room to do what we need to get done done, with out meddling vis-a-vis the Congo(DRC), Sudan, etc. Another thought, we don’t need as many Harvard MBAs running our institutions with imported thoughts on how best to develop and manage our economies on models and premises that don’t suit the African construct. We need visionary leaders, and they are there, so watch this space!
I completely agree. I’ve been reading Bill Easterly’s fabulous book on the subject, “The White Man’s Burden,” and he is right in line with your thinking.
Focusing on working with the communities in the developing world, as opposed to championing idealistic outsiders who think they have the solution to Africa’s (or Asia’s, South America’s, the Carribean’s, Oceania’s) problems.
I wrote a bit about this on my blog as well. But I wish there were more people thinking the way you do.
“Developing world citizens” is exactly right, Elmira. My favorite thing about Bono’s article is that he stressed the importance of listening. As much as I want to be a social entrepreneur for change, if I don’t listen to the people around me about what they need to do, and instead push what I want to do ‘for’ them, I’m not helping.
I learned from my Kurdish sisters-in-law early on that, while they’d be happy to work alongside me, they did not envy my ‘masculine’ Western female ways. That yes, while they would like to better their lives, they would do that in ways they thought best. Sometimes it’s a relief I don’t have to have all the answers, and can take cues from the culture that I’ve chosen to call home.
wow, I completely agree with your sentiments in this post. There is now a flood of do-gooders that don’t get to the root of any problems.
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