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Author: Elmira Bayrasli
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Tag Archives: aid
When is aid enough?
Today’s New York Times has me thinking, when is aid enough? It was prompted by two pieces, one an op-ed by Adam Hochschild on Patrice Lumumba‘s assassination 50 years ago. The other, a report (buried under the fold on page four) about Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier’s, Haiti’s former authoritarian president, surprising return to Haiti. That today is [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged aid effectiveness, Dead Aid, Duvalier, Haiti, Lumumba, Papa Doc 1 Comment
Nick Kristof & a few do-gooders
Nicholas Kristof is among today’s great writers. I was instantly mesmerized when he transitioned from daily reporting in China to the New York Times op-ed page. Just consider this excellent piece “Cassandra Speaks” written in March 2003 on the eve of the Bush invasion of Iraq. It thoughtfully questions the wisdom of the invasion, using [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Arzu, Bill Gates, Cambodia, developing world, development, First Book, foreign aid, international aid, journalism, New York Times, Nick Kristof, Philip Gourevitch, poverty, Somaly Mam Foundation 5 Comments
The SNL foreign aid revolution
Like so many highly trained comedians these days, Kenan Thompson has choices. He could be working in a Manhattan office tower… oh wait, he does. This clip from last night’s Saturday Night Live captures what’s wrong with the rampant idealism put forward in D.I.Y. foreign aid. I’m all for idealism, within reason. Can we make [...]
Pakistan postcard part one: Sight
A week ago, I visited what is supposedly one of the most dangerous places in the world: Pakistan. While I do believe the country has serious security concerns, the only threat I came up against was traffic. And that, compared to New York or Istanbul, wasn’t all that bad. Here is the first of my [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Ataturk, culture, development, economic growth, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, Jinnah, Muslim entrepreneur, Pakistan, Turgut Ozal 6 Comments
Clinton Global Initiative 2010: Things that made me go “hmmm…”
Poverty: A man or a woman? This year’s CGI kicked-off with “girl power.” Specifically, the need to educate them, protect them, respect them, prepare them and empower them. Among the ideas tossed around at this week’s do-gooder conclave that made me go “hmmm”: Technology: Cherie Blair who heads up her own foundation for women wants [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Bill Gates, CGI, developing world, economic growth, foreign aid, international aid, Matthew Bishop, microfinance, microlending, poverty, poverty alleviation, technology, women 1 Comment
Stop war or aid?
Linda Polman is a Dutch journalist who has just published The Crisis Caravan: What’s Wrong with Humanitarian Aid? I came across it through this Boston Globe piece that briefly summarizes its contents as well as an interview with Polman. I have not read the book yet, but am eager to do so – with trepidation. [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged A Thousand Hills, Bosnia, Dambisa Moyo, Dead Aid, Kagame, Linda Polman, Peter Singer, Rwanda, Stephen Kinzer, The Crisis Caravan, Tyler Cowen, war Leave a comment
The Billionaire’s Giving Pledge: A letter to Bill Gates and Warren Buffett
Dear Bill and Warren: Congratulations. Getting 40 of the world’s wealthiest to sign away a significant amount of their fortunes is a tremendous feat. As a non-profit worker who has struggled to drive in donor dollars from this target group, I’m impressed, though not surprised. None of us are. Not surprised because very few of us have your [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Bill Gates, charity, giving, giving pledge, Nick Kristof, philanthropy, poverty, poverty alleviation, Ronald Perelman, Warren Buffett, White Man's Burden 1 Comment
Profit: A dirty word?
Is it okay to profit off the poor? I, along with a number of other development junkies, debated this point over Twitter on Friday. It came at the behest of the inimitable Matthew Bishop, co-author of Philanthrocapitalism. He did so following a blog post he and co-author Michael Green wrote following Muhammad Yunus’s reaction over [...]
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Bangladesh, entrepreneurship, Matthew Bishop, microfinance, microlending, Opportunity International, Philanthrocapitalism, philanthropy, poor, private sector, SKS, Yunus 5 Comments
Ahem, what was that about human rights Mr. Hu?