Hello I am from East Africa, and my family could afford shoes. Unfortunately at one point in primary (for 2 years) I had to go to school barefoot because that was what my headteacher thought was a good school policy.
later on as a clinician working in many remote parts of the country, including Narok among Maasai community famous for wearing the 'Akalas' ( http://www.uzanunua.com/listing/5324-akala-open-shoes/) ; at one point a fashion statement, I am yet to see anyone die from hookworm infestation Malnutrition, pneumonia, measles, malaria, Diarrhoea diseases remain leading killers of under 5 year olds. And ultimately better facilities with oxygen and critical care, safe and efficient blood processing facilities, and provision of essential drugs may avert these untimely deaths. The solution is not as simple as my statement, but 3 monthly deworming of children as part of schools programs i think can better control diseases like hookworm without having people walk barefoot. I think its time to get our priorities right, there are real problems that we can help in these areas and leave people feeling dignified. My 2 cents Judy On Tue, Apr 10, 2012 at 8:29 PM, Nathan Barthel <nbarthel at codedincountry.org > wrote: > A thought or two: > > 1. "going barefoot is the least of the concerns of folks who > live in these communities where *health *and employment are the biggest > problems" - The website actually lists health* *as a major reason why > they want to supply shoes. You mention East Africa and Hookworm is a real > problem there: > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hookworm_disease_world_map_-_DALY_-_WHO2002.svg > There are long term impacts to an individual who is left untreated for > hookworm and can potential stunt someones both physical and mental > development. Clearly not a good thing for 'development'. Additionally, > the disease is spread by not wearing shoes and stepping in contaminated > matter - this wouldn't be a problem if they were wearing shoes. > > 2. I've heard the argument before that giving T-shirts or shoes etc > destroy the local economy. I understand the logic, but does anyone have a > source or data to back it up? And why can't their be room for both? > Someone who is focused on giving and someone else who is focused on > building the economy etc. Does giving shoes really destroy a local economy? > > > 3. I remember quite well the whole 'million t-shirts for Africa' I'm > not going to write what I want to, but essentially I felt the whole thing > was juvenile. On all sides. It seemed like some sort of peculiar 'turf > war' over development. > > Anyway, I suppose my ultimate thought is that this might not be the most > effective form of 'development' but I'm not sure how much it really > matters. I'm certainly more of a 'trade' guy, but I think there is room > for both. Essentially, are the shoes or t-shirts for > Tanzania or Bangladesh or Bolivia really a problem that needs to be > addressed? And, my second thought is that it appears to me that getting > people shoes who don't have them and/or perhaps simply encouraging their > wear, might ultimately be pretty helpful in combating some > serious disease problems - and therefore development as well. > > Ok. I'm done. Just drove for 10 hours and was feeling punchy. > -Nate > > > On Tue, Apr 10, 2012 at 5:24 PM, Yaw Anokwa <yanokwa at gmail.com> wrote: > >> I got an email today about TOMS One Day Without Shoes. >> >> According to http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com, today is "the day we >> spread awareness of the impact a pair of shoes can have on a child?s >> life by taking off our own. Why? Millions of children live without >> proper footwear, exposing them to injury and disease every day." >> >> I think this is a reasonable thing for our community to discuss, so >> I've put my response to that email below. Any thoughts on One Day >> Without Shoes or the TOMS model? I'd love some pushback... >> >> ---------------------------------------- >> >> As your friendly neighborhood global development cynic, I should point >> out that in places I've worked (mostly East Africa), shoes are widely >> available and very affordable. Even if shoes were not readily >> available, going barefoot is the least of the concerns of folks who >> live in these communities where health and employment are the biggest >> problems. And so what makes this TOMS advertising campaign frustrating >> to me is that it's been shown that donations of clothing and shoes >> destroy economies in these very communities. >> >> This year there was a campaign called "A Day Without Dignity" that >> touched on some of these issues. >> >> "Why has it become so easy for people to start feel-good campaigns >> that no one asked for? There are a thousand things this village needs >> and nowhere on the list are t-shirts and shoes..." >> -- TMS Ruge from Uganda at >> >> http://projectdiaspora.org/wp-content/2011/04/05/shoes-the-least-of-our-problems/ >> >> "TOMS, there are many ways for you to really make a difference. Invest >> in and share your expertise with local shoe businesses, leading to >> sustainable jobs. Donate some of your profits to support educational >> institutions, leading to more opportunities. These are things that >> people want, and promote their dignity. If you're not willing to do >> that, please drop your current marketing approach which oversells your >> impact, encourages self-absorbed charity, and is an affront to the >> dignity of the materially poor." >> -- Marshall Birkey at >> >> http://marshallbirkey.com/economic-development/aidwars-toms-shoes-vs-dignity/ >> >> If you are interested, you can find out more at >> http://goodintents.org/in-kind-donations/a-day-without-dignity and >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EaSlKqs6Fo >> >> I do think it's important to raise awareness, but it's also important >> to be cautious when it comes to issues of global development. It's >> almost always more complicated than it seems. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> change mailing list >> change at change.washington.edu >> http://changemm.cs.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/change >> > > > _______________________________________________ > change mailing list > change at change.washington.edu > http://changemm.cs.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/change > > -- Judy -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://changemm.cs.washington.edu/pipermail/change/attachments/20120410/a7f62b50/attachment.html>
