From the ground up

Effective groups are offering a better model for helping Africa | Marvin Olasky

Has the attention paid to Africa during July helped?

The month began with Live8 concerts that the Sunday Independent of Johannesburg criticized: "Musicians from the West . . . are once again using the continent to draw attention to themselves." Kenyan businessman Evans Konya said, "There is so much corruption here that funds from overseas often go straight into the pockets of politicians. We must find a way to give aid . . . to the people on the ground."

The secular liberal way of delivering aid has been government to government or big philanthropy to big philanthropy. But the problems of welfare in Africa are similar to the problems that have plagued welfare in America. Conventional programs all too often have proffered bureaucratic "solutions" that increase dependency and enable people to stay in poverty but not rise above it.