What we learnt

We often discuss with Stefan what we learnt in our two years in Tanzania, especially regarding development cooperation. We have become pretty critical of this 'business' as we have seen and experienced many of its shortcomings during our work here as develoment workers. All that we believe now has been summed up in very strong and painful words by John Mashaka, a Tanzanian based in New York, in his article in the Citizen on Saturday, 2nd March 2013.

Here it comes:

"Tanzanians should understand that foreign aid has never been free. It is the single biggest curse and the greatest impediment to our economic progress. It comes at a steep price. It is an incentive to soften the weak minded for exploitation. Foreign aid is breeding corruption and making people lazy. Foreign aid strips people of their freedom and dignity. It reduces them into caricatures, and renders into charity cases in the eyes of the world."

What do you think - is it true, is it this bad?