Comments for Good Intentions Are Not Enough

Comment on Ambulance Donations by child concern kenya

child concern kenya — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:47:45 +0000

We are non profit organisation in kenya called CHILD CONCERN, We do Mobile clinics using donkeys and camel to reach the nomadic pastoralist in northern kenya.We are appealing for a donation of 4WD ambulance to aid in sending the people to major hospitals hundreds of Kms away. John. Team leader

Comment on The Case of the Vanishing Orphanage by Nesta

Nesta — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:26:02 +0000

I’m A Kenya Christian and I also want to set up a faith based organization orphanage (regardless of what the likes of Alison think.) Considering that don’t have access to funds I feel so bad when i see people who have access to the funds stealing from orphans. For i don’t think they are stealing from the Churches in the US. And to think that the guy had the chance to attend John Piper’s conference (if it’s the Children Desiring God,) it’s just pathetic. But the greatest advice “Go boldly, shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves”

Comment on The Case of the Vanishing Orphanage by Nesta

Nesta — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:24:53 +0000

Comment on Socially conscious shoes by William Adam Stovall

William Adam Stovall — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:28:29 +0000

I think that these companies are doing a great thing to help people by not just giving handouts, but encouraging them to work. Take Sseko or Oliberte for example, these companies provide jobs to young people (usually women), encouraging them to save for education. This provides both a boost to the economic development of these countries and encouragement to the workers to get an education and get out of poverty. As ND points out, life skills learned at these companies are much more valuable than a simple handout. It seems that these companies hire women who really desire to better themselves and gain an education in fields such as medicine and law. I think companies like these that strive to do more than provide handouts are absolutely exceptional.

Comment on The World Vision controversy continues by blindboygrunt

blindboygrunt — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:57:28 +0000

I arrived at your site through a Google search on World Vision Controversy, just to see if there’s any reason I should not be donating to World Vision. This page is very unclear. What, exactly, is the problem with donating shirts? The impression (and maybe I’m stupid, but it’s just not clear to me) that I have is that World Vision is sending shirts overseas donated by corporations and you all have some problem with that because corporations are getting tax write offs or something. Maybe you’re thinking the 58 cents spent on the shirt is better spent on something else and you expect World Vision to somehow justify the shirts beyond the fact they’re only 58 cents (which I think we all have to agree is a fairly cheap price).

Which strikes me as a bit of hyper-criticism. Surely people need shirts? Should we really be looking a gift-horse in the mouth like this? The writer and commenters come across as the type who always assume the worst of everybody. In America there is a presumption of innocence. Instead of demanding World Vision justify its attempts to do good, isn’t the onus on you, as the accuser, to show that what they’re doing is a waste of resources? It seems this web site is proof no good deed goes unpunished. You are all so busy patting yourselves on the back for being so superior.

For shame.

Comment on A Day Without Dignity by The Economic Consequences of Good Intentions | Arizona MUNdi

The Economic Consequences of Good Intentions | Arizona MUNdi — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:34:44 +0000

[...] aid, such as the “Day Without Shoes” campaign by TOMS. But their efforts were mocked in a “Day Without Dignity,” challenging assumptions that Western countries are responsible for providing every basic [...]

Comment on Socially conscious shoes by Jessica Canfield

Jessica Canfield — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:30:39 +0000

I can both personally and professionally vouch for Sseko Designs. I own a pair of the sandals myself and we also sell the sandals at Mustard Seed Fair Trade (online and in-store), the nonprofit fair trade retail store I manager. Liz and Ben, the company founders, are wonderful people and are committed to providing opportunities to young women in Uganda seeking a college education. They have a keen business and marketing sense and provide retailers and customers ample opportunity to connect with the women who make their shoes. Mercy, a woman in their first class of Sseko graduates, shares their philosophy best in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8YLwjBeq7c&list=UUZw9hLL4sVB6Y4qTcSKpC9Q&index=38&feature=plcp

Comment on Tracking the World Vision / NFL Shirt Donation Controversy by The Economic Consequences of Good Intentions | Arizona MUNdi

The Economic Consequences of Good Intentions | Arizona MUNdi — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:25:03 +0000

[...] free shoes made somewhere else. This form of aid that simply gives everything away for free is heavily criticized, because it contradicts the main goal of economic development, which is to create a thriving and [...]

Comment on Why nonprofit overhead doesn’t mean what you think it means by Saundra

Saundra — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:46:48 +0000

Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately, it’s a Paypal problem. The website is completely down now. But I’m happy you were able to get it on Smashwords.

Comment on Why nonprofit overhead doesn’t mean what you think it means by Mark Kitchener

Mark Kitchener — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:26:36 +0000

Very thought-provoking book – and a very tight summation of some of the individual themes you’ve been advocating through the blog. One suggestion though – the “buy now” link seems to be a general homepage link (rather than a direct payment link). I kept ending up at a generic screen and couldn’t work out how to pay you directly. I ended up having to purchase via smash-words (which I assume means you got less of a cut)