Self Determination
Frame Changers #135: Parable Of The Mexican Fisherman
[The parable of the Mexican fisherman delivers a really simple and important lesson on the purpose of life. A nice reminder in (Google CFO) Patrick Pichette’s resignation letter.]
Frame Changers #127: (Unnecessary) Limits on Engagement
Frame Changers #85: Differently Endowed Portion of the Pyramid (DEPoP)?
[We need fewer self-appointed experts in the semantics of international development and more champions who get the job done. DEPoP is a newly-coined acronym that might some day replace the Base of the Pyramid (BoP).]
Frame Changers #61: I Know It When I See It
[Is poverty porn exploration or exploitation? It’s hard to generalize but I get especially skeptical when “tours” are run by outsiders and a very small fraction of the profit is invested in projects identified by the community.]
Frame Changers #54: Emancipation from Participation
Frame Changers #50: Tied Up (With Work)
[In rural Africa, women do most of the work. Their income streams are highly diversified since farming is rain-fed and therefore seasonal. It is not uncommon for women to have over ten concurrent jobs in a week and more than fifty revenue sources over a year. Atleast, they don’t have fifty W2 and 1099 equivalents to file, since the work is mostly informal.]
Frame Changers #38: Aid, Trade & the African Serenade
[Which engagement model benefits Africa more? At what price? Is development a zero-sum game?]
Frame Changers #37: Research Fatigue
[Kibera, the largest slum in Kenya, is grossly over-researched. Every single day, 20-50 groups of researchers with clipboards and cameras go around asking residents all kinds of intrusive questions. How much of this research actually benefits the communities?]
Frame Changers #33: Blessing or Burden?
[This cartoon is based on an image in a news article on the efficacy of foreign aid. I have not been able to locate the article again and hence can’t acknowledge the photographer.]