The Gap in the Secular Discourse

In Nicholas Kristof’s most recent column, “Learning from the Sin of Sodom,” he contends liberal secularists in the development community need to forsake their prejudice against evangelicals and understand the constructive role faith-based organizations play in foreign aid. By focusing on aid programs aimed at stemming the spread of infectious diseases, curbing human trafficking, and distributing food to the poor, Kristof argues that “evangelicals have become the new internationalists.”

To see a prime example of the positive impact evangelicals can have in development, one must look no further than Global Washington’s member organization World Vision. As the largest relief organization in the United States, World Vision fields 40,000 workers in almost 100 countries. Noting their Christian values as inspiration, World Vision works in the poorest communities to alleviate poverty and promote peace and justice regardless of race, religion, or gender.

The President of World Vision, Richard Stearns illustrates this sentiment of faith-driven aid in his book “The Hole in Our Gospel.” In the book, Mr. Stearns asserts that the values of Christianity are not inconsistent with giving aid, but some evangelicals have been too concerned with sexual morality and proselytizing to truly make an impact on poverty. Indeed, organizations such as World Vision forbid activities aimed at attracting converts to Christianity, exemplifying the constructive nature of some evangelicals’ aid work.

Ultimately, liberal secularists need to abandon their assault on faith-based development programs and accept the evangelicals’ valuable role in international development. That way, as Kristof argues, “we all might succeed together in making greater progress against common enemies of humanity.”

To learn more about the contributions of religion in development please visit the websites of World Vision and Global Washington’s other faith-based member organizations Habitat for Humanity of Seattle/South King County, Medical Teams International, Agros International, and Breakthrough Partners.

Policy News Roundup – March 2, 2010

Apple details labor violations at its suppliers. Refer to article below. Photo courtesy of Apple Inc.

Foreign Aid:

Don’t miss the hearing on USAID and the FY2011 Budget Request this Wednesday, March 3^rd, which will be webcast from the committee website.

The richest donor countries are not meeting the commitment made collectively at Gleneagles in 2005: to deliver $130 billion in aid by 2010.  But aid has increased “remarkably,” according to Brookings, and the international commitment made 5 years ago to deliver more aid has helped.

See the OECD forecast of aid in 2010 – some countries will surpass their individual Gleneagles commitments in 2010, including Sweden, Denmark, Spain, and the UK.  Among others, France and Germany will fall short.  The United States made a less ambitious commitment to double aid to Africa, which it will reach in 2010.

Author Nicholas Kristof argues that “if secular liberals can give up some of their snootiness, and if evangelicals can retire some of their sanctimony, then we all might succeed together in making greater progress against common enemies of humanity, like illiteracy, human trafficking and maternal mortality.”

Congressman Sam Farr (Colombia 64-66) has released a bipartisan Dear Colleague letter urging a $465 million increase in appropriations for Peace Corps in fiscal year 2011. Ask your representative to sign on to a Dear Colleague letter in support of the Peace Corps.

Click here for a list of Representatives who have already signed up.

Labor Rights Violations:

The Washington Fair Trade Coalition reports: As earthquakes continue to devastate the people of Haiti, many people are learning for the first time how this country has been politically and economically exploited for centuries. The people of Haiti have come to recognize that working in sweatshop factories for Disney and the Gap is not the way to develop their country and education their children.

Apple Inc. outlined in a company report on audits of 102 supplier facilities conducted in 2009 said it found more than a dozen serious violations of labor laws or Apple’s own rules at its suppliers that needed immediate correction.
Click here for Apple’s 2010 Supplier Responsibility progress report.

Do you know of any products being made overseas with child labor or forced labor?  Report it to the US Department of Labor by April 9^th for inclusion in their report to Congress and the President. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ilab/ILAB20100134.htm

For statistics on labor and violations visit: http://www.ilo.org/global/lang–en/index.htm

Other Development News:

The Wall Street Journal labels their interviewees of prominent philanthropists and charity executives “philanthrocapitalists,” leaders in the worlds of business and finance, who are looking to apply the same zeal to donating money as to making it.

South African researchers claim treating tuberculosis and the AIDS virus simultaneously saves more than twice as many lives compared with attacking TB first. Dual treatment pays off with a 56 percent reduction in deaths from all causes, the large South African study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed.

A Swedish entrepreneur is trying to market and sell a biodegradable plastic bag that acts as a single-use toilet for urban slums in the developing world. The entrepreneur successfully tested the bags in Kenya and India and says he plans to mass produce the bag this summer, selling them for two to three pennies each, comparable to the price of a plastic bag. According to UN figures, about 40 percent of the earth’s population does not have access to a toilet, which contributes to 1.5 million children worldwide who die yearly, largely because of poor sanitation and hygiene.

“The responsibility for the current difficulties in China- U.S. relations goes completely to the U.S. side”
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-02/china-says-u-s-entirely-to-blame-for-strained-ties-update1-.html

Does financial innovation boost economic growth?  Ross Levine argues yes, and Joseph Stiglitz  argues no.  Read, vote, and contribute to the lively debate at the economist.com.

The Doha talks remain deadlocked and many countries blame the United States. The United States countered criticism by calling for better offers from advanced developing countries in service sectors such as finance, information and communication technology, distribution, and energy.

Global Education News – February 24, 2010

Earthquake in Haiti:  Effects on Education

The Center of University and Professional Learning in Port-au-Prince was destroyed by the Jan. 12 earthquake. Courtesy of New York Times

It has been over a month since the earthquake in Haiti.  Below, we have collected various resources to gain insight into the state of education in Haiti.

Education was also leveled by quake in Haiti

The NY Times reports on a student who was in class at the State University of Haiti when the earthquake hit, as well as the many other educational facilities, universities, and schools that were affected by the earthquake. The article depicts the negative impact that the earthquake has had on the current and future leaders and students of Haiti.

Update on Haiti’s Education System after the Earthquake

This blog provides a quick update on the current education situation in Haiti from Bob Prouty, head of the Education for All: Fast Track Initiative Secretariat.  The situation is quite dire; many Ministry of Education officers were killed during the quake.

Haiti Education Foundation (HEF) Update

Founded in 1981, HEF began with one school and now reaches over 12, 040 students in over 34 elementary schools, 7 high schools, and a vocational school. The Haiti Education Foundation is a Christian education organization providing learning opportunities to Haitian children in Haiti. Many of HEF’s schools were damaged during the earthquake, and the organization is currently organizing to rebuild their schools and fundraising to repair other schools where enough funds many not be available.

Haitian Education System ‘totally collapsed’

This article by AsiaONE includes statistics as well as personal stories of those affected by the damage and destruction of schools by the earthquake.  The Minister of Education also shares his thoughts on the crisis.

Earthquake Update

H.E.L.P., which is Haiti’s largest university scholarship program, is a non-profit organization promoting the best students in Haiti with scholarships and opportunities to excel in their individual fields. It too suffered greatly because of the earthquake. H.E.L.P. has set up a temporary headquarters and has found that many of the students whom they were providing scholarships for have been found in collapsed buildings.

Hope for Haiti

Founded in 1990, Hope for Haiti acknowledges that Haiti is one of the poorest countries, with an educational system sometimes categorized as a “failed education system.”  Hope for Haiti is working to change this.  In the last four weeks, they have “delivered and distributed over $20 million in supplies to the affected areas,” but have yet to comment regarding moving forward with education in light of the recent disaster.

-Submitted by  Kelly Thoma