Tag Archives: africa

Some bad news about TOMS shoes

Posted in: Aid Effectiveness | April 18, 2013 at 9:00 am , by Guest Author/s

We all know TOMS shoes, which make us look good and feel good, as each pair purchased means a pair is given to a child in need. But there may be reason to pause before buying your next pair. John Favini presents three arguments against TOMS....

Good intentions are enough – to ‘nearly kill’ a local kid

Posted in: Aid Effectiveness, Ethics in development | March 25, 2013 at 9:00 am , by Guest Author/s

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Who has the right to make decisions about a child's health? An anonymous contributor describes how a situation where an NGO took responsibility for the care of an 11-year-old boy was nearly disastrous for the child, and how it raised all kinds of ethical questions about a child's care....

Kenyans do it better: thoughts on the first (ever) Kenyan presidential debate

Posted in: Politics | February 20, 2013 at 11:19 am , by Mike Miesen

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Mike Miesen had the pleasure of watching the first ever Kenyan presidential debate while in Africa. The presidential debate was anything but boring; the debaters were engaged, articulate, and actually answering the questions asked....

The changing landscape of advertising on Aid & Africa: Oxfam’s new campaigns

Posted in: Aid Effectiveness, Foreign Aid, Media | January 16, 2013 at 7:46 pm , by Gregory Pellechi

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Oxfam GB and Oxfam America have both just launched new ad campaigns. Our newly appointed editor, Gregory Pellechi, takes a look at each and what they may mean for the future of aid marketing and the perceptions of Africa....

Evergreen Agriculture and Re-greening of Africa with ACIAR’s Tony Bartlett | AidWorks

Posted in: AidWorks | December 3, 2012 at 10:52 am , by Albion Harrison-Naish

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Can the practice known as evergreen agriculture deliver both increased food and nutritional security to millions across Africa, and also have the potential to re-green the continent? Tony Barlett, of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, thinks so. ...

Africans Feeding Africa: using social enterprise for success

Posted in: Agriculture, Alternatives in development, Environment, Gender | May 11, 2012 at 12:05 am , by Tanya Cothran

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“We learned that free has no value.” Tanya Cothran interviews Rachel Zedek, founder of Backpack Farm in Kenya, to learn more about how this social enterprise hosts trainings for small-scale farmers in East Africa and sells them green agriculture technologies and supplies– all in a backpack....

The end of aid through trade?

Posted in: Foreign Aid, Trade | April 30, 2012 at 12:35 am , by Sarah Chambers

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In light of the improved economic performance of developing countries, should there be a shift in the debate to be more focused on how the global community achieves the end of aid? Sarah Chambers argues that yes, we need to start talking about the next step beyond aid, and that...

Why Kony 2012: Part II Failed

Posted in: Ethics in development, Fundraising | April 18, 2012 at 10:00 am , by Tom Murphy

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The original Kony 2012 video (the 11th in the series) generated an incredible amount of hype and well over 100 million views. Why then, did the follow up, Kony 2012: Part II only receive 1% as many hits as the original? In his first post on whydev, Tom Murphy of...

A reader’s digest of KONY 2012

Posted in: Fundraising | March 8, 2012 at 1:39 am , by Brendan Rigby

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In three days, the video 'KONY 2012' has reached a total of 5.4 million views or 'plays'. In this post, you can find a comprehensive list of posts that seek to take on this latest phenomenon in fundraising and advocacy, making sure you get a balanced diet of KONY 2012....

Earning a wage in development: an issue of corruption?

Posted in: Ethics in development | August 26, 2011 at 8:00 am , by Guest Author/s

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Working overseas in development can often create some rather sticky situations. One such situation occurs when there is a considerable gap in pay between foreign NGO staff and local workers. Very little is known about the true effects of this gap, both in terms of relationships between foreign and local...

Why isn’t Australian mining in Mali more transparent on tax?

Posted in: Ethics in development | July 8, 2011 at 3:00 pm , by Corinne Roberts

4 comments

Development in African countries can be supported through a simple measure, asking Australian mining companies to publish what they pay in tax to foreign governments. With investment in mining by Australian companies in Africa on the rise, Australia could be doing more to support initiatives that promote transparency in tax...

Go Back To Where You Came From: Superb, uncomfortable & influential (?) viewing

Posted in: Migration | June 22, 2011 at 1:21 pm , by Guest Author/s

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Last night, SBS Australia aired the first episode of groundbreaking new show, Go Back To Where You Came From. In this post, Sarah Forsterling outlines her reaction to the show, and wonders whether it will have any impact on the wider debate about asylum seekers worldwide....

War of the Words

Posted in: Ethics in development | March 24, 2011 at 7:00 am , by Brendan Rigby

5 comments

In the First World War, and for the first time in the history of man, nations combined to fight against nations using the crude weapons of those days. The Second World War involved every continent on the globe, and men turned to science for new devices of warfare, which reached...

Photojournal: South Africa

Posted in: Multimedia | November 19, 2010 at 12:07 pm , by Stuart Meney

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Stuart Meney wrote an article back in May that considered the impact of a football World Cup on the African continent. June arrived not long after. Balls were kicked, the world tuned in and the fortunate few who travelled to South Africa were treated to a truly memorable sporting festival....

An open letter to Dambisa Moyo

Posted in: Foreign Aid | June 17, 2010 at 4:01 pm , by Janet Newbury

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Guest contributor, Janet Newbury, is currently completing her PhD in Child and Youth Care in the department of Human and Social Development at University of Victoria. In an open letter to Dambisa Moyo, Janet questions the solutions/alternatives of large-scale foreign direct investment and trade offered by Moyo in 'Dead Aid',...