Helping Can Hurt

There is a really good book out, a must-read for people working with the poor internationally or even here in the USA, called "When Helping Hurts" by Corbett and Fikkert. I recently was able to hear Steve Corbett sharing these ideas in person. One of the main ideas is that Western people, when they think of poverty, see it as a lack of stuff. But the poor see it differently. They describe poverty using words like shame, feeling inferior, voicelessness. You can imagine, for someone feeling that way, giving them stuff can make them feel poorer, humilated that they can't care for their families and need you to help them. We need to help in ways that empower local people, not just do it for them.

It reminds me of the great work of one of our partners in India. They work with people making less than one dollar a day. They have been forming women's self-help groups. The women come together in groups of 15. They learn to read and sign their names. They save, starting with one rupee a day (about 2 cents in US money!). They open a bank account together with pooled savings. They start learning small business ideas. When there is enough money, each can ask to take out a small loan from the group, like $20 to start a roadside stand to sell something she is growing or making. They have to pay the loan back out of the money they make. By now our partners have started thousands of these groups, and 97% of the loans taken out by these ladies have been paid back. All these groups were started by Christian ladies who learned the ideas and went back and tried it in their own villages. Many Hindu and Muslim ladies are in the groups, hearing about Christ at the same time.

The ladies say that at first their husbands didn't want them to join a group. They said, "They will teach you not to obey us." But, as they saw their family situation improving, they encouraged their wives to go to the groups. It's even helped with family problems, like if a husband has been beating his wife, which happens a lot there. All the ladies will go together to the home and tell the husband to stop or they will go to the police and have him arrested. It works. Strength in numbers.

It's about thinking of the poor in a different way. Not thinking of what they don't have, but thinking of what they do have, what talents can be put to use, and what drive they have to improve their situation. Helping, yes, but in a way that gives dignity.

Women in India learning to make candles as a business.