Mike Coote
We all donate to Charities that profess to help people in the developing world – but does it really get to do any good?
This book, by a retired businessman, describes life today in the poorest parts of Ethiopia, a Country known to most only by images of poverty and the appeals for help, commencing with Live Aid in the nineteen eighties.
It shows how peoples’ lives have been transformed by relatively small donations from individuals and Governments in the West. By following the work of local partners of the Aid Agency CAFOD it describes the way in which the provision of water and education has released the inherent determination and innovation of rural Ethiopians, thus empowering them to make much more of their lives for the benefit of their families and the community at large.
The book describes how our donations flow to their ultimate beneficiaries. It paints a picture of life in a world very different from our own but which, in many ways, we could have much to learn from.
It is an essential read for all who have wondered about giving to charity. It is also an ideal adjunct to the various guide books for those wanting to learn more about a Country that in reality is stunningly beautiful and populated by people who simply want to be able to make the best of their lives.
Mike Coote spent his working life in the Computer Industry, culminating as a Divisional Managing Director of an International Computer Services Company.
Since retiring Mike has embarked on a second career in the voluntary sector. Amongst other work, he began giving talks in schools for CAFOD, explaining the challenges of life in the developing world to students of all ages. He has visited Ethiopia twice to see and contribute to CAFOD’s work. This book is an account of his experiences and his observations on the Country, explaining how our generosity is helping to improve the lives of many of its citizens.
Mike is married with four daughters and eight grandchildren. He lives with his wife, Clare in Buckinghamshire, also spending some time each year in Louth, Lincolnshire.
Africa is perplexing. It is an incredibly beautiful continent and it has many valuable natural resources. Its inhabitants can be charming, conscientious, amusing and selfless. However, there are desperately poor parts of the continent and, despite much help from richer countries over the years, many people still do not have access to the basic levels of food and water necessary for survival.
This conundrum can be exasperating. Is it caused by corrupt governments siphoning off money that was designated to help their populations? Is it that the people have become too dependent on outside help, losing the motivation to help themselves? Is too much money spent on conflict and strife between and within countries rather than on the development of health, education and economic growth? Are the trade rules, as defined by rich countries, harming business development in Africa’s poorer nations? These are a few of the many questions we ask of ourselves; they shape attitudes towards the continent and influence the individual’s decision as to whether or not to donate money to help.
Although they form a constant backdrop to this book, I shall not attempt to address these macro-level issues; there are many others who are far better placed to be able to offer improvement strategies for the prospects of Africa’s large and diverse population in the longer term. However, I do propose to answer the question I am most frequently asked; – Is it worth giving - does my money really go to help people in need?
As a former semi-sceptic myself I can now assert that the answer is a very definite ‘yes’.
I have chosen to focus upon one African country – Ethiopia – which I have been fortunate to visit twice in recent months. I want to delve deep beneath the macro issues and describe the dramatic changes that have been made to the lives of people and communities by modest amounts of aid from governments and individual donors. I have met people whose lives have been lifted out of a survival struggle to a situation where, by their own efforts, they can build a modest and sustainable income for their families; what is more they can give their children a significantly better start in life than they themselves had. Their stories are in themselves inspiring, but they also enable those in the West who have donated their own money, to feel a little pride in the results that their donations have helped to achieve.
