Keeping Africa Small Premiere

Don't miss the premiere on Sunday 16th December in London! For more details visit: www.worldwrite.org.uk/keepingafricasmall

From small scale projects to HIV/AIDS programmes NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) charities and aid agencies are everywhere in the developing world. They are all the rage in the West too, and are seen as the good people who want to save Africa. But, however well meaning NGOs may be, their programmes often get up the noses of everyone, from African fishermen to shanty town inhabitants. Their idea of improving people's lives by promoting the basics only are a far cry from the aspirations of those they seek to help. Serious development and growth is definitely not in the NGO dictionary. Shot in Ghana, Godbless, Waffa, Deroy and local fishermen and women are articulate and angry. They loathe the peanuts offered and sanctimonious lessons in good behaviour. They want industry, jobs and material advancement and for NGOs and aid agencies to stop treating them like children. As Godbless tells us: "Africans have big brains, big aspirations....and want to live in liberty."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• worldwrite
• development
• economics
• live8
• g8
• debt
• relief
• Africa
• Ghana
• politics
• trade
• aid
• borrowing
• growth
• sustainable
• ngo

[tgondo]

The film shows beyond doubt the intelligence and capability of Ghanians to sort their own lives out, the film makes it seem perfectly clear, they know exactly what they need-industry, just like Europe only attained prosperity through industrial growth so will Africa, and then tehy can take care of their own basic and luxury needs.why pay the wages of NGOs to fly out to africa, pity the poor and then not listen to them because they are so fuelled by their own agenda. brilliant film!!

[LeenaGangaShanti]

The reality is most NGOs are miles away from understanding those very people they are trying to work for. This clip highlights this only too well.

[Tennysontigga]

What is wrong in investing in more meaningful projects? Give Africans what they really want not what the west wants because you might as well stop this game.

[Andreasangulo]

How can the NGOs pretend to improve the developing countries conditions without understand their needs before?

[ms00048]

It is every ones right to have the minimum standard of life!!! Its a shame for NGO's that there are still so many poeple in Africa living without any clean water and electricity...

[doddycaz]

WORLDwrite is, as usual opening our eyes to the REAL problems in the developing countries. What the people really want, not what the NGO's etc. want us to believe. Keep up the great work.

[RacFos]

WORLDwrite is doing a great service for developing countries. NGO's like "oxfam" have been insulting the third world for too long. Why anyone in their right mind would think that what someone in the devloping world wants is a pile of dung is beyond me. No-one likes living in squalor, they do not do it out of choice but out of desperation. We need more organisations like WORLDwrite and then maybe we will see some real and practical developments in the thirld world.

[indylondoner]

I know the NGOs and charity groups can probably help in some situations - but they need to listen to local people, groups and organisations, and give control of decisions and plans to them. How patronising to think it's laughable that people in Africa (or elsewhere) might like luxuries. How demeaning to ask someone to cry just so you can drum up donations.

[incedalbir]

This film makes us understand that Africans are not after only their fulfilment of basic needs rather, they want to improve their life styles. But it seems NGO`s and aid agencies are diktating what they think Africans should aim for now and in future. They do not see that Africans want to live as westerners do.

[richmondqueen]

the people that can make a difference need to start thinking about what these people NEED