Having People, Having Heart: Charity, Sustainable Development, and Problems of Dependence in Central Uganda

This is a book about aid and development operations in Uganda. As someone who is involved in a couple of Ugandan communities -- albeit remotely, I found this a fascinating read, especially because it challenges a number of the standard view of what constitutes more or less effective development aid in East Africa.Over the past decades, there has been a shift, in aid donors, from emphasizing charity to emphasizing "sustainable development". The thought driving this is that charity promotes dependency, sustainable actions enable people to provide for themselves. (Essentially the difference between "give a man a fish" and "teach a man to fish." Scherz argues several things, but primarily that Ugandan society is based on patronage relationships, in which the wealthier are expect to provide for the poor in exchange for loyalty (and labor) and the shift away from charity has been viewed by Ugandans as mean spirited and discrediting. Additionally, sustainability creates a focus on accountability and reporting in which the bureaucratic trappings of delivering aid are the most sustainable element, with a loss of focus on those needing aid. For instance, she describes how reporting on barriers to project success becomes an end in itself, while worker lose sight of overcoming those barriers.My assumption is that this book was Ms. Scherz' doctoral dissertation. The first chapter, which present the theoretical underpinnings of her work is a bit of slog for those who find academic social science theory, with its emphasis on creating new words -- "problematize" -- unimpressive. Fortunately I rejected the temptation to put the book aside and found that starting in Chapter 2 the rest of the book has much more of a journalistic style that tells vivid stories in a readable fashion.I am trying to help a multi-religious Ugandan women's collective develop its western market. I don't know that Ms. Scherz has brought us to a new way to deliver aid, but I will think long and hard about what she wrote when I am in Uganda next year. I understand better that while we strive to help the collective create a long-term income source, there is substantial value in our bringing shoes for the village children, who need them to school... and that this act of charity not only does not undermine sustainability, but actually reinforces my role in the village.It often is difficult for a white person in Africa to get Africans to talk openly with them, as opposed to trying to say what they think you want to hear. Ms. Scherz has given voice to many Ugandans and by doing that she has made a real contribution

This book is a fascinating, close-up look at the effects of different types of aid to the poor in Uganda. The writer infuses her prose with feeling and yet maintains the objectivity of an anthropologist. The writing is clear and descriptive; it is easy to visualize the situations described. Excellent!

Exceptional look at a part of East Africa we're very familiar with. Even though the names are changed, we appreciated the history shared and the background of people and places.

Extremely well written book. Very interesting and new outlook on NGO work in Africa. I highly recommend.

The item came on time and goes for a great price! Definitely a good read!