Two months in Havana: respect to different
The point of implementing the months in Havana, I start to create my own ideas of social life, of the widespread lack of material and the different links of the relationships between people. In short, understand a little more the Cuban reality. But, as I said in the first entry ("Traveling is an art"), wanted to make a series of reflections on life in a developing country or developing, as more bureaucratic language called. How to behave? How to act? How are we to live without air so integrated our ethnocentrism?
The first time that I should be aware of how difficult it is to act in good faith and respect, while, a different culture, must have been in the India. Here, in Cuba, no people exhausted or run in the middle of the sidewalk and in the world's poorest countries. No exaggeration to say that the streets of Havana that is less poverty in the streets of Madrid. Here will be no shortage, but misery.
On the streets of Havana is less poverty than by Madrid. Here will be no shortage, but misery
Even so, abroad is still the focus of attention; a claim, in the end, money to be able to get something. So far, as in any country with minimal tourist tradition, As things happen. But I wanted to make is to our way of acting and to integrate line bypassing respecting difference.
The other day I went down to eat pizza under my house to a small post. There, in line, had a boy and a teenage girl eating each. When finished, asked another. The pizzas are not expensive, but Cuban wages, 10 pizza pesos each other is a significant expense. I came a doubt: "I pay the pizza? I do not means almost nothing and for them it may be a world. And, perhaps, Merry Afternoon ".
How I can help others directly, without getting lost in the labyrinth and uncertain system of NGOs?
Such attitudes will come one to the head always trying to sneak into the skin of the other. Helping people. But, With these behaviors? Show a kind of superiority? How I can help others directly, without getting lost in the labyrinth and uncertain system of organizations that are devoted to it?
It may be understandable that people who decide to help in any way wary of NGOs or other agencies. At the end of the day, these macro-level impact when we want to see that our money has immediate results: a girl who eats more, a child can go to school, a new roof, a water pump ... And, sometimes, financially support a project may not be very evident in their results, at least in the short term.
If we give money to street children we may be contributing to their parents sent them to do this "work" instead of going to school
In my opinion, the conflict between these two visions is that makes us sometimes his wallet: see teenagers eat one pizza are rewarding. But I think we have to transcend that very human need of immediate pleasure. Not talking about the case of Cuba, where, as I said, There is no misery that destroys half the world, but other tourist countries in which helping others can be contraindicativo. One, eg, give money to children who roam the streets, we may be contributing to their parents sent them to do this "work" instead of going to school. Addition, that money will not go directly intended for the creature, but for your home.
Some have pointed to this goodness as the main reason for the rise in prices for the tourist, because sometimes exaggerated not tip because the product price is outrageously cheap. Actually, what could be a good intention, becomes distorted and the same product may go up in price to these repeated actions.
The bike that I brought I give it to someone who needs it, and pillow I bought, and guitar…
Good intentions are never enough. On one occasion, a man told me he wanted to send a shipment of bread Africa "to give the world" what she had given him. He, owner of a large company, I can assure you without any hidden interest manifested (deduct, be publicized, etc.); simply, wanted to help. But the consequences of that act so admirably altruistic, as well-meaning, can cause unintended consequences like ruining local bread producers, distort prices, create a black market with our products ...
Working in other systems without integrate in it can cause this type of contradictions. In development cooperation, identify the needs of local organizations after doing extensive studies. I do not defend with this place anything or run to support, but talk about real cases to make us think the way to help others without getting too purist (I brought the bike that I give it to someone who needs it, and pillow I bought, and guitar). Only that, sometimes, from our unconscious good will can alter the course of a different society.
Some people want a different holiday and intends to "get into an NGO". To do what?, I often ask
Some people want a different holiday and intends to "get into an NGO". To do what?, I often ask. What can bring you in a month who can not provide them? It is true that, sometimes, such skilled personnel necessary (the medical teachers) when in the destination country lacking infrastructure, but we must not forget that people in developing countries can do a lot more things in your environment that could teach us.
In order, these reflections are only a song to respecting difference and not meddle in the course of cultures. Sometimes, Good intentions are hotly contested with respect. And we go home smiling thinking that we are real good citizens.
Comments (18)
shouting
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Totally agree with your article!! .. I think it only q q can contribute in these rooms are, at most, understand more about other situations and / or cultures, but little else ..
Many times we seem elephant in a china shop, with the damage this can do some very fragile environments!.
Greetings and congratulations for your articles, always stimulating.
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javier Brandoli
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I think you make a very interesting reflection Diego. It is a recurring theme in my head and in my conversations. I live in a very poor country, Mozambique, where there are pockets of poverty very hard. How to help? Is my mind or yours? Will I adapt impose or? Because if I adapt I have to accept that a girl becomes a woman with the first menstruation; that child labor is a logic that can produce and what is needed to support a family production; I accept that the community, for the Philosophy Ubuntu africana, is above the individual, so if someone steals to distribute among his is doing well although I steal from me and my stuff… All of a complex world in which situate, convivirlo understand and try hard to see the poverty so close, lack of medicines and your desire to help. Do you fish the doy I teach you to fish? and what if I notice that when you do not want to teach to fish apprender? Would you leave and do not eat? What if you are good fishing? ¿Find you? And if every time I fish contributed to that you do not do it because I'm already doing?What if I'm going fishing who?
I will say in this lengthy discussion the other day talking to a woman with a huge African culture and life told me something that I reflect now as a starting point: «I believe that cooperation should never do what is the responsibility of the Government. The school health and are obligations that governments must maintain, NGOs not. We do a disservice government exercising. The people do not ask their government responsibilities, that do not have, rulers and subjects passed as makers do not. The whole system is prostituted », I explained. A healthy cooperation must invest in knowledge transfer or social structures outside of political institutions. Civil rights, cultural movements, civic associations….That should be cooperation ». I thought an interesting point of view.
Finally, there is another debate terrible and you can drop the demagoguery ne: Does the cooperation can be a profession? How much keep cooperating? Without these projects are undertaken? A community without the push of an outsider is able to change its inertia?
Hug and thank Diego for the debate
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shouting
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It could open a long discussion after Article, because I believe that cooperation (and its ramifications) is a complex issue, but in which we should ask, before any collaboration, «Do we know what those communities where we are going to interfere and .. We even ask?? .. or simply impose our will, what we think we "should" have and "suck" as a society, without stop thinking (1) if we as a society are someone to impose our model to other companies; (2) if we really go as well as to consider our evolution a role model; (3) if we're providing tools to channel and collaborate in the development of society, or we are actually helping to perpetuate the "status quo".
I liked a phrase I read once Brazilian theologian Leonardo Boff:
«The concept of paternalistic and missionary help must be eliminated. If they come to "help" they are useless, better stay where they are. If they come to exchange knowledge and strengthen mutual, then Welcome! “.
On the other hand, and individually, such experiences can help us to understand other societies and / or cultures, and to be more respectful to the same.
greetings and congratulations on the article.
Cristina
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martin
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In the Inca Trail in the 2008 one of the porters told me a Spanish NGO had done a toilet in your community ( doing the Inca Trail is a conversation that can arise , that of the toilets ..).
He said that they had been built two years earlier but nobody used them and they were completely abandoned….
African women sure javier citing knows of what he speaks.
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Mayte
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Super interesting this topic. Totally agree with what conveys article. After having lived for years in Africa and see many NGOs playing a favor by becoming Samaritans themselves, one can not help but wonder these things. As a friend said Javier, do a disservice government exercising. Be prostitute entire system that costs a lot to put in funcionamiento.Una healthy cooperation must invest in knowledge transfer or social structures.
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diego
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Interesting and difficult debate!
If the cooperating think it is necessary when provided to the institutions of another country knowledge which they lack. But it is true that it is also a complex world of interest. What does Spain cooperating with countries where the problem is not poverty but the sack?
I also believe that a problem is the inefficiency that exists. Of 100 EUR, How much actually reaches the population? Very little. On the road, sometimes you think it bureaucratic and useless for many actions. Cooperation is needed and do interesting things. But there is a world of country strategies. Now Spain is the charging and presumably also great harm for labor and large groups of people in countries, is a shovelful. Because being present on the international board is important ....
It is also true that much of the cooperation would not be if not previously explotáramos obstacles we put them to develop on their own, or not to support dictators to have the area quiet ... There is lots of hypocrisy. And as to whether it should be a profession ... because I think that like many things. To learn to do things right preparation is required and a "good work", and expertise in different areas (engineering, governance, etc.).
In short: perfect cooperation as is well, but the problem is the way to do sometimes, because people care more than your salary that the impact to others ... The year I spent at the headquarters of the AECID I checked. And in what way. But the problem may not be people, but institution, that instead of support in this sector are the best technicians, now has taken (because they had no fixed contracts) and now there are only officials, fallen some bounce. So, clearly can not run. And if we add ideology ... For example, many of the positions in the previous stage were in charge of technical. Now diplomats and political.
Health.
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M. Gandhi
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"Be the change you want to see in the world."
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diego
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Interesting and difficult debate!
If the cooperating think it is necessary when provided to the institutions of another country knowledge which they lack. But it is true that it is also a complex world of interest. What does Spain cooperating with countries where the problem is not poverty but the sack?
I also believe that a problem is the inefficiency that exists. Of 100 EUR, How much actually reaches the population? Very little. On the road, sometimes you think it bureaucratic and useless for many actions. Cooperation is needed and do interesting things. But there is a world of country strategies. Now Spain is the charging and presumably also great harm for labor and large groups of people in countries, is a shovelful. Because being present on the international board is important ...
It is also true that much of the cooperation would not be if not previously explotáramos obstacles we put them to develop on their own, or not to support dictators to have the area quiet ... There is lots of hypocrisy. And as to whether it should be a profession ... because I think that like many things. To learn to do things right preparation is required and a "good work", and expertise in different areas (engineering, governance, etc.).
In short: perfect cooperation as is well, but the problem is the way to do sometimes, because people care more than your salary that the impact to others ... The year I spent at the headquarters of the AECID I checked. And in what way. But the problem may not be people, but institution, that instead of support in this sector are the best technicians, now has taken (because they had no fixed contracts) and now there are only officials, fallen some bounce. So, clearly can not run. And if we add ideology ... For example, many of the positions in the previous stage were in charge of technical. Now diplomats and political.
Health.
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Elena
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With regard to the last paragraph of your comment,Diego, I do not agree. Me on the other hand, gives me more confidence that the AECID is integrated by officials and diplomats (no political),I know very well prepared and with a lot of vocation that they have passed very tough oppositions to carry out that specific job and not "rebound" as you say. In fact,placements "by finger" for the interests of the party in power,are usually given in the opposite case.
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Olga Moya
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I've thought a lot about this whole mess, especially after a stay in a hospital in Sierra Leone in which I stayed fifteen days to write a report. The hospital was twinned with another namesake of Barcelona, and different positions of the latter put me aware of the dangers of cooperation. Any decision made must have been put into question several times and, especially, analyzed from a local perspective. Our almighty western solutions may not have space in Africa today. For example, Did that diabetes test would do if here have insulin to treat the disease? And buy a TAC if no professional can read the results? Is there no other immediate needs? Build the house from the ground or the roof: here is the question. I remember a real case that included women, AIDS and children. In Western countries replace mother's milk for formula in order to overcome the virus vertical infection. And various initiatives from the West who wanted to export this formula to the African continent have failed miserably. The problem is that we are moving in very different realities. First, if a program offered artificial milk bottles and the newly released interrupted mothers, they can no longer feed their children because they have been removed breast milk. And something that has been done to help, eventually interfere. Addition, in such countries there is a shortage of resources that should be considered. If the women prepare the bottle with water that is drinkable, eg, the remedy may be worse than the disease. There is also a cultural reality that must be provided at the time of starting a program of this type. In Africa artificial feeding is not common and socially accepted. Many women reject it simply because it is not part of their usual way of proceeding or, in some cases, because in case of baby bottle feeding both the husband and the family suspect they are infected. So, women give their children a bottle when they are alone and chest when in company, recent studies which causes an increased risk of infection rather than decrease, concludes Dr..
In short, with having good intentions is not enough. Cooperation should be born well understood people who know very well the reality of the community to which you want to lend a hand.
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Juancho
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I am excited and anguish cooperation debate. I'm excited and it hurts. Much is at stake. Hit is important. Each error, whether personal or an organization, can do much harm to many. I am a member of an Association. We collaborate with Nicaragua. Years ago, got a lot of money to create small health centers in rural communities isolated by rugged terrain and infrastructure exist….
Today, these health centers are not used. They have to pay for medicine, or to pay the salary of someone dedicated to being 10 hours a day there to meet neighbors. They are all peasants, all go to the field. No diseases are treated. And when these become serious, travel six hours to the nearest hospital.
Did we do wrong to build health centers? Can be, but before judging, think about it: They had asked us the. We did not want to think about them, so we asked them… what you need in the community? How can we help you? We were told that it was most important health, and needed a medical.
From this point of view, I stay with what he told Javier dce that woman: "I believe that cooperation should never do what is the responsibility of the Government. The school health and are obligations that governments must maintain, NGOs not. We do a disservice by acting as governments ».
Yet, governments do nothing, generally, unless corrupted by easy money. The 60%!!!!! Nicaragua's GDP is aid to cooperation…. It shows that the world is united, truth? Yet, never in my life have I seen a people so resigned and conformist as that of my dear «nicas». It's maddening to see, often, so easily they could improve everything… And the passivity with which prefer to look at you with eyes that say… "I'm poor, I know nothing… Would you mind doing it for me?». There's the anguish. What to do? Returning to the initial text Diego… Do we give money to children on the street so that parents perpetuate commissioned to go out begging every morning? Do not give them and then if they starve, penalties beyond?
Just one more thing, pardon the roll.
There is one thing I disagree with all: the "solidarity holidays". I think they serve, and much.
Social change begins in the heart, in the soul. We are in this debate. We know if we do well, but we wonder how it would have to do to get it right. Others have not even gotten there. I do not even think it worth thinking about helping others. "I'm here," they feel., in my super (now both) first world, and Uncle, sorry already, has touched born in India and being an outcast…. Let's see if you have more luck in the next life ».
I do not claim to moral superiority, because they do not feel. I live in Madrid so richly and I have all the material things I please return for a job in which contempt and just keep for the material comforts it provides me. Just want to say that before 2003, when I made a Solidarity Holidays, not thinking about cooperation, or solidarity, nor was I ever passed through your head that the 80% of humanity lived much worse than me. Since then I think. And that, regardless of any other consideration, it seems good.
Greetings to all. A pleasure this blog, as always
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javier Brandoli
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I agree in part with you Juancho solidarity Holidays: to you raised awareness, but what about them? Is it good that someone, also often lacks work culture medium to long term (multitude of factors that) understand that survives each year a group of Westerners who come to paint the walls of his aleda? Ie, the goal is noble but do so is the result? The not paint your walls, not fix his garden or put your medications, all things that can and should do. When tourists have not fixed the orchards, who does? Do they know? The problem is that not talking about helping a family, speak of a community, of a grant message.
And 2011 I spoke with a Spanish doctors who had three years in northern Mozambique. His answer: «I think we have been worse. When we knew getting an injection, now I do not know or take an aspirin. We will be leaving soon ».
On the cultural intrusion speaking conocmiento Cris and Olga says, I think the great debate in this topic: create a whole program to stop AIDS. Trying to curb the spread of extramarital relations with PROGRAMS awareness and safe sex. The man in many cases takes condom, well proque not like, either because they are casual and not ready. Then you discover that the man and woman during lactation did not have sex because they think it pollutes the mother's milk. A year in which a marriage has no relations. What happens to the containment of AIDS program? Had to explain that milk does not spoil? And if I do, Not just with their culture, not co-equal with me? What if we add that women do not take eggs or chicken legs because they believe that if they do not get pregnant? Do you epxlicamos it's ridiculous, which is a form of man eating chicken leg and dine and make the single egg that the hen may give? What about pregnant women who eat sand because they believe it is good for the baby what we do? Many children die in the womb so. ¿In interferes in the act? And with healers and sorcerers, that kill thousands of people every year in Africa? They treat AIDS or malaria as an evil eye or with herbs. Generate violence and even death in the communities with crazed solutions. In many instances, patients reach the hospital almost dead and die in hours to wait weeks with ridiculous treatments. Healers are part of African culture deeper, are part d ela essence of this place. Trying to cure AIDS with their cultural herbs what happened is that there is a generation and a half of Africans who died in the gutter. What to do, intervene? What about the individual vote and democracy group that corrupts but that is based on the culture of African ubuntu? Having one to one it feels to be involved in each of the above examples and the sum of all is a real cultural invasion. Why not apply to them what I want for my? Forty years ago my country had no democracy, women were housewives almost no right, the homexuales were beaten, illiteracy and religious leaders was exercised social control over moral to punish you all (cultural heritage of centuries). That all changed thanks to foreign influences or if you want a logic that made me more like a French, a German, an Englishman and an American. What I prefer to be as different as it was before? And now in full political and social crsisi, bleeding with corruption scandals, I'd be a little more a boring kind in northern Europe that puts his hand in the box? And if you also, as I want, take social consciousness of the public and let the picaresque, and left to heal with prints of the Virgin, and I wear a condom and spoke languages and… Am I disrespecting essentially stop being Spanish? Or culturally invaded Am I realized I had better options in exchange and applied?
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Juancho
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I have no one questions respuestaa planteeas, Xavier. Not one. As in the case of ablations. The other day I got a movie in the two above that. A girl came to London mali, miraculously became a listed model. Years later announced that it had undergone ablation of nina, and asked, at UN headquarters, that this practice was prohibited throughout Africa. Half of the countries forbade. Aun cus, Nina's half a million are mutilated every year. Nor do I have an answer for that. We must eliminate the practice of African culture. My mind says that of course Western. But, as done? Questioning, All… Replies, I have not, friend…
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Olga Moya
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I usually say that we can not ask the world to evolve at our own pace. Every culture has its own tempo and I think an error ask all develop at the pace imposed by Europe and the U.S.. We live in a country where women only makes 80 years who are entitled to vote, a country in which our grandmothers lived secluded at home and wore an outfit that did not differ too much from some Muslim women who wear dark colors-with headscarf-. What are 80, 60, 40 years in the history of mankind? Why should we be the ones we mark the pace of development? But then, all these arguments fall short when one observes the atrocities committed in some parts of the world. What to do? Let them go on committing themselves until they "mature" on their own?? Intervene? Our usual paternalism? As Javi, as Juancho, like all… I have many questions, but few answers. Someday write a post about all this to continue feeding him debate. I have many examples and several theories I refute myself etnocentrimo different aspects of cooperation and.
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Juancho
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Eagerly waiting for your blog, Olga. Although much I will for my tempo a new catalog of unanswered questions. Q Sometimes I think the thing is easy to understand: are so different from each other, q almost never managed to understand…
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Lydia
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This article has sparked a very interesting debate.
Course, Many questions arise, but also find answers. Faced with hunger, diseases, iniquities, feel the desire to help, but it is very difficult to how, for everything you have already exposed.
And as if that explains Olga on stop breastfeeding to prevent HIV transmission, think sometimes it's better not to intervene, although this raises another controversy: Do not do anything knowing the solution to a problem?
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shouting
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Really interesting debate that has opened after Article. Anyway, I am left with the feeling that we have been more harmful than beneficial for those societies in which we have gone to "cooperate", and not only because, somehow, interfere (after the corresponding previous looting) in the own responsibility of their governments and civil societies, but because we also restrict them so that their "progress" follows a predetermined path, maybe we ran to us, but we do not know if you even sense in other companies.
And if we add some background behind economic interest (Spain curious why he is so present in cooperation in Mozambique and Senegal, eg, if not for certain fishing interests in the area, for instance) still leaves me with the worst taste.
In order, as a summary I prefer the irony of an open letter to Madonna a Kenyan writer, casually, I read yesterday in the press, and reflects much of this problem. "Thanks, but we can manage without your compassion ».
Here I leave the link, whole is worth reading: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/12/madonna-open-letter-africans
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Sirus
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Increible Post, I travel to Havana for studies 1 my, and I am one of those who melts his heart when a child comes to ask or an adult tells him the pain he is going through, and I end up giving him everything that I carry(it already happened to me in cairo),
Big mistake, because that way we don't really help, You are only helped by teaching how to earn a living without the need for third parties.
It is true that prospering in certain countries is complicated, but our "act of good faith" is nothing more than bread for today and hunger for tomorrow.
My congratulations to Diego Cobos!
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