On Christmas, our minds turn to gift giving… this is a very charitable season in the US and many give to alleviate the suffering of the poor.
It’s a good time to read “When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty without Hurting the Poor” by 2 experts in the field.
But much well intended giving – by private charity and government dole – only produces indolence and dependency, not independence and freedom.
Organizations like Kiva.org and Gospel for Asia allow you to help people help themselves and essentially “give the gift of entrepreneurship”. The former allows you to loan to individuals and groups to expand their businesses. The latter allows direct gifts that often are entrepreneurial… a gift of chickens, goats, water buffalo or a sewing machine allows people in those cultures to support themselves.
Either can be good.
But what about our own society? How can we give the gift of entrepreneurship?
1) By understanding that our helping can hurt
2) But encouraging people a new generation of entrepreneurs will be essential to provide for our families and our futures.
3) Transmitting this entrepreneurial spirit comes through relationships and mentoring, not government mandates and prescribed courses.
Will you give the gift of entrepreneurship this year?
Juma Jarvis on December 25th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
This is soooo true.We empower others by teaching them to empower themselves.We must promote independence not codependence.