At the moment I'm in transit at Incheon airport (Seoul) and I have just discovered the joys of their free internet lounge. While browsing the web I came accross the guest column that Bono is currently writing for The New York Times. I don't agree with all he says but the man certainly has a point when claiming that development aid is not about charity, but about justice. Often when people ask me why I want to be involved in development-related work I find it hard to articulate the exact reasons, but mainly my commitment comes from a strong feeling of indignation that the world is such an unfair place. Bono's right, it does come down to restoring the balance of justice. Unfortunately in too many cases aid efforts don't translate into results so it's good to be reminded that sometimes aid does make a difference:
So much of the discussion today is about value, not values. Aid well spent can be an example of both, values and value for money. Providing AIDS medication to just under four million people, putting in place modest measures to improve maternal health, eradicating killer pests like malaria and rotoviruses — all these provide a leg up on the climb to self-sufficiency, all these can help us make friends in a world quick to enmity. It’s not alms, it’s investment. It’s not charity, it’s justice.
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