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April 01, 2013

Africa is poor and 5 other myths: Simon Moss at TED

poverty, birth mortality, children, environment
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Poverty isn't getting worse. Food isn't running out. Volunteering overseas is not the best way to help. Simon Moss debunks six myths about poverty and asks a series of new questions to reshape the way we think about relief.

 

Simon is a campaigning and community education expert, and the COO of the Global Poverty Project. He has contributed on development issues at some of the world's leading conferences including the G20, the World Economic Forum and the Clinton Global Initiative. He is the co-founder of the Global Poverty Project, an education and campaigning organisation working towards the end of extreme poverty, and wrote the ground-breaking 1.4 Billion Reasons presentation, which has been delivered 750 times to 100,000 people since 2009.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

Comments


Tylecia Brown

5/16/2013 11:40:08 AM

Being educated and knowing options can make such a difference.....

Zone Ziwoh

5/6/2013 8:54:25 AM

I can watch this over and over. It makes me think deeper, stretches my mind further. And as I read through, listen to his talk, I immediately think of the article " To hell With Good Intention" another powerful first hand tale from a Southern America. African Discourses are quite complicated, Confusing. Nonetheless, we are doing our best to tell it stories as living witnesses living African History

Zone Ziwoh

5/6/2013 8:54:15 AM

I can watch this over and over. It makes me think deeper, stretches my mind further. And as I read through, listen to his talk, I immediately think of the article " To hell With Good Intention" another powerful first hand tale from a Southern America. African Discourses are quite complicated, Confusing. Nonetheless, we are doing our best to tell it stories as living witnesses living African History

denis jansen

12/1/2012 11:25:33 AM

Merci pour votre engagement...

Julie Mutiga

11/11/2012 3:27:55 PM

I feel that DIGNITY for Africans is also important! yes we welcome alliances but we aspire for equality in those relationships . .

Deb Swift

10/13/2012 8:38:28 AM

It so much more complicated with corruption and societies that don't have the same values that we have. We sometimes are strengthening people who hate us.

Diego Cobos

10/11/2012 3:40:32 PM

Good job

Rachel Buchner

10/5/2012 8:45:22 AM

This is interesting, I volunteered overseas in India and I know what he means by feeling not making a difference. I wish i could do more, use my skills to help out, but I know that they need to help themselves, and it was great to see that they self sufficient in many ways. I know I learned a lot, and I think I got more out of it then they did. I know talking to them it was hard for them to have volunteers coming and going all the time because they would get close to them and then they would leave. I think that's hard on the children too. I want to know how to help people most effectively , I would love to go somewhere long term and learn the language and help where is needed. Without knowing the language it is hard to help.

steve dunnington

9/27/2012 11:57:32 AM

remember too, that much of the problem effecting all of this, all over the world is the onset of violence that stems from that ever-growing "religion of peace" from the middle east. For decades, "Apartheid" was THE great problem in Africa. But what was the very first response to the end of apartheid??? Rwanda massacre. And what was the core of that?? In every part of the world today where there is gross poverty and/or war, the "religion of peace" is stirring the pot. When we feed these countries, we feed those who seek to destroy us. Because regardless of how much we give, there will always be covetous jealousy.

steve dunnington

9/27/2012 11:49:29 AM

Look, we've heard much of this before. And while some of what he says is quite well done, it isn't as simple as he makes it sound. Too often, the desire to "help" really is an opportunity by people to appear enlightened, gain public affirmation, and even "meet Bono". Many even regurgitate some of the same dead-pan rhetoric you heard in the animated scene. Worse yet, people who see themselves as victims (despite having iPads) become frustrated, break out the brown hoody, and start protesting. Which generally results in a waste of 100s of 1000s of dollars and damaging small businesses. At some point, this country needs to recognize the best we can do is simply cut the safety line and walk away. Hitting bottom isn't pretty, but it is sometimes necessary. No one is ready to do without the conveniences they have in order to stop the export of African resources and effect change.

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