Since When is Charity a Bad Thing?
12:29 PM Friday, July 1, 2011One of the bloggers I follow, dooce®, recently was asked to visit Bangladesh as a guest of Every Mother Counts, an organization that works "to increase education and support for maternal and child health" around the world.
She was asked because she's a popular female blogger and the hope was that she could help draw attention not only to the organization as they strive to get women around the world the help they need, but more importantly, draw attention to the women themselves.
Women whose lives are at risk during pregnancy due to a lack of proper medications and medical assistance, including proper emergency assistance that most of us in industrialized countries take for granted. They don't have access to adequate maternal care, post-partum care, and family planning.
The Maternal Mortality Rate is "an assessment of the probability of becoming pregnant and the probability of dying as a result of that pregnancy in 171 countries with populations of more than 250,000, cumulated across a woman’s reproductive years. This is the lifetime risk of maternal death."
Yes, it's a bit confusing but suffice to say, the lower the ratio, the worse the risk.
In Bangladesh, the MMR is 1-51. In Ethipoia, the MMR is 1-27.
So you can see why an organization such as Every Mother Counts wants to bring attention to these women around the world, so they might be able to receive the care they need. And why they would seek out different voices, like dooce's, to reach audiences they may not otherwise reach.
Apparently, though, some people take offense to this. Really. People such as this irresponsible blogger with The Guardian, who took aim at not only Dooce but what she calls "poverty tourism", without even actually talking to Dooce and without making sure her facts were straight about pretty much anything she posted. She just made assumptions. Really.
And on Twitter, a few concern trolls started coming out of the wood works to take shots at Dooce, because, according to them, she's "doing it wrong."
But is going to an impoverished nation in an effort to bring attention to their plight really poverty tourism? Is it really tourism? And why is it bad that someone wants to bring attention to such an overwhelming problem, in whatever manner they are capable of bringing the attention?
Listen, here's the thing: there are thousands, MILLIONS, of people in the world who need assistance just to get by in life. In this country and in other countries. And I've often heard people complain about assisting others or complaining about how some people are assisting others.
Another favorite blogger who I also
Why would anyone have any problem with bringing attention to the poor, the needy, the sick, the emotionally and physically hurt?
Why should anyone have any right to say anything to anyone else about how they go about involving themselves in charity?
I haven't yet posted anything on this blog about charity organizations, charitable works, or tried to bring attention those needing help. This blog is too new.
Because it's important. It needs to be talked about. And I will talk about what's important to me.
And if you wanna be a troll and tell me I'm doing it wrong, bring it on.
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