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I was alerted yesterday morning by Linda Raftree alias @meowtree on Twitter to the existence of a project to send 1 million tee-shirts to Africa. Run by a certain Jason Sadler, you can find out all about it here
Jason asks each t-shirt donor to enclose a minimum of $1 to contribute to shipping costs. The garments will then be sent to Africa’s t-shirtless and grateful poor. Jason is using social media to promote the message, including Mashable the high-profile social media platform, I assume because of the 2.6 million viewers following the site. You can imagine my fury when I went on to see the project being promoted on numerous sites as a means to helping Africans. As usual, I like to check the excellent Aid Watcher blog to see if people are talking about the project. Sure enough, they are, and I am clearly not alone in my frustration and anger, which only increased as I read the coverage of the project. I wanted to stay rational and calm, but I just could not help myself!
Having already emailed his colleague and got nowhere, I googled Jason, found his telephone number and called him in the USA. I wanted to find out what was going on in his head and get an answer from him. When I managed to speak with him, the conversation was heated. He could feel my anger. Why was I angry? Well, first of all, his idea is conceited, amateurish and idiotic. It will not help Africans. It is just another form of aid that is inefficient and unsustainable and will end up doing more harm than good. Those who know Africa well will agree with me that once the t-shirts arrive, they will end up in a warehouse – provided someone from the government authorises it of course. The possibility that the kids the shirts are intended for will never get them is therefore very real. And even if some are distributed, Jason will not be able to track who is getting them. But most of all, supplying a million old t-shirts, apart from being incredibly inefficient in terms of cost, does not address any of Africa’s many pressing problems. Lack of t-shirts is simply not an issue! All those who donated their $1 and t-shirts might feel good about themselves, but they will have achieved nothing!
Jason admits that he does not know Africa. Sadly, he has never been to Africa, like many Americans I meet. They think they can magically impose their ‘solutions’ for Africans from America. Maybe Jason means well. Maybe he wants to help. But his idea is bad, the timing is bad and the project is insulting to Africans and Africa as a whole.
This is not an isolated event. Ideas come from America all the time. People with little knowledge and no direct experience of African decide they want to ‘help’ the continent. But these projects are more often than not damaging for Africa. This pattern needs to stop now and we need to recognise that some NGOs have failed and are still failing Africa!
I was born in Africa. I understand poverty and what is good for my continent and how we can reach out to the poorest of the poor. I visit Africa almost monthly and the dignity and pride of the poor are plain to see. They are not crying out for used t-shirts! How would Americans feel if we reverse the project and ask Africans to collect their old t-shirts and send them to the USA? Would Jason wear one? I think not. So please, treat people the way you yourself would want to be treated!
I and others are urging Jason to see the error in his idea and change strategy. He appears ready to listen .There are millions of ways to help people in Africa. Those who want to help just need to speak to the right people!
You can find excellent coverage of this story here:
Aid Watcher
Dear Jason
Blood and Milk
I am on twitter if you want to reach me @mjamme
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Interesting article! You talk about Africans effecting positive change
Jason Sadler
Marieme,
Thanks again for speaking with me yesterday and I know we’ll turn this project into something great. I would have loved to see a mention or two of my personal apology to you for any offenses I may have caused to African people or the continent of Africa. Because in no way did I ever intend to offend anyone and I was wrong in not doing enough research from the start and only listening to a few charities.
It also would have been great to note in your post from our phone call that I told you I was willing to scrap the entire project and that I asked you what you thought I should do. I asked you how I could turn this around into something great and that you offered to come to the US and personally advise me.
Again, I thank you so much for your time and passion, I hope people will respect mine as well.
Jason
Marieme
Hi Jason,
I have not seen you apologising publicly yet about this! Please send me any link to where you had done. The only thing I saw yesterday is you trying to defend your actions and looking for validations from others Africans and to the International Development guys on twitter, despite our long talk on the phone. Now I have spent from my busy schedule 40 minutes on the phone with you, on my own expenses talking to someone whom has insulted me as African. My day was ruined with despair and frustration. You have offend us, but as you can see we all humans and are happy to give you a chance to discuss this project and make it happen for the sake of people in Africa.
Again, I know your intentions were good, but I only support people whom are humble enough to recognize that they have messed up.
I have given you enough time Jason! Now the ball is in your goals! You need to apologise to all Africans and the Friends of Africa whom are working tirelessly to help Africa , not just to me!
Best Wishes
MJ
Michael Kirkpatrick
What is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular.
Mike
MJ
I certainly hope that these comments and efforts create a positive impact for the many countries in Africa. I know Jason and also his initial intentions were straightforward and also upright. On his broadcast today on ustream, viewable at http://www.iwearyoushirt.com he mentioned that there were changes being made to make this an effective project. He is trying his best and we can be appreciative of his passion as well as his desire to help. Cut him some slack and if there are positive constructive criticism and suggestions I am sure they will be received warmly for change…
Marieme
Hi Mike!
Thank you for your comment. You will understand that nobody was going to say BRAVO to Jason when he made a mistake. I am not sure if you aware, But we took the time to speak to Jason since, and all is now fine and we are happy to work with him. We will be working with Jason and put a strategy together. So please speak to Jason and he will tell you the steps we have decided to take with him.
Kind Regards
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Immigrechoisi
Hi,
I can’t blame Jason because he’s just like 90% of people in western countries. He’s just trying his best to make the world better, and just do what he things good. Like peoples who gives to the red cross or other NGO.
As an african, i don’t feel offended or insulted. How could i blame someone who has good intentions initialy ?
What i can do is just tell how to do and what to do next time. Yes! as said Dambisa moyo, there’s a better way for africa. And it’s our role to promote these new pratices.
PS: sorry for my bad english.
Dean Moull
What is it they say about the road to hell being paved with good intentions? I’ve no doubt that Jason meant well but that isn’t enough. Many years ago after visiting several African countries I was inevitably moved by many aspects of the experience and became determined to try and help. Despite its imperfections and glacially slow progress the next few years were spent listening and learning rather than trying to impose my western centred and development solutions. Hopefully others with equally good intentions can do the decent thing and actually listent to people and, as the article demands, show some respect.
Jules Schwadron
Very good written story. It will be supportive to everyone who employess it, as well as yours truly
. Keep doing what you are doing – looking forward to more posts.
African Man
Marieme, keep up the good job until the world understands that Africa wants respect.We really do not want pity like beggars do.We are not beggars! Sending USED T-shirts even to the poorest people is insulting. I hope Jason found a new way of helping africa and not thought used stuff. I was quite irritated to see the video showing him presenting the clothes to be sent to Africa. I encourage him to get to know better the africans. Our aspiration are not used T-shirts. He could for example visit Africa and provide some training to african children instead of giving them T-shirts. The training is something sustainable while the T-shirts are not.