An update for anyone passing: 100 euros was duly raised and remitted to The Gambia, where the patient himself was able to purchase and secure the administration of two injections in his rear end. He is doing well. His brother has been duly returned home by UNHCR and is also recovering from his ventures into the unknown.
In the wealthy West we regard such matters as foolhardy and easily resolved. Which they are, on the whole, for us. But, for our friends in Africa, they are matters of life and death.
Graham, I’m sure I’m asking you the obvious: how do I know it’s not a scam? I’d be glad to help, but I’ve heard about a hundred stories of scams like this. Apologies if you think it’s the wrong question, I’m sure you know it wasn’t my intention.
Not cynicism. People say "keep it short", and then you do and they say they don't understand.
I say "I do" because I feel "I do". I can't say otherwise. Meanwhile, the man is suffering.
However, I cannot lay a guarantee on this not being scammy. Abs has, it has to be said, phoned me 20 times in the past few days. He has pleaded with me, and begged for me to do something for Baba in Algeria. Well, what can I do? There's no italics in these free text boxes, so you can italicise whichever of the words in that sentence that you want.
If Abs is scamming, then he should be up for an Olivier award. We in the west don't know begging like they in the pre-first world know it. The world where all of us came from 300,000 years ago, and where we in the west returned to, to loot and exploit their resources and their people. They are genuinely cognisant of our generosity, when we show it to them. Generosity, and recognising someone's soul of beauty are the two things that bond people, there as they do here.
But beggars in a city like Brussels are, on the whole, Brussels folk who have hit on hard times. They have an expectation of the harsh retort that their begging will evoke, so even the most pushy of them don't push too hard. Because they know the sensation of handcuffs around their wrists. Begging in Europe is a polite request that can be met with a police order: https://youtu.be/21oznK5CYsM.
The police do not arrest beggars in The Gambia. The police there make a lot of trouble at the government's behest and they can be shockingly brutal. But they do not arrest beggars, because most of their people beg, in some way or another. Want and need are there in endemic proportions and the conditions that give birth to that fact are beyond my reach to resolve.
Some time ago, I wrote down 9 reasons to refuse to give to charity. I think you will have read them, but here are the relevant ones again:
1. Abs could be a scoundrel, who will spend the money on drugs (that's actually the intention in this case), or bet it on a horse. Yes, he could be. Anyone could be a scoundrel, even the president of the United States. But he has a mother and five siblings and a nephew, and most of them are in school. Maybe they’re scoundrels too. But there is a large possibility that he is honest.
2. I don’t do these kinds of investments. There are investments that are more secure than this. And there are those that promise greater returns than this. It’s the kind of investment that people do, if, perhaps, you don’t.
3. All the money will go to fat administrators and very little will reach the truly needy. There are charity organisations where the percentage of donations that goes on administration is large. UNESCO, for instance, distributes around 20% of what it receives in donations. Other charities are more efficient; but getting money to projects where they’re needed does take administration. And we cannot ask administrators to give their careers up in order to help the needy.
4. You cannot help everyone. It’s true: you can’t help everyone. “Not being able to help everyone” doesn’t mean “not helping anyone.”
6. What’s in it for Graham Vincent? I will not be receiving a medal.
We know each other, Tibor. One day, when I've really thought through the emotions I am now feeling, I will write an article for you. It will ask the question that you are asking yourself right now to which I can give you either two or no answers. But not one:
Do Samaritans fear being duped more than they fear leaving a broken man at the roadside on the way to Jericho?
An update for anyone passing: 100 euros was duly raised and remitted to The Gambia, where the patient himself was able to purchase and secure the administration of two injections in his rear end. He is doing well. His brother has been duly returned home by UNHCR and is also recovering from his ventures into the unknown.
In the wealthy West we regard such matters as foolhardy and easily resolved. Which they are, on the whole, for us. But, for our friends in Africa, they are matters of life and death.
Graham, I’m sure I’m asking you the obvious: how do I know it’s not a scam? I’d be glad to help, but I’ve heard about a hundred stories of scams like this. Apologies if you think it’s the wrong question, I’m sure you know it wasn’t my intention.
I have a short answer and a long one.
First, the long one: I don't.
Second, the short one: I do.
And I thought I was cynical:)
I will DM you on this.
Not cynicism. People say "keep it short", and then you do and they say they don't understand.
I say "I do" because I feel "I do". I can't say otherwise. Meanwhile, the man is suffering.
However, I cannot lay a guarantee on this not being scammy. Abs has, it has to be said, phoned me 20 times in the past few days. He has pleaded with me, and begged for me to do something for Baba in Algeria. Well, what can I do? There's no italics in these free text boxes, so you can italicise whichever of the words in that sentence that you want.
If Abs is scamming, then he should be up for an Olivier award. We in the west don't know begging like they in the pre-first world know it. The world where all of us came from 300,000 years ago, and where we in the west returned to, to loot and exploit their resources and their people. They are genuinely cognisant of our generosity, when we show it to them. Generosity, and recognising someone's soul of beauty are the two things that bond people, there as they do here.
But beggars in a city like Brussels are, on the whole, Brussels folk who have hit on hard times. They have an expectation of the harsh retort that their begging will evoke, so even the most pushy of them don't push too hard. Because they know the sensation of handcuffs around their wrists. Begging in Europe is a polite request that can be met with a police order: https://youtu.be/21oznK5CYsM.
The police do not arrest beggars in The Gambia. The police there make a lot of trouble at the government's behest and they can be shockingly brutal. But they do not arrest beggars, because most of their people beg, in some way or another. Want and need are there in endemic proportions and the conditions that give birth to that fact are beyond my reach to resolve.
Some time ago, I wrote down 9 reasons to refuse to give to charity. I think you will have read them, but here are the relevant ones again:
1. Abs could be a scoundrel, who will spend the money on drugs (that's actually the intention in this case), or bet it on a horse. Yes, he could be. Anyone could be a scoundrel, even the president of the United States. But he has a mother and five siblings and a nephew, and most of them are in school. Maybe they’re scoundrels too. But there is a large possibility that he is honest.
2. I don’t do these kinds of investments. There are investments that are more secure than this. And there are those that promise greater returns than this. It’s the kind of investment that people do, if, perhaps, you don’t.
3. All the money will go to fat administrators and very little will reach the truly needy. There are charity organisations where the percentage of donations that goes on administration is large. UNESCO, for instance, distributes around 20% of what it receives in donations. Other charities are more efficient; but getting money to projects where they’re needed does take administration. And we cannot ask administrators to give their careers up in order to help the needy.
4. You cannot help everyone. It’s true: you can’t help everyone. “Not being able to help everyone” doesn’t mean “not helping anyone.”
6. What’s in it for Graham Vincent? I will not be receiving a medal.
We know each other, Tibor. One day, when I've really thought through the emotions I am now feeling, I will write an article for you. It will ask the question that you are asking yourself right now to which I can give you either two or no answers. But not one:
Do Samaritans fear being duped more than they fear leaving a broken man at the roadside on the way to Jericho?