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Why not just give them some money and let them decide where to spend? I doubt phone top ups are critical for a refugee.
by dingo_bat 9y ago
Why not just give them some money and let them decide where to spend? I doubt phone top ups are critical for a refugee.
- EGreg 9y agoWhy not let them issue their own mobile crypto currency to help each other? And not just refugees but villages. Helping the unbanked.
- rjsw 9y agoAnd they could use it to order meal kits to be delivered by drones /s
- astrodust 9y agoThe unbanked use this amazing new innovation called cash.
- PhasmaFelis 9y agoI almost upvoted this, but then I realized, with dawning horror, that you might actually be serious.
- CharlesDodgson 9y agoI definitely agree with this, there seem to be an aversion to giving people money directly. I guess this comes from a sense of knowing better, most people feel they know how to better look after people rather than letting others define and satisfy their own needs. Most refugees would find a decent, personal, use for money. They are refugees, but like the rest of us have needs we can't always fathom.
- stoolpigeon 9y agoI think one big reason to avoid giving out money is to try to avoid fraud. There are a number of people who are not refugees who would certainly find ways to get at the cash if it were being given out. So the refugees may all be great, honest folks but you have to think about other ways programs can be subverted by people who aren't honest.
- sin7 9y agoThat happens anyway. The Hillary Foundation and the American Red Cross have come under fire for doing just that.
- PhasmaFelis 9y agoTrue, but you also have to avoid spending more money preventing fraud than would actually have been lost to fraud. This is a huge problem in, for example, welfare/public support programs, e.g. Reagan's fear of imaginary "welfare queens".
- theyregreat 9y agoYes. It’s a false equivalency to worry about 0.5% crooked people and deny help to the 99.5% whom can use it now to meet immediate needs.
- CharlesDodgson 9y agoSad but true, I wish people weren't so shit :(
- jansho 9y agoNot such a strange idea! See how GiveDirectly works, and how they measure impact [1]. [1] https://www.givedirectly.org/research-at-give-directlyhttps://www.givedirectly.org/ https://www.givedirectly.org/research-at-give-directlyhttps:...
- benrmatthews 9y agoUNHCR already give cash directly to registered refugees: "For the individual refugee, it also empowers them by giving them the choice over how to meet their most immediate needs. Freed from having to queue or travel to receive one-size-fits-all aid, people can buy their own food, fuel, clothes, medicine or pay the rent based on their personal priorities. In this way, refugees contribute directly to local economies and foster positive relations with host communities." http://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/briefing/2016/12/5853b3ed4/unhcr-programmes-direct-cash-aid-displaced-reaches-record-430m-2016.html http://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/briefing/2016/12/5853b3ed4/unhc...
- FussyZeus 9y agoIt's almost like if you just give people money, they'll use that money to improve their current situation without guidance or meddling.
- mistermann 9y agoThank you for saying almost, which acknowledges that this isn't always the case.
- lazyasciiart 9y agoI believe that was a sarcastic addition to a sentence considered obviously true. Also seen in phrases like "it's almost like refugees are people!"
- mistermann 9y agoMy point probably wasn't clear but is easier to make now....one of these sentences is always true, the other is not always true (but people like to pretend it is): "Refugees are people." "If you just give people money, they'll use that money to improve their current situation without guidance or meddling."
- FussyZeus 9y agoWell yeah but I wouldn't say the rate that occurs is so awfully different from when people earn money. And both activities stimulate the economy so... Plus I'm more addressing the ingrained idea (in the USA at least) that poor people are all addicts, druggies, alcoholics, unemployable, or terrible with money. Many addicts run the course of their addiction while holding down a job (otherwise they can't feed said addiction). At the same time, the fastest route to the streets in the US is medical costs, either by way of some kind of accident or acquiring a chronic disease or condition, or hell, even breaking a leg and not being able to work for a month. Most people, and I'd say a large majority of them, if just given money not in the form of EBT stamps or some other patronizing ass "here, we'll help you out, but here's a catalog of rules you need to follow because you're obviously incompetent" method would lead to more people getting out of poverty.
- jakobegger 9y agoIt is really hard to give money directly. often, those in need will refuse money, because they are too proud to take it. on the other hand, many organisations will happily take money on behalf of those in need, but you have no way to see how much actually ends up with the intended recipients. if you pay someones phone bill, you know you are helping someone...
- theyregreat 9y agoLet’s hope you never end up poor.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- gsam 9y agoDepends where you are talking about. In some countries, phone credit is used as a (primary) currency and trading platform.
- sharjeelsohail 9y agoI thought the same and this video [1] changed my mind. It demonstrates that smartphones and internet connectivity are essential tools to navigate international borders, remain in touch with family, access legal aid, find camps, food, shelter etc. [1] https://youtu.be/m1BLsySgsHM https://youtu.be/m1BLsySgsHM