You're definitely right, I should have added more qualifiers to that comment. I didn't want to paint the entire continent with a broad brush, but rather caution

You're definitely right, I should have added more qualifiers to that comment. I didn't want to paint the entire continent with a broad brush, but rather caution against blind giving with the expectation that things will go right. The mentality that I described is absolutely prevalent in Benin, where I lived for several years. So what I should have said was, there's at least one example of counter-intuitive social dynamics in one African country, so it would make sense to explore those in the place where you intend to make a donation.