Aiding the World’s Vulnerable Is the Right Thing to Do

To the Editor:

Marc Ross Manashil’s commentary, “American Donors Should Look Abroad” (October 18), is on target. If donors feel a little guilty for not doing more to help overseas, they should.

There are plenty of “self-enlightened” arguments for making international grants as a way to help America. I recently heard journalist Sebastian Junger comment on his book about the plight of the Afghani people. In its writing, he learned that by improving the life condition of people who are desperately poor, hungry, and vulnerable, we can essentially deprive terrorists of their potential followers.

But the point Mr. Manashil makes, that a little bit of help goes a very long way in a place like the Congo, El Salvador, or India, cannot be stated too strongly. The opportunity to create lasting change in the developing world is vast.

At the donors’ request, we tend to tell our stories of progress “one family at a time” to ensure that they feel connected on a more personal level. But to me, one of the most compelling aspects of providing international assistance is that you don’t have to settle for just helping one or two families. Or even a dozen. With a relatively small amount of money, a well-planned international-development program can impact thousands upon thousands of families. Try that here at home.

On October 12, the day United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan was notified that he and the United Nations had won the Nobel Peace Prize, he made remarks about the need for the people of the richest nation on earth to help end poverty and hunger around the world, saying, “In the light of recent global events and the current economic climate, that commitment is more important than ever.” Secretary-General Annan and Mr. Manashil are saying something we can no longer ignore: Helping the poor and vulnerable isn’t simply a compassionate act. It’s the right thing to do.

Claire Thomas
Vice President, Development and Public Affairs
Freedom from Hunger
Davis, Calif.