Let's raise some awareness

Our campus is filled with students raising awareness for various issues. We spend so much time talking about "raising awareness." We raise awareness of AIDS orphans in Africa, we raise awareness for breast cancer, we raise awareness for subsistence farmers. But why?

There is nothing wrong with raising awareness. It is usually coupled with the best of intentions and an earnest desire to help. But it's simply not enough.

So you've raised awareness. What now? You have my attention, and I want to help. How can I help? The answer is almost always the same: Donate some money. Let's raise awareness, and now let's raise some money. So I donate a nominal sum, feel better about making a difference in the world, my conscience is eased and I feel good. I walk away, move on with my life and smile proudly at the warmth in my heart to be so charitable.

But where did that money go? Did it actually make a difference? Do I even agree with the solution that this money is purchasing? Too frequently, these follow-up questions don't matter for several reasons.

First, I think that because I only gave you a nominal amount of money, it's not worth worrying over.

But aggregately, it indeed is a large sum of money at stake, and somebody should start caring about how this money is spent. It's not just me donating something, it is American Idol asking for donations after a show, raising whopping millions. It's Bono, hosting a concert and also collecting millions. However, there is nearly no accountability in the way aid is managed anymore.

Secondly, people often raise awareness about an issue, but don't have any solutions to offer. Money is not enough, and neither are good intentions.

Let me give a good example.

Bruce Wilkinson was a brilliant Christian author who wrote the book The Prayer of Jabez, which became a bestseller. Coming off his success as a writer, Wilkinson decided to pilot a bigger project. He told the press that he thought existing aid agencies had "fallen down on the job." ("Because I don't come out of this area of humanitarian aid, I have a fresh pair of eyes," he said.) He created an organization called Dream for Africa, as his solution to the problem.

His proposed project cost $190 million and would build a 32,500-acre complex to house 10,000 AIDS orphans in Swaziland. The complex was to include a golf course, a dude ranch, abstinence training and 500,000 vegetable gardens.

Unfortunately, Wilkinson's dreams could not come true. He faced government resistance, his project was unrealistic in scope and he did not consider the cultural barriers that were present. Orphanages are untraditional means of caring for parentless children in Swazi culture. Wilkinson eventually abandoned his dream, left the project in the care of others, returned to the United States and sadly passed away this last winter. Dream for Africa had taken a toll on Wilkinson's physical, mental and emotional health.

Wilkinson is not alone.

There is a three-fold problem. Donating money simply eases the donor's feeling of helplessness. This contributes to the lack of accountability for the money, and frequently, to the lack of tangible solutions. In fact, good intentions can sometimes do more harm than good.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to help. But when we raise awareness, let's also raise accountability for where the money is going. Let's offer truly tangible solutions, not grand dreams. Sometimes, it is better to give a child a pair of glasses than to try to construct an orphanage. And let's stop donating money just to ease our uncomfortable feelings of being born in so fortunate a place. We shouldn't be donating out of helplessness. Let's make sure we're really making a difference, and raising awareness as well as solutions.

Reach columnist Sandley Chou at opinion@thedaily.washington.edu.