Development

“It is up to us” says Bono
Pop culture of aid

“We can´t say our generation didn´t know how to do it. We can´t say our generation couldn´t afford to do it. And we can´t say our generation didn´t have reason to do it. It´s up to us” says Bono about end of poverty. Is it really up to us – people from the rich countries? Let's have a look at the different perspectives.

Whether you like it or not, celebrities are regarded as crucial tools to raise unpopular issues, and over the past 25 years, development issues have been inextricably linked with celebrity status. To some, this leads to a disastrous simplification of the issues, it demeans the grassroots campaigning of activists both in the developed and developing countries, and crowds out the space for serious policy analysis.

Involvement of celebrities has over time shifted from endorsement to expert advocacy. This has been partly driven by a need to prove credibility. It's not enough for a celebrity to say they care, they also have to show they know what they are talking about. But this shift to expert advocacy really worries Prof. William Easterly, who argues that it short circuits many others involved in the policy making process and gives undue – and often unmerited - weight to one point of view. He believes celebrities should stick to clear moral crusades; forget the policy details and just rely on their "moral instinct".

When celebrities do expert advocacy to counter maternal mortality, support sustainable livelihoods or treat infant disease, they sometimes do it for a good cause (sometimes they do it because it creates a good image). Is this always harmless?

Dambisa Moyo, a Zambian economist decries the influence of - along with donors - celebrities, or ‘glamour aid’ as she calls them: "Long lines of people have stood in the sun to vote for a president who is effectively impotent because of donors or because glamour aid has decided to speak on behalf of a continent. How would British people feel if tomorrow Michael Jackson started telling them how they should get out of the housing crisis?"

Two prime examples, accused by Zambian born, Harvard and Oxford graduate Dambisa Moya, are Bono and Bob Geldof – who, she believes, are too heavily involved in the 'industry' of 'glamour aid', and far too much influence with concern to aid. As written in her book Dead Aid, Dambisa Moyo also believes this aid generally to the continent of Africa has many, contrary to popular belief, negative impacts on Africa, particularly where it creates a government reliance on aid, and inhibits growth and development, whilst ultimately being unsustainable and wholly detrimental to Africa.

Another thing is when celebrities are trying to run a project by themselves. New York Times coverage of Madonna’s “Raising Malawi” school project has once again drawn attention to the role celebrities play in raising awareness and funds for international aid. But at the same time, the report—which chronicled the collapse of Madonna’s poorly-managed venture—brings negative exposure to “good causes” in Africa.

But we do not need to go that far. We can look at an example from Slovakia. Dorota Nvotová is a Slovak actress, singer who was running “Happy home” orphanage in Nepal and things did not go well. Dorota Nvotová was financially supporting the orphanage and after months of suspicions it was revealed, that children there were beaten, abused and bullied by the director, who is also suspected of financial fraud. See interview with Dorota Notová about the case.

In the movie “Fulmaya, girl with thin legs” ,which is about Dorota Nvotová's life, several situations from Nepal are presented, like she took a small child with fever together with the mother to the hospital and payed the treatment.

“Everything is OK in the end, and if it is not OK, it is not the end”

stating Dorota Nvotová in the movie Fulmaya (which is also name of her travel agency). Not all the stories have the happy ending – THIS IS SOMETIMES UP TO US (people from developed countries who try to help) which way to help other people, from which perspective we look at the problem and if we see the deep causes of the problem.

Questions to reflect on

• Do you think, that the campaigns of celebrities have a long-term influence? Justify your opinion.