African charities doing more harm than good?

It comes as no surprise that Bob Geldof, "former Boomtown Rat turned self-styled saviour of Africa", is an opportunist, seeking not to help starving Africans but rather to draw attention to himself. Unfortunately, many Geldof critics are themselves crass opportunists, promoting the "outdated idea of the White Man’s Burden", portraying Africans as child-like figures incapable of determining their own destinies. Thus are we bombarded with celebrity-centered campaigns aiming to save Africans from themselves:

In truth, numerous politicians, opinion-formers, aid organisations and apparently edgy charities have helped to turn poor Africa into a platform for self-serving moral poseurs from the West – and elbowing Geldof off that platform won’t make everything better.

The road to Hell...