Why Nick Kristof is wrong about the ‘D.I.Y. foreign aid
revolution’  Nick Kristof of the New York Times recently wrote a
popular article about individuals launching humanitarian efforts
that he celebrated as the “D.I.Y. Foreign Aid Revolution.”  The
humanitarians he profiled (most were women … Kristof’s thesis is
that women are more focused on helping the most vulnerable,
which are usually women) were an impressive lot. One was a
Seattle couple, Eugene and Minhee Cho, who ask people to donate
one day’s wages to help fund certain causes they vet and select.
Many of my friends said they found the article inspiring and
encouraging. As Kristof put it:  “It’s striking that the most
innovative activists aren’t necessarily the ones with the most
resources, or the best tools…. Rather, what often happens is
that those best positioned to take action look the other way,
and then the initiative is taken by (these lone activists) of
the world, who are fueled by some combustible mix of indignation
and vision.”  All of the