Teddy Ruge, aka TMS Ruge, has made a name for himself by pushing back against international do-gooders in Africa. The Ugandan-born writer and entrepreneur has spent most of his career questioning the very definition of international development.
Ruge says it’s time the international community understands that Western governments are not responsible for developing other nations.
“I think there’s a role for emerging countries and emerging communities to play in global development,” he tells Tiny Spark. “And we need to be supported according to the way we want to develop, not how it’s designed in Washington or London.”
Ruge points to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as a prime example of the chasm between those who design international development and the poor who are supposed to benefit from it. The goals were formulated in 2000 to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems, including poverty, hunger, HIV/AIDS and childhood mortality.
In 2010, Ruge watched as the United Nations held a summit in New York for world leaders and dignitaries to revisit the MDGS. Meanwhile, Ruge traveled back to his hometown of Masindi, Uganda, and turned the microphone to the poor themselves. He discovered that many didn’t even know what the goals were.
High-level policies aren’t his only frustration. Ruge has also called out celebrity-led charities, like actor Ashton Kutcher’s 2009 campaign against malaria, which had him racing CNN for a million Twitter followers. The Hollywood star promised to buy 10,000 bed nets if he won. In response, Ruge wrote on his blog, “Celebrity stunts of altruism are killing livelihoods in Africa.”
He notes that those in the developing world are often used as sidekicks or props to justify acts of kindness. “Just because you’re doing something for the poor doesn’t mean you’re doing it right,” Ruge says.
Doing good effectively is about empowering local communities, not keeping them dependent, Ruge argues. Giving away things like bed nets, T-shirts and shoes doesn’t solve problems. He says interventionist methods erode people’s abilities to create robust industries and institutions within their own communities. He adds, “Most especially, [they] make our governments lazy.”
Sign up for our free newsletters
Subscribe to NPQ's newsletters to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from NPQ and our partners.
Ruge says the West should instead consider what Africa actually wants and needs, such as investing in one of the continent’s many startups, giving business guidance, being a mentor. Better yet, just directly ask Africans what their priorities are.
Ruge remains optimistic. He believes the foreign aid model is shifting away from interventions and toward partnerships.
And as this new paradigm takes shape, Ruge says we need to reconsider what it means for a nation to be “developed.” He asks whether someone who gets paid $3000 a month, owns property, but also carries debt should be considered “more developed” than someone in a village who can prepare organic meals, maintain active lifestyles and send their children to school for less than one dollar a day. “Why can we not call that development? Why does he have to have a car, garage, running electricity and credit cards in order for it to be considered development?”
What about you? Does development mean luxury cars? Organic food? A tight-knit community? Is it time we redefine development?
Additional Resources
Transcript of Ruge’s interview with Tiny Spark
The Guardian: We need to hear from the poor if we want to tackle poverty
The Guardian: How the African diaspora is using social media to influence development
Twitter: @TMSRuge
