Aid should not be abused

SOMETIME last year, World Vision went about “interviewing” residents of Lupane urban from whom 400 (or thereabouts) would receive up to US$48 per month for one year as cushion for vulnerable groups.

Indeed the money came, and it was a shock! Some beneficiaries were civil servants, parastatal employees and young and able-bodied residents who in fact are running/operating some businesses in the informal sector.

Some World Vision personnel visited some residents at their workplaces and certified them as deserving of the money.

Many people living with disability were not captured in the “survey”.

How does the organisation define vulnerability in the first place? What criteria is used in the selection process?

I believe the questions asked were: Have you a television set, a stove, a radio, sofas? These questions are silly and irrelevant to say the least. They are unintelligent and unprofessional.

Some elderly pensioners and/or other people with disabilities might have all the above property simply because they acquired them some 30, 40 even 50 years ago when they were still gainfully employed.

The appliances and furniture have nothing to do with their present status or circumstances in respect of their means of self-sustenance.

Lupane town is a very small place. On February 15, a local money transfer booth had a long queue of “recipients”, the majority of whom were civil servants, workers generally.

Old age is not just a disability, but the next thing to death. How can World Vision be so callous and still smile about it?

It was more shocking but neither unexpected nor surprising that some fake politicians and opportunists were now attempting and are still attempting to make political capital out of the World Vision debacle.

These people are saying that the money was made available by the Social Welfare ministry.

This does not tally with the story emanating from World Vision, which I find credible, absolutely. As much as World Vision lacked professionalism in my assessment, they do not go to bed with the government on things such as the welfare of the people.

The organisation relies on donors. Did World Vision forget its Christian values on this one since it makes a huge meal of it?