Bono of the band U2 made headlines again this past August. It was not for a concert; it was not for asking developed countries to donate aid to Africa (the 1985 concert, "Live Aid," was his first fundraising concert). He has changed his narrative.
The policy of West has been to pump money, food, clothing, wealth in general into African countries that they perceived as needy and desperate. Motive? They saw poverty, and they wanted to help.
But did it help? That is the question. As more became known about the results of massive aid, voices - from Africa - tried to change the paradigm.
Bono has been one of the most influential people in the world in raising money for African aid. But here's what he said in August 2013:
"Aid is just a stopgap. Commerce [and] entrepreneurial capitalism take more people out of poverty than aid. We need Africa to become an economic powerhouse."
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