Development Tourism?
Yesterday one of my fellow interns (Pakistani, studying in Canada) said something kind of disturbing. She and another intern have been observing microcredit programs at BRAC and the famed Grameen Bank. It turns out that Grameen actually charges interns $20 a day to see "their" villages and "interview" people. They were paraded around and talked to sucessful and happy microcredit clients. They also charged them for their meals in the field (as does BRAC). One of the other BRAC interns said they could have done the same at BRAC for free and joked they had been duped by "development tourism." What next, microcredit souvenir shops?
posted by TKP @ 7:27 AM
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1 Comments:
My brother stopped at a Grameen Check store the other day, asked if I wanted to go in with him. I said no, I'd stay in the car. But when he came out with a few shopping bags I realized that Grameen Check wasn't a financial institution after all.
If they can have a boutique shop, why not a souvenir shop?
Honestly, it all seems a bit vulgar to me.
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