Give a Fish, Teach to Fish, or Something Better?
You've heard the ancient Chinese Proverb, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
Teaching sustainability sounds great in theory. The problem is, it doesn't accurately portray the world's poor. The poor know how to fish, they just don’t have access to the water—it's a problem of access, not know-how. In less developed parts of the world, people are often very skilled, savvy, and driven but they're disconnected from global trade, lacking access to the tools and technologies they need to compete in the local market.
So if our role isn’t giving or teaching, what is it? What can we do to effectively, sustainably, and appropriately help the poor break out of a cycle of poverty?
We create access. We listen, come alongside farmers, and we help them break down barriers and create a stronger value chain. When we do that, farmers rise above poverty. When farmers rise above poverty, communities rise with them.
