What Development Is All About

Douglas Roche plunges past the headlines to tell the real story of Canada's billion dollar foreign aid programme. Some projects actually hinder development in the poorest countries and Canada makes a net profit in its relations with the top ten recipients of our bilateral aid. However, many modest projects, especially those run by non-government organizations, are very effective.

Roche spent six weeks examining economic and social development in China and then in Indonesia and Bangladesh, which are major recipients of our aid. China has wiped out destitution by stressing self reliance at the local level.

Roche challenges us to re-examine where aid money is going and raises fundamental questions about human development.