Episode 12 - When Helping the Poor Makes Their Poverty Worse | Joel Cunningham

What if the food we send to hungry people is part of the reason they stay hungry?

Joel Cunningham is CEO of Hamara and a fifth-generation Zimbabwean. His family has spent 40 years in African farming, and they failed for a long time before they found what works. He tells Zac Sicher that most hunger in Africa is not caused by famine or war. It is caused by broken systems. Small farmers have good land around them but cannot reach good feed, vets, trucks or buyers. When charities hand out food in places like that, they can put local farmers out of business and leave people depending on help that eventually leaves.

Joel walks through how Hamara works instead: a buyer places an order first, farming clubs bid for it, Hamara pays for the chicks and feed, and the farmer is paid at the end. Zac shares the story of a farmer who went from about $500 a year to about $3,000 a year in 18 months. They also talk honestly about why we give, and what it means to love the poor well.

In this episode:

The charity that gave away eggs

Why most hunger in Africa is not famine

Best land, still hungry

Giving to feel better, or giving to solve the problem

How a small farmer can sell to a big buyer

Why cash never touches the farmer's hands

Loans that charge 4 to 7 percent a month

A heart for the poor and a mind for the poor

Learn more about the Hunger Fund: solving.org/hunger