Questions and Answers
1) How will the money from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) get to the people who really need it? Won't funding be lost to corruption?
Historically, U.S. foreign assistance has been used for a multitude of purposes, from support for political allies and military assistance to immunizing babies and providing training to smallholder farmers. The MCA is unique because it is to be used solely to reduce hunger and poverty, and to reach the Millennium Development Goals.
MCA funds would either go to governments that have demonstrated they can use development assistance well, or to local or international nongovernmental organizations that have a track record of achievement in reducing hunger and poverty. Moreover, the MCA would require that poor people themselves contribute to the shaping of development plans and programs. A clear focus on poverty reduction, meaningful citizen participation in the design and implementation of programs, and committed governments and effective organizations to carry out the programs will go a long way toward ensuring that hungry and poor people will be the beneficiaries of the Millennium Challenge Account.
2) Don't we already give a huge amount of development assistance?
In total dollar amounts, the United States was the largest donor in the world last year. As a percentage of Gross National Product (GNP), however, the United States provides less development assistance than any of the other 21 richest countries: just one-tenth of 1 percent. In terms of the federal budget, less than 1 percent goes to foreign aid generally, and only about one-third of that amount goes for poverty-focused development assistance. Most of the foreign assistance budget goes for military training and equipment, and economic support for political allies. The Scandinavian countries each give nearly 10 times more per capita in development assistance than the United States.
3) The situation facing people in poor countries seems overwhelming. Isn't this new effort just a drop in the bucket?
Christians act from our faith in Jesus Christ, from "the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) We do what we do not because we are convinced it will solve every problem, but because we believe it is morally the right thing to do.
Yet even the historical evidence is encouraging. Much has been achieved in the last few decades. Since 1960, adult literacy in sub-Saharan Africa has increased by more than 280 percent. In East Asia, infant mortality has declined by more than 70 percent. In Latin America and the Caribbean, under-5 mortality has fallen by more than 75 percent. In South Asia, life expectancy has risen by 46 percent. Development assistance has played an important role in all these successes.
When poor countries have money available and specified for development, the lives of their citizens improve. For example, Uganda's total debt burden has been reduced by about $2 billion. Today, 6.5 million Ugandan children are attending primary school - more than double the 2.7 million attending in 1997.
4) Since the Bush Administration proposed the MCA and will push for it, why do we need to support it?
Because this initiative comes from the administration, it carries great weight. But to make the MCA a reality, Congress must pass legislation with the details of how it is implemented, and provide funding. Members of Congress must be educated and convinced that this new initiative will work as intended. So Bread for the World members and supporters need to engage Congress and make the case that the United States should be providing leadership in an international campaign to cut hunger and poverty and meet the Millennium Development Goals by the target date of 2015.
