Long-term Means Looooooong Time

One of the more common categories and mindsets of humanitarian aid is “long-term”.  If something is meant to be more of a solution that takes a longer time to take hold – we will often call that “long-term aid”.  Long-term aid is all about strategies that will help people to get through their issues in a way that is much more sustainable.

But there is a problem.  Long-term aid is not ending these issues.  Basically, it is just taking a long time to make things a little bit better.  If these problems do not end, then that means they will keep continuing.  We need to end these problems, not just take a long time to kind of help them.  It’s all about the mindset.  We cannot continue to use the excuse of “long term” aid to cover up our long-winded and slow attempts at helping people in better ways.

Basically, stark reality would tell us that “long-term” equals “looooooong time”.  And it still doesn’t end the problems.

We have to do better.

Help them now.  Help them forever.  End goal.