Economic Development
Wrong approach / Ineffective

Video: Truly sustainable economic development: Ernesto Sirolli

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Truly sustainable economic development: Ernesto Sirolli at TEDxEQChCh 138,778 views

https://youtu.be/SpIxZiBpGU0



TEDx Talks Published on Sep 18, 2012
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Ernesto Sirolli got his start doing aid work in Africa in the 70's -- and quickly realised how ineffective it was. In this funny, challenging and passionate talk, Ernesto shares his deep insights into sustainable economic development, and how entrepreneurs can be truly supported to live their passions.

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63 Comments Peter Burgess Add a public comment...
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Dina .I Dina .I 1 year ago you said it you can't help someone that doesn't want to be helped...finally someone said that, THANK YOU! brilliant presentation 11
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Sarayut DASTA4 Sarayut DASTA4 1 year ago Why don't we, for once, instead of arriving in the community to tell people what to do, why don't, for once, listen to them? But not in community meetings. 10
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Rodrigo Escudero Rodrigo Escudero 1 year ago and that is how hungry hungry hippos was made Peter Burgess Add a public comment... Dina .I Dina .I 1 year ago you said it you can't help someone that doesn't want to be helped...finally someone said that, THANK YOU! brilliant presentation 11
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Sarayut DASTA4 Sarayut DASTA4 1 year ago Why don't we, for once, instead of arriving in the community to tell people what to do, why don't, for once, listen to them? But not in community meetings. 10 Rodrigo Escudero Rodrigo Escudero 1 year ago and that is how hungry hungry hippos was made 9 ghost rewind ghost rewind 1 year ago I love this guys passion! 6 Pezo Kazadi Pezo Kazadi 1 year ago Awesome speaker! I'm Zambian so I totally relate to what he said. The Bwana thing is so funny but true, as well as how people come in and do something but it isn't always sustainable 5 D Woods D Woods 3 years ago Fun fact- tomatoes are native of the South American continent. 4
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Michael Froelich Michael Froelich 1 year ago

Intelligent people with money don't need any help, they have the social connections and know-how to build themselves. If they don't, one or both are likely lacking. Intelligent people with no money are a better fit for that isolation he talks about (half way through), and unintelligent people with money are the people they're not meeting. That's really him, because there is no way Maoris in Australia are going to have connections with the Japanese fishing industry. It was his connections that did that. He says not a single business is begun by only one person, I believe that.

I won't deny his entrepreneurial skill, I guess it's just contentious what is skill and what is pre-existing resources in analysing success. I see many problems in the west, but I also see exporter economies in the west. That's in some ways a form of sustainability. After taking into account trillions of aid I see importer economies in Africa, they don't have those pre-existing resources and I'm not talking about land or minerals and definitely not manpower. I also see a people who don't want help, this is most evident in Ethiopia, which has wisely denied food aid in an attempt to become self reliant on their own agriculture.

That is how you build sustainable economic development.

After they can feed themselves, they'll have the funds to leverage themselves without the burden of debt, then they'll have the money and wisdom to build. This isn't the easiest path and it's the one with generally the least pay out. Denying handouts and the patronising hand of the regressive cosmopolitan is difficult, but being spoon fed isn't helping anyone. Making things easier for those who struggle might redistribute opportunities to them, but it doesn't redistribute earning. What's actually required from the west is virtue, namely, patience.


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Debra Smith Debra Smith 5 years ago Beautiful talk by a beautiful humble man. Asking the native! Asking the front line employees? Asking! We all seem to make the same mistakes. 2 trillion dollars of misguided aid that causes 2 trillion dollars worth of damage- who would or COULD be grateful for that? Thank you for a superlative talk which puts its finger firmly upon a major problem. I love this guy. 3
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Mitch Gold Mitch Gold 3 years ago someone said Bill Gates should see this, I say Richard Branson . Why? Bill Gates is struggling with the old system and not figuring it out. Branson is trying to do a new system but does not know how to build it. I refer to his Team B. he has an idea that it needs to be changed but as Ernesto says he has not figured out the 'we' yet. and he does not know the qualifying question. He is just filling his ego and failing miserably as ego development is not what is needed. 2
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Rasmus Lond Rasmus Lond 3 years ago from ego to eco:-) 2 ilaha abasli ilaha abasli 4 years ago Great! 2 William Shaw William Shaw 1 year ago I love this guy! 1 jasiimwe jasiimwe 4 years ago Bill Gates needs to watch this TED talk 1 Michael Wanjau Michael Wanjau 2 years ago Amazing! 1 09Ozymandias 09Ozymandias 4 years ago He is absolutely spot on, this guy. SHUT THE FUCK UP and LISTEN to the people! THAT'S how to help :-) Nice one, keep up the good work! 1 Mask of Shiva Mask of Shiva 5 years ago 'Kindly let me help you before you drown' said the monkey placing a fish in a tree. 1
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Sergio Díaz Nila Sergio Díaz Nila 3 months ago well this isn't a new idea, its how anarchists projects have been done for over a century. 'what? anarchists project, i don't know any anarchist project other than throwing molotovs at cops & banks' well, of course you don't because the media isn't interested in showing how anarchists work with their communities only how 'revels without cause' or 'enemies of order & institutions' they are. Anarchists call it, network of mutual aid & empowerment. An example are time banks &/or local currencies, disaster relief networks, even squats. 1
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anarki777 anarki777 3 years ago The west is essentially just looking after a bunch of retarded babies on this giant rich continent. We did it all on our own, and yet they can't do it even when we're actively helping them, funding them, guiding them. All of the technological foundations are already there, but still after all these years they are welfare recipients. Yes, one day they will become strong - if we put enough money and time into it. However, they're a self-righteous bunch. All they will do is say that they did it all by themselves and they could have done it quicker if we hadn't been holding them down. Of course, it's absolute nonsense, they just have lower IQ's. 1
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PvAm Pv PvAm Pv 4 years ago Think Globally and act Locally. 10 Virginia Abascal Arroyo Virginia Abascal Arroyo 2 years ago Absolutely fantastic, inspirational, I agree totally as an entrepreneur. I will get back to this for sure. Thank you Ernesto and your team, BRAVO!! 1 Charles Esibikhwa Charles Esibikhwa 8 months ago Thank you for this great talk.Its true that it all starts from what is withing you then it develops from there henceforth. 1 peter gitika peter gitika 1 year ago sustainability is key 1 Shyji Thomas Shyji Thomas 1 month ago (edited) well said. NGOs have to start revision of most of their failure projects in the light of this talk. fr mathew philip Vision Bangladesh Vision Bangladesh 7 months ago We loved the way Ernesto Sirolli spoke... Really important features about NGOs and Entrepreneurship. jackmanslightpepper jackmanslightpepper 7 months ago He's certainly learned his lesson. Don't be imposing although you mean well. Human beings don't react well to that sort of thing. They tend to view you as condescending and insulting and pretty soon they stop talking to you. Martin Fisher Martin Fisher 8 months ago Tremendous. He provided very clear explanations to a complex and counter-intiuitive process incredibly well. These are seriously important lessons to those trying to develop foreign economies. SoldierCyfix SoldierCyfix 10 months ago I like this guy, I think he is very honest about his work, but he is ignorant of advances in technology that can solve all the problems he talked about. Lee Yy Lee Yy 10 months ago Conclusion to TED talk : Slides bring distraction. sh0ppy95 sh0ppy95 1 year ago 7:34 sh0ppy95 sh0ppy95 1 year ago 5:36 Joe Stanley Joe Stanley 2 years ago 13.08- Donnie brasco David Judd David Judd 2 years ago inspiring talk blissnosis blissnosis 2 years ago Lovely lovely talk! Sam Lyons Sam Lyons 2 years ago Local-Local-Local
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Boy Trent Boy Trent 2 years ago it's an agenda for those who have never actually experienced poverty. They have the emotional resilience to dip in and out of their selective poverty. But the majority won't have that privilege. These people are totally convinced of their own superiority of intellect. And that is what is going to destroy them. Hopefully; this new 'zeitgeist'; won't take millions of dead and innocent men women and children. As all their previous failed experiments of 'revolution' and 'war' have done. The secret societies and clubs that control these 'illuminated' - have but one influence. And it is one that seeks the total spiritual and physical destruction of humanity. There's a reason why their 'temples' and meeting places often have no windows. Making deals with the devil requires darkness. The devil requires a tomb for those he manipulates - but they are so blind they can't even see the obvious clue as to their own fate. Giving money to charity and their 'good works' is just good intention. And we know the road to hell is paved with those.
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Susanne Crane Susanne Crane 2 years ago When the student is ready a teacher appears! Thank you. Amy Scott Amy Scott 3 years ago Incredible presentation - passion, authenticity & commitment - thanks for the inspiration :-) pilgrim2soldier pilgrim2soldier 4 years ago I love it, I love it, I love it  Donald Kosse Donald Kosse 4 years ago the world gov should lean this lesson hell the U.S.A. and the fist person should be Obama and his clowns  Marc Kaptijn Marc Kaptijn 4 years ago Nobody starts a company alone... I guess that's why it's called a company. timobrienwells timobrienwells 4 years ago Now this is a smart guy. Dufffaaa93 Dufffaaa93 4 years ago WOODGEARS!!!! dchangebegins dchangebegins 4 years ago Ernesto Sirolli...thank you! This is it. Amazing work Jim Harvey Jim Harvey 5 years ago Have a look at the work Tillers International is doing.  Solarici Cat Solarici Cat 5 years ago wow, RESPECT kleinbottled79 kleinbottled79 5 years ago Wow how great would it be to work with/for this man and learn his philosophy. smrki1 smrki1 5 years ago Beautiful and true, to the last word. daviioo daviioo 5 years ago Great tumaru tumaru 5 years ago I disagree. I believe that they are very compatible just not with the standard tools that are being used to do such things. If you take a small percentage from all the companies that you help as long term support of the project then you have massive potential income that can then have a portion returned to the investors of the innovation company. This wouldn't be an investment that will make you tons of money but it will make some and improve everybody lives. I want it done all over the world. tumaru tumaru 5 years ago I would like one of those innovation centers in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Ivo Bernardo Ivo Bernardo 5 years ago Bravo! EMAN TheWarrior EMAN TheWarrior 5 years ago Good job!