Money

Making Allowances

As director of Kindle Orphan Outreach, I rely heavily on the rest of the management team for how we should respond to various situations. We often spend much time talking through issues to reach a consensus. And many times I have decided that they know better than I do, or else that this is another example of cultural preferences, and I just go along with the others.

But there is an issue that has continued to trouble me through many hours of discussion over the past three years. Continue reading “Making Allowances” →

12 March 2014 0

Millionaire for a Day

It was like a gangster movie. First I cased the possible locations for the transaction, stepping into small rooms manned by security, asking to speak to the boss. “What kind of rate can you give me?” “271.” “No, that’s not good enough.” “How much money are we talking about?” “A lot.”

In the end, I chose a place based less on the rate than on the ease of the getaway. Continue reading “Millionaire for a Day” →

18 June 2012 0

A Day’s Wage

What can a day’s salary buy in Malawi? The salary for a typical worker (like a public school teacher, a housekeeper, or a security guard) is in the neighborhood of 10,000 to 15,000 Malawian Kwacha per month, which works out to about four US dollars per day. Here are some pictures of what US$4 could buy: Continue reading “A Day’s Wage” →

16 February 2011 0