Scandals, Graft and the Developing World

By Troy Peden

A recent scandal in the Philippines reminds us that the people who need the most, often receive the least. The story of the graft and government corruption in the Philippines and developing countries in general is all too common. The latest story to rock the Philippines concerns a 500 million peso fund set up to provide fertilizer to local farmers, after an investigation the people have learned that 70% of the fund was kept at the federal level for kick–backs and commissions, 20% further was doled out to local political pay offs, leaving only 10% of the fund to be spent on actual fertilizer. The Philippines is a post–colonial society where political corruption is the norm.

We are happy to say that VFV receives its funds locally and in their entirety and dispurses them locally. The operating expenses of the VFV are supported by the GoAbroad Foundation. This means that when you send $10 to supply a child with medicine, $10 goes to that child. If you send $50 for a wheel chair a $50 wheelchair is purchased. Recently we have had child sponsors come to the Philippines and visit their sponsored children. Every sponsor is welcome to do so, we would take good care of you and you could witness a world that is dramatically different from your own. You could also see what a difference you are making.