Why can I ask my PenPal what he/she needs or send him/her money?
Helping people who are in poor or underdeveloped communities is not as easy as just giving them money. In fact, money is rarely the solution to their problems and can actually hurt them if not used correctly (think of parents who spoil their children by only giving them gifts and not other things like love, attention and discipline). OJM does give resources and money, but it’s always in the context of an official partnership with mutual goals and accountability, never to individuals. If you give an individual money, you reinforce the misperception that the solution to his or her problems is finding a rich American to support him or her, rather than finding innovate solutions to help themselves. If you feel led to give, please donate directly to OJM (you can even pick what project you’d like the money to go towards).
