"Good Intentions are not enough" - You can't be serious?!

Whilst researching, I have come across a blog website called 'Good Intentions are not enough' (link). For a start, at least if someone has good intentions then at least they are trying..

The writer of the blog, who I believe is called Saundra, judging from the comments section of the blog, has expressed quite strong opinions as to why TOMS isn't actually good, saying:

"To answer everyone's question, here's how I feel. TOMS Shoe's is a good marketing tool, but it's not good aid. Here's why:

• It's quintessential Whites in Shining Armor.
• It's doing things 'for' people not 'with' people.
• They allow people to pay to travel with the distribution trips as shoes fitters thereby promoting poverty tourism.
• They promote the 'awareness raising' activity - One Day Without Shoes - whch is really just a marketing ploy. I've launched a counter-campaign this year, A Day Without Dignity.
• They ship goods for free that outcompete local goods, it's a short-term solution that could create long-term problems.
• I challenge anyone to find a single country in the world where there are not shoes for sale in the market place. There are many better and cheaper ways to get shoes on the feet of the poor."

Well, as for the last point she has raised, no one has ever said there's places in the world that don't have any shoes for sale - but being able to actually afford shoes is the main issue. Obviously with the poorer countries, when it comes to the decision between buying a pair of shoes or food to eat, well the answer is pretty much a no brainer really.