Poverty, Inc.

I think the lessons described in this film of good intentions meeting disastrous consequences.

The analogy developed across the film isn't advocating to teach a man to fish, it's saying the village already has a fisherman, and shows what happens to his livelihood when an NGO starts giving the village free fish and the fisherman has to sell his boat to survive. And what happens to that village when the NGO stops giving away free fish, now that the fisherman is bankrupt?

The film also offers solutions. NGOs and other agencies should contract with local organizations wherever possible, and not have strings attached that benefit the donating country. Social entrepreneurs like TOMS should help communities by producing locally and not by dumping (which they acknowledge they have started to do). Foreign aid after disasters needs to end shortly after the situation is stabilized.

I recommend this film, and it's refreshing take on poverty applies just at much at home as it does abroad.