I just hosted the very first show of the Katleen Felix Book Club on http://www.radiokajou.com conference room. What a delight to discuss for 60 minutes ideas written by author Dambisa Moyo in her best selling book Dead Aid: Why Aid is not working and how there is a better way for Africa.
I had the pleasure to have a panel of distinguished guests: Leonie Hermantin, deputy Director of the Lambi Fund; Randy Moreno of the organization If the pigs could fly; and Katleen Felix herself from FONKOZE and the Haitian Hometown Association.
I had a good time listening the viewpoints of these women on AID, development, trade, finance, corruption. I really like the way they disagree with poise and respect on how to apply Moyo’s analysis in Haiti.
The Katleen Felix Book Club also create a buzz on Facebook and Twitter. I’m just sharing some comments:
Terry Tasker “that was a terriffic discussion; great points made by all participants, I enjoyed it very much and look forward the the next”.
Cosy Joseph it was a great discussion…my only concern or mis-understanding is the comment about corruption… I think we still should have a discussion that focuses solely on which concepts in this book can be applied to Haiti’s reality…we can talk about concrete application examples during that discussion…
Marie-Odile Val You were absolutely fabulous……I have engineer Nicolas Placide , Attorney Ovide Val and Engineer Eric Alcime all here at my house listening to your in depth book review!!!!! I loved the disagreements and I loved the points you made!!!!! Keep up the good work!!! You are shedding light and bringing knowledge to a vast dessert!!! Thank you!!!
The show will be repeated this Thursday morning at 9:00 am EST and 3:00pm EST on http://www.radiokajou.com. The Katleen Felix Book Club announces the next show in three weeks.
The new book review will be:
3rd book on my list for the book club by Roosevelt Jean Francois– this one is in French.
rooseveltjeanfrancois 
Thank you Roosevelt!
Great start! Thank you for your for hosting this book club.
Love the way you manage the flow of ideas.
I am looking forward for the next exchange.
Katleen
Bonswa! Eskize, esp. Leonie Hermantin, paske…I mispoke when I said “embrace” corruption – that was the wrong word…I meant to say, “acknowledge” it, look it in the eye, try to understand and really put yourself in other folks’ shoes, or bare feet, as it were! Novogratz asks (getting ahead of ourselves) if poverty “causes” corruption, or vice-versa…As if, by understanding what “causes” X we could “cure” it…Well, this is maybe too much Western linear thinking…or something. In Kafou, Ti Ewol tried to help me understand the thieves, the cheats – even the assassins – in the capital, and elsewhere…He told me, “They are not BAD people; they are only hungry people.” That sure shed a different light on…even corruption. [well, but then, a government minister is hardly starving, right, even in Haiti?!) Hmmm. SO, Just a note, the name is “MONT-REYNAUD” pronounced as in your high-school French but NOT spelled “Moreno.” and, btw, WHEN i sht enext discussion (on radio?) for the Blue Sweater? I have extensive notes and comments…Please advise Date and Time, PST? THANKS!