It is patently true that aid isn't useless. Actually, there are quite a lot of examples of people being so impoverished and near death that humanitarian aid, versus developmental aid WAS crucial for them. While I, too, champion independence and respect for individuals, that doesn't change the fact that some humans are currently on death's door and that WE are their resources in what are to us small ways but mean their continued existence to them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanitarian_aid versus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_aid
http://us.macmillan.com/thehistoryan...BronwenEverill
if they are correct about corruption in leaders, I'd like to stress that this is not due to something inherent about Africans but perhaps IS influenced by social dynamics in place: http://www.how-matters.org/2011/04/2...n-colonialism/