>> Are you saying they are not spending the money at all then, that they
>> would have previously spent on clothes? Don't forget we're only
>> considering the people who could afford to buy clothes, but don't know
>> because they are available for free. I highly doubt those people are now
>> just saving that money instead.
>
> How much /money/ do you think people in Africa really have to spend?

Enough to support a local textile industry. If they get free clothes 
where does that money then go that previously supported the textile 
industry? If it stays locally (eg food, tools, education) then it's not 
easy to argue the local economy will be badly affected.

> My brother was a Roman Catholic missionary (died in Africa). 90% of his
> work was about learning people about health, hygiene, making better use
> of water, natural resources, education, etc and just 1% about religion.
> They did not distribute stuff for free precisely in order not to upset
> the local economy,

I assume they thought about it a bit more than any of us here have 
though before coming to that decision not to give away free stuff? After 
all a wrong decision (either way) could result in needless suffering and 
deaths.

> instead learning people to be self sufficient in a
> harsh environment and trying to survive and growing towards better
> living conditions in a sustainable way. I am talking about the sixties
> here and I know for a fact that all his work has (probably) come to
> naught because of greed and corruption of the upper levels of society

Greed and corruption is certainly a huge obstacle to overcome.

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