You're pretty much right...a lot of foreign aid does get skimmed. And for the aid not skimmed, it is not uncommon to attach "strings" to it, requiring that the aid be spent in the country that sends it. This is almost standard operating procedure for U.S. aid programs, both humanitarian (buy our grain) and military (buy our weapons.) As an example, most military aid to Israel comes flowing right back to our arms manufacturers.

No answer, ever. I wasn't too surprised, there was nothing in it for the folks in the capital and I wasn't going to put anything in it for them.

This is one of the core problems with government, including our own, and is a major explanation why private solutions to problems are scorned or ignored in favor of massive government programs: A private, or volunteer solution contains nothing for those in government. No money, and especially in the case of our country, no political power. This is true in many areas, but particularly in programs to aid the poor or elderly. An old person with a private retirement program that he funded himself provides no strings for the government to pull. An old person relying on the government for retirement income, health care, and medicine is in the back pocket of that government forever.

Trying to convince the government that a private solution would work better is like trying to convince Bill Gates that the Apple is a better computer, or McDonalds that there might be more nutritious alternatives out there.

BTW, I agree with Phil that the "bleeding hearts" who actually get out there and personally bust their backs with a shovel instead of whining to the government for funds and programs deserve a lot of respect.