Do they really need hamburgers?

‘Do they really need hamburgers?’ is a collection of four children’s stories which illustrate various aspects of aid and development in poorer countries. They were originally broadcast on BBC School Radio. The first story, ‘Do they really need hamburgers?’, is set in Honduras and it shows how demands we make in the rich world can often have profound effects on the lives of people in poorer countries. The second story, ‘The long march’, which is set in Sudan, describes the hardships which result both from human conflict and from natural disasters in poorer countries. It also describes the roles that those affected, together with the international community, play in overcoming those hardships. The third, ‘The tallest trees in Africa’, is set in Ethiopia and explains how the strength and determination of people who receive relatively small amounts of development money from richer countries can transform their lives for the better, increasing self reliance and setting an example for the donors. This story was selected for inclusion in the 1992 Childsplay International Drama Festival. The final story, ‘The Gift’, is set in Southern Sudan and provides a lesson in generosity from a poor country. All four stories are based on real events which took place in the 1980s and early 1990s, but it is remarkable how much of what they describe is apposite today.