Though Kenyan marathon runner Wesly Ngetich was able to earn some money from his success as a runner, he told his agent that he only had 150 cows and would need at least 1000 to be considered a big man in his village. In January his life and career were cut short when he was killed by an arrow from a neighboring tribe out to avenge a murder allegedly committed by someone in Ngetich’s tribe.

For generations, Africa has experienced turmoil and violence aggravated by political corruption, tribal rivalries, Western imperialism and endemic poverty. Seeing as the United States has given $650 billion in aid since 1960, and additional moolah flows in piecemeal from other charitable countries (and France), I guess I’d expect to see better results. I want to see Africans celebrated for economic ingenuity, technological advancement, agricultural productivity… you know, something besides running really fast.

But whatever. The point is, when I read that a marathon-running Kenyan who measures wealth in heads of cattle was killed by a member of a rival tribe with a handmade bow and arrow, I can’t help but wonder whether we’re hauling our leaky sacks of bullion down a road paved with good intentions.

Perhaps in lieu of financial aid we should instead provide the continent with more humane murder weapons, like guns. What’s that you say? We already have? Oh. Well I guess it just goes to show you, you can lead a horse to the mall, but you can’t make it accessorize.