By Desmond Tutu (attributed)
There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they're falling in.
— Desmond Tutu (attributed)
This quote is widely attributed to Desmond Tutu, but the original source has not been verified. The underlying idea—that we should address root causes rather than just symptoms—is a common theme in public health and social justice.
The metaphor captures a key insight: solving problems at their source is more effective than dealing with their consequences.