As Africa Ails

Africa brings to my mind a variety of mental pictures.  Some are of lions and giraffes and safaris, but most are of poor people in small villages.  Although my thoughts are probably a bit skewed from the truth by suppositional stereotypes, there is a lot of validity in this as well.  Almost all news headlines about Africa in recent years have accounted the extreme poverty of the people and their inauspicious governments. 

America has continued to grow to become the greatest nation in the world, since its more recent birth in 1776, while the ancient civilizations of Africa have struggled just to maintain existence in the past several decades.  According to an article published by the Cato Institute on foreign aid to Africa, both the United States and Great Britain have pumped billions of dollars into the UN and Africa to try to ameliorate the problems which plague the continent.  Instead this money has barely even palliated the struggles of the African nations. 

It is hardly surprising that countries like Ghana and Uganda have escaped development and continue to endure the same arduous, economic problems when their budgets are more than 50% aid dependent.  What kind of motivation do these people have for developing their countries when rich nations seek pity on them year after year?  What the United States is doing in Africa can be compared to merely covering up a festering wound with a band-aid.  There is not progress. 

My heart breaks for the African people who just can't seem to catch a break.  I pray that their countries will grow and develop local infrastructure, industry, and trade.  However, there is no way that this will happen while they can easily use the USA as a crutch to escape the inevitability that they must overcome their struggles.  

I love the fact that there are organizations, both humanitarian and religious, which are working in Africa to help the poor, the refugees, and the sick.  I think that this aid is not only a boon for the people, but also a necessary part in the development of their social programs.  Governmental involvement in this kind of aid is where we should draw the line.  There is not much incentive to develop when richer countries are just sending ample amounts of funds into the countries.  Local industry is hurt and therefore economy suffers.  Instead governments, if they want to help, should offer aid to the industry of these countries and foster trade as well. 

A HUGE problem remains which I have not addressed thus yet.  Many of the governments in Africa currently are very corrupt and erroneous in nature.  My true feelings are that nothing good can  truly happen in this continent until these kinds of villainous charlatans are taken out of office and leaders for free trade markets, individual liberties and justice are instated. 

That is when Africa will truly be a wonderful place again, God willing.