Another plea for aid for Africa

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verytalldave

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Despite regular charity benefit events and TV specials over a period of more than 15 years, Africa seems no nearer to sorting out its over-population / famine / drought problems than ever.
You rarely hear of India in this sort of predicament nowadays, yet when I was a young lad, it was always the Indian sub-continent that needed aid. But they have managed to sort themselves out and most now seem to live a fairly reasonable lifestyle.
It seems no matter how much aid is pumped into Africa, its never ever enough.
I dont know what the answer is - if there is one.
But over a period of many years I seem to have become less affected by this type of news. I am still desperately sorry for the tiny little malnourished children you see on the news, but I am coming to the inevitable personal conclusion that no matter what is done this year, next year will come another crisis and more aid will be asked for.
Do I give or not bother thinking the inevitable will happen anyway ?
Its a terrible conclusion to reach, but if I am honest, its one that I am beginning to believe.
I do give, but for how much longer I dont know.
I just hope my little donation does actually help save the life of some poor little child somewhere.
 
Yes.

There were 33m people in the Sudan in 1983, 75m now. You begin to wonder if adding money short term adds suffering long term. Depressing. We have to trust that they will turn things around and manage to dodge the disaster due in 2037.

I think we have no choice, we have to give and hope for the best.
 
My choice of charity for donations is Médecins Sans Frontières UK. They do great work and do not seem to spend a fortune on TV adverts and fund raising staff.
 
There is little difference between our countries with regards people keep having children and then get the begging bowl out to feed them.

I can't recall ever giving to a charity, on the contrary, I prefer to donate to my childrens school.

Those two 'saints' Geldof & Bono get on my nerves with this as well.
 
I think you'll find that India is a terrible example. Sure some might be doing splendidly well driving around in Ferrari's, but huge slums still exist where people live in absolute poverty without any proper sanitation.

One of Africa's problem is corruption and the newspaper reports that alledge that our charity money is going to the wrong people. Firstly, I doubt this only applies to Africa. Secondly, i doubt every penny goes to corrupt people.

You think that 15 years is a long time for a whole continent to be fixed, I wouldn't agree. And your example, India, is incorrect as many still live in poverty. "Officially, 37% of India's 1.21bn people live below the poverty line. But one estimate suggests this figure could be as high as 77%." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13450959Also re corruption: BBC News - India's corruption scandals

I hope you continue to give to charity because people do need it. Just find a charity that you are happy with.
 
There is little difference between our countries with regards people keep having children and then get the begging bowl out to feed them.

However, I think the mixture of rape/forced pregnancy and Western "helpers" who educate people NOT to use condoms does not help.

I'm not saying that is the sole cause - but it does make for a stark difference between the UK and Africa.
 
I think you'll find that India is a terrible example. Sure some might be doing splendidly well driving around in Ferrari's, but huge slums still exist where people live in absolute poverty without any proper sanitation.

Having spent a fair bit of time in India over the past 20 years, things for the bottom 50% of people seem to have improved very little, if at all. In some ways, the economic success of the middle / upper classes makes things even worse - inflation currently runs at 9.5%, whilst housing inflation in metropolitan areas is as high as 30%. Little investment seems to be made in infrastructure unless it's to the benefit of big business or politics.

The craziness of the situation can be easily illustrated by companies moving operations back to Europe because the increased cost of labour, real estate and comms infrastructure make a less attractive business case than a few years ago.
 
There is little difference between our countries with regards people keep having children and then get the begging bowl out to feed them.

I can't recall ever giving to a charity, on the contrary, I prefer to donate to my childrens school.

Those two 'saints' Geldof & Bono get on my nerves with this as well.

What thoroughly selfish, blinkered and ignorant points of view.
 
why?
it's his point of view, you may agree or not but that's no reason to be insulting

Indeed it is his point of view - something to which everyone is entitled.

The downside of making such statements "in public" however is that by definition, you invite comment ie other people's points of view.

I gave mine - the statements made were beyond doubt selfish, blinkered and ignorant.
 
What thoroughly selfish, blinkered and ignorant points of view.

Why?

How much do you donate?

Geldof et al were guilt tripping about these problems nearly thirty year ago and what difference has it made?

When will people in this country stop feeling so guilty about our colonial past and just get on with our future?
 
Fifty years ago, at my infant school we used to have a savings card, value 2/6 (12.5p for our younger members), which went to African charities under the 'Black Babies' banner. Like VTD, I cannot remember a time when there hasn't been an appeal of one sort or another for Africa.

What has improved in those fifty years? Where have the billions gone?

I have noticed how well equipped all the various armies and the like are, and I'm sure there is a thin African general somewhere, it's just I haven't seen one.
 
I Personally cant stand either geldof or bonio, bonio being a thoroughly self righteous tw*t, one who can't pay his own taxes in his home country that needs it more than he does.

I don't mind people asking for money for africa, as long as they don't mind me saying no.

Selfish? Yes probably... But purely because I have my own bills to pay and my own family to look after.


However I would say that if i have the disposable cash to give, I would give to LOCAL charities, and get involved to a higher degree than I do now (I currently do charity events to help with fundraising)
 

If you mean why did I make the comments, see below.

How much do you donate?

(a) more than you - not difficult
(b) none of your business

= selfish

Geldof et al were guilt tripping about these problems nearly thirty year ago and what difference has it made?

Rather a lot

= blinkered


When will people in this country stop feeling so guilty about our colonial past and just get on with our future?

Absolutely nothing to do with our colonial past - this is humanitarian.

= ignorant
 
(a) more than you - not difficult
(b) none of your business

= selfish

If you are referring to donating to Africa; you'd be correct.

If you are referring to charities in general then you are showing your own ignorance, because how would you know how much I do/donate for charity?

If by donating to Africa it helps you feel superior to everyone else, you carry on. it's really working for you. :rolleyes:
 
If you are referring to donating to Africa; you'd be correct.

If you are referring to charities in general then you are showing your own ignorance, because how would you know how much I do/donate for charity?

The clue was here - "I can't recall ever giving to a charity" - your words, not mine

If by donating to Africa it helps you feel superior to everyone else, you carry on. it's really working for you. :rolleyes:

I think you have that the wrong way round. Most people give to charity in order to help the charity, not as some sort of psychological booster. It's more likely that some who don't give to charity try to justify their inaction and indifference by implying those that do, do so simply in order to "feel superior".

There are times when it's best to stop digging - I think you've probably reached that stage.

Have a lovely weekend
 
Tempers down please folks, lets keep things civil.

I have to say that I think giving money or aid to Africa is largely a waste of energy. The vast majority of this funding never reaches its intended recipients anyway and that which does only tends to encourage people to stay in drought ridden uninhabitable parts of the world.

Far better to buy products or services from Africa so that they are able to help themselves for a start as everyone wants to be self sufficiant and living off handouts is no way to live for anyone.

As for the drought in Ethiopia, if we didnt keep giving hand outs of tons of aid, (distorting the natural way of things) then the population would have moved elsewhere (somewhere more life sustaining) and we wouldnt have a problem ten times the size as before like we do this time around.

I agree its disheartening to turn a blind eye to the problems but giving aid actually means that more will suffer in the long term and we really must learn from our mistakes and stop doing it.
 
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The clue was here - "I can't recall ever giving to a charity" - your words, not mine
I think you have that the wrong way round. Most people give to charity in order to help the charity, not as some sort of psychological booster. It's more likely that some who don't give to charity try to justify their inaction and indifference by implying those that do, do so simply in order to "feel superior".

I can't recall ever giving to a charity, on the contrary, I prefer to donate to my childrens school.
To clear that up, I should have put 'Non-Uk' charities.

Nice to note how you disregarded the donations I make to my childrens school, but that wouldn't fit in with your argument of me being selfish would it?:rolleyes:

And you end your post by trying to be superior again, just to prove my point.

Thanks.
You have a nice weekend too.
 
If you mean why did I make the comments, see below.



(a) more than you - not difficult
(b) none of your business

= selfish



Rather a lot

= blinkered




Absolutely nothing to do with our colonial past - this is humanitarian.

= ignorant

I do think you're dangerous when your response to someone having a different view to yours is to call them ignorant, for the record I think you're an enemy of free speech thinking if you label another and their views they'll pipe down.
Africa is a lost cause, the whole continent would be better off if we either, just walked away and let the Africans get on with it or recolonised it, cleared out the corrupt regimes, installed a few governors-general, invested in agriculture and local industry, fought the tribalism, and spent generations preparing them for self rule rather than the decade the Yanks forced the colonial powers to do it in previously.
 
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