All Matters African

African Poverty

The main causes of African poverty are internal. It is true that rich countries' protectionism harms some producers in the developing world but trade liberalization in rich countries as a cure for African poverty is often over-emphasized.

Africa lacks political stability and economic freedom. Its tariffs are high and private property rights weak. It is hypocritical for African leaders to call for greater access to global markets while avoiding policy reforms, including trade openness, at home.

Many attempts have been made to rid the world of African poverty. It seems obscene that it still exists in the 21st century. Whilst some African countries have made advances, others struggle terribly. Wars, drought, crop failure, disease, corrupt government and the apathy of the West have all played a part.

All Charities do their best to help. I am a member of an organization that recruits people to sponsor individuals in Africa. I sponsor a little girl in a remote village in Malawi. This organization, and similar ones, works in a clever way to combat African poverty. It allows me to establish a personal relationship with one child, but the money I send each month helps the whole community.

Africans helpers have used the money towards the cost of building a school and to dig a well. It's also been used to buy mosquito nets, to address the problem of infant malaria, and to buy school equipment.

My sponsored child writes letters to me through an interpretator, and I send letters to her and occasional gifts. The organization sends me reports on the work they do in the community and articles about African poverty in general.

All sponsorship is incredibly important from the organization, to everyone in the community. As each village becomes self sufficient, the organization moves on to another community caught up in African poverty and invites its sponsors to take up a new sponsorship there.

It's a wonderful example of a well thought out and long term strategy. Some charitable giving has to deal with short-term emergencies of course. Just imagine, however, if everyone who could afford it became a sponsor. Just think what effect that would have on African poverty.

One of the means in which I try to give support is to buy Fair Trade goods in the local stores. The Fair Trade movement has been most successful in trying to combat African poverty by setting a fair price for farmers and growers in Africa, so they can achieve a reasonable standard of living.

Some of the independent companies that have taken up the Fair Trade cause have been successful enough to be bought out by well-known brands. I buy Fair Trade coffee, tea, chocolate and bananas. So ok, it's just my little bit. Imagine, once again, if everyone did the same.

Promises that were made, concerning African poverty, at the recent G8 Summit is under scrutiny at the moment. Progress on carrying out the promises must be monitored closely. Politicians have the ultimate power to get rid of African poverty once and for all.

The steps that is necessary in order for Africa to prosper rest in the hands of African governments. Yet conventional wisdom continues to hold that the continent is destined to remain poor unless the rich countries change their economic policies. African leaders are only too happy to play their part in that charade.

Blaming poverty on forces beyond the control of Africa's political elites takes the spotlight away from decades of failed economic policies, wholesale looting of the continent's wealth and loss of countless lives to political repression and ethnic conflicts. If African political elites are serious about improving the lot of the African people, they must first look to their own actions and stop blaming others for the poverty on the continent. The war on African poverty must begin at home.

Resources

Southern African Regional Poverty Network – Connecting people, ideas and information to fight poverty. Poverty Training Seminar, Trade and Regional Workshop.

Poverty and Development – Poverty and development in Africa. Profiles of the least developed countries, least developed Countries report. Agenda for the development of Africa.