Mass poverty in Africa
The biggest problem in Africa is the poverty of its population. There is hardly a country in which large parts of the population do not suffer from hunger and poverty.
Mass poverty in Africa
Due to a lack of jobs but particularly also because of the climatic conditions, it is difficult to establish an adequate, sustainable supply for the population. Aid from Western states is usually just a drop in the bucket, and often it doesn’t even arrive. A particular problem is that many Western corporations do create jobs, but they pay workers very poor wages. As a result, these workers can barely feed their families. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people die as a consequence of poverty.
Only the elites are doing well
In Africa, only those who count themselves among the elites are truly doing well. Their living conditions are usually much better than those of the impoverished rural population. However, their better situation is often based on corruption and exploitation. Funds sent by Western states as aid payments often end up in the hands of the elites. These elites, in turn, usually deposit the money in foreign bank accounts. As a result, the money is not available to the respective national economy and thus cannot strengthen it.
Aid only helps if it is targeted
Western nations’ aid only succeeds when specific projects are directly supported. Aid organizations that work on-site on particular projects usually reach the population directly. Since all funds flow through the aid organizations, governments and their elites cannot skim off any of it. However, the work of these organizations in Africa is very dangerous due to the unstable political situation. In addition, many remote regions are not reached.
Much has been tried, nothing has worked so far
Many attempts have been made to alleviate the severe poverty in Africa. In particular, “helping people to help themselves” has repeatedly been seen as the optimal solution. This involves investing in local infrastructure, granting loans to families, and strengthening the regional economy. The goal is for people to help themselves—or each other—initially on a small scale, thereby gradually improving the overall situation. However, most aid attempts so far have been half-hearted. On a global scale, there is no interest in freeing Africa from its predicament. The situation is even exacerbated, for example, by the cultivation of palm oil or the production of meat for the international market, which is destroying African agriculture. Since most industrialized nations prioritize their own well-being, there is no improvement in sight in the near future.
