What can be done to help end poverty in Africa?

Question

For example, sponsoring a child

Answer 1

Money alone does not help. The best way is to go there and physically help, teach them how to help themselves.

Answer 2

Sponsoring child is a noble work. But we should do something that will affect more no of people; help poor on a larger scale and forever. But the thing that troubled me was that How can individuals contribute. I was browsing through the internet when I came across this community http://www.orkut.co.in/Community.aspx?cm... which is about the United Nations campaign to end poverty by 2015. It has 8 major goals which collectively ensure that poverty is ended.

Answer 3

Replace most of the governments with benevolent dictators.  Most of the countries in Africa don't really need nor can they handle democracy.  Sad but true.

Only a fraction of any money you donate through an organization will actually arrive to help anyone, at best 30% will go to the organization for administration.  After that a good chunk of the 70% left will go to local chiefs in form of kickbacks (ie: if a contractor is hired to build a school, the chief must be bribed before construction is allowed, etc., etc.).  Again, sad but true.

I lived in Africa for a few years, and I have a few individuals that I help directly.  I can't deduct the money for tax purposes or anything, but at least I know 100% of it arrives to the person I intend to help.

Answer 4

This is a really hard question because there are so many reasons why there is poverty in Africa in the first place.  First, they do have a very difficult starting point with malaria and poor crop land, etc.  However, I almost have found that the more aid we give to some of the countries/people the more it creates a feeling of waiting there with your hand out; i.e. I will just wait for someone to give me stuff rather than do it myself.  But it's hard to do it themselves because their nutrition is so awful so they aren't developing fully, many of their governments are corrupt, they have limited electricity so it's not like they can participate in worldwide commerce, and some of the cleanliness practices are not good so more disease spreads.  It is a real problem, but I'm not sure how much good we actually do by donating.  We've been doing that for 50 years now and things are the same.  Good for you for thinking about this so much though - maybe you can go over to Africa and try to make a difference in one or two peoples' lives?  That can make a real difference.  Good luck!!

Answer 5

i highly think you have to start by cutting the population of Africa, offering them birth controls/contraceptives in order that they won't be able to produce large amount of children per household. this is the very reason i can't understand them why they love to produce plenty of children if they cannot afford to support. our country are extending aides to them thru the so-called UNICEF. we do offer educational learning on birth control, but most of them are not convinced, hence the disease of aids are spreading all over the country. having multiple wives, oh geez, if they have just the good education and they can learn on how making plenty of childrens affects their lives, i think they will not end in so much poverty. they are over populated. sponsoring a child is a good idea but what if you sponsored one child of that family and in return they make another also? the problem still the same. so the best thing is education, educate the people there to control the birth rates.

<>most extended aides like money, goods, clothings, etc will just mostly go to the people who are in the position to hold those and distribute but will eventually be at their own benefits...