Pandemic: My Country on it's Knees Lewis Stephens
After reading Stephen Lewis’ Pandemic I was shocked at how a country so vibrant and full of life, song and dance could so quickly degenerate into one ravished by AIDS, famine and poverty. While Lewis employs a number of personal stories and descriptions of the appalling state Africa has fallen into, the overall message is still one of hope “because it’s the images of hope, however fragile, however intermittent, that keep the countries going”, and I can think of nowhere where this applies more than in Africa. Even after all these years, Nelson Mandela is still regarded as a beacon of hope for Africa, and this speaks volumes about how the country relies on incidences such as these to keep going, and not be crushed under the weight of the immense challenges they face.
After reading Stephen Lewis’ Pandemic I was shocked at how a country so vibrant and full of life, song and dance could so quickly degenerate into one ravished by AIDS, famine and poverty. While Lewis employs a number of personal stories and descriptions of the appalling state Africa has fallen into, the overall message is still one of hope “because it’s the images of hope, however fragile, however intermittent, that keep the countries going”, and I can think of nowhere where this applies more than in Africa. Even after all these years, Nelson Mandela is still regarded as a beacon of hope for Africa, and this speaks volumes about how the country relies on incidences such as these to keep going, and not be crushed under the weight of the immense challenges they face.
Even though Africa still has some hope, shouldn’t wealthy countries, such as Canada and the United States, be doing more to help? There are many NGO’s and Government Organizations, as well as U.N. presence in Africa, but it is simply not enough. As the Swaziland Minister of Labour said, “Forget about this policy stuff, don’t you understand we’re a nation of orphans?” The problem of sibling households is not even the biggest concern in Africa, even though 15% of the population was predicted to be orphans by this year, 2010. No, the biggest problem in Africa is food, or the lack of it. I think this is an atrocity when about 65% of Americans are overweight or obese (Global and Regional Food Consumption Patterns and Trends).
Canada, the U.S. and other wealthier countries should help developing countries and under-developed countries because we have the means to. Developed countries use far more of their share of the world’s resources than they need. For example, the U.S. who makes up about 5% of the global population, uses up about a quarter of the world’s resources (Global and Regional Food Consumption Patterns and Trends); while as many as 2.8 billion people survive on less than 2 dollars a day, and more than 1 billion do not have access to safe drinking water. If wealthy countries have the means and the finances to support these countries, or at least help them to get on the right track to industrialization and having a stable economy, why don’t they?
Helping these less fortunate countries should not be done just because we have the extra money and food and water to do so, but it has huge potential to be beneficial to us as well. If Canada took steps to help Africa become a stable united nation, with a stable economy, little threat of poverty, etcetera, in the future, Africa would make a valuable ally, both militarily and economically. Furthermore, if Africa got back on its feet, and (with help from developed countries) eradicated the HIV/AIDS virus, there would be little risk for anyone in the world to contract the disease in developed countries. Finally, people in these afflicted countries would have an immensely improved quality of life.
The main reason these developed countries should help less fortunate countries is because it is morally right. Impoverished African girls shouldn’t have to be the head of their households because their parents have died of AIDS or hunger, and their grandparents have died of the same. Especially while wealthy Americans and wealthy Canadians are able to basically throw money away on 1.2, 4.75 million dollar houses. It’s not right, it’s not fair, and frankly, I can’t believe it’s been happening for so long.
Basically, the three biggest reasons wealthy countries should be helping these poorer countries are because we have the means, it would benefit countless people in the long run, and because it’s morally right. So, do you think it’s the responsibility of wealthy countries to help poor countries, or should it be up to the country to decide?
Works Cited:
"The State of Consumption Today | Worldwatch Institute." Worldwatch Institute | Vision for a Sustainable World. Web. 23 Sept. 2010. .
"WHO | 3. Global and Regional Food Consumption Patterns and Trends." WHO. Web. 23 Sept. 2010..
Website
"WHO | 3. Global and Regional Food Consumption Patterns and Trends." WHO. Web. 23 Sept. 2010.
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What a fantastic blog! I think you make some extremely valuable points. To begin with, I feel that Wealthy countries have had the option of helping poorer nations left as a 'choice' for too long. I believe it should be our responsibility as fellow humans. As well as the great points that you bring up, that would benefit us if we helped out, It would make us feel better about ourselves. If you help those that are less fortunate, it makes you feel like a better person, actually, you become a better person. One final thought, I think it is appalling that children are left to raise their siblings. Would we let that happen here?
ReplyDeleteKristi, thanks so much! Under no circumstances would people stand for it if children were left to raise their siblings here in Canada, so how do we rationalize letting children in Africa do just that? I don't understand it either.
ReplyDeleteJessica,
ReplyDeleteAn interesting and compassionate post which made me wonder... how much is Canada currently doing to help Africa?
A little trip down the Google (http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CIDA.nsf/eng/NAT-61991733-KXK) led me to some stats that verify that Canada has gone from $2.5 Billion in aid in 2001 to being on target to double that to $5 Billion by next year. So Canada is giving money... but is that what they really need?
You stated that "If Canada took steps to help Africa become a stable united nation, with a stable economy, little threat of poverty, etcetera, in the future, Africa would make a valuable ally, both militarily and economically." This is essentially what the "West" has been doing in Afghanistan for the past ten years - nation building. Whether it is working or not is another debate - but it makes you wonder what type of help Africa really needs beyond money...
That thought led me to this article (http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20090602/africa_aid_090602/) which reported that "Impoverished African nations are no better off than they were 40 years ago despite receiving nearly $1 trillion in Western aid, says an Oxford-educated economist, who advocates putting conditions on the money so local governments are held accountable for providing essentials such as education and health care."
In the same article an African woman said "many Africans live on $1 a day and the continent has not experienced the economic growth in recent decades that has been enjoyed by the West. I think it's really important for people to understand that I'm not saying do nothing," Moyo said Tuesday during an interview with Canada AM. "I'm saying help create jobs for Africans on the ground, help them train, help them build an entrepreneurial culture, help them do exactly what has built Canada and made it such a successful country."
Now all of this shows that throwing money at problems do not fix things. All those billions (trillions) of dollars going to Africa have not helped much at all. I agree with you that the entire continent needs help - but to make real change, the people with power (political or money) need to change and until that happens to the extent that the West can bring business opportunities into Africa in safety, I fear little will change.
Great post! Sounds like it was an interesting book.
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog and all the responses too! Canada has promised more aid to Africa. Harper told the UN, as reported Monday by CBC News, that Canada will increase its contributions to the Global Fund, which fights HIV-AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in developing countries. The government says Canada will give $540 million over three years to the fund, which already receives $150 million a year from Canada.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/09/21/un-canada-millennium-development.html#ixzz10y0Fj5hU