Food for a genuine pro-poor thought (7)
--------------------------------------
Dear Collegues,
The problems that we are facing Africa will for a long time see the continent being poor no matter how good or innovative nations and organisations can be in coming up with interventions to reduce poverty. Just imagine if we asked Africa to stop borrowing today and pave way for a debt free Africa How much will Africa have to pay for the long term loans that it has been getting from its 'Cooperating' partners?
The thing is Africa is caught up in a situation where its leaders are borrowing with one hand and paying the money out with the other in a bid to be financially solvent without focusing on the long-term effects of such debts on their prospective grand children.
Bernie Zakeyo
mailto:bzakey@yahoo.com
Food for a genuine pro-poor thought (9)
--------------------------------------
Dear Colleagues
It is true, diseases are among the bitter roots of poverty. Africa is held between the hammer and anvil such that, a breakthrough must be found otherwise it will remain in the poverty vicious cycle. This is the challenge to learned Africans to forster technological development which is an impeccable solution in the long run.
The examples of Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, China etc, they endured alot in creating a science and technological platform to forster socio and economic development. To me it is better for us to follow their foot prints, borrowing is just a short term solution. Education system should prepare young generation for scientific and technological breakthroughs in agriculture, health, industry etc.
Best regards,
Hamisi Masanja Malebo,
National Institute for Medical Research,
P.O. Box 9653, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Email:mailto:Malebo@hotmail.com
mailto:hmalebo@nimr.or.tz
Food for a genuine pro-poor thought (11)
---------------------------------------
Dear colleagues,
While I half agree with your points, I truly believe that the roots of most of our problems lie in ignorance, and subsequently, we should find a way of raising education standards and coverage of most citizenry in a generation or two; then various facets of poverty reduction will come as a natural evolution. No amount of investment or aid in other areas is going to make a dramatic impact without the citizens themselves being prepared to take up development opportunities to improve their lot. I strongly believe that investing in good education, including that in science and technology, will provide a sustainable solution to poverty alleviation, and ensure home grown culture to the enforcement of transparency and accountability of the African leadership. Otherwise, human selfishness of those with power of information and brutal force will always take advantage of the powerless, ignorant majority.
Learning from other developing countries who have made it is a good idea. However, our solutions need to be tailor-made for our particular environment, social, economic and otherwise. So education is the most appropriate tool. It requires deliberate designing and advance planning. Once we focus on our long-term needs, it should be attainable using current resources to build a strong progressive future.
Bertha T.A. Maegga
mailto:maeggabta@africaonline.co.tz