Last Draft- (5th topic)

Statistics show that America among other developed countries is ranked number one in dollar contribution to Africa. America is separated into two different entities when giving aid to Africa, the governmental and the individual people. The government has decreased their monetary support to Africa over the last few years. The African people have many worries to face through war, education, and diseases which all lead to poverty. All of these factors inspire people around the world to donate their time and money to make a difference.

War is one of the causes of poverty. The people are displaced from their families or many will leave their villages to walk several miles to neighboring countries for safety in refugee camps. In some cases the camps are not always safe. In 1997, a Hutu armed opposition group attacked a refugee camp in Mudende, Gisenyi, and killed around 300 mainly Tutsi refugees (http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/intcam/rwanda/civilwar.htm). The few that survived were left without a home and provisions. Another main factor of poverty is that education is not accessible for most families. For instance the literacy rate in Burkina, Faso is only 12.8 percent (National Geographic). Education is also a key factor in controlling the spread of many diseases.


 In Africa the percentage rate of street children is 15-20%(National Geographic). This is a high number due to many parents dieing from HIV/AIDS. It can be reduced in symptoms by the help of a potentially life saving antiretroviral (ARV) medication. HIV/AIDS are not the only diseases; many die each year of malaria and yellow fever. To be able to protect one from malaria a mosquito net is a necessity. It protects the body from any infested insects. Many families cannot afford the ARV medications or mosquito nets to protect them selves.


Despite many hardships the people of Africa have to encounter many celebrities and the people of the United States have helped. Examples include The Carter Center, Oprah Winfrey, Doctors Without Borders, and the UN World Food Program. Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn help refugees go back to their home country through The Carter Center, which was founded in 1982. Oprah Winfrey has just opened a school to educate the young girls of South Africa; she opened it January of 2007. Doctors Without Borders is when health professionals volunteer to provide essential medications to people. The UN World Food Program feeds an average of 90 million people in more than 80 countries including works in Africa (National Geographic). These organizations and the individuals involved have helped lives all along Africa’s borders.

In the recent years, the average population has been more involved in humanitarian work around the globe. Celebrities and private organizations have promoted awareness through the media. Hopefully, within the years to come the efforts to diminish poverty around the world will be increased from all nations.