The Riches and Poverty of Africa

THE RICHES AND POVERTY OF AFRICA


PART TWO

“The poverty of Africa is pervasive, persistent and endemic because the reasons are complex. No simple answer explains it. Sometimes you hear of the burdensome foreign debt owed by the African governments, or the devastating economic loss that came from slavery two centuries ago. Poverty surely is not a racial problem for there are many intelligent, capable and prospering Africans in every country. I have concluded that poverty in Africa is due to a complex set of reasons including the following. When conferring with some African friends, they concurred with my thoughts. It may be that more can be said, but at least these reasons point in the right direction. And the significant thing is that the authentic Christian gospel which transforms lives is at the heart of the solution to Africa’s problems.”

“Lack of Education. Most people lack proper training. This is much more than the 3 R’s (reading, [w]riting and [a]rithmetic), for a large number of people can read, write and count. Much of what we take for granted in America is learned in the homes and understood as a basic part of a strong, Christian family. This includes such things as hygiene and the basic knowledge of maintaining health; the use of money - earning energetically, spending wisely and saving faithfully; maintenance of a house, furniture and equipment, including how to care for such things so that unnecessary damage does not occur. By care one can preserve things and extend the life of clothes, radios, furniture, and ceiling boards (leaking roofs). ‘A shilling saved is a shilling earned,’ as the saying goes. By preserving what you have, you increase your material wellbeing without depending on large sums of income.

“Cultural Restraints. Certain aspects of African culture militate against prosperity. For example, acute jealousy may arise when another appears to succeed. Any show of wealth in some rural areas will result in witchcraft and cursing directed toward that person. This discourages hard work, development and planning that lead to prosperity. In Ethiopia there has been no private property for centuries. Peasants can be moved anytime from the land and the property they have developed is lost. This policy is anti-development. The African traditional desire for many children, deeply rooted in African culture, in this modern era creates enormous burdens on the parents who simply cannot feed, clothe and educate their children. The communal aspect of African life, while beautiful in its own way, creates a burden. Those who are industrious and work hard are asked for food and material help by those members of the family who are lazy. Many admit that they lose their possessions and become poor when compelled culturally to share their possessions with others in the family. A culture which promotes asking and assisting instead of self reliance may also contribute to poverty.”

“Lack of a Work Ethic. While many people do work hard and are progressing, many are content with little. This is evident in the rural areas where cultivatable land sets idle because they fail to work and till the ground. Somehow, they tend to be passive, accepting poverty as their lot. Stubborn and harsh realities discourage them from making greater effort. Through lack of education, lack of vision and understanding, lack of initiative, they simply accept life as it is with its burdensome poverty. They experience so much in life that they cannot change, such as poor government, poor roads, poor medical facilities, poor education and poor rains, so that they tend to be passive, fatalistic and content with only enough to survive. Many lack the energy, vision or understanding to progress and instead only do what must be done to survive.”

“A Lifestyle that Wastes Money. A sinful lifestyle saps what little may be earned. For example, smoking, drinking, drugs, discos, prostitution and various forms of entertainment are a sheer waste of material resources. Drunkenness is pervasive among the men so that what little money they may have is squandered on wasteful living. Prostitution saps a man’s wealth, energy and time away from building a strong family. In contrast, a Christian who lives a clean life, cares for his family (clothes, feeds and educates his children), is faithful to his wife and invests his money in his family, will improve his home. He is present in the home to teach and guide. It is a known, confirmed truth that a strong Christian heritage gradually lifts people from their poverty to middle class because they conserve what little they have and invest it wisely in profitable adventures rather than wasting it on a sinful lifestyle.”

CONTINUED IN PART THREE