In the UK this Friday we have the annual "Red Nose Day" where, across the country, celebrities and members of the public put on uncomfortable red plastic noses, and, in the Red Nose catch phrase, "Do something funny of money". Most businesses and organisations will allow their staff to do silly and amusing things to to raise money, or they will just arrange collections and pledge these to the "Red nose day appeal"The day will culminate with an evening long television spectacular, where will will laugh at film of out fellow countrymen and women doing "something funny for money", and cheer each time the growing total of money raised runs across the TV screen.
As with most of these things. a significant amount of the money raised will be earmarked for those living in dire poverty Africa, and we are assured that this will be used to "improve lives".
Red Nose day has been going on for a number of years and succeeds various similar telethons and concerts for the same purpose dating back to the first "Live Aid" in the 1980's, where well meaning people, 99% of them white, have willingly donated money, in addition to the proportion of their taxes which in paid out in Aid to the third world, in the genuine hope of "improving lives in Africa".
Am I being cynical, but can someone please direct me to anything or anywhere in modern Africa, where lives are improving? In fact in the quarter century that this has been going on, lives across Africa have been getting progressively worse.
Sadly, for all their genuine good intentions, efforts like this which seek to help Africa, but which refuse to accept fundamental truths about Africa will continue to be exercises in well meant futility.
5 comments:
No, I have stopped supporting Red Nose Day while still living in South Africa.
I support charities where I know the funds are put to good use, like NSPCC here in UK.
You cannot trust any funds going to Africa to be utilised honestly - very sad, but true.
Certainly, as you say, you can not trust any money handed over to be used honestly.
However, beyond the corruption, even the money which is not paid to the local authorities is wasted. We can go over there and build a fresh water system with our own hands, but six months after we leave, its broken and full of sewerage.
To provide real help it requires ongoing western supervision and western control, and that is now politically unacceptable.
It is time to mount a campaign to encourage people to contribute that same amount, but give it to the BNP instead. Do something for your own people where it might do some good. As Sarah has so well point out, these are savages who delight in being savages. Given fully functioning societies in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and elsewhere, they have made haste to destroy them, not just with corruption but with destruction of the physical assets as well.
Agreed,Sarah
You may... or may not be familiar with this short essay written by John Tyndall about four years ago, but he's in full agreement with you on this topic. Read HERE.
This Ugandan writer even writes a disparaging report on African indolence that essentially says money won't solve their problems.
Post a Comment