Africa's famine issue?

[big-d2C]

is anybody else tired of the same song and dance in regards to the famine. im sorry if i sound insensitive but we have children here in Canada that are living far below the poverty line and i don't see as much offered to help them as there is for Africa, and it has been the same thing for at least the last 25 years if not longer!!!!

[The Green Barbarian]

is anybody else tired of the same song and dance in regards to the famine. im sorry if i sound insensitive but we have children here in Canada that are living far below the poverty line and i don't see as much offered to help them as there is for Africa, and it has been the same thing for at least the last 25 years if not longer!!!!

the biggest difference here is that "below the poverty line" in Canada is still miles ahead of what the people of Africa are living through. This just drives me nuts how people don't get that.

A charity I contribute to in East Vancouver takes an annual busload of "underprivileged" youths from Vancouver down to Mexico City every year. The reason? They want these kids, told by all of the poverty professionals in Vancouver to play the victim card about how hard done-by they are and how "no one cares", to see real poverty in a place where in fact, no one cares - people who don't get a welfare cheque every month and who don't get free health care. People who don't get free meals and don't get free needles. Who every day just struggle to survive. These "below the poverty line" kids go to Mexico, and help out building houses, and see first-hand what real poverty looks like, not "Canadian" poverty. Works like a charm every time, as the kids realize just how good they have it where they are from.

Perhaps you sir should do the same.

[Mr. Personality]

Well, I can see how that would be considered insensitive, but I see your point too.

I say charity starts at home. If you've not fixed the problem in your own area, you're not ready to help others.
At the same time, even with our problems, we are "haves" and they are "have nots". It's this that makes us want to help.

Ultimately, I'd say if you want to help out Africa, go for it. If you're more worried about poverty and starvation here, that's great too. Just make sure your money, time and/or effort are put to good use. Research the charity. Check and see if you can find information as to exactly where your money goes. Is it going where it needs to be, or is it paying ridiculous amounts to the heads of thee charities?

[The Green Barbarian]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011 ... ml?cmp=rss

On the other hand, Africa could be doing more, as per this story. When I read this story, I kind of start to see what the OP was saying, and perhaps I was a bit too quick to judge. I apologize.

[Thinktank]

Big corporations like Nestle and Starbucks steal from Africa.
An Ethiopian earns a couple bucks a day to pick coffee. In some
other africa coutries children work as slave labour harvesting cocoa.
We get the benefit of these corporations that cheat and steal, by getting cheap chocolate and coffee.
When the Africans aren't paid enough, they can't buy food during bad years, and they die.
While the Africans die ( not from bad weather, but from no money) , big corporations profits go through the roof.


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[big-d2C]

Big corporations like Nestle and Starbucks steal from Africa.
An Ethiopian earns a couple bucks a day to pick coffee. In some
other africa coutries children work as slave labour harvesting cocoa.
We get the benefit of these corporations that cheat and steal, by getting cheap chocolate and coffee.
When the Africans aren't paid enough, they can't buy food during bad years, and they die.
While the Africans die ( not from bad weather, but from no money) , big corporations profits go through the roof.


.

and the African gov't should be the ones to fix that issue with wage laws. most other countries have them

[Thinktank]

if an African country was able to allow his country to have
the best standard of living in all of Africa, we would probably start bombing that country.

Like we're doing right now in Libya.



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