needs and opportunities of Africa - Africa's biggest needs

[Kings daughter]

I have a big question which may lead to a large variety of answers... it's about today's Africa. A large and beautiful continent with many opportunities but also with quite a few needs. I would like to find out from you; what do you think are Africa's biggest needs but also it's greatest opportunities?
I'm looking forward to hear your point of view

Kings daughter

[Kofi]

Yes there is no doubt that Africa is a beautiful continent. Nature has blessed Africa so much so that if we as Africans know and do what is supposed to be done then Africa can become the richest continent on earth. We have almost everything nature can ever give to a beloved continent but the major problem is that we do not appreciate what nature has done for us and hence we easily loose what nature has given unto us. Our lands are fertile and support crops yet we go hungry everyday and carry our cups upstairs begging for food. Only if we have good leaders i don't think we will ever even think of going begging. But the problem is bad leadership. Corruption! corruption!! and corruption!!! that is the major killer in Africa and only if we can get the insecticides and the herbicides to spray away all these corrupt people, i doubt but then can I see a brighter Africa.

A combination of poverty, hunger, hiv/aids, malaria, etc., is threatening the backbone of Africa — the women who keep African societies going and whose work makes up the economic foundation of rural communities. For decades, we have known that the best way for Africa to thrive is to ensure that its women have the freedom, power and knowledge to make decisions affecting their own lives and those of their families and communities. Study after study has shown that there is no effective development strategy in which women do not play a central role. When women are fully involved, the benefits can be seen immediately: families are healthier; they are better fed; their income, savings and reinvestment go up. And what is true of families is true of communities and, eventually, of whole countries.

[elite]

I believe that Africa's plight can be attributed to one simple problem: misrule by people in charge. Before independence, colonial masters like the French and the Brits are more interested in plundering the rich continent and clinging to power rather than preparing the Africans for self rule. After independence, instead of cleaning up the mess left by the colonists, native dictators take over and join the party and what we have today is this tragic and miserable situation.

[Walker]

It is no wonder that corruption is the major culprit and proving to be a big obstacle in the progress of Africa.

There only way this problem can be over come and that is through education and awareness. Education plays a very vital role in making the masses aware of their rights and gives them a sense as to who they should elect and follow.

People have to stop relying on governments to do everything for them and instead start such educational activities in small groups.....Take baby steps first and slowly expand and include more people....

These small steps will prove to be very revolutionary..in the longer run....

Regards,

Walker

[zowie]

Education is the key. People of Africa needs to be educated so as to make use of the resources of the new millennium they are living in. Only education will help the people of Africa to elect able leaders for them who are going to lead them to new horizons and frontiers.

[BlueSword]

i agree, education can free Africa in its current sad state right now. the people need to know the basics first, once they acquire enough good knowledge, they will be able to lead and manage well their own affairs with little outside help. they just need a little push for them to soar.

[William]

I would believe Africa's greatest needs are a chance, hope, and money.
Cooperation from other countries would of course also be helpful..
I mean let's be honest, things are going so/so with them and other countries, but could be much better
As for their strengths? I believe it's great how they've kept the same culture and practices for so long.

[winny]

i must confess that the worst thing that has happened to dear mother Africa is the British colonization but I think this is not the right time for blames All these can be corrected if all hands can be on deck from the leaders to the led. we are all leaders in various respects right from the school teachers, to lecturers in the universities, to our local government chairmen....... to our presidents. Bad leadership must be expunged, bribery and corruption, looting and exploitation. from there we can start developing capabilities through sound education, saving and reinvestment and Mother Africa will be revived again!

[seimens]

Africa is a wonderful continent with high resources, beautiful deserts, etc. they don't need to go to other continents for work because Africa itself is having many work resources also. they are having lot of opportunities here itself. the only thing is they should work hard and develop their countries. the current government should encourage many employment schemes. if they work like Japan then there is no doubt they will develop within 10- years. all other countries need atleast 20 years to become a developed country but the countries in Africa don't need 20 years because they have lot of resources so it will become so easy to become a so-called 'developed' continent.

Africans won't get a good education until corruption stops, why because its in the despots interests to keep their people uneducated and poor--more money and cheap labor for the taking. African's won't get out of poverty until corruption stops because it's again in the interest of the leaders to keep poverty the lucrative business that it is. Foreign monies would dry up, NGOs would go away and a source of revenue would flee from the personal stash of their dictators. Businesses can't do business in Africa without playing the corruption game with the leaders, so either businesses come in with corrupt dealings which benefit the government and steal from the people or businesses don't come in and people go without jobs again. African leaders are in the business of poverty. As long as their people are poor they will profit. Government corruption does not reward entrepreneurs, it "taxes" them. Government corruption steals food for food aid and sells it for profit. And sorry to the lady who says colonialism is the biggest problem, sorry, that excuse has been used by African dictators while they stash their countries millions in their pocket. That excuse doesn't work anymore. African dictators, (Congo's Mobutu stole roughly $5 billion USD from his country) are far worse and lest you forget, the USA was once a colony too--as was India and nearly every other country. Stop using it as an excuse and take on the African dictators who use their countries poverty as a means to enrich their foreign accounts.