Famine in Somalia

[ShanandBoc]

I agree with what u are saying Lightworker as a long term solution, but its a desperate situation right NOW that needs immediate swift action to save the life of millions. I feel so powerless to help its so depressing

 

[vaniilla]

its very sensationalist in the press, its not a matter of people starving because that food sent over will run out or may never reach them, its all about politics and trade, the world wants to highlight giving aid and sending money which never solves anything because as others have said it goes on corrupt governments or gets trickled down the chain of command in charities to pay wages, they'd rather throw money because they know its cheaper and more visible then dealing with the real problems of trade and corruption

 

[Lightworker]

Shan, yeah I definitely agree, there's no denying that for now the main thing is providing immediate aid. I think its just as an aside that some governments make a big show of how much they give, but never reveal the fact that they continue to be party to exploitative agreements.

 

[ShanandBoc]

its very sensationalist in the press, its not a matter of people starving because that food sent over will run out or may never reach them, its all about politics and trade, the world wants to highlight giving aid and sending money which never solves anything because as others have said it goes on corrupt governments or gets trickled down the chain of command in charities to pay wages, they'd rather throw money because they know its cheaper and more visible then dealing with the real problems of trade and corruption

I understand this and i agree i am just trying to do anything that i personally can do if i think it might help. Like i said on the first page

Corruption and beauracracy is their biggest enemy

 

[vaniilla]

its very sensationalist in the press, its not a matter of people starving because that food sent over will run out or may never reach them, its all about politics and trade, the world wants to highlight giving aid and sending money which never solves anything because as others have said it goes on corrupt governments or gets trickled down the chain of command in charities to pay wages, they'd rather throw money because they know its cheaper and more visible then dealing with the real problems of trade and corruption

I understand this and i agree i am just trying to do anything that i personally can do if i think it might help. Like i said on the first page

Corruption and beauracracy is their biggest enemy

the thing is though there is nothing 1 or 100 people can do, its something on such a large scale that it needs large scale measures, the only thing people can do is send aid and not buy/use products that exploit people in poor countries

 

[ShanandBoc]

I know Vanilla. Its just terrible. x

 

[vaniilla]

I know Vanilla. Its just terrible. x

it is I always talk to my oh about, its crazy that you can get on a plane and in a couple of hours you can be somewhere where people are suffering and dying of preventable diseases

 

[ShanandBoc]

There is such a gap between the rich and the poor that its sickening

 

[Lightworker]

This one lady lost 4 children in one day. What horror for a mother. What can we do?

 

[ShanandBoc]

How would u even go on, i would just want to die myself.

 

[Breezy]

I cry when I see those poor families on TV and I cry when I read this thread. I can't imagine waking up in the morning g wondering which of my children are going to die today. You better believe if I was wealthy I would go broke trying to help these poor poor families. It makes me want to scream help them!!!!! Jeez billionaires don't news billions of dollars give them something! Help them. I'm going to bed now to pray and cry for the mothers and children!!

 

[Blah11]

I am currently reading a book by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai called the Challenge for Africa, and I agree with alot of what she says. Yes, it is essential to provide aid, as people will die otherwise, but I think, inadvertently or not, perhaps we have created an aid-dependent Africa iykwim? Perhaps we need to focus also on other avenues, eg, we need to lobby governments to stop their exploitative trade agreements, i.e no point donating to a country with one hand, while you are exploiting their resources with the other.

Also, I think the international community needs to come up with a uniform, consistent way of dealing with such issues, instead of intervening haphazardly where they see fit, they should intervene in all situations that meet given criteria. I think the world may have given up on Somalia because it has been in dire straits for so long.

Also, I think we need to focus alot on empowering us Africans, and ensuring that we make it our responsibility to fix our continent. No point in the west donating millions when we cannot manage it.

I think African parents also need to instill in their children the value of self-confidence, self-worth, integrity and community spirit. I think at the moment its a case of everyone just looking out for themselves.

Anyway, sorry for going off on one, I am just trying to illustrate that while it is unfair that there are people who are so rich, and then those that are starving and the allocation of wealth seems so inequitable, it goes deeper than that, and in attempts to help Somalia, and Africa in general, we need to have amulti-pronged approach.

You know one thing though, it amazes me at the intelligence and caring you ladies on BnB show. You never know, maybe we can start a BnB mother's movement haha, x

I do somewhat agree but Somalia is going through a extreme natural disaster - a famine. No matter how much they help themselves, if theres a drought and they lose all their food and water, thats it

 

[ShanandBoc]

Our main bank here in Aus just boasted a 6.5 billion dollar annual profit.

While millions starve.

Makes my blood boil.

 

[ShanandBoc]

I am currently reading a book by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai called the Challenge for Africa, and I agree with alot of what she says. Yes, it is essential to provide aid, as people will die otherwise, but I think, inadvertently or not, perhaps we have created an aid-dependent Africa iykwim? Perhaps we need to focus also on other avenues, eg, we need to lobby governments to stop their exploitative trade agreements, i.e no point donating to a country with one hand, while you are exploiting their resources with the other.

Also, I think the international community needs to come up with a uniform, consistent way of dealing with such issues, instead of intervening haphazardly where they see fit, they should intervene in all situations that meet given criteria. I think the world may have given up on Somalia because it has been in dire straits for so long.

Also, I think we need to focus alot on empowering us Africans, and ensuring that we make it our responsibility to fix our continent. No point in the west donating millions when we cannot manage it.

I think African parents also need to instill in their children the value of self-confidence, self-worth, integrity and community spirit. I think at the moment its a case of everyone just looking out for themselves.

Anyway, sorry for going off on one, I am just trying to illustrate that while it is unfair that there are people who are so rich, and then those that are starving and the allocation of wealth seems so inequitable, it goes deeper than that, and in attempts to help Somalia, and Africa in general, we need to have amulti-pronged approach.

You know one thing though, it amazes me at the intelligence and caring you ladies on BnB show. You never know, maybe we can start a BnB mother's movement haha, x

I do somewhat agree but Somalia is going through a extreme natural disaster - a famine. No matter how much they help themselves, if theres a drought and they lose all their food and water, thats it

The drought isnt the only cause tho.....

 

[Lightworker]

Blah- yeah I see your point, but Somalis know they live in a semi-arid country that is prone to famine. If they had better governance, proper channels for resolving conflict, etc they would have had some sort of contingencies in place. The point I am trying to make I guess is that for the future, if we inspire a huge change in the way things are done, perhaps thenext famine will not have such disastrous consequences as there will be Plan B, C, D and E. Its a case of knowing your limitations and preparing for eventualities.

 

[Blah11]

I do agree, and yes, I know its not JUST the drought but that is why its so bad this year I do feel sorry for the children though, especially as its their own people who are keeping their country in '3rd world' status.

 

[blinkybaby]

The other thing that sickens me is how expensive everything is in this country and the West in general. I would love to donate more than I have done, and I know that the money I give will go so much further in that country than it would go here (i.e. £100 can feed hundreds of people) and £100 in this country would buy you an expensive pair of shoes. But the simple fact is that I have to spend an obscene amount of money (in terms of what things are actually worth) on just living. So I guess that what we pay for things in this country is way more than what things are actually worth, which seems wasteful and I don't quite understand why this is.