Too Much for Few, Too Little for Many

50 million orphans live in Africa. 3000 are killed each day because of malaria. 589 million Africans live without electricity, and 40% of people in the world who don’t have access to clean water live in Africa (Facts). Wealthy aristocrats of the country enjoy luxurious lives with proper education and healthcare, while at the same time, millions of citizens lack basic necessities like food or housing. Most people understand that this is a serious matter, but they don’t realize the gravity of the issue until they hear that two hundred of the richest people in the world hold more wealth than the entire African population (Miyandazi). The first step to solve this issue is finding the root of it.

A major cause of this unequal division is the deep rooted problems from colonial and apartheid times that have not disappeared from Africa’s society. These events have delayed the industrial development of the country, making it difficult for the government to sustain money. This causes lower class citizens to fall into debt. While trying to rebuild the country, division of social classes have only worsened. For example, although Angola is the second largest producer of oil in Africa, producing 30 billion dollars worth of oil in 2007, 25% of lower class children living in the country die within five years of birth (Wengraf). Furthermore, segregation between whites and blacks is still evident. Thalepo Nambo, an African citizen, shares some personal experience. In his hometown of Tshwane, Nambo notices, “The facilities that majority of the whites access are much higher quality than to that of their black counterparts” (Nambo). As described by Nambo, social class inequality between the two races correlates with colonial and apartheid history.

The extreme conditions of the poor are only worsened by the lack of interest the government holds. They have the ability to help, but the ruling class shows no compassion. Corrupted by their lavish lives, they are ignorant of the dire situation. According to Bloomberg, in the past ten years, 11 cities in Africa have increased their GDP by 51% (Miyandazi). However, it was shown that the conditions of lower class citizens stayed the same or worsened in those years. The government has not given lower class citizens enough opportunities, like helping them open small businesses or finding a job. The PEW Research Center found that less than 6% of Africans are considered middle class, meaning that the majority are either extremely poor or extremely rich (Few). The scant amount of industries can not generate enough employment, making it difficult for citizens to find proper jobs.

Although this may seem like a futile situation, there are people attempting to deal with it. For example, companies and individuals have donated to the cause. Google gave 2.4 million dollars, and Dustin Moskovitz donated 25 million dollars to African charity organizations (Brown). Another approach is raising awareness. Africa Industrialization Day is on November 20, and is meant to encourage everyone to help with the industrialization of Africa. Industrializing the country allows lower class citizens to gain opportunities (Industrialization). In addition, several organizations like ActionAid are continuously fighting for the equality of all citizens in Africa (Miyandazi).

However, despite aid that this issue is receiving, it is not enough to bring the poor out of poverty. As World Bank shows, the number of people in poverty increased from 4.11 million to 415.8 million in a single year (Miyandazi). In spite of this, if people around the world take action, no matter how small, it will eventually help close the gap between the poor and rich.

Works Cited:
Brown, Ryan Lenora. "To fight poverty in Africa, a new-old solution: cash handouts." Christian Science Monitor, 11 Dec. 2016. Global Issues in Context. Accessed 7 Mar. 2017.

“Facts & Statistics About Africa.” Children.org, Children International. Accessed 13 Mar. 2017.

“Few and Far Between.” The Economist, The Economist Newspaper, 22 Oct. 2015. Accessed 4 Mar. 2017.

"Industrialization key to poverty reduction in Africa: researcher." Xinhua News Agency, 25 Nov. 2016. Global Issues in Context. Accessed 7 Mar. 2017.

Miyandazi, Luckystar. “Inequality in Africa: Effects of the Ruling Class.” ActionAid International, Act!onAid, 4 May 2016. Accessed 4 Mar. 2017.

Nambo, Thapelo. “Race,Class,Gender in an Unequal South Africa.” news24.Com, News24, 18 Jan. 2016. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017.

Wengraf, Lee. “The Class Dimension of African Social Struggles.” Isreview.org, International Socialist Review. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017.

Limit

Limit

Sierra Leone has been dubbed one of the worst places to be a woman, with a Gender Inequality Index rating of 0.65. On a one point scale 0.65 is a high score for a country to have and the higher the number the more gender inequality (Chen). Being born a girl in Sierra Leone means an existence of limits and traditions that make it significantly harder to live a long and happy life (Okeowo). These traditions along with a lack of education for young women leads to the difficulty that women are faced with in Sierra Leone (Addressing).

The Bondo, a very prominent tradition through Sierra Leone, is a secret society of women that perform a ceremony to bring girls into womanhood. This tradition takes place in a secluded area of the forest called the Bondo bush and there, young girls go through genital mutilation (O’Carroll). Sierra Leone has one of the highest rates of female genital mutilation at 90% of women having had it done to them (Okeowo). Bondo is seen as a vital part of growing up and girls must go through it before they are given respect. The soweis, the women who hold the most senior rank in the society, keep the girls in the Bondo bush after cutting them to teach them what it means to be a “good wife”. That when they are married they must do the laundry, cooking, cleaning and get on well with everyone in their husband’s family and serve them (O’Carroll). The practice of genital mutilation also aims to limit a woman’s sensuality and is both emotionally and physically damaging (Okeowo). For girls who undergo Bondo, it is rarely their choice, parents make the decision and the girl does not have a say. Young girls live in fear of being taken from their house in the middle of the night to the Bondo, some girls run, but there is a Bondo established in every town which makes it very difficult to get away. Girls who do not go through Bondo are ostracized by everyone in the community (O’Carroll).

Furthermore girls are also limited by their limited access to education. Education for girls is regularly being taken away and undervalued in Sierra Leone. If girls refuse to go through Bondo they may be taken out of school as a punishment (O’Carroll). Recently Sierra Leone’s ministry of education has banned pregnant girls from attending school because they believe it will set a bad example for other students. This in reality is just hurting these young pregnant girls (Okeowo). Teenage pregnancy is not uncommon due to a lack of contraceptives and sex education as well as a higher rate of rape (Addressing). Most often the pregnancy for these girls is far from a choice, yet they are being punished for something that is already burdensome by not allowing them to go to school. These girls want to learn and go to school because often it is their only refuge from all the dangers of the world in which they live (Okeowo).

0.65 looks like a small insignificant number, but in terms of equality it means a lot. On a one point scale with one being the most inequality it is a very significant number that displays the lives of women. This number both reflects the traditions of a developing society and reflects the progress being made.

Bibliography:

Addressing the Challenge of Women's Health in Africa. Publication. N.p.: World Health Organization, n.d.

World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, 2015. Web. I know that this source is reliable because I have heard of it many times and I additionally looked up some more information on it to be certain. The World Health Organization is a well respected organization with a great deal of informative and helpful articles. The report is in favor of helping women in Africa become healthier and have better more comfortable lives with access to help for reproductive health. There are a lot of just facts in the report though which makes a good majority of it rather neutral and simply informative. I will use this in my introduction to talk about the background of the issue.

Chan, Margaret. "On the road to health equality: investing in women and the people of Africa." Harvard International Review, vol. 36, no. 1, 2014, p. 10+. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, Accessed 6 Mar. 2017. I know this is a reliable source because I found it through the online databases. This source discusses how to better help women in Africa and how helping women would increase the quality of life not just for women, but for everyone in the community. The article discusses solutions and goals for helping women with their rights, especially reproductive rights. I will use this in talking about the Gender Inequality Index.

O'Carroll, Lisa. "Sierra Leone's Secret FGM Societies Spread Silent Fear and Sleepless Nights." Women's

Rights and Gender Equality. Guardian News and Media, 24 Aug. 2015. Web. 07 Mar. 2017. I know this source is reliable because I have heard of The Guardian and know that it is widely seen as a reliable source. This article shows both sides of the argument on female genital mutilation. It discusses the Bondo which is a secret society of women who have quite a bit of power and believe in female genital mutilation as it is a tradition. I will use this source in my paper to show why female genital mutilation is occurring in the first place and show the opposing point of view.

Okeowo, Alexis. "For These Girls, Danger Is a Way of Life." National Geographic. National Geographic,

23 Feb. 2017. Web. 07 Mar. 2017. I know this source is reliable because I was assigned to read part of it for my AP Human Geography class and it is published by National Geographic. This article tells the stories of young girls and mothers in Sierra Leone and how life has treated them. The article is mainly facts, but it certainly leans towards the protection of these young girls and it will help society as a whole. This also talks briefly of female genital mutilation and how it fits into society. I will be using this in my hook and throughout my paper to talk about specific cases in Sierra Leone and education.

South Africa: The Stay at Home Parents of the World

South Africa: The Stay at Home Parents of the World

In America, unemployment has long been regarded as a serious and pressing issue, even though only 4.7% of all Americans are unemployed (United). In South Africa, nearly 30% of all citizens are unemployed, and the percentage is still increasing (FIN24).  Although many attempts have been made to repair this problem, the unemployment rate in South Africa is only going up.

Many factors lead to the prevalence of unemployment in South Africa. Two of the main catalysts are the high rates of unemployment among young people and the lack of diversity in the job market. These factors, combined with the rampant poverty that many citizens are already living in, affect around 8.9 million people, which is nearly a quarter of the South African population (Holodny).

First of all, for the youth of South Africa, the struggle of finding work continues to intensify as the rate of unemployment rises. Of the population of people from ages 15 to 34, 45% are unemployed (Sowetan).One of the leading causes of this issue is the job market’s general distrust of young people (Cameron). Many companies are unwilling to hire South African youth and raise numerous requirements to prevent the youth from applying (Sowetan). Furthermore, the majority of young South Africans are being born into impoverished rural areas. This economic and geographic position hinders their ability to get access to information and the internet more readily found in the cities (Sowetan). Without internet, many people have limited choices, because they cannot look online for jobs or knowledge to help them (Cameron). This cycle of poverty and unemployment will only grow worse as the children of this generation are born into poverty as well (Cameron).

Another significant issue is the specialization of South Africa’s job market. South Africa does not offer many jobs that involve manual labor, and instead the market prefers higher paying and more advanced jobs. This excludes a large majority of the population because the education system in many parts of the country does not provide a meaningful degree for people looking for jobs (Solution). Additionally, the government does not permit private companies to employ people for temporary and low wage jobs. This continues to limit the job opportunities of many people, according to numerous experts (Cameron).

Many experts on this issue have provided a short term, as well as a long term solution. Laurie Graham, a Senior Researcher at the Social Development Center for Africa, explains that the most effective short term solution would be to have companies focus on hiring younger people (Cameron). Also, lowering wages and allowing private companies to hire people for short amounts of time would give much more people the opportunity to find a job (Sowetan). Over time, Laurie Graham believes that by following a “fundamentally new approach that is urban-led, private sector-driven, enabled by a capable state, and aimed at mass employment”, South Africa can reduce unemployment drastically.

Although the issue of unemployment is currently very serious in South Africa, there are many solutions being offered to fix it. Many experts advocate that South Africa must become realistic in its industry opportunities, and work to provide lower paying jobs for the majority of its citizens (Solution). Without change, the problem of unemployment will continue to grow.

Works Cited

Bernstein, Ann. "South Africa's Unemployment Crisis the Worst in the World." Sowetan LIVE. N.p., 13 Apr. 2016. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

Cameron, Jackie. "Scary Truth about SA Unemployment: Half of Young Adults Can't Find Jobs - New Research." BizNews.com. N.p., 14 Feb. 2017. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

"Double Trouble for SA over Soaring Unemployment." Fin24. Fin24, 11 May 2016. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

Graham, Lauren. "What South Africa Can Do about Youth Unemployment in the Short Run."Sowetan Live. N.p., 17 Feb. 2017. Web. 7 Mar. 2017.

Holodny, Elena. "South Africa's Unemployment Rate Just Surged to a 12-year High."Business Insider Australia. N.p., 09 May 2016. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

"The Solution to South Africa’s Unemployment Problem: Pay People Less." BusinessTech. N.p., 29 Sept. 2016. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

"United States Unemployment Rate | 1948-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar." United States Unemployment Rate | 1948-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

Not Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Deforestation in Africa Rising

Not Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Deforestation in Africa Rising

     When you think of Africa, you usually think of animals grazing or savannas. However, the reality

is much different. In Africa, more than “80% live in the rural areas and are subsistence to farmers”

(Ripple Africa) and many species are dying out. Deforestation in Africa is a serious issue that affects

the whole continent. Climate change is a ramification deforestation and is causing people and animals

to suffer in its wake.
     There are numerous sources that impact the deforestation problem in Africa. The root of the

problem lies primarily within the government and the public. The government is not establishing

deforestation laws for the people to follow and the public is taking advantage of the government's

poor enforcement job. The main fuel used in Africa is wood, 95% of the homes in Africa rely on

wood for cooking (Ripple Africa). Each week, around 66 pounds of wood is used by each household,

making the wood supply in constant demand. In Africa the houses are mainly built from bricks, and

require ample amounts of wood to fuel up the kiln (Ripple Africa). To build a small house you need

the equivalent of three huge trees and currently, there are no laws in place that restrict this use or

require replanting after harvesting. Most of the land in Africa is being cleared for plantations, “cattle

grazing, soya farming, expanding cities, dams and logging” (John Vidal). The causes of deforestation

have a larger impact than can be seen.
     The effects of deforestation change the whole ecology of the continent. The population in Africa

over the past years has increased dramatically as well as the stress of demand to provide more

supplies and fuel for not only Africa but for countries outside of the African continent.  Most of the

deforestation is deemed “unregulated and often illegal extraction of timber {and}puts wildlife, local

people and economies at risk” (WWF). The foreign demand is primarily from China, “forests of

Congo Basin are being harvested at unprecedented rates” says the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The

clearance of land is known to ultimately make the air drier, adjusts precipitation and weather patterns.

PhysOrg describes the science behind deforestation in a recent article saying that “Forest loss is

known to have a nearby cooling effect, because without trees the Earth's surface is more reflective

and absorbs less sunlight, and loss of vegetation also makes air drier. These local effects of

deforestation are well known” (Physorg.com). Some animals and plants have become extinct due to

the drought brought on by deforestation. A scientist for Kenya Wildlife Service said that deforestation

is “causing this ecosystem to lose a lot of biodiversity” (VOA).  Another shocking piece of

information is that Pygmies, a small tribe in Africa, which are considered to be “Africa's oldest

human population” are oftentimes “exploited or even enslaved by other groups” (Donald G. McNeil

Jr). Their presence is being exposed, due to deforestation and industrialization. The trees in Africa are

only one important factor in deforestation.
     In the past, there have been efforts to bring deforestation to an end by the government making

laws. However, the government has failed to come through and put the laws in place. An obvious

solution like replanting more than is harvested to create a sustainable industry, thus helping Africa

reverse the negative impacts deforestation has had on the continent. Yet, all the hard work put in

place to plant the trees will be vanished if no laws are being established and enforced by the

government. Deforestation in Africa is a major problem that will take a long-term solution to fix.  

Works Cited 

“Congo Rainforest and Basin.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund,    
www.worldwildlife.org/places/congo-basin. Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.

“Deforestation in Africa - Malawi.” RIPPLE Africa,
www.rippleafrica.org/environment-projects-in-malawi-africa/deforestation-in-africa. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017.

“Kenya Experiencing the Effects of Deforestation, Climate Change.” VOA, VOA, 27 Oct. 2009,
www.voanews.com/a/a-13-2007-01-05-voa24-66691992/558661.html. Accessed 7 Mar. 2017.

“Large Forest Die-Offs Can Have Effects That Ricochet to Distant Ecosystems.” Phys.org -
News and Articles on Science and Technology, 16 Nov. 2016, phys.org/news/2016-11-large-forest-die-offs-effects-ricochet.html. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017.
Mcneil, Donald G., Jr. "Deforestation Threatens Pygmies in Central Africa." New York Times, 26
Jan. 2016, p. D3(L). Student Resources in Context,
link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A441360267/SUIC?u=los42754&xid=1d85149a. Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.
Vidal, John. “We Are Destroying Rainforests so Quickly They May Be Gone in 100 Years | John
Vidal.” Forests for Climate and Development, Guardian News and Media, 23 Jan. 2017,www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2017/jan/23/destroying-rainforests-quickly-gone-100-years-deforestation. Accessed 7 Mar. 2017.

Getting Help from the Little Guy: Elephants in Need

Drew Guggeis

Ms. Bennett

WLH 1

Getting Help from the Little Guy: Elephants in Need

In Africa, the elephant is a symbol of power and beauty. But the elephant may soon become a tale of the past like the dinosaurs. As the population declines, severity rises. the elephants represent an important piece to the ecosystem and food chain, and if the world continues on the path it is going, that chain may suffer. While the poaching is an upsetting topic, many people from Africa and around the world are aiding to fight for the gentle giant. From ivory banning to local donations and protection services, great strides are being taken to protect the elephants.

Politicians from around the world are intervening to help the cause. It is well known that China holds the largest ivory market in the world, with value in the expensive ivory carvings and figures that can be made out of an elephant tusk. However, in a grand effort to aid the elephants and Africa, China announced that it will close the ivory market by the end of 2017 (Africa). This will surely pare down the amount of poachers and ivory traders threatening the population.  This gesture, especially coming from China, shows great promise for the future of elephants and the environment as a whole. Not only China, but also those of the EU are partaking in the effort to end the poaching. The EU recently had a convention and discussed whether to also shut down their domestic trade markets and began a petition to do so which gain over 100,000 signatures (Kairu). An astonishing amount in such a short time shows the impact that the elephants and their poaching holds in the people in Africa, and the world. While many outside of Africa are aiding in stopping the trade of elephant tusks, a tougher fight is taking place in the land of the issue.

Local groups are also taking on the task of protecting the elephants from poaching as well. In a major national park in Gabon there is a large population of elephants whose population has dwindled by 80% . This study took place at Duke University and was led by John Poulsen who said, “the loss of 25,000 elephants from this key sanctuary is a considerable setback for the preservation of the species,” (Bennett). In an effort to slow this reduction, the Gabonese government has elevated the status of the elephants to fully protected. This means that they will protect the elephants even more from the poachers which will hopefully save the population. This is a significant step to the protection and to the future of the African elephants and the African environment. Similarly, in Rwanda, the government is using revenue from tourism to fund national parks in the hopes that they will use it to protect their animal including elephants (Mullen). This is a very generous donation considering the other profitable possibilities for that income stream. With more and more contributions arising, the fate of the elephants are looking up.

Although elephants are enormous creatures, every once in awhile they may need assistance from someone smaller than their own leg. The elephant population has been declining for decades, but people are taking action to try to save the beautiful elephant. Even though many ivory are extremely intricate and extravagant, they may no longer be circulating the market. Some would even argue that ivory looks even more beautiful attached to elephants.

Dayu Zhang, Jethro Mullen. “Booming Illegal Ivory Trade Taking Severe Toll on Africa's Elephants, Groups Say.” "CNN", CNN, June 2012, www.cnn.com/2012/09/05/world/africa/africa-ivory-elephant-slaughter/index.html. Accessed Mar. 2017.

Bennett, Abbie. “Duke Study: Poaching Drives 80 Percent Decline in Elephants at Central African Preserve.” "Newsobserver", Newsobserver, 2017, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article134572679.html. Accessed Mar. 2017.

Kairu, Pauline. “Africa: Pressure Shifts to EU Over Ivory Trade.” "AllAfrica.com", AllAfrica.com, July 2017, allafrica.com/stories/201702100212.html. Accessed Mar. 2017.

Anonymous. “Africa Lauds China's Move to Close Ivory Market.” "Xinhuanet.com", Xinhuanet.com, 2017, news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-01/14/c_135980968.htm. Accessed July 2017.

Overcoming Education Challenges For Girls in Africa

Overcoming Education Challenges For Girls in Africa

Can you imagine never having the opportunity to go to school? Needing to stay home to cook and take care of your family? Not being able to read or write a single sentence? This is reality for millions of girls in Africa, 28 million of them ages 6-15 are not in school and never will be.(Costin, Montoya, Mundy). Education for women would lead to lower infant and maternal mortality, less child marriage and overpopulation, and a more educated country in general with improved treatment of women.(Jordan) While there is support and promotion for women’s education in Africa, it continues to be hindered by outside forces.  

Poverty and outdated family values are believed to account for the biggest obstacles in female education. In many common African households, women are expected to take care of housework for the sake of tradition(Jordan). Fortunately, these customs and expectations are finally changing(Jordan); however, education for girls is still being majorly obstructed by poverty. There is often not enough money to squander on materials needed such as books, uniforms, and fees, and families will often use any small amounts of extra money to send their sons to school(Schuetze). Males are generally held in a higher regard than females in Africa, they receive the best food and treatment(Hunter-Gault). Because of this, they are more likely to get a paid job than women, which encourages families to educate their sons rather than daughters. While the boys are in school, girls are often forced into marriages while they’re under 18 years of age(The Conversation Africa). Child marriage along with underage and often unwanted pregnancies contribute to around 15-20% of school drop-outs in sub-Saharan Africa(The Conversation Africa). Since women are considered as inferior to men, their lives are often viewed as a drain on family money unless the girl can be married off for a dowry to financially benefit the girl’s family(The Conversation Africa). This means that the “education” that girls experience in Africa consists of how to be a proper wife.

There are numerous campaigns and and organizations working to improve women’s education, and while the situation is still dire, many positive advances have been made. Camfed, a non-profit organization devoted to providing financial aid for African girls has caused much of this progress. More than three million students have benefited from Camfed work, and the organization has constructed a network of Camfed graduates working to advise their communities(Schuetze). Other companies such as UNESCO, the World Bank, and the Global Partnership for Education are also attempting to promote gender equality and provide schooling for women and girls(Mundy, Costin, Montoya). As education for girls becomes a more prevalent topic of discussion, people are finally giving it the attention and aid it deserves. A civil society organization in Ethiopia managed to increase attendance rates for girls and delay child marriages by offering a sheep or cow to parents who promised not to marry off their daughters(The Conversation Africa). As parochial values begin to break down, women are being viewed in a more favorable light, and are given more opportunities.

As Nelson Kaperemera said, “We still have some communities where the value of education for girls is still being doubted, because in the past they were valuing sending boys to school. But I think that is now changing. There's been a lot of social mobilization campaign to try and increase girls' access to education.” Africa’s enrollment and attendance rates, as well as its learning environments are certainly improving, but many young girls are still held back by poverty and tradition.

Works Cited

Africa, The Conversation. "How Schooling Can save African Girls from Becoming Child Brides." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 18 Mar. 2016. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.

Hunter-Gault, Charlayne. "The Missed Education of African Girls." NPR. NPR, 08 Aug. 2006. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

Jordan, Ray. "The Education Challenges of Africa's Girls." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 18 Feb. 2017. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

Mundy, Karen, Claudia Costin, and Silvia Montoya. "No Girl Left behind – Education in Africa." Global Partnership for Education. Global Partnership, 6 Mar. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2017.

Schuetze, Christopher F. "Bringing Education to African Girls." The New York Times. The New York Times, 23 Nov. 2014. Web. 04 Mar. 2017.

Directions for Africa Issue Post

Directions for Africa Issue Post:

Publish -  Publish your article to the class blog; be sure to include your catchy headline. Under your article, you will need to post your Works Cited (only the sources cited in your article in MLA format), as this is a public blog and we need to give credit to all sources. You are welcome to include an image as long as it is a “Free to Use” image. Be sure to LABEL with “Africa Issue” and your first and last name (the exact same wording/spelling of your name as on earlier Blogger posts). Due at the beginning of class on Friday, March 17.
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Be sure to hit the orange "publish" button. View blog to make sure your post is there, and is labeled properly! (check to see that you can see your post when you click on your name AND when you click on "Africa Issue.")