Africa can help Africa more than all of the other nations and organizations in the world. Although many international organizations have stepped in to assist the continent in recent years and have put in effort in trying to reduce poverty, funding school systems, instituting vaccination programs to combat various illnesses and providing food and clean water to those in blighted areas, Africa can help Africa simply by banding together as one nation to conquer all of the problems facing the continent today.

This is easier said than done. Most of the nations in Africa were at one time colonized by different European nations. Prior to colonization, different tribal fractions ruled each nation. Wars between different African nations were not uncommon and are still not uncommon. In addition, many nations have corrupt, political leaders, are engaged or have just come out of a devastating civil war, are poverty stricken, or have various religious fractions each vying for control of the nation’s time and resources.

Some of the issues facing Africa today include political corruption, poverty, famine, AIDS, Malaria, civil unrest and religious persecution. These are not easy issues for any individual nation to combat. But as a continent working together, Africa can achieve the same standards for its people as those in the West.

While most of Africa is rich in many different natural resources, including oil, diamonds, copper, zinc and other precious resources, it is also a land rich in culture. Each nation in Africa has a unique culture that can benefit the world if given a chance. If the nations of Africa could put aside their political and religious differences for a period of time, they could harvest the abundant natural resources, including oil, that are found in the continent and use them to benefit all of Africa.

Benefits derived from precious natural resources in Africa today often go to corrupt political governments instead of the citizens of the nations. In some of the nations richest in natural resources, the citizens live in abject poverty and are plagued with various illnesses and maladies that can easily be treated through proper nutrition and medications. The problems facing Africa today are not necessarily created by the African people, but by years of colonization and tribal feuds that separated the continent as well as the existing nations. The people living in the continent of Africa would like nothing better than to live peaceful, fruitful lives; they are no different than the rest of the people in the world.

One person who can make a difference in Africa helping Africa is Sali Amin. Sali Amin is the son of Mohamed Amin whose photos of the children starving in Ethiopia due to draught brought international attention to the situation in Ethiopia and helped millions of people survive. Sali Amin plans to create a 24-hour satellite news programme that will premier in 2008 called “Africa For Africa.” This programme can be the catalyst Africa needs to see that, despite political, religious and cultural differences, all who live in Africa are indeed, one community.

International communities have good intentions of trying to help Africa struggle with the various problems it faces. Organisations such as The Red Cross have been instrumental in assisting the people in Africa with medical problems as well as food shortages. All too often, however, the money that is given by the West to help the people of Africa falls into the hands of corrupt political powers. Simply throwing money at the problem and hoping it goes away does very little to help the people living in Africa who are struggling for an everyday existence. It may make the individual nations and organizations feel better and feel as though they are ‘doing something” but only Africa can truly help Africa.

Imagine the continent of Africa as one nation, rich in diversity and very wealthy in natural resources. Diverse populations exist peacefully in other parts of the world, and they can also do so in Africa. In addition to the abundant wealth in natural resources in Africa, the land is breathtaking. All ecological systems exist on this continent and some of the most wonderful sights in the world can be found in Africa, such as Victoria Falls, the pyramids of Egypt, the Serengeti, just to name a few. Africa can help Africa by realizing that by uniting as one nation, they can not only use their resources to help the citizens of Africa, reduce or eliminate disease and hunger, but they can modernize the continent and make it desirable for others to travel to Africa. There is no better scenery in the world than is found in Africa, and no better or more diverse culture. Africa can help Africa by making the continent a safe place for outside tourists, which would create additional revenue.

Sali Amin is on the right track with his idea for a news program that will encompass all of Africa, instead of just focusing on different nations. Media is a powerful tool for change. Hopefully, with the advent of this new media, those living in Africa can realize the potential of the land and Africa can help Africa.

africa news
nigeria news