The Student Room Group

Africa doesn't need saving

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2015/may/27/eliza-anyangwe-africans-dont-want-stinky-tshirts-mythbusters

So I guess if Africa doesn't need saving then we should stop donating? If you don't want t-shirts then everyone in Africa must have clothes and if they don't need clothes and have mobile phones then they must be pretty set.

Everyone, save yourself some money if you donate to Africa charities because they don't need it. They're fine.

She has a message which is probably a fair, considerable outlook on the (mostly Western) perception of Africa but she fails miserably at communicating it in an effective manner.

What are your thoughts?

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Reply 1
Original post by Ozzin
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2015/may/27/eliza-anyangwe-africans-dont-want-stinky-tshirts-mythbusters

So I guess if Africa doesn't need saving then we should stop donating? If you don't want t-shirts then everyone in Africa must have clothes and if they don't need clothes and have mobile phones then they must be pretty set.

Everyone, save yourself some money if you donate to Africa charities because they don't need it. They're fine.

She has a message which is probably a fair, considerable outlook on the (mostly Western) perception of Africa but she fails miserably at communicating it in an effective manner.

What are your thoughts?


I think you've missed the point of the message.

Africa isn't a basketcase where only bad things happens.

Not everyone in the UK has clothes and some people in the UK need charity. But the international narrative on the UK isn't that we're a war-torn, poverty stricken nation of disease. The ratios are different in Africa, but the point being made is the narrative of Africa shouldn't be that either.

Thats what I took from it anyway.
Reply 2
Africa has certainly done much better since the collapse of the USSR allied governments. Still a poor basket case though largely.
Reply 3
Original post by Quady
I think you've missed the point of the message.

Africa isn't a basketcase where only bad things happens.

Not everyone in the UK has clothes and some people in the UK need charity. But the international narrative on the UK isn't that we're a war-torn, poverty stricken nation of disease. The ratios are different in Africa, but the point being made is the narrative of Africa shouldn't be that either.

Thats what I took from it anyway.


If you read my post you will have realised that I too understand the point but I believe the message she was trying to give was convoluted and poorly communicated.
Original post by JewrySupremacy
Needs saving from the Jewish usurping money lenders like the IMF.


Guardian wouldn't say that, because they're the Guardian of Judea
Jewish Left controlled opposition.


With your profile pic, name and comment I loled hard tbh.
Europe needs saving from those who share the views of the Guardian
Original post by Ozzin
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2015/may/27/eliza-anyangwe-africans-dont-want-stinky-tshirts-mythbusters

So I guess if Africa doesn't need saving then we should stop donating? If you don't want t-shirts then everyone in Africa must have clothes and if they don't need clothes and have mobile phones then they must be pretty set.

Everyone, save yourself some money if you donate to Africa charities because they don't need it. They're fine.

She has a message which is probably a fair, considerable outlook on the (mostly Western) perception of Africa but she fails miserably at communicating it in an effective manner.

What are your thoughts?


There are negative stereotypes of Africa, sure. There are some very significant developing countries. Lots of culture, and is very heterogeneous. It's a huge continent.

But there are many extremely poor and suffering areas which desperately need all the aid they can get.

Not necessarily shirts... everyone has clothes lol... Mobile phones don't really cost anything either.
But rather infrastructure such as medicine and health provision generally, food and water, education etc.
Reply 7
I notice that this wave of "stop negatively stereotyping Africa" articles come primarily from black people born and raised in the West as well as people from relatively wealthy parts of Africa like Ghana, Nigeria etc, all seemingly oblivious of the fact that a hell of a lot of Africans do live in severe poverty and do need our help.

Essentially most of these writers are Guardianistas who are looking for yet another stick to beat white people with. They'll happily sail millions of their fellow Africans down the river if it means they get the chance to make whitey look bad again.
"What's the first thing you think of when you see the next word?"

*Africa*

"Safari, The Lion King"

*Proceeds to talk about death and disease*

Seriously, what the hell did I just watch?
Considering how rich they are in water, minerals and labour they should be fine if they'd stop chopping off each other genitals for five minutes they might notice this.
Original post by Soldieroffortune
Considering how rich they are in water, minerals and labour they should be fine if they'd stop chopping off each other genitals for five minutes they might notice this.


Maybe they should be like europe and exterminate minorities and have wars were 70 million die
Original post by golden tribe
Maybe they should be like europe and exterminate minorities and have wars were 70 million die


You know the figure covers africa as well? It's funny when little kids like you try to be smart and just end up showing off your lack of knowledge, especially about WWII As it was neither confined to Europe nor has Europe tried to exterminate anyone the people of Africa on the other hand have on multiple occasions in the past twenty years let alone longer.
Not everyone from Africa is poor and not everyone is financially stable. That dosen't mean you should stop helping those who need help ???? :s-smilie:
Original post by Soldieroffortune
You know the figure covers africa as well? It's funny when little kids like you try to be smart and just end up showing off your lack of knowledge, especially about WWII As it was neither confined to Europe nor has Europe tried to exterminate anyone the people of Africa on the other hand have on multiple occasions in the past twenty years let alone longer.


Are you saying ww1 and ww2 were not european, europeans dragged others into their war.
Original post by golden tribe
Are you saying ww1 and ww2 were not european, what an idiot. europeans dragged others into their war.



World War One Involved well the world as did the second... I don't remember us dragging Asia or the Americas into it they did that them selves or Australasia for that matter they volunteered along with the rest of the world.
Do you even know what these wars were about actually better question do you even know what they were? Go get one of those pop up picture books on it you might learn something.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by taffaramzy
Not everyone from Africa is poor and not everyone is financially stable. That dosen't mean you should stop helping those who need help ???? :s-smilie:


Basically. Anyway:
Akon brings electricity to 600 million Africans

:yy:
Reply 16
Original post by Soldieroffortune
Considering how rich they are in water, minerals and labour they should be fine if they'd stop chopping off each other genitals for five minutes they might notice this.


Sigh. Do you really think that has anything to do with it?
Original post by viddy9
Sigh. Do you really think that has anything to do with it?


That the countries are for the most part filthy rich or that they're chock a block with savages with machetes? Yes otherwise I wouldn't have written it, viddy.
Original post by Soldieroffortune
Lol is little boy getting upset that he knows not about what he's saying?
World War One Involved well the world as did the second... I don't remember us dragging Asia or the Americas into it they did that them selves or Australasia for that matter they volunteered along with the rest of the world.
Do you even know what these wars were about actually better question do you even know what they were? Go get one of those pop up picture books on it you might learn something.


Ww1 and ww2 were european wars, other countries like america fought in it cuz they are europeans . There were many soliders from afrixa and asia who were forced to fight and paid money. It was europeans killing each other.
Reply 19
Original post by golden tribe
Ww1 and ww2 were european wars, other countries like america fought in it cuz they are europeans . There were many soliders from afrixa and asia who were forced to fight and paid money. It was europeans killing each other.

Idiot


So Japan wasn't an important player? So Japan invading China did not contribute.

So the Italians did not declare their intention of conquering North Africa?

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