Help me understand please! Third world countries...

[redhen]

2 out of every 3 people in the sub-saharan part of africa have HIV..
Nearly 3 out of every 4 deaths is AIDS related there.
The documentary must have come from that part of the country??

http://www.worldvision.org/content....ampaign=1193518&cmp=KNC-1193518&ttcode=000004

 

[saddina]

Quote:
You can look through history and notice that the more well educated a society becomes the less children the have.

Oh agreed, the picture has to be looked at as a whole... in general it's a difficult thing to tell women not to have another baby when they've lost one or more already.

 

[GrayDragon]

In Somalia and Senegal the HIV prevalence is under 1% of the adult population, whereas in Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe around 15-20% of adults are infected with HIV. In three southern African countries, the national adult HIV prevalence rate now exceeds 20%. These countries are Botswana (23.9%), Lesotho (23.2%) and Swaziland (26.1%).

West Africa has been less affected by HIV and AIDS, but some countries are experiencing rising HIV prevalence rates. In Cameroon HIV prevalence is now estimated at 5.1% and in Gabon it stands at 5.9%. In Nigeria, HIV prevalence is low (3.1%) compared to the rest of Africa. However, because of its large population (it is the most populous country in sub-Saharan Africa), this equates to around 2.6 million people living with HIV.

Adult HIV prevalence in East Africa exceeds 5% in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.


http://www.unaids.org/en/

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
If they have a right to suggest that the rest of the world needs to feed them, the rest of the world has a right to suggest it.

 

[GrayDragon]

In the areas where the 'first world' is responsible in large part for the starvation, I would state we have a duty and obligation to feed them, regardless of how many children they have.

 

[rainplace]

Quote:
You can look through history and notice that the more well educated a society becomes the less children the have.

Oh agreed, the picture has to be looked at as a whole... in general it's a difficult thing to tell women not to have another baby when they've lost one or more already.

It's part of "enlightenment" I think... or leisure time. The Romans bribed women to have more children by allowing women to own property if they gave birth to more children. Italy (which is predominantly Catholic) has one of or the lowest birthrates in the world. Italy has started bribing women to have children there as well. The poorer and less educated an area is, the more children they have. It's been like that through the rise and fall of many empires.

 

[redhen]

The bottem line for ME is, i believe that we should help Americans first..
thats it..thats all.

We should NOT have farmers here in America struggling and having to sell their farms and yet we are in another country planting things and giving them seeds to grow things.
I know it sounds selfish..dont really care. I think that part of Americas problem is that we try to get into everyones business instead of taking care of our own problems first.

 

[Boyd]

Quote:
what a profound statement. what I suggest is this... the ultra nice people such as yourself should have to pay for such subsidies to feed starving aids infected folks in africa, and folks like me who raise our own food, hunt for our meat and live well below the poverty line opt out by choice if we want to. America for Americans first is my motto... when we are all squared away let the gooberment be everything for everyone else.

sorry if that is harsh, but tired of views that state we owe others something. sorry folks, my .02 again.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Here is a good website concerning issue of AIDS/HIV in Africa.

http://www.globalissues.org/article/90/aids-in-africa


I feel that being completely isolationist and offering aid only to those in our home countries is short sighted and cruel. The United States is the richest country in the world, with our poorest people having a standard of living much higher than the world average. Yes, we have needy people here, but that doesn't remove us from the world. We use a greater porportion of the world's resources, and give little back to the countries where those resources come from. Our companies do much that keeps people in poverty, leads to environmental degradation and loss of renewable resources. Our government policies can also cause or enhance political situations that lead to poverty, civil unrest and displaced peoples. I feel that the US as a country, has a responsiblity to help others. JMHO

 

[rainplace]

Quote:
I've often thought the same thing. There's nothing wrong with wanting your money to go to Americans. I like to donate to my local foodbank/ clothing center. Everything I donate goes right back to my community. It makes me feel good knowing that is some small way I am helping the people I see everyday. On a larger local scale, we donate to a few homeless shelters and soup kitchens in the city, as well as to an afterschool program for disadvantaged youth.

On the other hand I also like donating to agencies that do global aid. Kiva is a great program! I can donate 350 dollars to someone and it makes a LIFETIME difference. 350 dollars doesn't go that far here. I remember hearing something a while back that someone was doing something similar in New York.

I think people should give where their hearts tell them to give. The point is to give.