Things about Africa

wizard · Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Posts: 15

I was raised and born in Africa.
At the age of 4 i had moved to Michigan with my family.
At that time Africa was very poor.Only the native people used to live.
Now i have heard Africa is very rich.This is because of the mineral resources they have and everything.But still there are wars between the native people as well as Pygimies.

What are your thoughts about this?

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

I think the current political situations in Africa are a complete tragedy. As you've said, Africa can be a rich place, but due to wars the people cannot realize their full potential. I would love to see the rest of the world help the African nations find peace, so that they can grow into the kind of societies their people want to live in.

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

The diamond companies are rich. The men mining the diamonds are dropping like flies, many in their early 30's, from AIDS. Within 10 years, the average lifespan is expected to be 36. AIDS is leaving tens of thousands of orphans(I can't recall the present WHO estimate, but I believe it is over one million at the moment), many of whom are HIV positive.
I have never been to the soutern part of the continent, but I often read about the dangers and political turmoil going on in Somalia, Uganda, Sudan, Eritrea, Rwanda, Liberia, Angola, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Some parts of those countries(if they are open to tourists at all) are no place for a honeymoon.

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

Did a quickie search as I hate to offer incorrect information.

There are 14 MILLION AIDS orphans, 80% of which are living in sub-Saharan Africa. As of 2001, the diamond company DeBeers initiated HIV-AIDS tests and supports drug costs for miners. Debswana, the Botswana mining giant which is partially owned by DeBeers, has said it will pay for antiretroviral AIDS drugs for its workforce(it will cover 90% of the cost for each employee and spouse diagnosed with HIV). The UN estimates athat at least 36% of the population of Botswana is infected with the virus.

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

I guess DeBeers eventually decided that it was in their economic self-interest to not have their miners dropping dead left and right. Maybe I'm cynical, but I'm not about to ascribe this newer policy of theirs to humanitarian reasons :(

Back when Hubby-san and I got engaged we looked into the whole diamond cartel thing and decided not to buy a diamond ring. Instead, I got one made of tourmaline. Of course, we didn't actually check where the tourmalines came from, so god knows if I've gotten myself into something worse than a diamond, but at the time we were so turned off by the diamond advertising that there was just no way we wanted to do it. DeBeers was running all these ads in the US about how the man should spend three months' salary on a ring to show his love was forever. We found that downright offensive. We were able to pay for our own wedding and honeymoon and the ring for what DeBeers said we should spend on a diamond.

Humph. Rant over. I don't actually have a lot against diamonds. I'm wearing some tiny ones now, but they came from India. Again, god knows what I've gotten into with these....

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

Laura wrote: I guess DeBeers eventually decided that it was in their economic self-interest to not have their miners dropping dead left and right. Maybe I'm cynical, but I'm not about to ascribe this newer policy of theirs to humanitarian reasons :(

I totally agree!

I, too, opted for something other than diamonds for an engagement ring. Shin bought me a ring with small but lovely rubies in it. I actually prefer colored stones and most of what I have comes from Asia or Brazil. I am kind of on a tourmaline kick right now and picked up some spectacular pieces when I was in Greece last time. You can mix & match colored stones so well with your clothing- lotsa fun! (I will let you know that topaz & amethysts are DIRT CHEAP in Korea. Whenever I go there, I like to select the loose stones & I have been having jewlery made that way for the past 20 years!)

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

Next time I get to Korea...

I love buying loose stones. My problem is that I never get around to having them made into anything. I have a few in the bottom of my jewelry box that need to have something done with them.

on_way_to_fame · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Posts: 15

AIDS in africa i think is one of the major concerns in the world today, and the problem is despite all the efforts, the rate just grows, grows and grows. I think its hight time, that a major campaign is launched to do something about it. About the mineral resources, i think there is immense potential, but many african countries dont have the right resources, to make best use of those resources.