[afro-nets] Food for a genuine pro-poor thought (11)

["BTA Maegga" <maeggabta@africaonline.co.tz>]

Food for a genuine pro-poor thought (11)
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Dear colleagues,

While I half agree with your points, I truly believe that the roots of most of our problems lie in ignorance, and subsequently, we should find a way of raising education standards and coverage of most citizenry in a generation or two; then various facets of poverty reduction will come as a natural evolution. No amount of investment or aid in other areas is going to make a dramatic impact without the citizens themselves being prepared to take up development opportunities to improve their lot. I strongly believe that investing in good education, including that in science and technology, will provide a sustainable solution to poverty alleviation, and ensure home grown culture to the enforcement of transparency and accountability of the African leadership. Otherwise, human selfishness of those with power of information and brutal force will always take advantage of the powerless, ignorant majority.

Learning from other developing countries who have made it is a good idea. However, our solutions need to be tailor-made for our particular environment, social, economic and otherwise. So education is the most appropriate tool. It requires deliberate designing and advance planning. Once we focus on our long-term needs, it should be attainable using current resources to build a strong progressive future.

Bertha T.A. Maegga
mailto:maeggabta@africaonline.co.tz