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Investing In Africa’s Future
By Sharon Kim, Kenya
Before I boarded the plane for Kenya, I was worried. I had heard about the poverty there and how tourists had to be careful. However, I was in for a surprise.
"It may sound cliché, but as a student, I know that knowledge has equipped me to handle my daily struggles. Wisdom has provided me the strength to achieve and the resilience to get up again after my defeats." -Sharon Kim
When we arrived in Kenya, I was surprised to see how Americanized it was. Toyotas, Benzs, and Hondas filled the dusty streets delaying movement of any kind. Big road signs advertised products, like Fanta and Old Navy.
But when I ignored the big signs and the fancy cars, I saw the Kenyan people. They sat along the side of the road, hungry and penniless. Some walked up to the cars, trying to sell pillows, beans, and passport holders. Still others were walking in a hurry, going to their places of work which I later found out could be many miles away from their homes.
As I began to see the big picture of Kenya, I became confused. How can there be all of these products (some very expensive) when there are so many people out on the streets without money to pay for them?
It is great that Bill Gates and others are trying to contribute to the greater good and help Africans. I honor them for their willingness to help those in need. But, sponsoring American companies and bringing in fancy products does not guarantee change in Kenya.
Financial investment alone cannot solve the problem. People must have hope and hope comes with the ability to see opportunities not the limitations of poverty.
We must teach Kenyan youth that education achieves goals and contributes to the opportunities success brings. It may sound cliché, but as a student, I know that knowledge has equipped me to handle my daily struggles. Wisdom has provided me the strength to achieve and the resilience to get up again after my defeats.
The Kenyan people must fight for their own prosperity. They need to understand that there is a way out of poverty-that equal chances exist for every citizen. Armed with education they can improve their nation.
Certainly global investment helps. But before we begin to pour endless funds into African countries, it is important to understand these people and their beliefs. We cannot simply go into unfamiliar nations and attempt to mold their world into ours. Americanizing Kenya, though done in good faith, is exacerbating the nation's problems because it forces individuals to live a certain way of life. Progress is not made in such ways. We need to make friends, not clones.
