Africa, the newly prosperous continent

When I was a freshman in high school, probably around 14 years old I took a class called human geography, and it changed my life. On the second week of class we learned about doctors-without-border program and it seriously ached to know how many people suffer worldwide. I wanted to help and somehow decided medicine would be the way to do it….ew anyways this is sounding corny as fuck so I will continue with the point of this story.

   I then took on a fascination/obsession with Africa. Basically sub-saharan Africa because it was the poorer section of Africa. I would do interactive map games to learn the country shapes, cities, and everytime. I would read Kevin Ikes the Hot Zone and read news on Africa. I would watch documentaries of the region and forced my sis to take me to watch Tsotsi at an independent movie theater to watch this South African film (which is still my favorite movie) I still dream of the day I can visit South Africa. 

  Anyways, fast forward. When working for unicef in college and educating students on issues about HIV, Polio, malnutrition, human trafficking, basically all the things wrong in the world I felt disheartened. I wanted to see these nations prosper. Fast forward….lately I have been seeing a lot of news saying Africa is improving and here are a couple of quotes from The Economist that just absolutely made my day:

“CELEBRATIONS are in order on the poorest continent. Never in the half-century since it won independence from the colonial powers has Africa been in such good shape. Its economy is flourishing. Most countries are at peace. Ever fewer children bear arms and record numbers go to school. Mobile phones are as ubiquitous as they are in India and, in the worst-affected countries, HIV infections have fallen by up to three-quarters. Life expectancy rose by a tenth in the past decade and foreign direct investment has tripled.”

“Africans deserve the credit. Western aid agencies, Chinese mining companies and UN peacekeepers have done their bit, but the continent’s main saviours are its own people.”

“If aspiring Africa wants a new dream, it should be creating a common market from the Med to the Cape. That would be a boon to trade, enterprise and manufacturing: it would also get rid of much of the petty corruption and save lives. A recent World Bank report pointed out that Africa could produce enough food to feed itself; alas, too few subsistence farmers get a chance to sell their produce (and usually get less than 20% of the market price). Why not rekindle pan-Africanism by opening borders drawn in London and Paris? Africa needs a reborn liberation movement—except this time the aim is to free Africans from civil servants rather than colonial masters.”http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21572773-pride-africas-achievements-should-be-coupled-determination-make-even-faster?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/pe/aspiringafrica

Anyways I think this is awesome and I am so excited for these African nations and its people!! 

So let me conclude with this thought? Do you guys think that as a nation, we can overcome poverty and corruption and live peacefully in the world? Or do you guys think this is just a natural process of history, certain nations fall while others rise up??

Do you think there will ever be a time for us to all live for the pursuit of happiness, and our happiness not be determined by the resources and justice within our borders?

Would love to see ya’ll opinions!!! (Yes I live in Texas)