By Rachel Brunts
A.
Good news can be classified in many ways. Especially when emphasizing the factors that generate good news the answer becomes more challenging and possibly arguable. I believe Steven Radelet in Emerging Africa – How 17 Countries are Leading the Way describes Africa’s past historical events (good and bad) as the factors leading to good news in Africa. More specifically, the factors of the economic crisis, political protests, and government reform to democracy. While not all of these events are positive factors in Africa, they all can be classified as good news in Africa.
For example, Radelet’s Chapter 2, he explains the detailed snowball effect starting during the austerity of Africa’s government and the economic crisis. Creating a peak in political protests in 1991; which pushed a government response in 1992 reforming civil liberties. Thereafter, leading to competitive political elections and African governments soon began to allow greater political rights. All in all, resulting in democracy.
I believe these factors to be the turning point for positive growth in Africa. It a little funny to state that I would classify the complete and udder downfall of the African society would be such good news, but I believe it. Since the austerity government had nothing due to bankruptcy, they had no power over the people. Radelet quotes, “Authoritarian governments appear to have fallen not because they face more unrest but because they were unable to respond to it”. This lack of democratized power allowed counties to make their own choices and if ran responsibly, let their people live freely.
B.
Millennium Villages Project describes that “The Millennium Villages are proving that by fighting poverty at the village level through community-led development, rural Africa can achieve the Millennium Development Goals.” Also, the project suggests, “Simple solutions like providing high-yield seeds, fertilizers, medicines, drinking wells, and materials to build school rooms and clinics are effectively combating extreme poverty and nourishing communities into a new age of health and opportunity”. The article also states that the Millennium Villages support 14 sites within 10 countries for 500,000 people.
Supporting the Millennium Village Project, Jeffrey Sachs stated in The Age of Sustainable Development, “Eradicating poverty is the greatest global challenge facing the world today and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development”. (pg.483)
In retrospective, a Foreign Affairs article reviews Sachs book stating, “It addresses the complicated challenge of assuring a continued rise in prosperity, particularly in the remaining poor parts of the world, while avoiding roadblocks such as the depletion of fresh water, extensive air and water pollution, the loss of biodiversity, and excessive climate change.” Overall, defining his writing as a logical yet simple examination of poverty centering the greatest global challenge.
Millennium Villages
Each individual link correlates to the source used for the given information that follows
- Why was that particular village chosen?
Tanzania: MV of Mbola and a new site AngloGold Ashanti (AGA); I picked this village because it has multiple MVP sites and I wanted to compare it to a single existing site.
Uganda: MV of Ruhiira; I picked this village because it is an existing MVP site and think it would be interesting to compare two divers villages.
2. What is the goal for that village?
Tanzania: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, Achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, lower child mortality, improve maternal health, combat diseases, environmental stability, global development
Uganda: The village is doing well so the goal would be to continue to improve areas they are weaker in. I believe the goal would be to plant more trees on land to help with the firewood shortage. Which should also help lower population density and growth rates,
3. What successes or failures have been recorded?
Tanzania: Successes: Businesses growing, health care centers improving, solar energy and water improvements, school attendance, students surplus, and academic performance increasing. Also, tree nurseries were planted in school to educate students on deforestation.
Failures: overgrazing and agriculture expansion decreasing land production, lack of health and education guidelines, access to antiretrovirals have decreased.
Uganda: Successes: Number of children eating at school has increased dramatically, they were the first site to launch School 2 school program, malaria health conditions are nearly gone, and MVP has improved their water resources.
4. What do the critics say?
Tanzania:
Uganda:
5. Look at the countries’ GDP, GNP, WDI, HDI, etc. to evaluate each village.
Tanzania: GDP:$163bil GNP: $51bil Gini: 37.8(medium) HDI: 0.531 (low,151st) Pop: 55,572,201 Area: 55,572,201Water 6.4%
Uganda: GDP: $88bil GNP: $26bil Gini: 41.01 (medium) HDI: 0.493 (low 163rd) Po:p 41,487,965 Area: 241,038km Water: 51.39%
6. How are local, national and global issues addressed and involved?
Tanzania: They have a presidential republic. Consisting of a President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Speaker, and Chief Justice, who all address their local, national and global issues cohesively depending on their specific duties.
Uganda: They also have a presidential republic. Consisting of a President, Vice President, and Prime Minister.
7. I think Tanzania and Uganda are both conducting viable projects toward ending poverty. I have always pondered the question on how to end global poverty, but quite honestly thought it was impossible. Educating myself on the Millennium Villages Project and Millennium Development Goals has provided me with an optimistic view, agreeing with Steven Radelet, and more specifically with the future fate of TanzaniaandUganda.
Case Studies in an Inter/Multicultural World 