Why do Africans not know where or how to use birth control, but know where to get the hand outs of food?

Answer 1

That's a bit 'under the belt'. However you bring up two points which are very valid and deserve careful consideration.

1 BIrth Control.

Most indigenous Africans have never been introduced to 'Birth Control' which is a relatively recent 'invention'. The use of condoms comenced in real terms about 100 years ago and the so-called 'birth pill' only about 40 years ago. Africa is a huge continent and, having been mostly conquered, and subsequently 'civilised' by the British, French, Belgians, Dutch, Germans and Portugese amongst others, across the last 200 years, it's people have been forced into a vastly different way of life and culture than they enjoyed previously. The countries that comprise Africa differ greatly from the Arab nations in the North, Egypt, Lybia, Morocco, Tunisia and so on. throught the black tribe nations, Ghana, Congo, Kenya, jungle lands, and so on to the Southern countries, South Africa, Malawi, Tanzanier and Mozambique, home of the Zulus. In the days before western domination life was lived in a somewhat harsh climate without countries and borders, just 'lands' and in the event of drought the inhabitants would simply move on to more fertile areas. Death rates were high so the custom was to have many children so that in old age one's children could provide and look after their parents. As many children died before they were 5 years old it was important to have large families to ensure the survival of some of them. Thus life went on until the advent of 'missionaries' who not only tried to convert natives to their own church's brand of Christianity but also tried to change their culture. This included sex education and the missionaries were horrified to find people having sex 'doggy style' which is, after all a quite natural position. They insisted a change and made the famous 'Missionary Position' mandatory. So far so good. Now then jump forward two hundred years and we find a poverty stricken. AIDS inflicted continent riddled with Catholic priests and nuns who, with the blessing of their church which condemns contraception, have spread the false idea that using condoms actually spreads AIDS rather than prevents it. So we have two good reasons why 'birth control' is not as prevalent as it could be. One is the interference of customs and practices thousands of years old, and the other is the false rumours spread by the pope's minions so that more catholics can be created.

2 Hand Outs of food.

Consider instead of 'hand outs of food', 'the Rape of Africa'. In the last three hundred years Africa has been looted and stripped of it's riches by the so-called 'civilised' West. We have been responsible for the slave trade, diamond and gold looting, commercialisation of oil, natural assets, minerals, fruit, vegatable and meat production and dictatorships to control the masses by force. We have created 'countries' that didn't exist before and political divides to suit our own purposes. When these new countries rebelled and demanded independence (although they already were independent before the white man took over), they were taken over by greedy and ruthless despots like Mugabe and Amin. The results are there to see. These men have destroyed their own countries taking all the riches they can so that they can be deposited in Swiss bank accounts and ruthlessly killed or imprisoned all who stand in their way. Aid from the west has been misappropriated or stolen and we now have the situation you describe. Starving people sitting around awaiting handouts. We created borders that didn't exist before so these people cannot resume their nomadic lifestyle. So what do you think they should do?

I'm sorry for carrying on so much but I hope that my thoughts will have given you a little insight into the problems that Africa faces and that people who use blase comments like yours can feel suitable ashamed.

Answer 2

Birth Control only works with Education. Sadly, African people do not understand many things regarding the body. Give them the pill, and they may decide to take it before they have sex, for if they forget to use it after. Or perhaps they may think that if they just take it once a week it will be enough. Varies stages of birth control have been attempted to be implemented in parts of Africa. All have failed because Africans fail to understand what the pill is, how it works, why it must be used the day after sex, etc. Forced sterilization has once been used, but when the UN found out... You can guess what happened. This is why many African nations spend so much time advertising familily planning. In South Africa, perhaps the most developed African nation, they have posters in every other shop window showing a smiling man and his family who had only one child. The caption was suggesting that if he had more then one child, he would not be happy. But your right. Indiscriminate aid does more harm then good in the long run. Feeding people increases the amount of people in the country as more will survive starvation. But it does not increase the amount of food in circulation, making another, larger crisis, inevitable. (The tragedy of the commons)

Answer 3

People think of donating food, but no where are contraceptives handed out. Try living on less than a thousand dollars a month, paying rent, car payment, insurance, food, and then try to afford birth control.

It's not a race thing, it's a class thing.

Answer 4

If it's a 3rd world country you are speaking of, then it's far easier to get pregnant than to obtain birth control! If poor, they will take what others offer, if it is food, sex, or Birth Control.

Answer 5

Prejudice much? Just in case you haven't noticed there aren't any Walgreen's in the middle of Saharan Africa. I suspect if there were a line for birth control pills there would be a line for that as well.

Quatt47 -- Dude you rock! I'm signing up for your classes next semester!!!!

Answer 6

your question is not prejudiced, it is an honest attempt to ascertain a factual absurdity.The answer my friend is ignorance pure and simple.

Answer 7

They don't even have money to buy food.

Answer 8

We've been out of the bushes for thousands of years- they still live in them.

Answer 9

Their Africans, it's in the genes.

Answer 10

a little prejudice??