Why do people like Oprha spend Millions helping Africa?

Question

Why do people like Oprha spend Millions helping Africa?
When with in a 5 block radius of her main office in Illinois people are starving and homeless?

Answer 1

You can't please everybody. Besides, the people over there are doing much worse.

Answer 2

The poor in America have a lot more opportunities than the poor in the poorest countries in Africa. What Oprah is doing is giving a chance to gifted children to make something of their gift for themselves and their countrymen so that the cycle of poverty can one day be broken.
The poor of America are not as desperately poor, as someone mentioned. Furthermore, I'm sorry to say this, but a large number of them simply don't want to help themselves. Need has become a way of life for them and they simply wallow in their neediness. Unless children are involved, I see no reason why an adult without a mental illness can't simply work their way out of poverty in America.
I have nothing against charity or government programs, in fact I regularly give to charity and support a great number of social programs, but the fact remains a lot of the homeless, mostly through addiction, simply do not want to participate in the system. And I for one don't think they should be treated like poor lost children.

Answer 3

May be her African committment is an ongoing one, while the Illinois problem came much later... may be she had also involved in the latter.. it appears you had not ascertained this before raising your doubt...

It is always better to appreciate people who go for help of people anywhere... Please ponder for a moment, how many wealthy citizens think that way... the rich would rather invest in more and more lucrative business and wish to amass more and more wealth... but few are different... they should not be just suspected and ridiculed (as if driven by tax saving strategy or publicity mania)...

Service to mankind is service to God... and helping the fellow citizens is definitely great... but you are a country who assist so many developing nations, can not your Govt and the rich business houses (MNCs) in the US take care of your own fellow citizens? ... are you so helpless to attend to the problems of your people, as the Africans?...

I recall a verse in the famous poem (Gitanjali or Song offerings to God) by the Nobel laurete Rabindranath Tagore (India) in which he says ..."Lord, when I bend to offer my obeisance, I can not reach to where Thou standest among the poorest, the lowliest and the lost..." (I am writing from my memory and may have changed the words but not missed the excellent content)...

I am afraid you are more driven by a hatred for the poor Africans, than by the magnanimity of the donor... whose care extends beyond her narrow interests of nation and race...

I do wish all the best for the Illinois fraternity, but do not want you to compare the sufferings of one group with another and hurt the feelings of the donor as well...

I sure believe that the person would have involved herself in the domestic needs as well ... and even if she had not, for whatever reason, ... she does not deserve to be blamed by us... how many of us are simply passing criticism without any contribution of significance?

I am neither an African nor an American.. I find the same love of God on both... the same care we show for our foot that treads the hard ground and the tongue that tastes delicacies of sorts staying within a palace (guarded by soldiers - teeth) as it were... The Father of Indian Nation, Mahatma Gandhi ( a barrister turned politician of unique stuff), used to call the poor people of the country as "the Lord in the form of poor" (Dharidhra Nrayana)..

Reflect what Lord Jesus said, "when I was hungry you fed me not... " etc.. The Lord does live in every one of our hearts - African or American... Let not the devil of hatred contaminate it..

Answer 4

Typically, celebrities start contributing to or championing causes out of a form of guilt. In Oprah's case, she's (I think) genuinely trying to make a difference in a nation where her efforts have a good chance of success for various reasons.

Also, celebrities typically choose extreme examples and situations to become involved with for the notoriety of it. She's probably considered helping the domestic homeless and concluded that there are plenty of organizations on that track already.

Therefore, she has more emotional justification to direct her resources to Africa. Unfortunately, another aspect that celebrities usually overlook is that Third World countries are, thanks to human nature, pits of corruption and greed.

As a celebrity, showing up in your chartered or private aircraft to trumpet your financial endowment is like waving bloody meat in front of a pack of hungry lions. It merely alerts them that there is an opportunity to line their pockets as quickly as possible once the newness fades and life returns to its normal pace.

As cynical as this sounds, it's also realistic. Plus, many cultures are very disdainful of such celebrities because of the source of their wealth. From their point of view, the celebrity is being ultra-condescending without the social or cultural clout to back it up.

These cultures are often centuries old or more, which automatically (in human societal ideals) makes them superior to more recent cultures.

As a counter-point, there was a story recently circulated on the Web about Denzel Washington purportedly donating funds on the spot when told what the cost of a typical Habitats for Humanity house was (or similar aid organization).

If true, then Mr. Washington is truly leading by example. If true, it's also more striking that there was no media pronouncement as was the case with Oprah.

The real question here is how do we convince these celebrities to direct their efforts to benefit those closest to home? Come up with a viable solution for that problem and you'll be much more likely to make a lasting difference in the world.

Answer 5

Each of us, including Oprah, has the choice of spending (or not spending) their money how and where they choose. I agree with you that there is a very real need here in America to assist the homeless, hungry people. I do not personally believe in flying over a mission field to get to a mission field. I will not give my money to causes overseas until there are no such needs in my own community.

Answer 6

a lot of african americans struggle with the huge blank spot in their cultural heritage (now > slavery > ????? > africa). it is a way to connect to a heritage (like if i were to donate money to whatever cause in Ireland.) its also just a nice thing to do, especially if you have the financial means to do it. oprah is the richest woman in the world. why shouldn't she use her resources to help those in need?
also, the difference between poverty in africa and poverty in illinois is HUGE. in africa, parents have to choose which of their children gets the food, and which of the rest must starve to death. the poverty in africa is self-perpetuating, most don't have the resources to improve their lives.
in chicago(?) the problem is mostly drug and alcohol abuse. why spend millions on american poor when america already has state and federal support available and waiting for those who need it? the resources are there for the people around oprah's office to improve their lives, whereas in africa, there just aren't resources. that's where people like oprah come in.

Answer 7

The people in Africa that Oprah is helping aren't American citizens, such as the people you talked about that are in her neighborhood in Illinois. They aren't people who can't afford cable television. They aren't people who are living in the projects getting food stamps. They aren't people who can help themselves if they wanted to. They aren't people selling drugs instead of holding down a job. They aren't aware of the amount Oprah is worth, like here in the states. They see her as an African (American) Woman who can help them put up schools, and not a rich woman who has a 3 hundred thousand dollar toilet in her home...The homeless in America, in Illinois is not Oprah's problem, it is each individual states, and our governments problem. That seems to take a sideline to the amount of raises goverment officials give themselves. I am quite sure that Oprah gives plenty to charity, it all doesn't get publicized. There should not be homeless people in this country, hungry people in this country, and it is our governments fault there still is......Instead of spending trillions of dollars to send rockets into space for "exploration", perhaps we should spend that money taking care of the people that are here on This planet first.....

Answer 8

Oprah has contributed to many charities in the US. In the case of the school in Africa she is fulfilling a promise she made many years ago to her friend Nelson Mandela.

Answer 9

africa might have more publicity. ask oprah if she is helping the homeless in Illinois or not.

Answer 10

She is quoted saying that she was sick and tired of visting inner city schools and all they talked about was wanting IPODS and New Sneakers, while she visited kids in South Africa and they wanted new uniforms so they could learn and go to school

Answer 11

It's to do with this garbage idea of getting back to one's 'roots' Charity begins at home I say.