A question we all need to consider?

Question

This evening I went to a meeting.
Key note speaker was a pastor from Zimbabwe.
He spoke of the anguish he felt for his fellow countrymen.
Of him having a knock on his door at midnight from a man whose wife was about to give birth and he couldn't get her to the hospital as he had no fuel for his car.
Of him going to a home where the family of 4 children were sick because they had not eaten anything for 2 days as there is nothing to eat.
Of him standing all day in a queue for bread only to discover there was none-this happens on a daily basis.
Forgive me for posting this question on this forum but it is the only one I post on.
So what can we do??
Maybe rather than ask banal questions, we are bright as individuals, we could do something to affect change.
Americans, you are soon to have an election and it appears that we in The UK are. Let's do something positive and put the power of The Internet to some good use.
Not preaching- just moved by the plight of this nation.

Answer 1

A good question wherever you asked it. Zimbabwe used to be Rhodesia. The present President Mugabe, has been stashing away the country's considerable wealth as his people starve. To start with, there are a lot of charities concentrating on feeding and administering medical care in Zimbabwe. There is the particular women's charity that Flying Horse suggested recently "Women for Women International" - we can sponsor an individual woman at
http://www.womenforwomen.org
in either Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo,Iraq, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo. Another daily habit clicking for free food onThe Hunger Site could be better than nothing. I've never checked on how useful this is, but I've clicked it for years.

(Women for women doesn't include Zimbabwe in their list of individual sponsoring, but they have a box to click "Greatest Need" which no doubt includes them.)

Answer 2

When an Individual have Power over a Country they either do good by it or bad. Unfortunately, those who have GREED flowing through their veins will jeopardize their own People and become the pillar of their suffrage. When you remove the Individual from Power, you remove the GREED.

It is evident, that it takes a Nation to build a Nation. Seeking outside help or pilgrimage from other Nations to alleviate a Nation's sufferings, only feeds the Power Mongrels. The more a Nation does to assist the needy, the more the Power Mongrels don't have to support their People.

If the People of that Country cannot find it in themselves to band together, rise above their suffrage and eradicate the Mongrels, then, they will always suffer for many generations yet to come. It's sad, pathetic, but yet, true.

Answer 3

Yes that is a good way to go..to try to do something positive through the net and actually help people!

And I would like to see some more discussion of issues in the 3rd world and some ideas how we as people can help best..

Edit: hay why are people raging on Kate?? ok the question is off-topic and long but it is not bad so what is your problem?

Edit there is nothing wrong with helping people in your own country or with thinking of people near you first..but why talk like it is a total either-or?

Answer 4

it is actually spectacularly difficult to know what to do about zimbabwe.

no kind of military intervention would be feasible (even if that were likely to succeed). south africa is too weak (and in any case backs the mugabe government) and the recent colonial history of the area means that even a peacekeeping force based in one of the frontline states would more likely destabilise the country it was in than help zimbabwe in any way.

no aid (or very little) can be sent into the country because mugabe's government has been honed to perfection at diverting aid monies to their own purposes. charity donations in kind or specie are more likely to strengthen the government than help the people.

the infrastructure cannot be rebuilt because the farms which were traditionally in the hands of (mainly) white farmers have been indiscriminately looted and allocated randomly to 'war veterans' (most of whom never fought in any war, but have an affiliation with mugabe's own zanu-pf political party). the war veterans have no knowledge of - or interest in - farming and have largely allowed the farms to go back to wasteland.

(the white farmers have mainly either emigrated to south africa or australia - though a huge number of them have simply been murdered by the government).

worst of all: mugabe's government always relied on exploiting the racial hatred between the majority shona (mugabe's own people) and the ndebele. many shona still fear any restitution of a democratic system since they know that they have benefited from ndebele oppression.

simpy because a problem exists does not mean that it can be solved.

gordon brown at least has said that he will boycott any summit to which mugabe is invited. this is very little to do, but it is difficult to see what else of relevance can be done at all.

Answer 5

well..there is nothing you can do..its up to the people of Zimbabwe..remember they kicked out all the white farmers and now they have no food at all..they didn't starve before so now they have made their own beds and now they must lay in them..to hell with them..they treat their women like crap..they even beat them..maybe its time we just turn a blinded eye to them and help some else that might enjoy our help..Africa has too many problems...they are backward and need a good old fashion kick in the pants..sorry I would rather help out the South Americans first..they might thanks us after wards..good luck..and maybe its time to stop having a hundred kids..4 is more than enough..

Answer 6

What can we do? You already know the answer to that. So, what are you waiting for? LEAD, woman. Just start. Solving the world's problems isn't any more difficult than tackling spring house cleaning. The steps are all the same everywhere, with every problem. Just get to work, stay focused, stay serious, never look back and get the job done. Think. Don't wallow in your emotions, in KNOWING your heart is in the right place. That is NOT good enough. Get your head in the right place. Fixing problems and injustice takes KNOWING and GUTS. Instead of asking what should we do, pretend that there is no one else around to fix this problem. YOU figure it out. Where do you start? Start with that first step and then go from there. The suffering in the world is ALLOWED. Just stop allowing it. Stop asking, Kate, and start demanding what you know is right. Whenever we fight for what is truly right, even if we have to scream our heads off, EVERY time it's truly right and just, we will win. Humanity desperately needs people willing to get mad enough and who can scream loud enough to start demanding that the madness stop.

Answer 7

Sorry, but they or their neighbors need to get rid of Mugabe. Until then, yer pizzin' in the wind, giving money over there.

Answer 8

I doubt that these people have the internet. Do you know that it is their president that is causing the problems for the people.

Do you realise the only thing other governments can do is what was done with Iraq. Sanction which hurt the people more, invade. Sound familiar.

How are you going to get their president to quit without an uprising of the people who live there.

Answer 9

Good question but lets see how they help. Feminists here will never change though. They will continue to bash and clash as always. Ego you see! Leopards never change their spots remember.

Answer 10

Its horrible... If anything your story should be an eye-opener to those feminists in USA who claim they have it tough!