A bed net typically cost $5 US. One of the problems is the bed net requires treatment with insecticides every 8 months or loses its effectiveness. A promoter will purchase the bed net for $1-$5 ship it for $1-$2 and use anwhere from 20 to 60% of donated funds for operating cost. The organization is happy they can pay their people well and are doing a good thing. The people donating feel good and have done something. But is it the most effective use of donations. A lot of conditions of the communities contribute to the mosquitoes and disease. The primary problem is poor sanitation. I have always been one that believes “if you give a man a fish he eats for a day, but if you teach a man to fish he eats the rest of his life.” Why aren’t we coming up with ways to fix the sanitation problems, clean drinking water, teaching them to make bed nets and fix problems with resources they have. I think the act of giving them nets helps but a more effective solution would be finding internal solutions and helping them move forward.

I have seen a lot of different new pushes for helping impoverished countries. I am always skeptical because of the previous efforts which have gone to empower and arm people who otherwise would not have been. There are pirates off the coast of Somalia now using the tools purchased from charity monies (boats, weapons, etc) to wrongfully try and create more wealth. I think celebrities who have good intentions are often led astray without doing thorough due diligence on how proceeds are doled out.

When I think of impoverished I think of Africa which is hit hard because of their lack of technology, utilization of land, and weather. When I think of the efforts being made for just simple water it makes me think what then? I don’t see strong measures being put in place to improve the quality of life. I think about the changes the United States has gone through in its first 300+ years. I understand the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 but the Pilgrims landed in 1620. Why can’t we treat Africa with the same principle? If we found a country that was in need and willing to work with us we could. Create a program funded by the United States, private organizations, non-profits, or a combination of all 3. It’s not a charitable program but one founded to help and make a profit. The first would be a plan to lay out a modernized city which is supported by agricultural centers. This city would be powered by a power plant that utilizes a combination of hydro, solar, and wind to create energy. It’s with this energy that we could create a desalination plant that pumps water from the Ocean to the plant. We would be able to use American Workers to build this city which puts people to work here without competing against American Private Industry. Once the city is self sufficient with electricity, water, food, and learned locals we would sell off our interest to private industry. The profit would go back to the government or whoever funded the program. We can then start the process again. Who knows what advancements will come out of a modernized Africa? The country would be enriched because they can now tax the private company and reap some of the profits. I would recommend a lower corporate tax rate than the United States.