Faremax: Travel Forums

I have heard that most people in Africa are poor.
Anybody who has been there or who has ideas as to the reality of this?
How is poverty manifested in this country?

The poverty in Africa is widespread and catastrophic. Look at any of the images on TV of Sudan when they turn up on the news.

That's a huge generalisation, though. There are a LOT of countries in Africa, and not all of them are war-torn or catastrophically poor. That's not to say that the standard of living isn't different from North America or Europe, but there are big cities with rich, middle class and poor. But we tend to see only the poorer, more ravaged parts of the continent on TV.

If you'd like to understand better the relative difference between the standards of living in Africa vs other locals around the globe, a good topic to read up on is the fear of many in the world of epidemeology that AIDS could push that continent into an economic vaccuum.  In essence, because AIDS is so rampant and largely takes out the reproductive age individuals, who are also those most likely to be supporting the economy through the workforce, and is statistically spread through the poor and uneducated, Africa is at risk for becomming a black hole socially and economically if transmission cannot be contained.  An entire continent is at risk b/c of the relatively low levels of education, opportunity and their history of catastrophic conflict.  Global watch-dogs worry about Afganistan or Iraq slipping off the world radar due to war and opportunistic insurgency.  No other continent is considered in danger of the same result due to catastrophic illness. 

We know a woman who is currently stuck in Uganda with her young daughter -with a western education and western family ties, she still cannot get out.  her stories of the state of her homeland are sad, she would leave if she could. 

 

it's a very complicated situation with millions of foreign aid pouring in and verylittle seemingly being done with it - very sad.

Africa is africa, dont think its like heaven or america. Like Germaine said, theres many things going in africa, whether its poverty or a high percentage of AIDS or HIV. Its not a pleasant place to be, i personally dont think its a great vacation spot. Choose some place else, if you want to have an enjoyable time..

i'd just like to add that i don't want to discourage travel to africa completely.  part of being responsible world citizens really begins in experiencing a culture and a place, and therefore hopefully becomming personally invested in its future.  but i would say that visiting africa is on par with travel to the middle east.  know your cultural norms, dress and current political situation.  get your medical stuff taken care of.  be prepared to get checked again when you get home.  make sure someone else has a copy of your itenerary and important documents and be prepared to spend the money to leave quickly if you have to.  i believe that there are many locals you can still travel to with relative security.  but you need to be savvy about it. 

My soon to be sister in law lived there for a bit, as she was working with the wildlife there. She had nothing but good things to say about the people she dealt with there.

If you're going there on vacation--don't.  Africa in general (there are exceptions, of course) is not a nice place to be. 

 

If , on the other hand, you're into missions trips, or working with the peace corp or some similar organization...I don't think you'll find a spot more in need of it. 

 

However, with that said, the people there are wonderful, or at least all those I've met have been.  (I've never been to Africa, but I did use to work with a local nonprofit, and they had a lot of people visit from Africa.)  But I still wouldn't recommend the continent on the whole as a vacation spot. 

The exceptions for visiting are in southern Africa.

Yeah, it depends a lot on what you want from a vacation.  If you want to go somewhere beautiful where the people are wonderful, then maybe Africa is it.  If you want luxury accomodations and safe food, etc.--skip it.

Who doesn't  want "safe food" on their vacation?? I'm willing to settle for budget accommodations, but I don't want to get sick from bad food.

The one thing that bothers me the most are the phony big game hunters who salughter rare animals. They should discourage that type of vacation

That sort of stuff went out with Hemingway. It's against the law in most countries.

I've travelled in Kenya and Tanzania quite a bit, and there are excellent accomodations to be found on the game reserves!  Some are very luxurious indeed. 

While Nairobi is poor and there are problems there, there's still alot to see and great places to stay.

I think Africa is a must see at least once in your life.