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ILLUMINATING THE DARK CONTINENT: UNDERSTANDING AFRICA THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS. When you think of Africa, what images come to mind?. Africa: A Continent of Contrasts. Life Expectancy: Egypt: 70.4 Zambia: 37.2. Literacy Rates: Zimbabwe: 85% Niger: 12%. Yearly Earnings Per Person:
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ILLUMINATING THE DARK CONTINENT: UNDERSTANDING AFRICA THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS
Africa: A Continent of Contrasts Life Expectancy: Egypt: 70.4 Zambia: 37.2 Literacy Rates: Zimbabwe: 85% Niger: 12% Yearly Earnings Per Person: Botswana: $3337.49 Ethiopia: $100.28 Access to Safe Drinking Water: Egypt: 82% Niger: 19%
LIVING CONDITIONS 3,000 African children under 5 die each day from Malaria
Some 2 million residents live in the shanty-town of Soweto, just outside of prosperous Johannesburg. The vast majority do not have running water or reliable electricity. Crime is rampant as is the spread of contagious diseases. The World Health Organization described Soweto as a “national health risk.” The South African government calls Soweto “a diamond in the rough.”
INTERNAL CONFLICT There are presently 19 ethnic/political wars taking place in Africa
Between 1971-1979, Idi Amin of Uganda ordered the death of some 300,000 Ugandans. When exiled in 1979, Amin leaves his already impoverished country $320 million in debt and crippled by 200% inflation. He “retires” to Saudi Arabia and dies in 2003.
POVERTY Seventy-percent of Africans live on less than $2.00 a day
Plagued by drought and a lack of infrastructure, African food production has decreased over 23% within the past decade. Thirty percent of African children are malnourished. Half of all deaths of African pre-schoolers stem from malnutrition. More than 3,900 African children die each day due to unsafe drinking water.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Over the past four decades, the African elephant population has been reduced by more than 80%.
Logging and poaching have both lead to significant decreases in African wildlife. Hunted for food or for sport, African wildlife is teetering on the brink of survival. A 10 year old African boy was paid the equivalent of .10¢ for a lion’s head.
African is often referred to as the “Cradle of Civilization.” The richness of the ancient Egyptian civilization is evidenced in their contributions to mathematics, aesthetics, law, and architecture. Some believe it was in Africa, more than 3 million years ago, that Humans took their first bipedal steps.
Imprisoned for 26 years for opposing the oppressive white- only rule (Apartheid) in South Africa, Nelson Mandela emerged as the voice for African unity, struggle, and hope. Elected President of South Africa in 1994, he worked to eradicate the vestiges of colonial rule which politically, economically, and educationally placed the African in a reduced role. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his peaceful efforts in moving South African from Apartheid to Democracy.
Africa is using its physical resources (like Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls) to spur eco-tourism. Preservation of such cites are on the rise as African governments realize that economics and conservation are intertwined. Within the past decade, Africa has established numerous eco-tourism cites that preserve the natural landscape while increasing conservation awareness.
There are thousands of water projects scattered throughout the continent with the goal of providing safe drinking water to roughly 300 million Africans. A well, which costs about $5.00 to start, can reduce health risks like trachoma (the leading cause of blindness in African children) and dysentery.
From running small store-front business to backyard vegetable stands to serving as tour guides or school teachers, women are on the forefront of Africa’s economic revitalization. It is estimated that 60% of new businesses or enterprises are started by women. Though still lagging behind males in terms of education, African women are poised to exert a tremendous amount of economic influence throughout the region within the next decade.
Africa’s wildlife is making a comeback. After decades of reckless poaching and poor land management, hundreds of game preserves and wildlife sanctuaries have been created. The results are promising: the African elephant, cheetah, and lion populations have all steadily increased. Yet the African lowland gorilla is still severely threatened. Its future remains uncertain.
Select Resources www.africa.8m.net/ www.worldfactsandfigures.com/africa. www4.worldbank.org/afr/stats/default.cfm www.awf.org/ www.africanculturalcenter.org/5_2statistics.html http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/africa/1196africa.html http://www.ifad.org/media/events/2001/aids.htm http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/develop/indexafr.htm Achebe, C. (1958). Things fall apart. Oxford: Heinemann. Conrad, J. (1899). The heart of darkness. New York: Penguin.