[Z]

I think the main problem with Africa is that everyone sees the sorry mess it's in and wants to help, so we end up, as the rest of the world, trying to invest money in everything problematic and as a result solve nothing. If all of the aid money was spent on sorting out water sanitation, it could be done with ease - but instead it goes to preventing AIDS, trying to cure AIDS, trying to stop war lords, ending famine, fighting malaria, building homes, starting up schools etc etc etc... I think if people stop trying to sort out societal problems and instead try to sort out basic survival problems, that'd be the best place to start. Not to trivialise those issues but it's a matter of priority. Drinking water and something to eat followed by a roof over your head. Stopping diseases shouldn't be such a huge drain of money at this point (which sounds awful but it's not meant in that way) - sinking money into AIDS research, while a noble cause, is at this moment in time somewhat fruitless because even if they have a breakthrough, all they're really doing is extending the life expectancy of people who can't even have a glass of safe water or eat as much as they want to.