25 Jun Africa Must Own Her Problems
Focus
The world’s focus on #Brexit is understandable, but in my humble opinion, it’s fair to say that the UK and the EU will be OK. There are other significant issues to tackle worldwide including the diverse challenges in #AFRICA. I can understand the attention given to UK’s exit from the EU but there is a ‘BIGGER’ narrative that requires our collective action.
WHY AFRICA
Do you know that Africa as a continent will accommodate 40% (two out of five) of the world’s people by 2100? By 2100, it will be home to 4.4 billion people – four times its current population. But, Africa must go beyond the demographics narrative…
Here’s the underlying question: “Can Africa translate its huge population growth into economic development and improved quality of life?”
Population Explosion
As Africa’s population looks set to quadruple over the twenty-first century, The Telegraph (Ashley Kirk) digs into the data to reveal the opportunities – and challenges – facing a fast-changing continent.
Such an increase – far larger than the global population increase of 53% by 2100 – will pose significant challenges. Poverty, conflict, disease, and access to education are all issues African governments will continue to face, and building the appropriate infrastructure to support ever-increasing amounts of people will remain vital.
Wherever problems and challenges are in abundance, there are numerous opportunities!!
The underlying question again is, “Can Africa translate its huge population growth into economic development and improved quality of life?”
On Africa
Africa is currently the world’s fastest-growing continent, with GDP expected to grow by at least 6% annually until 2023. But while nations such as Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt enjoy relative wealth, the continent is home to three-quarters of the world’s poorest countries. Africa is home to 3/4 of the world’s poorest countries (I see tremendous opportunities here again).
According to Joan Clos, United Nations; “The overarching challenge for Africa in the decades to come is massive population growth in a context of widespread poverty”.
This is a fact!
According to the Borgen Project, dedicated to tackling African poverty here are some key challenges (again I see opportunities here):
- Approximately one in three people living in sub-Saharan Africa is undernourished
- Some 589 million people live without electricity in sub-Saharan Africa – meaning the majority of people rely on biomass to cook
- Less than one in five African women have access to education – increasing their chances of contracting AIDS and not immunizing their children
- More than one million people die from malaria each year – mostly children under the age of five
We have to go beyond talking, to thinking strategically and addressing these numerous problems (opportunities).
In August 2016, “The Hybrid Leadership Institute” will launch an initiative to identify, train and develop social entrepreneurs in Africa. Please stay tuned for more information.
Interested in learning more, contact us here.
Click Here To Read The Entire Article: The Telegraph (Ashley Kirk)
No Comments