so here i am watching the news about niger

[Heathcliffscathy]

and crying. and seeing ds in all of the starving childrens' faces. and knowing that it isn't nature to blame but every one of us. i know i'm always doing this, but i just feel so awful about the state of the world at the moment.

the famine in niger was predicted years ago. we obviously on a governmental level haven't given a toss.

we worry about being blown up by a terrorist. we tolerate a world where people are starving to death. we wonder why people are angry and hate-filled at us at the west.

i had really good news today. we exchanged on a house ending a long process of house hunting and i can't feel anything but over indulged and despairing. and so angry.

we spend billions on slaughtering civilians in iraq. and begrudge pennies to africa.

i don't even know why i'm posting this except that i don't know what to do with myself.

from here

"The appeal funds will go to relief programmes, including the purchase and distribution of food, animal fodder, seeds and medicines."

hang on was it 10 miles or 10km???

And someone along the line had to pay for those drinks - even if they were 'free' to you.

LB222 - no 10miles isn't far!

In Niger it is likely that the girls in the family will walk an average of 18 miles a day to get water for the family. The 9 mile return trip will be arduous as they will have a heavy and large vessel full of water which they will not spill a drop of. They will probably start doing this family chore around the age of 4 YO.

Another reason why large families are important.

how is it better than sending food or clothes? its helping them surive isn't it? most people dontate money from time to time and when was the last time anyone ever heard of anything being done about it? I would definatly send money if i knew where it was going and i could be sure of what it was being used for.

they wouldn't need all that water though if there was less of them

"they wouldn't need all that water though if there was less of them "

[shock} NO, they'd probably be able to wear designer clothes and go to Pizza Express!!

"how is it better than sending food or clothes? "

OK let me put this as simply as I can -

You're concerned about how much is taken out for 'admin' if you donate money - yes?

If you were to donate £10 (cash) to a charity, they would transfer it to an account in the country needing the money - which would cost relatively little (I believe some of the major banks 'subsidise' bank trasfers for major charities). That money can then be used to purchase food, seeds, clothes etc etc in the country where it's needed - and with their currency being so weak £10 usually goes a VERY long way.

If you were to donate £10 of food or clothes. It costs money for it to be picked up/delivered to the chairty in the UK. It then has to be flown/shipped out to the country where it's needed, then taken by road to the places where it will be used. that costs a LOT of money (probably talking at LEAST £50-100. £10 of food or clothes bought in the UK doesn't really last very long, or consist of much.

£10 in cash (or even £7.50 once you take out admin costs) WILL feed a whole family for a month if converted to local currency and then spent.

llb222, i hope you are just playing devil's advocate and you don't really mean what you are saying.

LB222 - sending clothes and food is too expensive to frieght there and hazardous to the environment (plane fumes).

Additionally by buying the food in the local economies (possible from countries bordering Niger) the money raised stays in the local economy and economically helps to regenerate the area.

The most important aspect of a harvest failure is to ensure that the families have access to seed for the following year. Often if they have not repayed the seed from the previous year the merchants will not extend credit the following year. This means that some families get trapped into not being able to sow and reap for many years. Most aid packages these days will involve the distribution of grain to be planted for the following year. This will often be better quality than that available on the local market - and it is quite usual for it to be genetically modified for the specific environment it is being grown in.

"they wouldn't need all that water though if there was less of them"

are you a wind up or what??? AS you go around the house/work today - just look at what you use water for. I think if I had 2 more children I wouldn't use "That" much more water.

They can't go and switch on a tap to make some squash, they are having a drought (NO RAIN in case you didn't realise what that meant) so their crops need watering (their means of survival usually), they'll share water to wash in, probably wash clothes in the river. They need to cook too.

LB2222- comes across as the kind of person who would have said after the Tsunami - silly people fancy building a house on the beach!!!!!

Q of Q's I am not thick I know what a drought is!
I am not saying giving money is a bad thing but personally I would want to be reassured that my money was serving its purpose. If you think I am a bad person for doing so then fair enough... but sometimes I just think that there is money going to these countries so where is it going? If there is sever lack of water ( a drought) then this is an natural disaster and apart from supplying vasts amounts of water what else can be done?

Don't be silly soapbox... as i have just said it was a natural disaster and nobody could have seen what was coming.

LLB222 - You make me feel sick....and sad.

Niger is actually one of the least corrupted African nations and so money spent in the local economy is going to help overcome the current famine situation.

The problem isnow and money is needed to aid survival now

If you are a tax payer or give cash to someone who is who can pledge on your befalf through GiftAid preferably a 40% tax payer then government money will also be clawed back by the charity and go to aid.

LB222 - I don't think it is me that is being silly!

If you want to continue to portray yourself as a self-obsessed air-head then please carry on but don't expect anyone to take your ignorant postings seriously

why not channel some energy into giving to the Disasters Emergency Committee ?

it is a natural disaster but everyone warned about it last oct/nov and action could have been taken earlier, imo.

Bundle - they were so slow off the mark and the wonderful Medican sans frontiers were so quick off the mark by comparison, that my contribution went to the latter!

OK OK for you tell me what can be done then? you tell me? all i keep hearing is give money give fucking money? will that serioulsy help any1 now? no it won't ! if water and food was taken over there that would! so somebody please tell me what can be done because i dont hear any of your positive suggestions! so don't tell me i make you sick, i am not saying dont give them anything let them die am i ? so what is making you sick? you want something done get off your backside and do it then.

re: giving money - "will that serioulsy help any1 now? no it won't ! "

are you being serious???

On the contrary LB. Such is the state of affairs now that only money will save them now!!!!!

40p a day will feed a family of 8. Not much is it!!!!

LLB222 - You're attitude makes me sick. I'm not telling you to give them money!! But you seem to really believe that this is their fault for having too many children and not your fault (NEWS FLASH this seriously isn't about you by the way) and if they just used condoms then none of this would have happened!! Unbelievable!!!!

yes I am being serious. something more constructive should be done? give money ... to whom.... aid workers need to be sent over and give fresh water and food to help them survive.

Plenty of people have explained why sending food is a bad idea LLB, how you could send water I don't know!
Plenty of people are doing something by not being ignorant and vacuous and pledging money rather than merely ignoring all the information and explanations on offer.