Ask a friend who has never been to Africa what their impressions, their ideas are of the continent, and they will give a variety of answers. Poverty, starving children with big tummies, AIDS, robbery, slum dwelling, guns, corruption ... they might mention the wildlife programmes they see on TV ... but this isn't the Africa I know. True, all of the above do exist and happen in Africa, but there is SO much more that is good, than that which is bad or negative.
We build our impressions of other countries and peoples on what the media what to show us, to give us to read. Bob Geldorf ... Angela Rippon ... Princess Diana holding a black baby ... Nelson Mandela ... 'The Constant Gardener' film which showed us the Nairobi slum of Kibera. But our friends impressions and the offerings of the press are only scratching the surface; Africa is so very much more than these.
Walk along a lane in rural Africa, and everyone catches your eye and smiles; if you respond with a greeting, you are drawn into a complex series of greetings 'How are you ?' 'I'm well' 'How are YOU ?' 'Well' 'How are your family ?' 'They are well' and so on ...any bad news is kept for later in the conversation. Africans are on the whole very friendly, welcoming, generous, hospitable. You are their friend, before they are your friend ! The media impression of strangers being accosted, robbed, injured is just not as it is. True, in the big cities like Nairobi, things are different ... but there are certain areas of British cities I wouldn't want to venture into after dark !
When it comes to all the bad things about Africa we read about and watch on TV, probably 99% of Africans never suffer famine, total poverty, violence ... but do we ever hear about calm, every-day life in African communities ? Why not ? Because its not newsworthy ! Just think how often countries like Canada, New Zealand ... even Botswana in southern Africa, feature in the news. Just about never ... because they are not newsworthy ! The citizens of this vast continent go about their every day lives, as they have for generations, ignored by the outside world, who hunger for drama ! Africa is a beautiful continent, full of wonderful people, most of whom have enough for their needs.
Take my word for it !
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