Education and Aid

Aid to Africa is a big subject. $44 billion went there in 2008 and the figure is rising. Yet the long term effect overall has only been to widen the gap between the poorest and the rest.
Look closely at the aid and you find it is often all about political influence and not real aid. It is given even when countries have not kept their promises.
We looked at the St Zoe's schools from the point of view of the local economy and the result was surprising.
With no HUGS or other support money being used for day to day revenue expenditure and only being spent on infrastructure and capital like buildings and equipment the schools employ 49 teachers and other staff and also generate work for up to 50 families in the village to grow food for the children and make school uniforms, provide timber and work on building projects. In turn these people support their families and even at a very conservative figure of 10 per employed person the schools are helping to support nearly 1000 people and provide a livelihood. All with money generated locally. It should continue even if we were not around.

It makes you think.