African Skylines..The Other Africa

Skorpy
Sad part is Africa is being exploited by the super powers of the world.

Why not let the victim-narrative rest for just one thread and look at the positive sides of Africa?

We already have "oh its so terrible in Africa" stories all day in the media, press, internet, etc.

Freeborn
reply to post by Kilwa

 

I can only advice to educated Black Americans to move ASAP

Don't want to derail what is an excellent and informative thread, but why specifically Black Americans, wouldn't educated people of all races and nationalities be welcome if wishing to become an active and positive part of the development of the African continent?

many Europeans and some White Americans are there, since teaching in an university or working doing a skilled job in a company gives you enough money to live in the city as middle class or more.

Black Americans seem more scared of Africa than White Americans

Kilwa


Black Americans seem more scared of Africa then White Americans

Yes. They are brainwashed through movies to think Africa is all about war and poverty.

One thing I highly recommend...which I did a few months ago...is to do a Google Street View Tour of various places in Africa. Its a fascinating trip.

reply to post by Kilwa


I'm British.
I have a friend who is currently working in Angola, he likes it so much he is seriously considering moving out there for good with his family.

Sadly I think I'm a bit too old to consider such an option.

Africans in Europe are coming back in Africa, despite all the Lampedusa-centered news that now pop out in the websites, immigrants are decreasing in Southern Europe, and the flow is inverting, there is more people who flee Italy than people who enter in the country

In many African countries the white and black concepts don't exist, for example in East Africa both Afro Americans and White Americans are mzungu, that means foreigner (something like the Japanese gaijin, but without all the negative connotations).


Now a lot of people have smartphones and internet, and in Nigeria 80% of the population have a cellular phone. Guys and girls that I would have considered poor have a facebook account now

Konza Tech City, Kenya





Initial works started on November 2013

Nairobi, Kenya





Lamu, Kenya (historical city), only to show some folks historical layers of Kenya

Spider879
fleecing the newly liberated and Kagame is having non of that, I asked about ethnic tension, he said everyone is proud to be Rwandan and relations is pretty much repaired,

I had the feeling Kagame is one of the "good guys" who had a really difficult task after the 90s. Thanks for confirming.

Lagos, Nigeria













Lagos in a Nigerian TV series

So what would you say are the four best African countries to live in?

Skyfloating
So what would you say are the four best African countries to live in?

The best countries for me are

Kenya
Tanzania
Angola
Mozambique

It's not surprising that Africa has become booming.

The only continent still loaded with all sorts of resources, while the rest of the world has been divided and plundered. That's way so many are now investing in African nation.
The only way to grow is up, when most of the continent was considered a third world region.

It's great that the people are creating a better life for them selves. It's really refreshing to see, next to all the negative stories.

I hope the African people won't be cheated into giving up their land and resources by the worlds super powers though.
Western civilization is renowned for taking what they want, and will do anything to get what they want.

Nice thread Thx.

reply to post by Spider879


Gorgeous pictures. S&F
I am only paused to wonder then, given so much wealth obviously exists, why so much aid money is still being sought, and why these pictures aren't shown along side the pot bellys of the starving when church groups harass me for money in the street. I also pause to wonder why boom cities are not taking over provision of aid funds to those that need it as well as taking over aid work in areas of their own nation that most need it. These pictures and the capitalistic realities behind them, would give me pause when considering donating to African charities as I would question seeing them where that money is really going - to build a new sky scraper or the belly of a starving child? Hm

Ro

Shuye
reply to post by Spider879

 

Shopping malls and bank ads, big houses and mortgages. Hmm.

Why is it considered a progress? Does our Western cities looks so happy from the outside?

It is called building a life the progressive mind has issues comprehending such things. Most people want to build a future for their children and one of the ways to make that happen is making money.



I work with a guy who never works any overtime he always says I only need enough money to pay my bills and that is is. His wife always complains the family is barely making it with no savings. Truth be told this man is lazy and she bad choice.

Rosha
reply to post by Spider879

 

Gorgeous pictures. S&F
I am only paused to wonder then, given so much wealth obviously exists, why so much aid money is still being sought, and why these pictures aren't shown along side the pot bellys of the starving when church groups harass me for money in the street. I also pause to wonder why boom cities are not taking over provision of aid funds to those that need it as well as taking over aid work in areas of their own nation that most need it. These pictures and the capitalistic realities behind them, would give me pause when considering donating to African charities as I would question seeing them where that money is really going - to build a new sky scraper or the belly of a starving child? Hm

Ro

edit on 22-12-2013 by Rosha because: (no reason given)

Are you really so dumb to believe these skyscrapers are built by charities? Charities are a scam, welcome in the real world. They are so rich that they can make an ad of 40 seconds about starving children, and the mothers and kids of the ad are all actors. And charities are not African, they are British, American etc. This is when you realize that the Africa portrayed in the television is a scam.

The "aid" in the world of grown up men doesn't exist, if USA gives Iraq aid is only to ensure construction contracts, because there is no point in giving contracts to USA when China costs less and that country has the best infrastructures in the world (Shenzhen, Shanghai, Chengdu, the best high speed train in the world, USA doesn't even have an high speed train).

This is a great thread and shows the potential of the African continent and where it is currently heading. Its a slow journey though and as the OP mentions, there remain issue still. I don't want to derail the thread, but what's important to understand is that there is still a great deal of poverty in Africa. The middle class is growing and also the superich and the lower classes are getting poorer and more disenfranchised unfortunately in some countries.

I'm familiar with Uganda and see a microcosm of what transpires elsewhere. The main problem I see is the lack of good quality free education and corruption which keeps the poor beyond the reaches of the rich. In many ways, we see a pattern of old England; a vast separation between the underclass and the upperclass. In addition, many of these properties are built on land sold cheaply through ignorance and exploitation of the uneducated of how much their land is worth.

But, I suspect, in African investment will be the great equaliser; this creates jobs at all levels which raises the average wage and living standards which I hope will happen soon.

For westerners, Africa is a great place to move to, espcially countries in the equatorial zone, perpetual summer Prices are ridiculously cheap and living standards are comfortable on what we would consider a mediocre wage. The people are friendly and the way of life is relaxed. Its how life should be lived.

Kilwa

Rosha
reply to post by Spider879

 

Gorgeous pictures. S&F
I am only paused to wonder then, given so much wealth obviously exists, why so much aid money is still being sought, and why these pictures aren't shown along side the pot bellys of the starving when church groups harass me for money in the street. I also pause to wonder why boom cities are not taking over provision of aid funds to those that need it as well as taking over aid work in areas of their own nation that most need it. These pictures and the capitalistic realities behind them, would give me pause when considering donating to African charities as I would question seeing them where that money is really going - to build a new sky scraper or the belly of a starving child? Hm

Ro

edit on 22-12-2013 by Rosha because: (no reason given)

Are you really so dumb to believe these skyscrapers are built by charities? Charities are a scam, welcome in the real world. They are so rich that they can make an ad of 40 seconds about starving children, and the mothers and kids of the ad are all actors. And charities are not African, they are British, American etc. This is when you realize that the Africa portrayed in the television is a scam.

The "aid" in the world of grown up men doesn't exist, if USA gives Iraq aid is only to ensure construction contracts, because there is no point in giving contracts to USA when China costs less and that country has the best infrastructures in the world (Shenzhen, Shanghai, Chengdu, the best high speed train in the world, USA doesn't even have an high speed train).

edit on 23-12-2013 by Kilwa because: (no reason given)

Wealth exists of course and always has in Africa, but has been kept to the rich usually westerners but now a growing number of African 'Superich'. The poor remain poor in many cases.

In asking why "boom cities are not taking over provision of aid funds to those that need it", this is not the role of cities, they are just companies out to make profit not to form charities like anywhere else. There is no connection between charity giving and building skyscrapers; they are two separate entities and unconnected. Most of the properties are built by mulinationals and do little to help the poor if anything at all.

The poverty in ads is not a scam, go to Africa, travel and see for yourself. Everything isn't always a conspiracy to rip people off. Western Charities do good work, yes they often pay themselves overblown salaries, but they do provide genuine aid.

spacedog1973

Kilwa

Rosha
reply to post by Spider879

 

Gorgeous pictures. S&F
I am only paused to wonder then, given so much wealth obviously exists, why so much aid money is still being sought, and why these pictures aren't shown along side the pot bellys of the starving when church groups harass me for money in the street. I also pause to wonder why boom cities are not taking over provision of aid funds to those that need it as well as taking over aid work in areas of their own nation that most need it. These pictures and the capitalistic realities behind them, would give me pause when considering donating to African charities as I would question seeing them where that money is really going - to build a new sky scraper or the belly of a starving child? Hm

Ro

edit on 22-12-2013 by Rosha because: (no reason given)

Are you really so dumb to believe these skyscrapers are built by charities? Charities are a scam, welcome in the real world. They are so rich that they can make an ad of 40 seconds about starving children, and the mothers and kids of the ad are all actors. And charities are not African, they are British, American etc. This is when you realize that the Africa portrayed in the television is a scam.

The "aid" in the world of grown up men doesn't exist, if USA gives Iraq aid is only to ensure construction contracts, because there is no point in giving contracts to USA when China costs less and that country has the best infrastructures in the world (Shenzhen, Shanghai, Chengdu, the best high speed train in the world, USA doesn't even have an high speed train).

edit on 23-12-2013 by Kilwa because: (no reason given)

Wealth exists of course and always has in Africa, but has been kept to the rich usually westerners but now a growing number of African 'Superich'. The poor remain poor in many cases.

In asking why "boom cities are not taking over provision of aid funds to those that need it", this is not the role of cities, they are just companies out to make profit not to form charities like anywhere else. There is no connection between charity giving and building skyscrapers; they are two separate entities and unconnected. Most of the properties are built by mulinationals and do little to help the poor if anything at all.

The poverty in ads is not a scam, go to Africa, travel and see for yourself. Everything isn't always a conspiracy to rip people off. Western Charities do good work, yes they often pay themselves overblown salaries, but they do provide genuine aid.

Yes, charities and companies are 2 different entities, I think the user "Rosha" is one of that person that sleep, eat and work and doesn't feel the need to understand basic economy or how a country is run (banks>state>companies>workers).


Then:

1- None of my relatives ever saw a charity at work in Africa, they didn't attend a charity backed school or ever eat charity food, in western medias seem that they are keeping Africa alive, that everything good that happens in Africa is thanks to them. Really, this is one of the biggest lies ever portrayed in western medias everyday (about Africa).

2- The book "dead aid" of the economist Dambisa Moyo explains my general view about the different forms of aid

This is what happens when a Nigerian Governor (of 1 of the 36 states of Nigeria) starts to use the oil money for the city and the citizens and to gradually transform his city in the "Little Dubai of Africa"

This is what they built in 5 years since 2007, now Akwa Ibom state is a great attractor of investments and I'm sure the next 10 years will be decisive