Africa presentations commentary: due before school Mon, 1/30

[Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)]

In three short, separate paragraphs, please share three distinct
themes that you
found prevelant in the presentations of your classmates that were of
particular interest to you. Make specific references to the relevant
presentations to reinforce your analysis.

[Steven Wood]

One theme that was repeated throughout the Africa presentations
was the under funding by the African governments. Almost all
presentations in some way related to the under funding by the
government. For example the presentation on Malaria mentioned that if
any government, specifically African, funded Malaria prevention
methods such as nets Malaria would be much less of a problem. Another
presentation where the lack of government funding was seen was in the
presentation on "The African Water Crisis". In this presentation
Kaley stated that if the government funded purification methods, and
the like, water shortages would be much less prevalent.

The seco



On Jan 26, 7:46 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"

[Steven Wood]

Sorry, I accidentally pressed [Enter].
The second theme seen throughout these presentations was
infrastructure support. Many presentations referenced the fact that
if the infrastructure was available some of Africa's largest issues
may be solved. In my presentation I stated multiple times that the
lack of infrastructure is holding the continent back in terms of
communication technology. Once again, Erica's presentation on
education in Africa stated that the reason some girls do not attend
primary school is because of lack of infrastructure. In education's
case the lack of infrastructure is seen in the structures where
learning takes place and the bathrooms of the school. This lack of
infrastructure in the bathrooms lead many girls to not attend school
due to embarrassment.

The last them seen repeated over the course of these presentations
is the culture of Africa. In some cases this theme is seen holding
Africa back and in others accelerating and uniting Africa. The
culture is holding back Africa in cases like FGM where a practice such
as this is rooted in culture and is practiced, for the most part,
because of African culture. This practice is holding Africa back in
terms of women's rights. An area where culture is accelerating Africa
is in traditional Swahili music. This tradition of music is not only
uniting Africa, but giving women the right to speak out which, in
northern Africa, is almost unheard of.

On Jan 26, 7:46 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"
<kenneth.sk...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[James Lofton]

First off I would like to say that I was very interested in all of the
Africa presentations and thought that they conveyed good information.
The first theme that I found connected some of the
presentations was the lack of arms control. The Illicit arms trade
fuels many of the other problems that Africa experiences such as the
blood diamond trade, child soldiers, human trafficking, and poaching,
as well as many others that were not presented. The deadly combination
of ethnic/tribal tensions that naturally exist in Africa, and the
prevalence of readily accessible weapons causes widespread violence.
The forcing of men to mine diamonds, the need for children to fill the
ranks of militias, the capturing/trading of slaves, and the poaching
of exotic animals all result in violence that is caused by illegal
small arms. Without illegal arms in the region, the militias that
children fight for would be less able to carry out their violent
crime, and the poachers would have a harder time getting their
weapons. The diamond trade that buys guns for militias and governments
would be less important, and it would be harder for gangs to capture
their subjects for human trafficking. Essentially every Africa
presentation could be affected by Small arms trafficking in some way,
which is why this problem is one of the first challenges on the road
to African progression.

The second connection that I drew from some of the
presentations was the public exhibition of culture. From the exotic
appearance of a Shaman, to the visible marks from scarification, it is
clear that the African people (especially in rural areas) stay true to
their beliefs, and have done so for an untold number of years. The
ethnic people as a whole seem like very proud people, proud of their
beliefs and what they stand for. They also seem very strong. Rituals
such as the deep incisions on the face that come with scarification,
and the brutal practice of FGM are just some examples of cultural
standards that have stood the test of time. Even though these
practices sound almost like instances of torture, these cultural acts
show more cultural/religious devotion than anywhere in the western
world. The people are very attached to their elders (Shamans) and
their music (drums) and have been so for many years.

The last connection I would like to make is in reference to
education and its affect on African Society. By looking at the
statistics, it is easy to see that Africans are under-educated.
However, it is also clear to me that as the African people become more
educated, it is making a big difference. From the Education and the
AID presentation, we could see all of the remaining problems. Not
nearly enough teachers, inadequate supplies, unsafe environment, are
just a few. But in other presentations, such as the FGM project, it
was apparent that education was having a profound impact, and as a
result, bettering the lives of Africans. As Africans receive more
education, they are more willing and able to take on challenges that
face their countries such as water shortages, lack of communication
technology, and widespread diseases like Ebola, Malaria, and HIV/
AIDS.

On Jan 26, 10:46 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"

[Alexa Lee]

The abject poverty in Africa existed as a major theme in the African
Research Project presentations. The fact that Malaria kills thousands
of people due to lack of $5 mosquito nets shows the extreme degree of
poverty in Africa. Additionally the inadequate educate and high
truancy portray the great depravity in Africa. Furthermore the
children volunteering to fight as child soldiers for pay demonstrates
the desperation of the people.
The theme of abuse of children prevailed throughout the ARP
presentations. The forced Scarification and FGMs revealed the
frequency and normality of abusing children. The high number of child
soldiers and child slaves add to the regularity of child abuse. On
top of Africa's overall suffering, children seem to have it the worst,
which is heartbreaking. Without the children, there is no future.
Thus, Africa may have no future if people do not give more aid and
show more care.
The underdevelopment of Africa abided throughout the ARP
presentations. The enormous shortage of sanitary water because of the
insufficient technology and poor economy opens our eyes to the
underdevelopment of Africa. The antiquated practices of Shamanism and
FGM and Scarification for medical treatments also indicate the
deficiency of development. Africa appears to need aid in so many
ways. It needs an economic boost, more education, nutritious food,
modern technology, and everyone's loving care.

On Jan 26, 10:46 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"
<kenneth.sk...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Ashley Gubernick]

The first theme I found frequenting these presentations was the
treatment of girls in Africa. Though all child soldiers tell a sad
story being abused into the combat role, girls are forced to do the
work that the men discard, and they are raped. Human trafficking is a
another problem that involves poor treatment of girls. Young girls,
sometimes even the age of 6, are pushed into becoming prostitutes.
Luckily foundations like DNA foundation and Somali MAM foundation are
attempting to fix this problem. Women have protested for equality and
better treatment in the Women's War (1929), but still equality seems
far fetched. Education in Africa has a low attendance in general, but
for girls the attendance rate is even lower. It is more valued that
men are educated than the women. Another way women are treated
differently than men is the initiation process. When women go through
a "right of passage" they have to go through FGM. It is unsanitary
and can lead to troubled pregnancy. If a girl does not go through FGM
a man may not want to marry her. Luckily, in some cultures women are
treated almost equal to men. In Swahili music women are allowed to
sing and they can express discontent at arranged marriages; however,
women are not allowed to play the drums like they men can. Overall
through these presentations I was given the impression women are
treated very poorly and unfair in Africa, but I was pleased to see so
many organizations working to solve the problem.

Another theme that I saw exist through many presentations was
solutions to problems in Africa. When a presentation with a problem
was presented, there was typically a solution, also. It was
reassuring to know even if the solutions have not worked thus far, at
least the issues are not being ignored. Blood diamonds being mined in
Africa was presented as a major problem that has caused rebellions in
Africa and corruption. The Kimberely Process created by Global
Witness was the original solution, but due to lack of government
enforcement it was ineffective. If the process is reformed, it may
solve the mining of blood diamonds. Child Soldiers is a terrible
problem in over 30 countries and makes up 10-15% of African militia.
After hearing a presentation on the brutality of this matter, it was
comforting to know the DDR solution and prosecution are handling the
situation. Illicit arms trade leads to violence thus halting
development. With aid problems not wanting to help because they are
afraid, the Nairoba Protocol seems to be a solution. Even with human
trafficking such a prominent issue, no real solution was mentioned.
This being said there are organizations working to resolve the issues
such as DNA foundation and Somali Mam Foundation. Sacrification is
not so much an issue as it is a harmful ritual, but to lessen the harm
it inflicts, restrictions have been passed. Although many of the
Africa Presentations told harsh stories and showed grotesque pictures,
knowing something is being done to help the suffering Africans was a
reassuring idea.

The third theme that connects many of the presentations was Africa's
financial state. I realize now that a lot of Africa's finances are
illegal and the economic states are a gateway to violence. Corrupt
governments make money off of blood diamond mines which causes
rebellions. Child soldiers are picked to be part of the militia
because they cost less; this is due to the children needing less food.
Originating in East Africa, the elephants and rhinos are subjected to
poaching for ivory which is then shipped illegally to Asia. Luckily,
there were also presentations on the legal and helpful economy in
Africa. Ecotourism helps raise the employment rate and local revenue
while simultaneously conserving the environment. After voting for
independence from French Colonialism, Africans continued to rely on
the French; this includes political and economic influence. Aid in
Africa also brings in money to the poor countries. Food for Assets
sends cash and vouchers to help the economy thrive. In my own
presentation I found that African football helps stimulate the economy
by creating job opportunities. Though most people think of Africa as
being a very poor continent, the effort people are making to help the
economic situation can go a long way.

On Jan 26, 10:46 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"
<kenneth.sk...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Cat Mosier-Mills]

(Some of my points are similar to other people's, so I'll try to
include different standpoint!) The most surprising themes I uncovered
while watching the Africa presentations were women's issues,
intervention of Western aid groups, and how truly underappreciated
African culture is.
Women's issues have always been a hot topic, no matter where they're
being debated. But I was personally horrified to see how certain
cultural customs have hurt women. Obviously, FGM and sex trafficking
are some of the most severe -- seeing as women don't have many rights
in these countries, they have little say in solving these problems.
Additionally, the seemingly "smaller" issues, such as lack of
education, prevention from education, or even the issue of girls
dropping out of school because they must take care of things at home,
is just as unsettling. Granted, I understand that some of these are
cultural practices, and that because I'm from a different culture, I
don't have the right to judge certain decisions. But, when it comes to
women being psychologically damaged (FGM) or kidnapped against their
will (sex trafficking), the issue must be addressed. Sarah's
presentation on women's rights in Nigeria was very interesting -- it's
refreshing to hear that many women are fighitng back against the
oppressive male dominance that is prevalent in their societies.
Another theme I picked up on was the influence of Western powers in
the African nations. Yes, some African governments extremely unstable
-- take, for example, the corrupt Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe, or the
African organizations that look the other way when child soldiers or
blood diamonds become serious problems. However, it's a little
hypocritical of Westerns to have so much influence when some of these
problems stem from the colonial days. For example, Leigh's
presentation on the Rwanda genocide was particularly interesting, as
she mentioned that the Belgians favored one ethnic group over the
other, which led to a bloody genocide. Even the fact that government
officials in C'ote D'ivoire speak French reinforces the idea that the
European culture is superior to the African culture, which I find
disturbing.
With all that in mind, it's hard to remember that Africa has a rich
culture that has flourished throughout history. Just learning about
the unique drum beats, intricate music, and age-old practices
(specifically shaminism) introduced the idea that although Africa is
currently filled with a variety of problems, it also has a
tremendously interesting culture that is fascinating to learn about! I
especially thought Josh's presentation on shamanism was intriguing;
it's amazing to see how religion and medicine is interpreted in
different parts of the world. I also loved how, instead of punishing a
disobedient child like we would do here, parents take their children
to a shaman to be cured of insolence!

On Jan 26, 10:46 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"
<kenneth.sk...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Maddie Chapin]

One of the most prominent issues that I realized throughout each
presentation was the deep health issues that lie in the depth of this
continent. I have always somewhat known that African has had health
issues in most of their countries but I never realized how deep these
problems are and how they affect the economy, jobs, and the
government. From the malaria presentation, to the AIDs, to the water
presentation, to education I realized how the health of the people is
all based off of whether or not they are bitten by a mosquito or take
a sip of dirty water. Also, I have never put two and two together to
realize how the instability of this continent is, in fact, because of
the foundation which is disease. Disease stops the citizens from going
to school, getting jobs, and caring for families which the education
presentation also touched upon. Because of the diseases children
cannot go to school and receive a quality education and this also
effects tourism which later harms the economy.

Another reoccurring topic that I noticed in many of the presentations
was the amount of organizations that have reached out towards the
unstable countries. Not only UN based organizations but organizations
run by celebrities and based out of many helping countries. For
example, Claire's presentation on child prostitution really emphasized
the amount of charities run by celebrities, like the Ashton and Demi
foundation, while Erica featured the amount of aid going towards
children's education which seems to be lacking such as the school in a
box. It intrigues me how many organizations are reaching out to help,
but many of the countries still face many problems which really
portrays how deep the issues in Africa really are.

The culture in this society seemed to be really prevalent and the
amount of spiritual beliefs that varied from tribe to tribe and
country to country. I thought it was so interesting to see how the
rituals affect so many people and culture. In the shamanism
presentation by Josh I realized how much of an impact these
mythological thoughts do have on numerous societies to the point where
they actually call on this shaman to assist them with healing. Also,
with my own presentation, african masks, after doing research, I also
came to the conclusion that dances and calling upon spirits is such a
prevalent aspect of different regions. In Lizzy and Alexa's music
related presentations it was interesting to see how the cultural
affects of music also affect the man and woman relationships in
Africa. I also have never realized the measures that are taken to
perform the rituals such as scarification which actually hurts the
child and their appearance and FGM which is another harmful tradition
in this culture.

On Jan 26, 10:46 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"
<kenneth.sk...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Josh Klag]

Three major themes prevalent throughout the presentations were the
ineffectiveness of African government, the lasting effects of
colonialism, and the diverse culture of the African people.
Through all of the issues discussed, it was quite clear that the
actions of the government is not doing much to implement solutions,
and sometimes contributes to the problems. Some of the African
governments fuel the mining and sale of blood diamonds, and many do
not have legislation in place preventing abuses such as FGM. This
places much of the responsibility of solving Africa's many problems on
foreign aid, whether from other governments or from NGO's.

The lasting impression of colonialism was a repeated trend throughout
the Africa presentations. The colonization of Africa had many negative
effects, as well as a few positive ones. Some Danish people remained
in South Africa after its colonization and oppressed the black
population there, which has caused a great deal of strife between the
two groups. In Rwanda, the Belgian colonists' favoritism of the Tutsis
resulted in a mass genocide in which 800,000 innocent tutsis were
killed. On the other hand, the former presence of French colonists in
West Africa is still ingrained in their culture today, and did not
result in any resentment.

Many of the presentations portrayed Africa's rich and diverse culture.
They have many customs that may seem odd to Westerners, such as body
art and mask wearing. However, they also have aspects of their culture
that we can relate to, such as soccer. Soccer does a great deal to
unite the people across the continent and give them something in
common. But although their culture brings unity, it also causes rifts
between people in topics such as religion. Africa has a multitude of
religious beliefs, which spans Islam and Christianity, as well as more
paganistic beliefs such as shamanism. This wide range of beliefs often
causes conflict and violence between the people.

[Lizzy Hilt]

Throughout these presentations on African, there were numerous
reoccurring themes that I observed. The first theme I noticed was the
importance of education. As the presentations continued, there are
different ways education affected the different topics. In some
presentations education is needed and in others, it is not. It is
needed to protect people from themselves, like in FGM. But it is also
needed to help stop the spreading of Ebola and Malaria. Just because
the education theme is needed in some areas, it also just plays a
factor in others. For percussion in Africa, it only decides what drum
children inherit from their parents, if they don’t have education they
will take up their parents’ jobs. Such as if you are educated about
human trafficking, you can donate to foundations that help prevent it.

Secondly, I noticed the theme of tradition being portrayed in a lot of
these presentations. Several topics were solely about tradition such
as body art and masks. As I now realize, tradition plays a key role in
African society, which is party the reason why they are still a third
world country. They are devoted to keeping their traditions alive,
consequently, alienating themselves from the rest of the world. These
traditions have a wide scope such as shamanism and soccer, but in the
end, these traditions are dying. This is what makes Africa unique but
it’s also what is holding it back from moving forward.

 Finally, a theme that was prominent is Africa’s economy.  Many topics
had to do with trading, hunting, and financial aid. The overall
conclusion about the economy in Africa was that is corrupt. People are
making money from blood diamonds, to human trafficking, and poaching.
Many of these presentations stated that the government has no
authority over it and their policies aren’t affective. In facet, some
officials are partaking in these illegal deals and using it for their
own benefit like with blood diamonds. The foreign aid presentation
showed how the rest of the world is reaching out to try to help stop
these crimes from happening and to support Africa’s economy in any way
possible

[Ben Cohen]

The first theme I noticed in the presentations were corrupt government
and leadership. In the blood diamond, illicit arms trade, and South
African racial conflicts (just to name a few) corrupt governments were
all involved in the issues surrounding African countries. These
governments make it hard for aid and peacekeepers to help improve
situations in Africa. There is also trouble removing these governments
from power most of the time, so nothing can really be done about them,
and they continue to cause problems.

The second theme I noticed was a lack of infrastructure. Specifically
in the water and technology presentations the lack of infrastructure
in Africa causes the African people to not be able to obtain important
items such as water and technology. It is hard to put the
infrastructure in place because of lack of funding. Without this
infrastructure Africa will have a hard time ever developing because
people cannot survive without water, and they will not have up to date
technology either.

The last theme I noticed in the presentations was lack of education
throughout the country. In Erica's presentation she informed us on how
Africa has trouble keeping children in school and finding good
teachers. The lack of education takes a toll on how the people act in
Africa. They revert back to old, sometimes harmful traditions such as
FGM because they are not educated enough to realize that it is
harmful. The lack of education also gives the African people trouble
with finding decent jobs, and developing more jobs, which causes a
massive amount of poverty. Without jobs African people are inclined to
make money anyway possible even if that means fighting for corrupt
governments,which misinform their people to start conflicts.

On Jan 26, 10:46 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"
<kenneth.sk...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Connor]

A theme that I saw in numerous presentations was the legacy of decisions made by European colonial powers. Belgium's support of the Tutsis during colonization lead to the Rwandan Genocide, where Hutus slaughtered thousands of Tutsis. The legacy left by colonists in South Africa lead to government sponsored favoritism of whites over blacks. Christianity was spread across all of sub-saharan africa as a result of missionaries and colonists. In my presentation, France's colonialism of West Africa lead to many West African countries adopting the French language and culture as their own.

Another theme that I encountered was widespread illegal operations that result from a lack of effective governance. Most if the presentations that were on the first day had to do with this. Poaching, child soldiers, human trafficking, blood diamonds and arms trade could all be significantly decreased if African countries had an effective government that could actually police the area. Most of these presentation, with the exception of child soldiers, all involve some sort of exporting from the continent. This leads me to believe that these issues could be significantly decreased if foreign countries put stronger pressure on governments and took a more active role in preventing these illegal activities. 

The last theme that I saw was problems having to do with illness. This ranges from AIDS, malaria, poor water, ebola and famine. The two main problems I see in this are a lack of resources and a lack of infrastructure to adequately distribute these resources. As an example, although malaria is highly treatable and there are cheap and effective ways to prevent it, many in Africa die just because there is no way to get the proper treatment. On the other hand, problems such as drought occur when even if there are methods put in place to distribute water, there is a lack of the resource. 

[Melissa Lee]

One theme I thought was prevalent among the topics was the uniting of
people through unique culture. Because there has been a diversity of
tribal cultures, various traditions still preserve the identities of
many. Shamanism, having originated as the original human religion,
instilled spiritual beliefs throughout the community and provided
herbal remedies. Football had also been one of the most popular sports
and was able to bring together other cultures through teams. As well,
scarification and FGM are ways to physically prove identity and
loyalty to tradition, although the methods used are unsafe and
unhealthy. Swahili music and percussion also have allowed communities
to express themselves through music, while sharing the tradition.

Also, racial tensions and the difficulties of civil rights since
colonization are a theme. Although there had been complementary
dualism during colonialism, women continue to fight for their rights
through jihads, guerilla protests. Many tribes especially promote
women’s rights.  The recent Rwandan genocide displayed ethnic
differences of Tutsis and Hutus, and how they promoted massacre and
violence, until a government was formed that still remains unstable.
Also, racial conflicts in South Africa and Zimbabwe had dated back to
the years of colonization and continue to consist of discrimination,
corruption, and land disputes. However, Nelson Mandela as part of a
liberation movement was a step forward from the racial tensions that
had carried through from Western colonization.

The scarcity of resources and consequent aid from many organizations
was another theme found in the presentations. Because of the weighty
expenses of school supplies and buildings, only 60% of students even
attend school. Malaria and ebola are also two common diseases in
African countries, due to certain environment and had originally come
from the previously welcomed animals. The toll health and risk of
death is a major issue, because of inadequate hospitals and costly
vaccines. Water has also rare, as droughts and deserts do not help.
Barely any clean water, disease is provoked and agriculture is
negatively affected by lack of any water. However, many NGOs and the
UN through UNICEF have played a major part in providing foreign aid
towards food, education, disease prevention campaigns, and the hope
for democracy.

On Jan 26, 10:46 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"
<kenneth.sk...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Shefain Islam]

A prevalent theme throughout these presentations was role of women in African society and the changing role of women in African society. There are two sides to the role of women in this society. Often, women are oppressed and silenced and this is shown through traditions such as FGM or not allowing women to play percussion instruments. Women who were once allowed to participate in complementary dualism are now forced to resort to hiding behind veils and listening to the orders of men. This idea of manly dominance over women is spread widely throughout Africa. However, that being said, women are and have been challenging this idea in Africa. From the Igbo Women's War which aided greatly in Nigeria's road to independence to women voicing their anger about cheating husbands through Swahili songs that they are told not to sing, women are rising up and challenging the dominance of males in their society. Even though these two roles are conflicting, the role of women in Africa in the future will greatly impact the future of Africa.

Another theme that ran throughout these presentations was the impact of foreign influence on Africa today. European influence has caused turmoil such as the Rwandan Genocide in which a great majority of an ethnic group was killed as a result of tension and animosity spurred by Belgians. Europeans have also influenced the culture and daily life of many African countries such as the French and West Africa. French is still the official language of many countries in West Africa and the French system of education is still used to this day. France still plays a role in aiding and offering military assistance to these countries. Not only have the Europeans influenced Africa, but so have the Arabs and Muslims that came through Africa long before colonialism. Muslim values such as veiling and Shari'a law are enforced throughout Africa and have become integral in many countries. Many organizations have also formed that preach the "word" of Islam such as  Boko Haram and the Shabab which are hell bent on stopping Western influence to make a more pious and religious Africa. Western culture also influences Africa today and this influence has made many cherished traditions such as mask making become a lesser known, if not slowly dying practice.

The last theme that ran throughout these presentations was the corruption and incompetence of Africa governments. Governments have censored almost all types of media in many countries which has stunted the growth of these countries and forced many to become almost "blind" and the only person left to guide them is the government. This also hinders economic growth and forces many people who could have benefited from progression to live in poverty. The corruption of African governments is also seen in the legacy of apartheid in Africa. The ANC, originally formed to free black people and allow them to live a healthy and fruitful life has now become corrupt. The ANC spends all the money meant to be used to empower blacks on themselves and further stunted the growth of Africa, Corruption and incompetence is once again seen through the leadership of Mugabe, a leader who retook African land from Europeans only to keep it all to himself and distribute it to his goons. Many governments are so greedy and self-centered that they have caused Africa to be held back in progression, evolution, and growth.

[Quincy Shuda]

One of the topics which I found to be very interesting was the illegal
trade that is going on in Africa: blood diamonds, ivory from poaching,
small arms/weapons, and even salves. The reason that I found this
theme to be to interesting was because it was a topic that I had never
heard of or considered before. Something that I noticed from each of
the presentations was that the problems didn’t end with the illegal
trade, they actually went much deeper into a core issue of what seemed
to me to be a lack of structured government. And without a good
foundation, a building (or in this case a continent) is bound to
collapse, or at least to be shaky. For the blood diamonds, they were
used specifically to finance government opposition groups. They
increased political corruption and rebel groups (like RUF in Sierra
Leon) which caused civil wars. All of these things just add to the
imbalance of they already unstable countries. The ivory trade lead to
severe deaths of many elephants and eventually a ban in 1989 - the
government attempting to find something to steady them more. But when
the law was not followed, it just highlighted the weakness. The small
arms and light weapons illegal trade leads to theft and contributes
greatly to the black market. It also accounts for 60 to 90% of combat
deaths and increases famine and disease. In countries struggling to
grow a single crop, they don’t need this added distress. Human
trafficking then attacks the children living in these unstable
countries, with prostitution and hard work hours with no pay. Over
all, I think that if the countries had a more structured and
influential government, many of these issues could be avoided.

Second, I enjoyed the presentations on many of the cultural topics of
Africa, such as the music, sports, and body rituals. I found it
interesting to hear about how soccer was such a popular sport in
Africa, and I was intrigued at how much influence the cultural aspects
had on the customs of African society. I was amazed to hear about how
Africans could end disputes all for the love of the game of soccer. If
only it could be that simple in America. I think that really showed
how much less advanced and more tribal the lifestyle is in Africa. The
body art and masks presentations were also very cool to learn about. I
found the religious and ceremonial aspects of both to be interesting.
Also they differed greatly in means of women. While mask makers are
generally men, scarification is often used to celebrate women’s
beauty. In another sense, masks are used to hide it. The body art is
shown off greatly, contributing to the identity of someone, while
masks are used more ritually, making everyone similar in a way. Both
are also dying arts as society advances. In a similar comparison,
women are usually not allowed to play instruments like percussion, but
in Taraab music, women are often successful artists. Both are used to
fuse music and messages together, history through percussion played
by griots, and voicing opinions through Taraab music.

The last topic I wanted to comment on was the theme of women’s rights.
In the USA, it is something we always study at some point in our
education, but modern girls take their rights and amazing lives for
granted. The presentations on female equality in Nigeria, equality in
education, and FGM, as well as a few points from other topics such as
child soldiers. The presentation on equality in Nigeria actually
talked about how Islam led to female independence, whereas British
colonization led to women doing petty house chores, which was a
concept I found shocking. When you think of the West (British) vs the
Middle East (Islam), you would probably picture the influence on women
to be the other way around. The information about how girls are less
educated because of sanitation and bathroom issues in school, as well
as lack of women teachers, was very saddening to me. I couldn’t
believe that people in Africa could still place more value on someone
simply because of gender, where in America some of the greatest and
most powerful people are women. This is a vicious circle I saw: lack
of education means that people cannot understand the truth behind
equality, which leads to girls not getting the right education, and so
on. The topic of FGM was so absolutely horrifying, I couldn’t believe
that some girls find it an honoring rite of passage and source of
pride and bonding. I guess where you grow up really impacts how
certain things seem to you. We are the products of our surroundings.

[Drew Vollmer]

One prevalent and recurring theme throughout these presentations was
the tribalism that has existed and thrives on in Africa. The continent
is a divided one, full of conflicting cultures and beliefs. In many of
the cultural topics it was mentioned that the specific practices of
scarification, shamanism, mask making and other African traditions
vary from region to region, and within that, from tribe to tribe. For
instance, on the treatment of women, there was a focus on Nigeria. In
Nigeria alone, tribes' views on women ranged from the side-by-side
nature of complimentary dualism to the Islamic law of the Sokoto
Caliphate. Furthermore, the fractured tribal nature has led to
bloodbath and massacre, as made prevalent in the Rwandan genocide.
Catalyzed by Belgian colonization, tribal resentment between Tutsis
and Hutus has left an indelible mark in African history. With over 3/4
of the Tutsi population executed, dreams of revenge still burn strong.
Even in the news today, tribal behavior creates conflict. Libyan
militias still vie for control, and South Sudanese tribes skirmish
over cattle. Political borders have no meaning in the Dark Continent,
for it is cultural boundaries of conflicting tribes that cause the
true division of Africa.

Another rather intriguing theme was the foreign influence and its
legacy in Africa. More specifically, Islamic and Western influence
have been able to impede and ingrain themselves in African culture. In
one rather prominent and relevant example, religious conflict in
Nigeria proves to be deadly, with Boko Haram radicals slaughtering
Christians. Christianity has proven to have a profound effect in
several African conflicts. Other examples include the Ugandan militias
of the Holy Spirit Movement and the Lord's Resistance Army. Western
influence has even further made its mark in Africa, as European
superpowers such as France, Britain, and Holland colonized the entire
continent. In the 1800s, West Africa was united under French control,
leaving Francophilic ideals such as the language, the religion, and
the education system. In Rhodesia (Modern Zimbabwe), black natives
were deceived into handing their land to the crown. The resource rich
and racially conflicted land became a prime example of the legacy
Britain had on Africa. Just south, and possibly even more notorious
was the apartheid nation of South Africa. Under the influence of white
minorities, heroes such as Nelson Mandela eventually took a stand
against the Dutch occupation, much like Mugabe in Rhodesia. Despite
these revolutions, blacks and whites still live with prejudice in the
African nations. Fortunately, modern influence in Africa has taken a
more positive route, with foreign aid from the United Nations and non-
goverment organizations. This aid has helped improve the lives of
Africa through medicine, education, politics, nutrition, and the
empowerment of women.

Finally, presentations truly gave an understanding on the pros and
cons of Africa's unique environment. Most notably, Africa's wildlife
is like no other. As the home to childhood favorites, Africa sports
the gorillas of the Congo, the elephants of the Serengeti, the
chimpanzees of Gombe, and thoasands of other species. Many nations
have taken advantage of this exclusive wildlife, and created national
parks and reserves. Along with this comes ecotourism, a recent
phenomenon thats rakes in money from anyone willing to encounter
procreating lions (i.e. Mr. Sklar). Furthermore, Africa holds a vast
amount of luxury resources. Some nations have made names for
themselves from exporting these riches, including Rhodesian minerals,
Tanzanian ivory, and Sierra Leonean blood diamonds. Unfortunately the
commerce of such exports is made in part by the bloodshed of
endangered species or child soldiers. Now although Africa presents
itself as a vast land of resources, it comes with a fair slice of
hell. Each day Africans must struggle with the microscopic terrors of
Ebola, HIV, and Malaria. All of which are fatal, and none of which
have a cure. Furthermore, life's basic ingredient, water, is rarely
found in a clean state, let alone at all. This only causes further
suffering, such as cholera, dysentery, and worst of all, famine. In
the Dark Continent, people don't live by "survival of the fittest",
but rather "survival of the luckiest". It is both the deadly and
resource rich qualities of Africa that make it the mysterious,
interesting, and amazing continent that it is.

On Jan 26, 10:46 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"
<kenneth.sk...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Zoe Bermudez]

    The first theme I noticed was the lack of control African governments had over their people. For example, the killing of elephants and rhinoceroses has reaching an all time high which shows that poachers are wildly out of control. While some countries have been able to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, the disease is still an extremely prominent part of African society. Thousands of children drop out of school every day and millions of Africans never received education beyond the fourth grade. So many aspects of these countries and how these governments run their people make Africa an overall depressing continent. Honestly, Africa strikes me as the place so many countries help to make themselves seem so generous and philanthropic. Sadly vast majority of power established in this continent has been through the help of other countries.
    The second theme that occurred to me was how important culture is in the African people's lives. Even through all the hardships they have and are continuing to face, so many people cling to their traditions and customs. My topic, scarification, for example. The procedure of gashing one's flesh is not only viewed as barbaric in most societies, the open wounds greatly heighten the risk for infection and the numerous lethal diseases floating around in that region of the world. Same for female genital mutilation. The pain those girls feel is something the rest of the world will never be able to imagine. Maybe these customs help these people through rough times on an emotional level. Maybe they are the only sources of hope. By practicing these traditions, maybe it lets these people connect to something when they have nothing left. Whatever the reason, the result is incredible; innumerable original cultures that have survived thousands of years to be passed on for thousands more.
    The last theme I noticed throughout these presentations is the amount of violence that has incorporated itself into the every day lives of million upon millions of African people. Both the first and second civil wars in Sudan left tens of thousands dead. In Rwanda, resentment against the Tutsi left 800,000 dead in less than 3 months. Racial conflicts in South Africa and Zimbabwe have brought their unresolved issues to the present day. So much heated violence has made its way to our time, with hatred and anger that still boil over from time to time and create more problems for themselves. This volatile continent seems to be in a deep spiral of resentment and oppression. Fortunately, with the help of foreign aid this spiral appears to be plummeting at a much slower rate. It seems there's hope after all!

[Rachel Hochberger]

One recurring issue I saw in these presentations was the mistreatment
of children in Africa. Human trafficking and child soldiers were
particularly striking to me. It was shocking to hear about how these
poor, impressionable, and uneducated children are taken advantage of,
pulled into these practices either by force, or believing it is their
only option. Not only that, many children are forced to stay in
prostitution, slave labor, or armies for much if not all of their
adult lives, either unable or unwilling to leave these practices,
because it’s all they’ve ever known. Scarification and FGM are also
serious issues facing these children, and even though they are
described as “bonding” or “ritual”, these processes are dangerous to
the health and lives of these children. And although there have been
organizations such as the Somali Mam Foundation and the Ashton and
Demi Foundation to help raise awareness, these issues are still very
prevalent.

Another issue was the diseases and health issues that significantly
impact Africa, such as Ebola, Malaria, and the lack of clean water,
which leads to many other diseases. While it is hard if not impossible
to treat Ebola, it is unfortunate to see Africans suffering and even
dying from things that could be fixed with a relative amount of ease.
It only takes simple medication or mosquito nets to treat and prevent
Malaria, but even these are a struggle for many to access. Water
access and purification are also severe issues. Many Africans can’t
store rainwater or purify the water from rivers or wells, requiring
government aid to help these people, showing how weak infrastructure
harms these people significantly, preventing them from caring for
their families, and getting educations and jobs.

Another theme I saw throughout these presentations was the rich
culture this region possesses. It is inspiring to see that despite all
of the issues that Sub-Saharan Africa faces, culture is still able to
flourish through all of the tribal practices like shamanism, mask
making, music, and percussion instruments. I also thought football’s
impact on Africa was very inspiring, seeing how it is able to unite
many countries despite their differences, and create a strong bond
between both the players and the spectators, allowing Africans to
embrace an aspect of their unique heritage and culture.

[Leigh]

The biggest theme I saw throughout all the presentations was how lack of education was the root of almost all of Africa's problems. It enables unhealthy practices, causes a lack of government strength, and a huge amount of violence. Although Shefain and Zoe described how FGM and Scarification are very dangerous and painful processes, the lack of education in Africa has allowed them to continue in this modern world. Also, people would be more knowledgeable about diseases like AIDS and it wouldn't take as many lives. The poor education in Africa also enables the government corruption and lets them take advantage of their citizens through practices like censorship. Lastly, if kids had the opportunity for better education and a well-paying job, less would become child soldiers fighting for local militias.

Another consistent theme I saw was exploitation. Children are constantly taken advantage of in Africa. Some are forced to become child soldiers, or mine blood diamonds, or are kidnapped and sold into slavery. These children are easily brainwashed, and their masters do not value their lives at all. But animals are also exploited. Elephants and Rhinos are poached because their tusks and horns are very desirable on the black market. This all leads to the overall corruption in Africa even though it seems unrelated.

The last theme that stood out to me was the support the rest of the world is giving Africa. Numerous organization send aid to Africa in many different forms, whether it be food, education, money, or even peacekeepers. I also never realized the magnitude of the impact aid has on Africa. For instance, a $10 mosquito net can save a few children's lives. Also the aid programs seem to be very smart. They follow the idea that instead of giving someone a fish you should teach them how to fish. An example of this is the food aid programs. They offer food to people who perform acts of community service or go to school, so they really are changing Africa for the better while still providing for the families in need.

[Jeremy Rhome]

The controlling of power, whether in the forms of wealth or military
strength presented itself as an important theme. Most problems in
Africa, and throughout the world for that matter, can be traced to the
control of power. This theme first appeared when researching child
soldiers, but was reinforced while watching other presentations. All
political topics can be traced to the roots of power but these
struggles spread to economic, sociological, and cultural aspects as
well. For example, political instability in Somali cases famine to
occur and in other nations poaching goes unenforced. Having political
stability in the US is taken for granted, but political instability
the root of many problems throughout Africa.
Cultural practices were also a largely evident theme in the majority
of the presentations. Culture and tradition is deeply engrained in
African society, so deeply engrained in fact that it takes precedence
over health concerns. A prime example, FGM, which is a highly
dangerous but, is practiced regardless of the health risks. Also body
scarification has inherent health risks but these are disregarded, as
scarification is a cultural tradition. Some cultural practices in
Africa are so far fetched from those in Western society that they seem
taboo. In Africa, cultural practices are so coveted that they trump
health risks.
Technology affects many other aspects of African society. Technology
drives the productivity of the continent and competition between
nations. Those with the best technology succeed, and those with the
worst technology fail. Health concerns such as AIDs, Ebola,
Dysentery, and Malaria can all be remedied with the help of
technology. Education, agriculture, water supply, and development are
all driven by the accessibly and usage of technology. For example,
technology can provide clean water supply and therefore reducing
disease. Technology can provide jobs and lift the continent out of
poverty. It seems as if technology is the theme of all themes.

[Sarah M]

One theme I observed was the adversity children faced in Africa,
caused by many different factors that had irreversible effects on a
child’s life. Diseases like malaria are most harmful to children due
to their weaker immune systems. Child soldiers require less food and
are therefore more likely to be kidnapped by militias. Children that
lack education due to teacher shortages and other problems are less
able to support themselves in the future. These problems all have
lasting effects on a child’s life, and are usually caused by the
crippling poverty this continent faces.

Another theme I came across was the lasting effects of European
colonization on indigenous Africa, particularly in race relations. In
the Rwandan genocide, the superiority the Belgians gave to Tutsis
created bitter resentments that later exploded into civil war. In
South Africa, the discrimination and segregation endured during the
apartheid was the product of white domination over African slaves
during the Dutch colonization of the 17th century.

Lastly, I came across the theme of art overlapping with the spiritual
world and pertaining to traditional religion. The body art that
involves cutting the skin is not only seen as beautiful, but has
spiritual importance to connect to the source of life in women. Masks
are also used to communicate with the ancestors and relate to a higher
power. In addition, in Shamanism the ancient drawings sketched on to
caves were of the spirit figures of the original human religion.

[Allie Martin]

One theme I saw in the presentation was how other people can help
Africa. Especially in the communications presentation and the water
problems there are so many thingsthat Africa needs or could use to
develop more as a continent. These were infrastructure issues that
have the potential for being fixed if other countries and the
governments of Africcna step in and do something about them. Also the
blood diamonds and illegal weapons sales are things that need to be
adressed to restore order to the continent. These were like the
common knowledge problems of Africa that everyone thinks of when they
think about Africa. Also diseases like malaria and AIDS are things
that were'nt really a problem until the 20th century.
Another theme was culture. This was one of the most interesting themes
because these presentations explained all of the things you see in
stereotypical pictures from Africa. It also portrayed that good things
do come out of Africa like the masks. Also the body art was especially
interesting because when you think of body art you think of tattoos
and its really cool how they raise the scars and make them look like
art. This and FGM presentaion also highlighted the cruseness of some
of Africas traditions. I loved the music presentaions as well because
I love music tap dance, and African precussion makes up the roots of
tap dancing.
The last theme I noticed was a string of heavy duty topics that have
historical roots in Africa's history. Child soldiers, human
trafficking, and the Rwanadan genocide all had more of a history to
them then the other issues. Also deep set racial tension in South
Africa and Zimbabwe were more historical topics. The child soldiers
and human trafficking were both institutions that have been in Africa
for awhile. These topics have historical roots and seem to have been
around forever.

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[Colin Castro]

The first theme I examined in these Africa research projects was the very poor, and undeveloped medical infrastructure that really cripples Sub-Saharan Africa. In certain projects we learned about disease in Africa. The two that stuck out for me were Ebola and Malaria. In each presentation I learned about different types of the disease and how treatment struggles is linked to infrastructure. In the malaria presentation we learned about how Malaria is very rampant in Africa. But also found it to be very preventable and treatable. Even though the disease is preventable and treatable there are still many Africans who die from this. We also learned about Ebola, an incredibly powerful disease that's rare, and extremely deadly. African infrastructure makes these diseases much more difficult than they have to be. A lack of experienced doctors, and advanced medical facilities allows a disease like Ebola to kill and spread. And, a lack of infrastructure disallows Africans from access to cheap antibiotics and logical mosquito nets. An infrastructure is the base of a strong country. 

Another theme I sifted out of the presentations were the trials of the Young African population. Young Africans struggle to garner an education because the government lacks resources and skilled teachers. With a deeply flawed education system, many African children struggle to reach literacy and an ability to write. This sets Africa back tremendously on the global scale. Economically the Western powers have such an advantage, and the streaking Asian powers are gaining this as well. This makes me question if Africa can ever become a strong contributor to the world economy. Other trials our presentations talked about were lack of health and family. Many African families have parents ravaged by AIDS, this prevents teenagers from pursuing a career and burdens them with their younger family. It also turns children to horrifying options like becoming a child soldier. 

Lastly, I found and greatly appreciated the social diversity and simplicity of Africa. Many presentations focused on social patterns and groups of thought in Africa. Some of the presentations like FGM and Shamanism examined questionable, tribal practices that can really adversely affect Africans and make them almost alien to Westerners. However, other presentations highlighted the music of the region as well as the arts. These arts are a gift Africa can provide to the world, because it exposes African beauty as well as their simplicity. In Western culture, many fail to recognize subtleties and the power of basic things. But, I found the presentations about the African arts to expand and really do an awesome job of showing how interesting their culture is. While, some things are strange, I respect and understand the African cultural views and their appreciations of isolation from the West. 

[Maureen McDermott]

The theme of Western influence is one very prevalent all throughout
Africa. It presents itself in many different ways and in many
different places. The effects French colonialism had in Northwest
Africa are extremely visible, and helped shaped that area into what it
is today. The spread of Christianity throughout much of Africa,
particularly sub-Saharan Africa also demonstrates the huge influence
Western ideas had among the African people, especially in something as
sacred to many as religion. Western colonization also lead to many
conflicts in Africa, such as the Rwandan genocide and racial
discrimination in South Africa. In a different way, ecotourism, mainly
of westerners, also plays a big role in many African societies. Much
of the tourism industries relies on western tourists, and without
them, the industry would not make it.

Another theme that became very clear to me while listening to these
presentations was the importance of African culture to African
populations, especially in lesser developed countries. Seeing the huge
role that music and percussion play in their society, and many other
cultural differences they have really brought these presentations to
life for me. The rituals preformed by the Sangoma to tap into the
spiritual world, from divination to possession to bone throwing, were
fascinating. The art of scarification that, here, would hold no
meaning at all, but often to them is used as a way of expression, and
holds such a deep meaning. Also the importance of masks, and the
brutality of FGM that is all part of the diverse African culture that
cannot be subdued.

I do think of all the themes presented throughout these presentations,
governmental corruption is the hugest, and also one fo the most
important. I can't think of a single smoothly running and non corrupt
African government. Many of the horrible issues that were brought to
our attention through these presentation could be fixed and prevented
by stable governments that most of Africa lacks. The Blood diamonds
and opposition groups that are funded through them, could be stopped,
or at least somewhat subdued, if the governments would enforce the
Kimberly Process like they agreed to do. The child soldier epidemic is
a product of military corruption and brutality, and something that a
stable military and government would not allow any longer. The
problems of illicit arms trade and human trafficking are completely
overlooked by the corrupt governments. They don't even try to stop
them. Stopping any of these things I just mentioned, let alone all of
them, would be an extremely difficult task, but one that stable
governments would most definitely play a more active role stopping.
Corruption is what has allowed these things to go on for as long as
they have, and face little resistance along the way.

On Jan 26, 10:46 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"

[Kaleigh Link]

Three themes that I saw prevail throughout the presentations were 1)
Children, 2) Illegitimate actions within the Government, and 3) Music

1) A lot of presentations exhibited the role that children play in
society in Africa as well as what they have to put up with. A fair
amount of children aren't being treated properly, aren't given a
chance, and aren't given a voice. In Ben's presentation about blood
diamonds he said that it corrupts the youth because of the need for
child soldiers and well as it halts the development of countries
because the children are in the wars being fought. Also in Jeremy's
presentation he said that the children were abused whether they
volunteered or not, and that they make babies (BABIES FOR CRYING OUT
LOUD) craw across land mine fields to set off the mines so that the
soldiers can get safely across the fields.
2) A point that I came across during the presentations was that
economies and governments thrive on most things illegal like blood
diamonds, child soldiers, illicit arms race, and the poaching of
animals. In Ben's presentation he mentioned something about how
politicians used the funds that they got from illegal trading of the
diamonds to further their reign. In jeremy's presentation he said that
any person who forced a child under the age of 15 to fight for the
armies of their countries would be prosecuted. And in James's
presentation he said that during the illicit arms trade, to get guns
shipped to Africa, Africans forge documents to send delivery of guns
to Africa.
3) Music made a clear point in a few of the presentations because it
created a voice for women and people who don't want to face
confrontation, as well as gave people a sense of class.In Alexa's
presentation she said that a singer once used music as a way to
confront and opposing singer without confronting her, therefore
missing any chance of in-the-moment-backlash. and In lizzie's
presentation she said that the griots that played the drums was a very
prestigious job to have and that you had to be born into it to be alb
to play it, creating that class divide.

On Jan 26, 10:46 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"
<kenneth.sk...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Addy]

I think that three themes throughout the presentations were poverty,
hunger, and violence.
Violence was a huge theme throughout many presentations including
Christianity with the LRA and the Boko Haram, child soliders, blood
diamonds with the warlords using them to fund wars, South Africa with
the apartide revolution, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. I think that alot of
the violence stems from the poverty and hunger that riddles many
Africa peoples.
Hunger was touched upon by alot of people, including Food Aid,
Education because its a main factor for under education, and child
soliders becasue many of these children volenteer becasue of the draw
of food and their hunger drives them to fight.
Poverty was touched on by almost everyone. It is really the root cause
of all the other problems. The lack of infastructure in Africa has
lead to poverty which has lead to other things like hunger and
violence and death and disease. The way to fix Africa is to create
more infastructe, which would redcuce poverty which would reduce all
the other problems.

[Michael Wong]

I was intrigued by the seeming futility of aid efforts in Africa, a
resistance to western influence, and the fractured political
landscape.
Throughout most of the topics aid remained a key talking point. Those
that related to drought and education discussed first the issues in
Africa surrounding poverty, and then they introduced aid agencies
attempting to quell the problem. The problems, however, do not appear
to lessening or the presentations would take a different tone.
Instead aid agencies appear to be holding back massive disaster rather
than making progress. For example: while schools are built few attend
due to their family duty of providing a helper role farming or for
lack of running water and plumbing. Without basic education disease
awareness and job potential diminishes. And in an famine and drought
plagued continent blustering agriculture to enable schooling is nearly
impossible.

Africa's relationship with the west is double edged. Many African
nations require foreign aid, yet with their desperate relationship
towards westen nations that once culturally and governmentally
dominated they are cautious. Recalling the slave trade it is not
difficult to understand why many Africans resent western medling in
African affairs. The evidence of western destruction is evident in
the Hutu and Tutsi's conflict as well as in the physical divides
between African countries. Due to many terrible experiences with
western nations Africans might be cautious to allow them back in. In
terms of popular culture being exported to Africa some insist it is
devastating the traditional culture of Africa. While conservative
Islamist believe western influence to be intrusive. This attitude
manifested itself in the presentation about traditional African music
being promoted over other western music, countries electing to speak
non western tongues, and in skepticism about modern medicine. When
western humanitarian outlook declares cultural phenomenons like
Scarification or FGM bad it imposes western values on cultural
traditions which is can create an anxiety about
foreigners.

Child soldiers, Christian and Muslim militias, and illegal not elected
officials governance evidence the political conflict in Africa. Many
presentations including small arms, Christianity, and child soldiers
touched on how the political issues in Africa translate to violence.
There are so many diverse cultures, religions, and needs combined onto
one outlined plot of land called a country that civil wars, Coup's,
and fights break ou constantly. Using poverty and aid as a tool Al
Shabab successfully controlled much of Somalia. Ar lords wielded
religion and waged war with child soldiers. Causing, and being
influenced by poverty political strife serves as a common theme for
most of the presentations.

[Erica F]

First off, I would like to say that everybody did a fantastic job with
their presentation- I really enjoyed all of them and learned a lot!
Some common themes I saw throughout everybody's presentations were
unrelenting combat, a lack of women's rights, and a declining respect
for African culture.
I wasn't planning on hearing about war in many presentations- I
thought a majority of the topics chosen would have had a lot to do
with poverty and lack of resources, not warfare. I've never studied
African life in-depth, so I had no idea that genocide, discrimination,
and crime were common place in Africa. The child soldiers presentation
certainly provided great background knowledge regarding warfare in
Africa, but as the presentations went on, I realized it affected the
number of children getting an education, as well as the rights and
safety of the African people. So many people are killed because of
ethnicity or religious beliefs that lead to violence, and warfare is a
huge factor keeping Africa from developing as a country.

Almost every presentation had a segment regarding the lack of women's
rights in Africa. African women stay home, take care of children, and
do whatever chores are required of them. What really stood out to me,
however, was their vulnerability in all of this. If a man refused to
do his job, or made a mistake throughout the work day, he wouldn't be
the only one punished-his wife would be, as well. Women are killed for
things they have no control over, and are like puppets under the rule
of criminals. Iran is the only other country I can think of that
treats their women in this way-if citizens don't cooperate, their
family suffers along with them.

Africa has a collection of the most unique and beautiful cultures in
the world. Unfortunately, along with westernization and development,
comes the dilution of the African culture. Many presentations touched
on this, like ecotourism and the fading of certain African practices
(Shamanism and scarring). It seems as though the economical
advancement of the continent will have a profound impact on African
traditions- as businesses thrive, arts and hobbies die. This is
extremely saddening to me, as rich culture is such a rarity in the
modern world that I'd like to preserve what's left. The tough part of
this situation, however, is determining how important tradition and
culture are in comparison to people's health and welfare. It will be
interesting to see how African culture will evolve in the coming
years, as Africa grows.