Online reactions to the article ‘African Agaciro (Dignity), Aid and Mindset’

Editor,I have no doubt for whoever reads this article feels disgusted with this AID saga! I believe in change and it should start with whoever advocates for it. We should join hands and contain our dignity. Let’s educate our people to live within their means. We should let lose the so-called luxurious wallow in a scented bath.Don, Juba Dennis, Nyarutarama -------------------------------------------Editor,You have read my mind, I must concede that I am not so good at tailoring things in writing the way you have done but I consider myself to be an orator! Mother Thereza said, You can do what I cannot do, I can do what you cannot do but together we can do greater things.” I must say that this has been and is still my song to all my friends and all the other Rwandans I get to talk to about our nation and it is so good to read this article. All our leaders, from the President down to Umudugudu leader, should read it twice or more not because they do not know this but to remind them and hopefully something can come out of this. Our education system teaches us how to read hard, get good marks and get good jobs, which I think needs to be revised (our leaders can make research about Costa Rica’s education system which I find awesome). We need more and more entrepreneurs and this should not only be the way forward for Rwanda but for the entire of Africa. May the Lord save us from living on Aid!Andrew Cohen, Kicukiro-------------------------------------------Editor,This is the right time to start a debate on self-reliance. My take on Africans’ inability to do well without foreign aid is due to their environment and culture, among others. Take, for instance, Rwandan environment and its culture, then think of scientific and economical revolution as well. Rwanda needs a complete well-planned social overhaul. You have citizens who were born in poverty, grew up in it, then start new families in poverty, and surely they will leave behind a legacy of poverty. How many times do they talk about stopping that circle of poverty? What strategy have they adopted to stop poverty in their families? Ironically, it’s normal or traditional in Rwanda, to initiate a fundraising session for marriage, rather than for business capital, and surprisingly, many would contribute. Talk about education; the headlines in academic society are: New Album Song, Miss and Mr. Pageant, and more of entertainment fields, but no news or campaign for Science and Innovation. The GDP per capita in Rwanda now stands around $600 or a little bit more, but a wedding for an average middle class guy costs around $2,000 all of which come from fundraising. And I don’t want to even touch religion and its derivatives. The point that I’m trying to make is that we misplaced priorities, and it’s tough to reshuffle them, due to our culture and environment, as well. Rwanda needs a social remake as a launching pad of a positive socio-economic transformation (by force if necessary).Taha, Kigali--------------------------------------------Editor,This article makes an important assertion that dignity starts with the individual before it becomes a national character. I think that we Rwandans have this individual dignity already instilled within our character. The challenge and onus is, therefore, on our leaders to instill and sustain this great value in public operations and spending; that is where the challenge is. A great article that touches on many important aspects. I think you should lead the think tank that you propose in the article.Rurangirwa, Kicukiro(The article, African Agaciro (Dignity), Aid and Mindset, published in The New Times of December 18, was written by Gerald Mpyisi).

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Online reactions to the article ‘African Agaciro (Dignity), Aid and Mindset’