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But certainly a puzzle, and an interesting alphabetic representation of the global economy, and what it signifies.
The letter K clearly has both an upward angle and also a downward to it.
While only base lining an entire economic outlook into a single letter, it actually shows that those who are in good economic 'health' continue to rise and grow, while those on the downward path... just get lower, and lower.
I recently had a conversation with an African woman who was living in a very nice flat and had invited me over to stay, as and when I could.
Unfortunately due to "Don't hug your gran at Christmas" Nit-Whitty, and many other current government officials (including the PM), it was sad to tell her that it's very unlikely I could fly anywhere without the lockdowns being lifted... and even then there would be even more issues to deal with, like not being allowed to go anywhere (at all) unless possibly vaccinated, but would that be a good idea, and also could I even choose what type I possibly wanted to be injected with, or not?
After a while chatting and then asking how her day had been , she mentioned that it had been VERY busy helping doing washing for the whole family.
Ah yes I suppose that you have a large family so (in my ignorance) I said that loading the different clothes into the machine, must have taken a while.
"Machine"? (she said) "No, there's no machine, I have to wash it"
What! By hand, I asked
"Yes"
But isn't that not only loads of work that you really could do without doing, and also very bad for your skin, the detergents etc
"..yes, but there is no other way. Machines are difficult to get dear, and very expensive, if even available"
I couldn't believe it.
Here was 2020 and people in Africa (in what would be assumed 'comfortable' surroundings) are actually still washing, by hand!
How can this be?
But (I said), I thought that all this foreign aid money came in to assist not only the children, but also families that needed it?
"Oh money comes in, but the Government buys luxury cars or vehicles, and other things. No money goes to the people, or very little"
OMG!
So (I said), when people moan about Foreign Aid being a waste of Taxpayer's money, they were actually...right?
"There is no money for us, no"
The K factor.
This made me not only really annoyed, but sad too.
So that's where most of the money goes.
Into the wrong pockets.
Wasted.
Reminds me of the Oxfam aid storage building, that got bombed in Yemen.
Full of food, clearly marked, it had been there for ages (so one can't say it suddenly popped up and they didn't know what it was) and yet, BOOM! some idiot thinks destroying it is a good idea somehow?
With the covid19 situation I wonder how other countries are actually coping with the pandemic now?
Very little on mainstream media, but possibly that's because journalists can't get access unless they happened to be embedded, or stationed there.
The Guardian did report 'Zambia has become the first African country to default on its debts since the pandemic.'
"For the ordinary Zambian those things they require to live a decent life and be in good health will be very difficult to expect from government", said Maseko. (a programme manager for Oxfam in Zambia)
"I am really struggling to think of a worse case scenario"
Maybe global users of this forum could post to this thread?
Tell me your situation.
Not only economic, but also the pandemic issues facing them.
I know vaccines are a hot-topic for some, but although Gates etc say "oh yes, it will be rolled out to all those who need it", I wonder?
If a batch of PPE, med equipment, or indeed vaccines arrive in a country for citizens, will they get it?