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Why Are Poor Countries Poor?
(Youtube Channel ‘vlogbrothers’,…
Why Are Poor Countries Poor?
(Youtube Channel ‘vlogbrothers’, philanthropist John Green, 2/11/2019)
Country profile
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Population: 7.5M people, composed of descendants of West African natives and former slaves under the British empire. Ethnically and religiously diverse.
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Highest maternal mortality rate, one of the highest child mortality rates
Historial context
The national system is centered around resource extraction.
- Under British colonization, the country’s railroad tracks were built to connect minerally rich areas to the coast for export purposes.
- Colonial investments went towards resource extraction instead of other aspects like healthcare or education.
Problem
A country cannot spend resources it doesn’t have. If Sierra Leone spends the same % of its economy on healthcare as the US and UK, only $45/person/year will be allocated for healthcare, compared to $10000/person/year in the US.
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Why should we care?
Sierra Leone’s problem does not exist in isolation. Wealthier nations industrialize and capitalize on poorer nations’ natural resources, and therefore must take accountability for their actions. .
Although philanthropic works in Sierra Leone do carry risks, investments and partnership are NOT helpless, even with corruption and limited resources. Overtime, system WILL get stronger, especially through deep conversations and partnerships.