Foreign Aid Likened To Vampires, Really?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5146153/Panic-vengeful-mobs-vampire-scare-rattles-Malawi.html

/// 'It's the rich versus the poor. The poor believe the rich are greedy and are sucking the blood of poor people,' he said. ///

/// Malawi is largely reliant on foreign aid, but some locals view the assistance with
suspicion. ///

/// 'To villagers, the thinking is that no gift is for free... you pay back through blood,' said
Mtuta. ///

[emmie]

there's no counting for peoples fears, i have heard this before in many African societies.

[mikey4444]

Malawi is a backward country. This belief is evident in many countries around the world....even more reason for foreign aid to assist in stamping out these dangerous beliefs

[ToraToraTora]

here's radical idea, stop giving free dosh to these tish gabs!

[Mamyalynne]

Aid in itself won't eradicate such long held beliefs and fear keeps them alive, education is the key and it will take a long time.

[emmie]

mamy
we have been giving aid for decades if not more, when will they change, get better, improve their mindsets. away from this
strange occult like stance.

[Mamyalynne]

Please don't think I am condoning the attacks on the wealthier citizens, I'm not.

Why do they say they wake in the night with someone in their room? Hallucinogenics?

I don't know, will take a better mind than mine to unravel it if ever if can be unravelled.

[anotheoldgit]

/// education is the key and it will take a long time. ///

How long Mamyalynne, we've been at it since the 1800s?

[mikey4444]

We should be very careful here.

Millions of people, not just in America, but all over the world, believe in the patent and palpable nonsense of Mormonism, and Scientology, and yet most of those people would consider themselves to be educated.

[ToraToraTora]

....and socialism, no end of BS people will believe in!

[anotheoldgit]

Do any of those fetch blood mikey?

[mikey4444]

AOG..........I am not defending the Malawi stuff for one minute, just pointing out that education isn't always the antidote to daft beliefs.

[Mamyalynne]

I don't know.

[Gromit]

Malawi is an ex-British colony and Christian. It gained Independence in 1964. It is very poor, and has poor education which might by why some believe in vampires and witchcraft.

I haven’t a clue how much aid the UK gives, but The Bill Gates Foundation is doing a lot of work there, and the Chinese are investing.

[emmie]

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/574108/EXCLUSIVE-Calls-halt-Britains-400m-aid-Malawi-leader-buy-PRIVATE-JET

[emmie]

that link is from 2015..

[ToraToraTora]

gromit.... it is very poor...PMSL well their president is the highest paid in Africa: http://allafrica.com/stories/201507240389.html

[Gromit]

Tora,
One of the highest paid - when it is compared to the GDP of the country.

Malawi President Peter Mutharika actually gets £56K P.a., about the same as a Deputy Headteacher in England.

[naomi24]

Africa is rife with superstition – even among the educated. Old habits die hard - and often not at all.

[fender62]

fgm is very popular as well, villagers say it make young girls clean and stops them straying for sex...mmmm