The Rift summary

You probably only know George Clooney as a handsome Hollywood star. There’s a bit more to the guy than that, however.

Indeed, George Clooney is actually one of the most influential Western humanitarians trying to help the people in Sudan.

In the previous blinks, we’ve seen how effective solutions to Africa’s troubles can be hard to come by. But there is one area with great potential: farming. Indeed, it may be the key not only to ending poverty in Africa but to world hunger.

After all, when we look back at history, farming is the best way for a country to develop wealth.

If you’ve looked at photos taken in urban African communities, you might have seen images of children rummaging through enormous piles of garbage, looking for something to eat or sell. These images can give you the impression that the situation in Africa is beyond hope.

Although Africa is home to some of the poorest, most run-down cities in the world, change is taking place.

With news, media and films focusing primarily on the negative aspects of Africa, it’s easy to picture African leaders as a corrupt and vicious bunch of despots. This, however, is far from a complete picture.

Some African leaders have more in common with the Queen of England than with criminal thugs.

When the first radios appeared in remote areas of the world, people previously cut off from civilization suddenly had access to the music and voices coming from nearby urban populations. But this is a minor development compared to the impact mobile phones are having in Africa.

Cell-phone technology is providing Africans with a direct connection to the entire world.

It’s easy to take the benefit of a working light bulb for granted. But for many rural and poverty-stricken Africans, living without electricity is an everyday problem, and only recently are people starting to see the light at the end of this long, dark tunnel.

In fact, a lack of electricity can act as a poverty trap, preventing the poor from escaping their situation.