Poverty is a curse that has affected the African continent for centuries on end. Poverty does not arise from lack of

resources as many have long believed. It is a state of the mind and unless that state of the mind is altered through the

transformation of the mind a people are bound to remain poor even though they are surrounded by an abundance of

resources.

For if resources are which determine the richest of a people then African countries like Nigeria, Angola, Sudan, Tanzania,

and DRC Congo would be some of the richest in the world and countries like Israel, Singapore or Hong Kong would be some of

the poorest.

Empirical evidence however demonstrates that it is the country that have embraced technology( the adequate exploitation

of their mind resource), who have done better than those even more endowed with oil, gold, diamonds and even platinum.

People are poor mainly because they think poverty and are unable to see prosperity even where it surrounds. They are

spiritually blind and even though their eyes are open. They cannot see and even though their ears are open, they cannot hear.

Their hearts have been hardened by poverty and they refuse to obey the simple natural laws of giving as a way of opening the

flood gates of prosperity. They refuse to use their imagination and creativity but rather stick to old tested lifestyles of

poverty and lack. They fear to venture into the unknown but rather stick in their familiar territories. They are scared of

the perils that await them on the journey to Canaan land. They are afraid of the perils of the dessert and may not even have

the guts and the faith to bring down the walls of Jericho.

The poor lack effective leadership. Their leaders lack refined organization skills and being poor are unable to command

the respect and the following required to move people from Egypt to Canaan. Moses are few and so are Joshua's. Their leaders

lack confidence also and are unable to survive the desert experience.

We cannot continue to solve the poverty in Africa by providing relief and aid supplies. The donors and even the recipients

are tired of this aid syndrome and its time we think and apply measures that will solve the poverty menace in Africa once and

for all.

I firmly believe that we need to address this problem by starting with education. There is need to set up institutes

(centers) in Africa with the sole mission of changing the people. There is a strong case for mind transformation. We need to

educate the people to transform their mindset and embrace a new positive thinking mentality. They need a mind that sees new

possibilities in life. We need to transform their minds so that they can start seeing new possibilities in life. We need to

remove the spiritual blindness from their eyes and the spiritual deafness from their ears and help soften their hearts so

that they may be able to embrace change in their lives and their lifestyle.

One way to do this is by establishing educational institutes that are properly equipped with programs that will

effectively reach the poor in their rural and slum villages and impart the message of transformation upon their minds and

souls.
This can be done by;

• Television programs tailored to reach the people
  
• Road shows with equipments mounted on trucks
  
• Radio programs
  
• Barazas
  
• Written materials

In order to effectively do this, churches, governments, companies, trust funds, pension plus and individuals need to

embrace themselves to donate generously towards such projects where they are proposed for there is an urgent need to reach

the poor with a new message of hope-the message of change.

There are many people, the world over, who have realized that the way to true prosperity is through giving. They are ready

to give and have what to give, but they do not know how to give and who to give.There is a great need for solidarity

ambassadors (in their solidarity with the poor) who are willing to reach out to such people and show them how to give for the

establishment and running of solidarity training institutes all over Africa.

These solidarity institutes will not only help people change their mindsets but will also equip them with skills that will

enable them start and operate projects that will have multiplier effects upon the communities where they are living in hence

driving them to great heights of hope and prosperity. There is hope for the poor communities of Africa if only those who have

been blessed agree and become a blessing to them by giving them education.