A WAY TO HELP AFRICA HELP ITSELF

摘要

As President George W. Bush completes his July 7-12 swing through impoverished African nations, he is encountering a continent whose economic and social problems are so immense it's hard to tell where to begin. Even in the two areas where the Bush Administration is putting its emphasis-fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic and quelling civil war in Liberia-critics complain the U. S. is doing far too little to make a real difference. But another Bush action that has received little fanfare holds great promise for making a dent in African poverty, On June 19, Bush signed a law authorizing $375 million in fiscal 2003 and 2004 for institutions that dispense tiny loans of $50 and up to poor people who want to start businesses. Many of these "microloans" are targeted for Africa. The sum is a $65 million increase over existing levels for those two years, and the bill directs the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to ensure that most of the money reaches the world's poorest.