Good Fortune (2009) Online

It funny how people like to tell others how they should be or what they need to do, in the case of the people removed from their land by dominion investors it is clear that the people knew their resources and didn't see themselves as poor. To understand this so called problem in Africa that everyone thinks they can diagnose one should start at looking at history, because of capitalism system, Europeans conquered Africa when there was no poverty or disease and people were living with each other in harmony. After enslaving and killing 200 million of them the rest were taken off their land and told that their spiritual believes were of the devil and converted them to Christianity an act that uprooted them from their roots,The colonists created schools to educate a few of the Africans so as to be able to get assistance to run their colony.long story short the British colonists had no interest in helping the Africans who did not need help in the first place,it was all about their land, if anyone is interested to learn the truth let them find books written by elite Africans about history e.g. Facing Mt Kenya written by the first president of Kenya and many others. From that point on it has been cause and effect of people who were misplaced, lost their identity and mistreated. If the people do not think they are poor leave them alone with their land to do with it whatever makes them comfortable isn't it not what we all want to do with our property. Capitalism is the worst system since man kind and it will finally destroy us all, it feeds off poor people because they can be used for cheap labor to maximize profits when will it be enough to share with the rest of the world. Descendants of enslaved Africans have now been totally messed up after 300yrs of straight slavery just over three decades have passed since civil rights they cant even figure out why they have low self esteem and don't seem to like anything about their appearance. I think its not too late for western countries to stop trying to assist people who don't need the help and if they really have to, let them start with forgiving the loans they hold against African countries that is like a drop in the ocean for them so that they can build schools,hospitals and roads if they need them. Africans are the most hard working people on earth didn't they build America for free, Don't they support European economy to date. Worse genocide in the World was and still is of African people, forget what you hear in the news about the middle East, oil rich countries or even America

This documentary is about three different people all living in Kenya--one of the more corrupt nations on the continent. In each of the three cases, people CLAIM that they are coming to help make life better for the poor, but these locals all assume it's just the same old story--the corrupt government will get richer from foreign aid and foreign investment but the poor will only suffer. For example, one story is about to be moved to temporary housing as their supposedly new and improved homes are going to be built by the government and UN. However, the last time they built a project in the area, a government official's wife took the project for herself and the poor got nothing! And, in another case, folks in the countryside are being moved in order for a dam to be built so foreign investors can flood the land and grow rice--promising lots of jobs and an end to poverty. But, the people just know they're being forced off the land and assume they'll get no benefit.

This documentary is about perhaps the biggest reason Africa is so poor today--government corruption. In countries like Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and others, the government long ago promised to end poverty--but in the end, the government officials and their families become immensely wealthy and the people life in squalor. So, when well-intentioned outsiders throw trillions into projects to help the poor, the local governments take HUGE chunks of the money--making themselves rich and often their army stronger. This might also explain why AIDS education grants don't seem to stop the rapid transmission of HIV and kids still die by the millions from malnutrition. I am not sure what the solution is, but certainly careful oversight of the funds certainly is a start. And, the film did an excellent job of demonstrating this problem. However, be aware that, at times, this is a hard film to watch--especially when there is a government crackdown following riots about a rigged election. You see dead and dying people--all the result of repressive police action. Well worth seeing.