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Episode details

World Service,25 mins

SeriesWhy Is Africa Poor?

Episode 3

The Documentary

Available for over a year

Even in poor areas in Africa there are signs of dynamic commerce - due to a large "informal" economy and an entrepreneurial spirit. Is making these enterprises more formal – by paying taxes - the answer to lifting Africa out of poverty? African academics are working on transforming ideas for improvement into practical, do-able projects that will change lives. Money is available. And thanks to a billion dollars a year of debt relief, countries such as Nigeria are implementing a school-for-all plan - an attempt to educate people out of poverty. Is tapping into a continent's optimism the key to Africa's future?

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