Smash Hit

Win tickets to the ATP finals

Navigation - link to other main sections from here

Skip Navigation

From The Times
July 2, 2005

Where the money went: self-interest and stupidity
  • KENYA In 1981 the Norwegian International Development Agency built a fish-freezing plant at Lake Turkana in the desert to help 20,000 nomadic subsistence cattle farmers to exploit fish stocks. The diesel-powered generators cost more to run than the fish were worth so it was adapted to produce dried fish. It closed after the 1984-85 drought killed most of the fish.

    • The French Government and French companies gave £277,000 to Kenya to build a dam in Turkwell Gorge. It cost more than double the price than had it been put out to tender, but large payments were made to Daniel Arap Moi, then President, and his Energy Minister. The dam operated at less than half capacity for 2½ years

    LIFE ON THE CHEAP: HOW HARDSHIP HAS REMAINED THE NORM

    THE WIDOW Mako Gabe, a mother of three, cannot remember the last time she ate meat. “I think it was last Easter, but who knows,” she says as she sits by a tiny fire inside her mud hut in the village of Tadecha Gurach. “We never have enough to eat, the land is no good now and there is never enough rain.” Her husband was conscripted into the army of Mengistu Haile Mariam, the former dictator, and never returned from the war

    THE SCHOOL TEACHER Hawa Deaso, 28, walks for an hour every morning to reach the school in the village of Arebagosa. “The children are often hungry; they fall asleep,” she says. Every weekend she attends a nearby college to study for a diploma, which will mean a pay increase from about £50 to £60 a month

    THE POLIO VICTIM Taye Tadesse, 24, came to the capital three years ago to earn his living as a beggar, leaving his home in the southern town of Arba Minch. Mr Tadesse, who suffered from polio as a child, earns about 25 birr (£1.70) a day. He asks for cash from passing cars at one of Addis Ababa’s busiest junctions, yards from the headquarters of the UN’s Economic Commission for Africa

    Bookmark and Share

    Also in World News

    Also in News

    FALL OF THE WALL

    Fall of the Berlin Wall

    The Berlin Wall was torn down 20 years ago

    Berlin Wall

    Germans on the Berlin Wall, November 9 1989

    The history of the wall that once divided Germany

    Slide Show

    Comment    

    David Aaronovitch
     

    Should we, then, this week be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall at all?  

    More...
    David Aaronovitch

    Sign Up

    Bulletins

    Free news bulletin direct to your inbox

    Pictures of the Day

    Thousands of Buddhist devotees listen to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama during a preaching session in Tawang, India

    A selection of the best pictures from around the world

    Slide Show

    Comment Central

    Pile of Books

    Are these the world's thinnest books?

    Including: Gordon Brown's Guide to Letter Writing...

    in depth

    Orange jumpsuit

    World Agenda

    Times experts explain the issues behind the headlines

    Paris weblog

    Berliners celebrating on top of the wall, 1989

    Doubts over Sarkozy claim on Berlin Wall

    Most Read

    Skip Most Read

    Today

    MOST COMMENTED

    Skip Editor's Pick

    Today

    MOST CURIOUS

    Skip Most Curious

    Today

    Focus Zone

    accenture

    Need to Know:

    Industry sectors news at a glance. Interactive heatmap, video and podcast

    ba business travel clouds

    Business Travel:

    Everything the Business Traveller needs to know to make a better trip

    Winter Sports

    Winter Sports:

    Get ready for the winter sports season, with our resort guides and snow reports

    lloyds

    Mapping Business:

    We are backing British business, what is the confidence of the nation and what businesses are succeeding?

    Shell

    The Future of Energy:

    Growing demand for energy, oil that is harder to reach and the rise of carbon dioxide emissions. We examine the energy challenge

    More Reports

    More reports:

    Enjoy further reading from Travel to Fashion, Business to Sport, discover more

    previous next
    The Singapore skyline pictured at night

    Business city guides

    Overseas contacts and local business information

    Business Directory

    Business Directory

    Search for local businesses & services

    Money symbol on computer key

    Find an IFA

    Find a local independent financial advisor

    crossword with Cross fountain pen.

    Crossword Club

    Sign up today or try one of our free demo crosswords

    Generic photo of a job interview.

    Free CV Review

    Sell yourself! Have your CV reviewed by experts

    Financial Brochures

    A lawyer with gown and wig

    Find a Lawyer

    Cut your legal costs

    Popular Searches on Times Online

    2010 movies | books | chess | crosswords | fantasy football | fashion | formula 1 | horoscopes | Michael Jackson | need to know | obituaries | recipes | redundancy calculator | science | sudoku | swine flu | twitter | university guide | wine | wintersun

    Shortcuts to help you find sections and articles

    Classifieds 

    Cars

    Skip Cars of the Week

    New Audi A5 2.0 TDI Sportback

    36-month car lease
    on contract hire for
    £359.99 plus VAT pm

    Virgin Car Insurance

    12 months for the price of 11 and a 5% discount.
    Offer ends 31/11/09

    Prestige Car Finance

    The UK's leading alternative to showroom finance.
    Finance packages tailored to your needs.
    Minimum loan of £15,000

    Jobs

    Skip Jobs of the Week
    Chair

    £12,578 per annum
    The Independent Housing Ombudsman
    London

    Opportunities in Operational Strategy

    Competitive
    Barclaycard

    Trustee

    Not Specified
    The Sheppard Trust
    London

    Sales & Marketing Director

    £80-95,000
    Clay McGuire Executive Selection

    Properties

    Looking for a Mortgage?

    See your free Experian credit report beforehand

    Holidays

    Skip Travel of the Week

    Amazing Canada Ski deals fr £479pp

    Book now & save over £100pp.
    11 cool resorts, lowest prices... Early Booking offers 15 Nov.

    Sunvil

    20% off selected Azores holidays taken in October with Sunvil Discovery


    Great Travel Insurance

    Get covered on your travels with a superb range of policies at great prices. Visit InsureandGo.com


    Fabulous Villas in Barbados

    World Class Golf, Spa and preferential Beach Club.  Private estate overlooking West Coast
    Villas from £275 per night inclusive of Golf

    Place your advert now