Shorbe and Ludwig, I think you both make good points on education and sustainability. Interestingly every male aid worker, doctor or health worker I met with stressed how critical it was that women got access to resources and education as a top priority.

I also think that while the west puts an enormous amount and time and effort into such things as HIV/AIDS, there is a tendency to overlook the devastating impact of malaria for instance.

The final point I would make is that do not underestimate how much good Bill Gates is doing in Africa. I was in the middle of nowhere near Lake Victoria and this NGO guy was raving about what a difference Gates was making in parts of Africa.