Solutions to Poverty in Africa

Karol Boudreaux, my research director, just returned from a trip to Africa. Mercatus is now releasing this policy brief written by her about the taxi industry in South Africa. Frederic Sautet has this to say:

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As the editor of the Mercatus Policy Series, I am very happy to present our latest Mercatus Policy Comment by my colleague Karol Boudreaux: Taxing Alternatives: Poverty Alleviation and the South African Taxi/Minibus Industry (see here for pdf). In conjunction with the Free Market Foundation of Southern Africa (FMF) and the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in London, and with the financial help of the Templeton Foundation, the Mercatus Center started the Enterprise Africa! project in 2005.

The goal of the Enterprise Africa! project is to provide a unique view of how the institutional environment created by local policy enables or inhibits productive enterprise and ultimately affects the well being of members of the community in question. Our approach relies substantially on local experience and knowledge. We aim at painting a picture which reflects the reality that people live every day and not the fanciful ideas that planners have about the world from their desks in Western capitals.

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I just started working with Karol and the Enterprise Africa team at the end of last semester. It has been a great experience so far and is exciting to be onboard with this dynamic team, exploring the meaningful issue of economic development in Africa. It is a tremendous blessing being able to work with people who are combining purpose and passion in pursuit of policy to help the poor.

Read more of my thoughts on Rwanda, Karol's last stop before coming home, here.