Answer to age old question

So why is Africa so poor? well here you go. In the picture you see what is left of a kitchen timer that I brought. Yep heard a noise and blamed Emily (cause I thought she threw something) and this is what I found, my timer on the floor. So you're thinking what's this got to do with Africa? Since I've lived here in South Africa just about everything I buy breaks within a few minutes, hours, or weeks. So what I have been doing lately is buying two of most things because I know that one is going to break. The other answer is that anything that doesn't break right off is imported and cost twice as much, and that's in U.S. dollars. And that's why Africa is poor.