I would do a reality TV show, called "Continent Swap." I would then take all the people from the USA/Europe and and swap places with the population from Africa for a week.

Perhaps then the developed world would appreciate what they have and spread it around a bit more.

Set up a national water and irrigation (grey water) system, which would probably be the biggest in the world, piping clean, free water to everyone in the country.

I know it is a pipe dream (sorry - that wasn't meant as a pun), but with clean water available for drinking, hygiene and irrigation, I really believe that this continent could look after itself fantastically well.

In fact, the biggest problem would probably be from warlords wanting to control the water supply - and as punishment for this, I'd drown the buggers.

I get rid of the loggers, miners and try and get all the guns and stuff etc. Two/Three hundred years ago it was fine in tribal units etc. hunting, fishing, living off the land. Who says modern western life is civilised? How many tribesmen and women are forced into wearing coca-cola t-shirts and crappy jobs because their habitat has gone. Much like many animals on the continent (from a habitat point of view). The west has done a lot in the name of 'democracy'. The Soviets didn't help much either.

The scope of the problem is enormous and too many things need to be done. The whole continent needs de-westernising. I think if the natural habitat was returned, hopefully tribal elders could teach the ways of the tribes again but that's perhaps a bit on the utopian side.

Errr... so what would I do? Get a continental sized time machine, take them back and electrify the coastline..

As Duff says water is probably the most helpful thing but we need to get the land and resource rapists out as well.

First change the mentality that they are tribal and don't have modern amenities. Find out ways to help their economy and stop those who are exploiting it. Let the profits from their resources go back into their community.(that would go for Asia etc as well. They don't need to be dewesternized and put back in the tribal age - why can't the evolve like the rest of the world? A lot of countries are quite well developed and education goes a long way - their education systems are far better than most in the "developed world". Allow their own people to take up major positions in companies instead of importing expats with fat paychecks - the locals have the same knowlege and experience as the imported person. If the natural resources (of which there is plenty)are to be mined let them do with it as they please - you don't have to pull out the western companies but make sure the locals have the say on how things are to be done. After all their resources are important for their economy - but they are being cheated I feel.
Unfortunately most of media potrays Africa as backward and tribal - they too have cities and development all on their own. yes they have problems but they are the similar to other places. The problems with these help programs are a lot of time people come in to do things without understanding a lot of other issues and cultural constraints and sometimes make wrong judgments.