Friday, March 4, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
TIA - This is Africa
There is a saying in Africa – you say “TIA” - it means “This is Africa”. It is a phrase intended to supposedly help you adjust your expectations. Basically nothing works, and anything goes. Government is corrupt and if you’ve got monetary resources, you can swing the powers that be your way. It is a vicious cycle, so how does one help? Do you work to help fight against the conflict? Or do you join to help pick up the pieces of the aftermath – all the devastation that corruption has left in its wake?
I just got off the phone with a gentleman who is Nigerian born, yet came to Canada 37 years ago – at age 19. We were connected when I contacted his organization here in Edmonton. www.africawecare.org It was a conversation that left me WOWed! There is SO MUCH I just do not know.
Africa We Care is a group that is striving to empower women by creating opportunity. I was asked to consider the lack of gainful economic activity in Africa. Truly, I think most things in my house were made in China or perhaps India. Come to think of it, apart from ethnic soap stone carvings or other Ten Thousand Villages type wares, have I ever seen things in the stores with a little sticker claiming “Made in Africa”? Hmmm, I don’t think I ever have.
I have previously mentioned the irony regarding the richness of Africa, yet the economics don’t reflect this richness. Consider the following;
Africa has some of the world’s greatest natural resources, but no industry to process these resources. They are sent out of the country to be processed elsewhere. You’d think that doesn’t sound so bad, right? It really wouldn’t be, except that Africans receive no benefit to this export effort.
The government that should be in place to protect the people does quite the opposite. The highest offer will allow a particular big company to come in and take resources from the land. What it also takes is opportunity for local individuals to benefit in any way as these companies will bring their own workers. Individuals from China, India and other countries will come into Africa and work positions that should be available to local people. So, the government benefits, the big company benefits, the cheap foreign labour benefits, but the African people do not.
Consider chocolate! Yummy! West & Central Africa account for 70% of the world’s cocoa supply! While existing groups are working hard to ensure chocolate is not farmed & processed by child & forced adult laborers again, as with diamonds, it is very difficult to monitor & control. Governments may not always have their people’s interest at the forefront of their minds. Makes me wonder a bit more about the history of the chocolate I will so readily consume! I love European chocolate, but none of the cocoa was grown in Europe, although the packaging may say that is where it is from.
So, back to my conversation. The poverty continues and empowering people and giving them economic fortitude may just work its way to resolving part of the major root issue.
Talking to this gentleman, he suggested that part of the Congo’s struggles may be that it is a country that is just not governable. The rest of the world looks on and fishes from the troubled waters of the DRC. If the conflict were to be resolved, who would benefit? Not the African governments, not our own big wig industrial mega-factories, oh yeah, I guess it could benefit the locals…. Oh, but they’re so far away so why should we bother?
I just got off the phone with a gentleman who is Nigerian born, yet came to Canada 37 years ago – at age 19. We were connected when I contacted his organization here in Edmonton. www.africawecare.org It was a conversation that left me WOWed! There is SO MUCH I just do not know.
Africa We Care is a group that is striving to empower women by creating opportunity. I was asked to consider the lack of gainful economic activity in Africa. Truly, I think most things in my house were made in China or perhaps India. Come to think of it, apart from ethnic soap stone carvings or other Ten Thousand Villages type wares, have I ever seen things in the stores with a little sticker claiming “Made in Africa”? Hmmm, I don’t think I ever have.
I have previously mentioned the irony regarding the richness of Africa, yet the economics don’t reflect this richness. Consider the following;
Africa has some of the world’s greatest natural resources, but no industry to process these resources. They are sent out of the country to be processed elsewhere. You’d think that doesn’t sound so bad, right? It really wouldn’t be, except that Africans receive no benefit to this export effort.
The government that should be in place to protect the people does quite the opposite. The highest offer will allow a particular big company to come in and take resources from the land. What it also takes is opportunity for local individuals to benefit in any way as these companies will bring their own workers. Individuals from China, India and other countries will come into Africa and work positions that should be available to local people. So, the government benefits, the big company benefits, the cheap foreign labour benefits, but the African people do not.
Consider chocolate! Yummy! West & Central Africa account for 70% of the world’s cocoa supply! While existing groups are working hard to ensure chocolate is not farmed & processed by child & forced adult laborers again, as with diamonds, it is very difficult to monitor & control. Governments may not always have their people’s interest at the forefront of their minds. Makes me wonder a bit more about the history of the chocolate I will so readily consume! I love European chocolate, but none of the cocoa was grown in Europe, although the packaging may say that is where it is from.
So, back to my conversation. The poverty continues and empowering people and giving them economic fortitude may just work its way to resolving part of the major root issue.
Talking to this gentleman, he suggested that part of the Congo’s struggles may be that it is a country that is just not governable. The rest of the world looks on and fishes from the troubled waters of the DRC. If the conflict were to be resolved, who would benefit? Not the African governments, not our own big wig industrial mega-factories, oh yeah, I guess it could benefit the locals…. Oh, but they’re so far away so why should we bother?
Stop the world, I want to get off
Cliché! We’ve all heard this phrase and been amused at the obvious fun intended as the world isn’t going to stop spinning any time soon. We’re all pretty much stuck here!
My kids have never left this country, let alone seen the world. (Okay, not entirely true, I think my biggest boy went with his dad south of the border for an afternoon to check out some mega-hunting store, but he was 2 so does that count?) Their concept of the size of our Earth is so limited and while we try to explain and show pictures & maps, it is just too abstract at this point.
I am part of a fantastic group of friends that met online. The very cool thing is, between us, we represent at least 7 countries over 4 continents. While I have only had the pleasure of meeting a few of these friends who live a bit closer to me, I count these people among my dearest friends. The internet has allowed this.
As I look at the stats of this baby blog I’ve been working on, I’m seeing reader representation from 10 different countries!! People as far as the Middle East & Vietnam have been checking it out. While I know nothing about these people, who they are or how they came across this bit of writing, I find it highly cool that they did. And the world seems just a bit smaller as I feel I am sharing my thoughts with people who are physically so very far away.
Years ago, it was okay to plead ignorance at various goings on in the world. When the holocaust was occurring in Europe during WWII, people in North America for the large part didn’t know what was happening. People right IN Europe – who even lived in villages not far from these camps often didn’t know what was happening. A media block was so much more effective when media tools were so limited.
Now, all I have to do is ask google anything, and I have a wealth of information suddenly available to me. (My children once asked me who is google – because my answer to anything they ask that I don’t know is generally “Well, let’s ask google”). My kids don’t know what it is like to not be able to learn the answer to virtually any question they might have.
The world has shrunk in recent years. I am part of the generation that has witnessed this. I recall getting my first email account and thinking the internet was dumb as doing a search would produce nothing useful – very few companies had websites then. NOW, I cannot imagine a world without internet! I may still have read Lisa Shannon’s book (I read it the old fashioned way – a BOOK), but my knowledge may well have ended there. The media shows so little of what is going on in Africa and, admittedly, I generally don’t watch the news. But google knew full on what was going on and a few very simple searches produced so much.
I have now watched videos, read reports, seen documentaries & statistics – everything is so accessible. I am reading about the work various organizations have been doing and that has led me to read MORE books and think even harder on the topic at hand.
So, HELLO across the world! I’m so glad you are reading! I hope we share some of the same thoughts & views regarding the issues of hurt our planetary neighbours are facing. The world feels so much smaller when there are people who think the same no matter what continent they are on.
My kids have never left this country, let alone seen the world. (Okay, not entirely true, I think my biggest boy went with his dad south of the border for an afternoon to check out some mega-hunting store, but he was 2 so does that count?) Their concept of the size of our Earth is so limited and while we try to explain and show pictures & maps, it is just too abstract at this point.
I am part of a fantastic group of friends that met online. The very cool thing is, between us, we represent at least 7 countries over 4 continents. While I have only had the pleasure of meeting a few of these friends who live a bit closer to me, I count these people among my dearest friends. The internet has allowed this.
As I look at the stats of this baby blog I’ve been working on, I’m seeing reader representation from 10 different countries!! People as far as the Middle East & Vietnam have been checking it out. While I know nothing about these people, who they are or how they came across this bit of writing, I find it highly cool that they did. And the world seems just a bit smaller as I feel I am sharing my thoughts with people who are physically so very far away.
Years ago, it was okay to plead ignorance at various goings on in the world. When the holocaust was occurring in Europe during WWII, people in North America for the large part didn’t know what was happening. People right IN Europe – who even lived in villages not far from these camps often didn’t know what was happening. A media block was so much more effective when media tools were so limited.
Now, all I have to do is ask google anything, and I have a wealth of information suddenly available to me. (My children once asked me who is google – because my answer to anything they ask that I don’t know is generally “Well, let’s ask google”). My kids don’t know what it is like to not be able to learn the answer to virtually any question they might have.
The world has shrunk in recent years. I am part of the generation that has witnessed this. I recall getting my first email account and thinking the internet was dumb as doing a search would produce nothing useful – very few companies had websites then. NOW, I cannot imagine a world without internet! I may still have read Lisa Shannon’s book (I read it the old fashioned way – a BOOK), but my knowledge may well have ended there. The media shows so little of what is going on in Africa and, admittedly, I generally don’t watch the news. But google knew full on what was going on and a few very simple searches produced so much.
I have now watched videos, read reports, seen documentaries & statistics – everything is so accessible. I am reading about the work various organizations have been doing and that has led me to read MORE books and think even harder on the topic at hand.
So, HELLO across the world! I’m so glad you are reading! I hope we share some of the same thoughts & views regarding the issues of hurt our planetary neighbours are facing. The world feels so much smaller when there are people who think the same no matter what continent they are on.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Seat of Power
I must first take a moment of brutal honesty. As I was thinking through this post and ruminating that title around in my brain, my mind kept reverting to a Robin Williams – Genie voice. You know the part when he’s talking about “Infinite Cosmic Power – itty bitty living space”. Anyway, I thought I’d share – perhaps TMI?
In Lisa Shannon’s book, she refers to a couple of the big name actors who have been working hard with DRC issues. Ben Affleck & Charlize Theron. Both of whom are fantastically talented and I’ve enjoyed many movies featuring each of them. Ben has started a group called the Eastern Congo Initiative http://www.easterncongo.org/ and Charlize has been working with V-day – City of Joy http://www.vday.org/cojopening2.html
Each of these individuals has used their position, influence and frankly financial resources to help draw attention to what is going on in the heart of Africa.
Most of us follow Hollywood stars – to some degree. While I can honestly say I don’t follow any tabloid media and didn’t even watch the Oscars, it is next to impossible for me to say I don’t know anything about what some of them are up to. I am not someone who gets star struck and would not be in line screaming if some major star was to drive by – I more so try to just consider them as any other person (with a career that puts them heavily into the public eye). Each of them is just a person – highs, lows and everything in between. Unfortunately, they garner millions of opinions on how they choose to live and be “just people”.
Some seem to struggle with fame. They are catapulted into the limelight and suddenly have money and attention. Unfortunately, the world watches as they abuse this power. (Maybe they just really didn’t know what to do with it). DUIs, drug charges, abuse. It is all blown massively huge when it involves people we all like to watch on the big screen.
Then, there are those that take their position and use it in such a positive way that you can’t help but admire them. As critical as we all can be about these stars, I LOVE reading the articles that place these big names getting down & dirty in a 3rd world orphanage or in a war torn part of the world. These people that desperately need help likely have never seen a Hollywood movie. I don’t think they would be impressed, let alone star struck to have Ben or Charlize give them a hug or a hand.
So, now to us – the little people (uh oh, again my mind wants to dramatize this) Say “the little people” in your mind as if giving an acceptance speech and doing a little queen wave. Thanks!
We may not exactly sit in the same seat of power as these Hollywood do gooders, but consider this; did you eat breakfast today? If not, could you have if you chose? Did you pour water from a tap & flush your toilet? It really doesn’t matter who we are, what our income is or how well known we are (really as fantastic as my opinionated self is, I will never have the same following as Charlize – just reality – I’m okay with that). But even just the fact that I can sit here & type thoughts without being frightened that someone with a machete may pop up behind me at any moment, puts ME in a seat of power.
I have the power to do what I can, or I have the power to forget all about it and do nothing. The people I may choose to help have no power. They are powerLESS to change anything for themselves.
I guess this is the moment in a post that I should have some mega amazing closing statement. Hmmm, sounds cheesy so I think I’ll just leave these thoughts with you and sign off. If you have anything to add, I’d really love to hear it.
In Lisa Shannon’s book, she refers to a couple of the big name actors who have been working hard with DRC issues. Ben Affleck & Charlize Theron. Both of whom are fantastically talented and I’ve enjoyed many movies featuring each of them. Ben has started a group called the Eastern Congo Initiative http://www.easterncongo.org/ and Charlize has been working with V-day – City of Joy http://www.vday.org/cojopening2.html
Each of these individuals has used their position, influence and frankly financial resources to help draw attention to what is going on in the heart of Africa.
Most of us follow Hollywood stars – to some degree. While I can honestly say I don’t follow any tabloid media and didn’t even watch the Oscars, it is next to impossible for me to say I don’t know anything about what some of them are up to. I am not someone who gets star struck and would not be in line screaming if some major star was to drive by – I more so try to just consider them as any other person (with a career that puts them heavily into the public eye). Each of them is just a person – highs, lows and everything in between. Unfortunately, they garner millions of opinions on how they choose to live and be “just people”.
Some seem to struggle with fame. They are catapulted into the limelight and suddenly have money and attention. Unfortunately, the world watches as they abuse this power. (Maybe they just really didn’t know what to do with it). DUIs, drug charges, abuse. It is all blown massively huge when it involves people we all like to watch on the big screen.
Then, there are those that take their position and use it in such a positive way that you can’t help but admire them. As critical as we all can be about these stars, I LOVE reading the articles that place these big names getting down & dirty in a 3rd world orphanage or in a war torn part of the world. These people that desperately need help likely have never seen a Hollywood movie. I don’t think they would be impressed, let alone star struck to have Ben or Charlize give them a hug or a hand.
So, now to us – the little people (uh oh, again my mind wants to dramatize this) Say “the little people” in your mind as if giving an acceptance speech and doing a little queen wave. Thanks!
We may not exactly sit in the same seat of power as these Hollywood do gooders, but consider this; did you eat breakfast today? If not, could you have if you chose? Did you pour water from a tap & flush your toilet? It really doesn’t matter who we are, what our income is or how well known we are (really as fantastic as my opinionated self is, I will never have the same following as Charlize – just reality – I’m okay with that). But even just the fact that I can sit here & type thoughts without being frightened that someone with a machete may pop up behind me at any moment, puts ME in a seat of power.
I have the power to do what I can, or I have the power to forget all about it and do nothing. The people I may choose to help have no power. They are powerLESS to change anything for themselves.
I guess this is the moment in a post that I should have some mega amazing closing statement. Hmmm, sounds cheesy so I think I’ll just leave these thoughts with you and sign off. If you have anything to add, I’d really love to hear it.
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