Profound Nonsense At Its Best

My favourite Canadian just let me know about this and even though I am so busy right now, (check out a media company called Purple Tembo for more details he he he and follow links to like on Facebook and follow on Twitter he he he ;}),  I had to quickly post this.  This video is a collaboration between Norwegians and muntus.

I am always joking to my Northern Hemisphere friends whenever they complain of cold, as we in the South get roasted to a crisp, that I should bottle the excess sunshine and send it over to balance things out, and that they should do the same with the cold. I could use that freeze in my non-airconditioned car when needed (thankfully today I have remembered to open all the windows when I woke up, so when I start my journeying in a coupla hours I won't roast and turn into a tasty turkey bound for some Lusaka-resident American's Thanksgiving Table, as they celebrate the holiday here today he he he ;}).

This also reminds me of how real videos like this can be and at their worst like the KONY 2012 debacle earlier this year, and how one-sided aid is, when actually we could help each other out in both directions.  Earlier in the year I had a bout of my nervous condition and then through recovery I blogged about another vid that made fun of the way the West reports on continental affairs.  I will leave you with that coz that is another instance of profound nonsense. I hope to see more of this content in the future, satire is a great way to introduce a serious topic in an accessible way and get people talking about the inequalities negatively skewed to the way we Africans are reported in the media and are treated by the world :).

East African Drought Crisis

The United Nations and World Food Programme have declared that over 11 million people in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia are in dire need of food assistance and that this should be the globe's top humanitarian priority.  This is the worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa in 60 years. The most pressing area is Somalia due to the unrest in the region and the reluctance of al-Shabab Islamists to acknowledge the gravity of the situation and allow aid through to those in need.  This however should not deter us and we should do whatever we can to help.

You can read more about the crisis here and below are links to organisations that have information on the crisis and how you can help:

World Food Programme 10 ways you can help
UNICEF
Build Africa
Oxfam

Buy Life?!

I was really perturbed when I read on Perez Hiliton around World AIDS Day that celebrities like Lady Gaga and Alicia Keys were digitally dieing and wouldn't resurrect themselves untill they reached their goal of raising $1 million for the Buy Life campaign.  There are SOOOOOOOOOO many things wrong with all of this both in terms of semantics and sensitivity.

1. You should not be encouraging people to buy life.  Save a life yes, buying life no! Life should not have to be bought it is a human right to live so really it should have been worded better.

2. Alicia Keys was spearheading this campaign through her Keep A Child Alive foundation and defended this campain by saying "Its so important to shock [people] to the point of waking up. It's not that people don't care or it's not that people don't want to do something, it's that they've never thought of it quite like that."

All I have to say is HMMMMMMMM. Telling people to make the ultimate sacrifice by killing their digital selves to help buy the lives of others just seems all sorts of wrong. And celebrities leading the way makes it cool which is exacerbating.  I know they were thinking about the clout they have, especially on social media, and they meant well but really?! It makes the people donating seems superior to those who are in need of help and it creates and "us" and "them" dichtomy that Koffi Annan was warning against. If people want to give you don't and shouldn't have to shock them into doing it, you just have to provide a platform to do it.  I guess it worked and people have donated beyond the amount requested but was it to help those living with HIV, was it just so they could get back to keeping up with the latest news on the celebs they follow on Facebook and Twitter or worse to be cool and part of this daring and sensational campaign!  Does it matter how the money was raised? Money is money right? I don't know about that...

Death where I am from is not taken lightly and I think from what I have heard from other Africans it is the same all over the continent.  So the whole "I'm going to be dead till you resurrect me" thing is just disturbing and so self important and disrespectful to me.  The people who they are saying are dying because we aren't helping don't get the luxury of coming back when things are the way they want them to be like those committing digital death voluntarily. The analogy is just WRONG! And to make it worse most of the money is going to Africa seeing as we have the majority of HIV/AIDS cases and Alicia Keys does most of her outreach on the continent.  The people recieving it will probably have no idea how the money was raised and I think that is a good thing because we Africans have pride even though we are made to seem like we just take what we are given without thought or care.  Reminds me of when the Zambian President refused to accept the GM grain sent as Aid. We have principles.

I think this is also why Africans in the diaspora are largely cut out participating and being a part of such campaigns.  They are not designed to help us help ourselves.  They are designed to guilt Westeners into giving and for them to feel good about their benevolence.  In the end it feels to me like its not really about the people in need.  Which is a shame because mobilising Africans in the diaspora is probably the key to getting proper control over helping those less fortunate and curtaling poverty and pandemics.  We are brought up to strive to be able to take care of our families and if you have the means you help there is no discussion about it, especially when you are abroad because the little that you can send is a lot back home. But we do it in silos because we do it for our families not for the community at large for the most part so those who do not have family of means are the ones who suffer. Africans overseas remitted $30 BILLION back home in 2009.  Some of that could be used to help programs that are seeking to empower and improve the lives of those who are less fortunate on the continent. However if they are like me then they probably get mad when they see a campaign call for money on TV or in their inbox or while they are surfing the net. I do not feel guilty, I feel offended and/ or angry most of the time. I don't think we should wait for Western campaigns to think of us, we need to start our own. We need to go back to the village not only RAISING but also SAVING the child mentality.

Am I just being too sensitive about this?

Interesting Debate

Yesterday one of my lovely followers posted this link on Facebook about African development from the Zambian perspective that sparked and interesting debate. I must confess I have yet to read Dead Aid even though I purchased the book earlier this year.  Unfortunately my brain is still recovering from Masters overload and I have not touched a book since I graduated. I am only able to read in short bursts, so the Internet is my only source of reading at the mo...Anyhoo back to what I was saying. It got me thinking about the direction Africa is taking and what needs to be done to finally move from receiving Aid to actually being able to stand on our own two feet.

It seems consensus was on benevolent dictatorship, where someone takes the reigns and makes decisions that ultimately lift our countries to economic stability that is enjoyed by the majority.  The educated need to be at the forefront and actually put their knowledge to good use rather than using it solely in the developed world.  However for this to occur, the continent has to be friendlier in terms of its rules, regulations and its people need to be as inviting to their own as they are to foreigners!

My view is that of a conservative liberal.  I believe in the right for people to do as they choose and live as they like but not with such abandon that one is not aware of their community which is how I feel pure liberals seem to be.  I also don't believe in the didactic maxims of the conservatives who make rules that benefit the elite under the guise of doing what's best for the people.  I think that Africa needs to be a little like China, selfish in its quest to succeed on its own terms and stop trying to please everyone by bending to be able to receive Aid or just letting anyone invest because the newest belief is that Foreign Direct Investment is the key to alleviating poverty.  However, I do not believe that Human Rights should be compromised and it is paramount that the environment should be respected at all times. I think Africa is in the position to show the world how development can occur without all the pitfalls that other countries have faced such as child labour and serious environmental damage.

We need to stop sucking up to anyone who has money because even though China may not have tried to handcuff us the way the US did with their push for abstinence campaigns before signing off on Aid, their lack of rules has them thinking they can do whatever they want because of their perceived benevolence.  The recent shooting of Zambian miners asking for better work conditions is a case in point.

Africa produces many educated sons and daughters and this is evident in the fact that despite appearances, they are the most educated immigrant group in America and despite their stereotypical bad reputation, Nigerians are leading the pack. What we need to do is go back home our at least start ventures there remotely and use our knowledge to better our nations.  We need to suck it up and suffer a bit to plant the seeds and stick it out long enough for the rains to come and go and for the sun to shine so that we can eventually see the fruits of our labour.  What is also needed is a conducive environment on the homefront.  When I went back home recently and was looking to stay and start something I was told very bluntly that it would be better if I left as what I wanted to do was not possible in Zambia.  Anything is possible if you allow it to be.  So now I'm in Switzerland.  At least I tried. And I will try again soon :)

What Are Our Priorities?

The recent spate of articles about gays in Malawi and Uganda make me wonder about what African priorities are.  Personally I think it is a human right for people to choose to express their sexual orientation how they will in the privacy of their own homes, without the the interference of others.  What others do is none of my business, just as what I do is none of theirs. And they should be able to walk proud in public, love is something to be celebrated not shunned. The interest in what people do behind closed doors of course is nothing new, with all eyes currently on Tiger Woods and  beforehand Clinton's behaviour while in office.  These instances have had global attention, just as the Ugandan and Malawian cases.  However, my question is: What do any of these instances of sexual practice have to do with the state and its ability to govern its people?

Of course in the case of Clinton, there were power and workplace conduct issues entangled that blurred the line between whether it was a private or public matter, but the rest of these instances are to do with celebrities or lay-people who are given more power than is warranted. However, did Clinton's behaviour alter his ability to lead?  Is being able to stand on the perceived moral pedastal a prerequisite to govern?  I now know way to much about what Tiger Woods does behind closed doors, things that really have nothing to do with his preternatural talent and golfing abilities. These stories then take up time on the news and valuable print space, bumping other stories about the state of our countries and the world, that have more far reaching ramifications.  Does President Obama really need to be commenting on what celebrities do in their spare time?

We do not need to be spending time searching out gay people as they would have us do in Uganda. Governments have got better things to do than to worry about a minority, whose actions do not have anything to do with how the state functions just as heterosexual practices do not.  It seems as if gay issues are the latest smoke screen to blind the masses from the fact that states are failing to solve inherent problems of poverty, reliance on aid and bringing countrymen together to forge a better future in African countries. We as citizens, no matter what our preferences are, have better things to do like live our lives, feed our children, pay our bills and try to make a difference in the world when we can than going out on witch-hunts!  Police have better things to do than to be arresting people for what they do behind closed door unless the couple themselves file a complaint.  Resources and time that courts cannot afford to waste are being squandered.

It makes me sad that persecution continues, especially in the name of others and that we are worrying ourselves with people's relationships when we should be concentrating on our own and those close to us.  Instead of asking others to be the morally sound (whatever that means) people we want to be, we should be doing it ourselves.  Let us not get sucked into the quagmire of moral politics, which only stagnates rather than fosters cohesion.  This is just one battle in a long cycle that has been used by politicians the world over to distract.  Let us come together despite our differences by concentrating on the similarities we share, one of which is wanting a better future for ourselves and those who will come after us.

If you are interested in a very good documentary about the Ugandan situation, here is the Vanguard Documentary from Current TV "Missionaries of Hate".  Bar the leading title, I think all sides of the story are presented well.

AIDS Documentary: "The Lazarus Effect"

Today I watched The Lazarus Effect, a documentary sponsored by (RED), the cause famously championed by Bono to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.  Here is the trailer:

Trailer

I was particularly eager to see this documentary as it was shot in Zambia.  However I was to be disappointed.  This 30 minute documentary was really a 30 minute plea to get people to donate.  It focused on the pain of people losing a loved one to AIDS and how free ARVs have saved their lives.  I was moved by the before and after shots of the people who were able to benefit from the free ARV program that provides 3 million Africans with treatment. In Zambia 250,000 people get the free drugs, amounting to about 1/10th of the infected population being serviced.  Stats like these and others would flash on the screen every 5 minutes or so to put what things into perspective and to lead up to how ultimately with just 40 cents a day we can make a difference. They shot the documentary in such a way that only one of the buildings in city centre was visible so it looked like there are no buildings in the capital, not that you would know they were shooting in Lusaka from the way they shot it.  But of course you can't show anything that a Westerner could relate to, because they would more than empathise and then would not want to give because they would think that everything is alright naturally! I really wished they had asked the subjects how they had contracted the disease and how they would advise others not to walk the path they walked and what they feel needs to be done to reverse the pandemic.

Can we please stop plugging holes after the fact and get down and dirty and deal with the heart of the problem.  Serious social issues in Africa are perpetuating the spread of HIV and AIDS and these then exacerbate the financial ones.  If we deal with the causes then we won't have to think about prolonging people's lives with drugs and worrying about people suffering when they do not have access to them.

Dr. Mannasseh Phiri, who is well known in the community and has radio shows that actively promote prevention was underutilised in this documentary.  His most recent post on condoms and marriage tackles one of the social issues that need to be dealt with to halt the pandemic.  I also liked his post on abstinence which shows how even in the western world, the idea of promoting only abstinence is not sufficient to preventing teenagers from engaging in sexual practices, let alone safe ones.  Why this "abstinence only" proviso for aid is being pushed on African is beyond me.  Yesterday the BBC published an article about how studies in Africa have shown that pregnancy increases the transmission of HIV/AIDS and finished with the interesting fact that 1 in 4 people in the UK who has the disease doesn't even know they have it.  Condoms no matter where you are are pivotal to safe sex practices.

An STD is an STD, it is best not to get one, and AIDS is everywhere, we all need to be careful.

Prescriptions Without Consultation

This article asks the question whether foreign aid is bad for Africa.  First of all, most of what is considered aid is actually loans that cripple our governments with payments and interest far beyond the borrowed amounts, although people around the world think its free money given with no stipulations like payback.  This article does however touch on something that plagues my beloved continent: a specific group of well-meaning Westerners who have no clue what is going on in places of need, but seem to think they have the answer.

People don't realise that most Africans go around clothed, unless they are the Himba in Namibia and other tribes that have managed to maintain their way of life far away from the modernity of urbanisation. And they wouldn't want the clothes if you offered either.  In fact, a lot of people get the clothes given for charity and sell them for profit: salabula baby ;)!  The good thing about the man in this article is that he was able to readjust his unoriginal plan to send T-shirts to Africa after aid workers berated him for his arrogant ignorance.  However Africa needs money, investment and corruption to stop, and not just on its own shores either:  It's a two way street - enablers and enforcers on all sides.  Although this has nothing to do with aid, the case of Lesotho suing a Canadian and German company who bribed their way into working on a project comes to mind.  I read a case study on this that likened the tiny Lesotho to a mosquito that was able to defeat the elephants.  Lovely metaphor that.  African governments also need to start acting like adults, not like petulant children who take what they want and then have to be chastised with sanctions, repayment schemes and other stipulations that continually disallow them from thinking for themselves.

The issues of aid, charity and donating brought to mind the New Zealand lady who thought it was perfectly feasible to send dog food to the starving children she had heard about from her daughter in Kenya.  Why?! Why?! But why would you think this is ok?! These kinds of things just make me so sad inside there is nothing to do but just ask why?! I just don't understand how you would not think this is insulting.

The funny thing is that after September 11 Kenyan Masaai donated prized cows to help those affected.  The BBC called this an "unusual gift". How is it unusual, people eat cows all the time, it's called beef!  Drugs I tell you drugs is all I can say to explain this! That seems a logically compassionate gift to give.  You see people in need, you give what you can.  You empathise, you don't give them something you wouldn't take!

And no one ever talks about the African diaspora who are in the millions but remit billions home every year.  We are always portrayed as sitting around or dancing about waiting to be saved instead of taking control of our own destinies.  We are, if only we would be allowed to in public! And the rest of us that aren't, its time that we do :)

Thanks ALICE for bringing this my way :)