Nelson Mandela & His Contributions to African Progress

DON'T FORGET:

No Infrastructure, No Economic Development

The more developed a country's infrastructure, the more developed that country's economy is. 

• “Modern infrastructure is the backbone of an economy and the lack of it inhibits economic growth…”
• “investing more funds without tackling inefficiencies would be like pouring water into a leaking bucket. Africa can plug those leaks through reforms and policy improvements which will serve as a signal to investors that Africa is ready for business.”

In order to develop a nation's economy and to encourage the growth of profit-making industries, there are five major infrastructure systems key to economic success:  power, water, transportation, information and communication systems, along with a well developed educational system.  All of which most African nations lack.

Infrastructure Blog Power Point

Mission Possible or Improbable? Depends on the Approach

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  ~ Albert Eintstein

Solution for the poverty and turmoil in Africa? 

My personal belief after months of research:  investing in and promoting Non-governmental Organizations (NGO's) that empower the people to solve their own problems locally according to the region's unique culture, social norms, mores, customs, and values, not according to those of a wealthy, overfed country. Feed a man a fish, you feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish and help him to make nets and fishing poles, you feed him for a life time.  Help to educate his sons and daughters, and his grandsons and grandaughters will change the world. 

LRA: Army of Destruction and Despair

The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), led by Joseph Koney, is part cult, part army, but entirely the driving force of destruction and despair in the lives of thousands of young African boys and girls.  To better understand the plight and suffering of these Invisible Children please watch the two following videos and refer to the links provided.

• Invisible Children
• Global Security.org
• AllAfrica

My African Child

So young in heart

He cried for milk

So poor and helpless

Mama weeps in pain

His eyes so red

A week he cried

A month ago,

To the world he came

Mama so young

Papa has run

Under the bridge

They lay their heads

In storm and rain

They search for food

Through man and sex

Mama fed him well

The days went by

Mama health decreased

Only five months old

Mama said goodbye

In rain and cold

He cried so loud

In sun and heat

He wept and wept

Three days gone by

Since mama left

And now he sleeps

To meet with mama

~Toris Okotie (The African Poet) NY~

http://www.poemsofsoul.com/africanpoems.htm

Passions Revealed

Jack and Aye at Got Passport:  Will Travel, We'll Serve, are encouraging their followers to create a Passion Board to "DISCOVER and UNLEASH your PASSION through ART and CREATIVITY."  For some reason this challenge resonated with me and within minutes I started the project and within a couple of hours I completed the project. 

What does this have to do with the Power of Only One? 
I rummaged through the piles of magazines and family pictures, cutting out words and images.  As I arranged these onto the canvas, I saw of  pieces of my heart and soul and my story-path began to unfold.  It revealed where I had been and those who have helped me to get there.  I can see where I am now, yet, it is clear where my spirit longs to be.  I experienced a "Moment of Conversion."  

I have always loved studying Africa and it's people,  diverse cultures and rich history.  I have been asked often, "Why do you love Africa so much?"  The only way I can explain it is that whenever I talk about Africa or study it, I hear the voice of God.  I was not born in Africa, nor is any of my family from Africa.  I am not even African-American.  I should have no connection to this continent, but I am called to it.  Called to come and to help bring change, called to make a difference there.

For nearly a decade, I have been talking about how I could help the people of this continent.  I have brainstormed and designed programs in my heard to make a difference.  I have talked to my family and friends about what I could do as just one person.  But it was always talk, until January 1 of this year.  This year I fell into my "Moment of Conversion."  This year I started the Power of Only One, armed with the hope and desire to bring change to the world, change for Africa, one post at a time.

Literally, the heart of my Passion Board is Africa.  It is surrounded by my past, my present, and the future for which I hope.  One day, Africa will be both my destination and my destiny.  I will be ready because of the love of my family, past travel experiences and the lessons learned along the way, as well as the the hopes I carry in my heart for the future.

How strange that a blog challenge, an simple little art experiment, helped me to see to see my own life's story and the passions I hold dear to my heart. 

Deserts Eat the Land, The People Eat Little

One of the major causes of famine, starvation, malnourishment, and world hunger is desertification and its destructive effects.  Desertification is defined as the growth or expansion of a desert due to human activity.  One of the most drastic examples of this can be found in Africa's Sahel region.  The Sahel is a dry grassland region that acts as a transition zone in Africa, transition from Arab to traditional Africa, transition from arid Africa to tropical Africa.  It is also home to some of the most malnourished people on this planet.

What causes desertification?

• a region with naturally dry conditions, often times hard-hit by extended drought conditions, such as the drought conditions that have been plaguing the Sahel since the 1960's.  There have been regions within the Sahel that have been without rain for five years. 
• removal of vegetation through poor agricultural practices and over-grazing of animal herds.  The "unprotected, dry soil surfaces then blow away with the wind or are washed away by flash floods, leaving infertile lower soil layers that bake in the sun and become an unproductive hardpan. Overgrazing destroys valuable plant species, leaving mostly unpalatable ones. Losses of vegetation and biodiversity threaten habitat for other species." (http://www.oasisglobal.net/what_cause.htm)
• over-irrigation or incorrect irrigation practices (Go here to see what can happen.)
• war and conflict, which can disrupt local agricultural practices.  Frequently war refugees will move into  "marginal ecosystems", bringing with them native farming practices not necessarily suited for the region.
• "Perhaps the greatest cause of soil degradation and desertification is an explosion in world population, particularly in developing countries. Throughout the 1990s, dryland regions experienced a population growth of 18.5 percent, mostly in desperately poor, developing nations [source: GreenFacts.org]. In their daily struggle to survive, these expanding populations have put a deadly strain on their environment." (http://science.howstuffworks.com/desertification1.htm)

So what's the result of desertification?

• destruction and loss of vegetation, as well as land degradation and loss of crucial arable land.
• loss of food sources, famine, malnourishment, starvation and death.
• "flooding, poor water quality, dust storms, and pollution. All of these effects can hurt people living near an affected region. (The Facts of Desertification and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, 2000)" http://desertificationb.tripod.com/id3.html
• ULTIMATE COST:  human dignity at the cost of poverty and world hunger.

Land of Diversity. Land of Suffering.

Africa.  Land of Diversity.  Land of Beauty and Grace.  Land of World Wonders.  Also, Land of Poverty, Famine, Pestilence, HIV/AIDS, and Suffering.  This land rich in resources, including 60-70% of the world's gold and diamonds, is also home to the ten poorest nations in the world.  Go to  Media Global's website to gain further insight about these 10 countries (http://www.mediaglobal.org/page/the-worlds-10-poorest-countries).

Why does this matter?  Africa is the fastest growing continent in the world.  That means exponentially more children will be born in to a life and suffering of poverty.  One report reveals:

"20% of Africa's children die before the age of five... Every day 30,000 children die from a combination of disease- infested water and malnutrition...Water-borne diseases are claiming one child every three seconds. These diseases are the major killers of small children in Africa."
(http://www.missionariesofafrica.org/challenges/orphan1.html)

As the population of this already struggling continent rapidly rises, these and other issues will only worsen.  We as fellow global citizens must intervene now.  We must all find our starfish, saving them one at a time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/africa/05/africa_economy/img/africa_map416_income2.gif

Bono's ONE

I have found another excellent webiste:  ONE (http://www.one.org/us/actnow/) co-founded by Bono.  It is yet another example of a grassroots movement aimed at ending poverty and preventable diseases, with a goal to "achieve change through advocacy" by working with policy-makers and activists .  This non-partisan organization focuses particularly on poverty in Africa.  However, their emphasis is not charity, rather ONE emphasizes "justice and equality."

According to the website:

"How does ONE's advocacy work?

ONE members mobilize at key moments - when a critical piece of legislation is up for a vote in Congress, or when world leaders gather at important summits like the G8, or when an emergency occurs like the global food crisis. Online at ONE.org and working on the ground in local communities, ONE members take action to ensure the issues of the poorest of the poor - issues that can often go unnoticed - are heard by our neighbors and addressed by our leaders. By taking part in ONE Sabbath, churches, temples, synagogues and mosques will make a vital contribution to this movement and make a difference in the fight against poverty and disease."

This site offers opportunities to become actively involved in the fight against poverty, as well providing a wealth of information on the key global issues impacting poverty. This interactive site provides opportunities to:  lobby Congress, encourage local media participation, and recruit and organize other indviduals to help spread the efforts of this movement.  You could do something as simple as writing a letter or making a call to your representative or wearing a ONE t-shirt.  Also, if you are interested in having a better understanding as to the causes of global poverty, ONE provides clear and concise information on issues such as:  AIDS/HIV, Climate and Development, Water and Sanitation, Debt Cancellation, etc.

I find ONE to be a very interactive and user-friendly site with a very appealing design.  It also taps into the power of social media;  ONE has a blog and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, & MySpace.  It even allows people to subscribe via RSS for One Blog, What Were Reading, and Policy News to help member stay up to date with current issues affecting this movement.

For those of you who feel convicted that poverty is more than a social issue, rather the issues of justice and equality are spiritual in nature, this website even provides a means for you to involve your congregation or a small group within your congregation, through the ONE SABBATH.  Although ONE is a secular group "it has deep roots in the faith community."

Here is yet just one more opportunity to explore how to strengthen and to apply your own Power of Only One.  I highly recommend you check out this sight for yourself.  I plan to spend even more time on it myself, especially exploring the wealth of information it provides.  I think not only will the Power of Only One Blog benefit, but also my students will have a richer and better understanding of global issues as I become an even more informed teacher (and private citizen).  Looks like I have found another site/blog to add to the Blog Roll.

--Power of Only One