Africa Vision 40

Africa Vision 40

November 24, 2008

On the move

I will fly around the world for the second time in my life. The attempt is to tour India, the USA and the Netherlands in roughly 80 days. India to charge up, focus and meditate, ride down the mountains, meet the family and my parents, eat, buy clothes and trinkets, perhaps a painting as well. The last couple of years I go once a year and try to visit Rishikesh, Kolkata, New Delhi and Mumbai.

Then the USA for a third tour on the current state of Sudan and Chad adding to the awareness raising this time a fund raising component. I am happy about it. Not that the conflicts in Sudan and Chad are still ongoing but that I am going back to the USA. Last two times were brilliant. I met people from all walks of lives, of all ages with a common value the heart to care for people across the ocean in a different continent. It will be interesting to see if there is any change now that the big bear, the stock market crash is knocking on the door. I believe however that people will still have the same interest. Even with a presidential election coming up.

Final stop the Netherlands. Lots of babies to hug. Some newborns, some new houses and a lot of friends and family. Fundraising should be possible in Holland as well. See what the Dutch can shell out.

It is seemingly impossible to finish any work here. The electrical current in the house has not been working for three days. As a consequence I do not have water and to make things even better the generator, which is used in the office just decided to come to a grinding halt with a nice explosion. Nobody hurt, just no electricity and 1 hour 45 minutes left on the Mac battery. O, the reason for the power outage is a strike against weapon sales in Darfur. People will be lining up to demonstrate against the violence in Sudan. But opening their eyes to what is happening in Chad?

The Chadians who dare to speak out will always come with the same story. Chad was never a rich country but also not the poorest of poor. For the last 20 years there has been a steady decline to the bottom of the heap. Most say the poisonous cup is not empty yet and it must be swallowed whole before a change for the better may come. Yet that change will come. In many African countries there has been a change for the better and there is no reason to believe that eventually Chad will join the path of the democracies aiming for the future. Oil seemed to give an opportunity for making Chad a better place. But the revenues from the oil are not spent in the areas it is needed most.

I have talked before about our medical faculty. Perhaps some photos of the library will show 17 years of lack of investment and that is just one example. Children are being taught in straw huts without books across the country. Roads are being constructed to the areas we can find petrol, the rest of the country has been without and can stay without?

Namaskar, Ashis