Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo

Real trains are needed in Congo

I walked over to the local Diary Queen. On my way there, I was stopped by one of the frequent trains. Trains are different here from the trains in Congo.

First, I only saw the engineer. He gave a friendly wave. Hundreds of people were not hanging off the sides, sitting on the tops, or packed in the every available space.

Second, the trains are fast. Also, we have two tracks well maintained.  And they are frequent.

You do not take notice too much to trains while in a car.  But when you are walking, and have to wait for a train to go by, you notice more and have time to think.  Finally, you remember what trains are like in the Congo.

April 13, 2008 - Two Steps Forward and One Step Backward

I attended service at Lockerbie United Methodist Church, downtown Indianapolis.  Poverty was a theme of the sermon.  After church, I met with Bob Walters and Mike Oles about Congo.

1.  Step Forward.  Someone in Indianapolis may have expertise in implementing a Micro Loans program in Africa.

2. Step Backward.  We need to jump start Midwest Voices for Congo.

3. Step Forward.  A potential visit to Indianapolis by the Governor of Katanga Province, DR Congo.

April 12, 2008 - Two Steps Forward and One Step Backward

1.  Step Forward.  I attended the Cathedral High School's Take Global Issues Further (TGIF) fundraiser.  They sponsored a 3-on-3 basketball tournament benefiting Nothing But Nets.  I displayed a mosquito net setup and played a malaria video.  

The games were exciting because of the modified rules.  Boys could not block a girl's shot.  A girl's basket counted for 2 points while a boy's basket was a single point. 

The Teacher's team won their first game.  They almost won their second game.  Then "the age difference" became apparent after the second game.  Pictured is the winning team.

2.  Step Backward.  Not enough time.

3.  Step Forward.  I met with two local African friends, Aggrey and Phillip (a Kenyan and a Congolese, respectively).  It is unique to hear Africa problems from an African.

   a.  They were concerned about the food riots.  Recent articles, India Daily, TheTimes of South Africa, and Reuters.  The President of the World Bank said "Hunger and malnutrition are a cause, not just a result, of poverty."

   b.  They operate a Canadian based NGO in Indianapolis.

   c.  They have acquired medical supplies for a hospital in Angola.

April 11, 2008 - Two Steps Forward and One Step Backward

1.  Step Forward.  I delivered the closing quote at the Daybreaker's Toastmaster Club.  "Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.  Anyone who keeps learning stays young.  The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young." -- Henry Ford, American automaker 

2.  Step Backward.  I failed to followup with some churches and Rotary clubs during the week.

3.  Step Forward.  I received approval from the Rotary International District 6560 Foundation's approval to establish a line item for the Congo Water Project in District Foundation, a nonprofit foundation.  Individuals can make tax deductible donations to the Foundation.  Also, any Rotary Club can transfer funds to the foundation.  Total committed to date is $10,000.

April 10, 2008 - Two Steps Forward and One Step Backward

1.  Step Forward.  After just writing about the shortage of health care workers in Africa and Congo, I got an email message from a nonprofit organization who wants to connect nurses to mission work.  AMEN!  Currently, the organization is building its database of organizations needing nurses.  Participating in a short term mission, Linda Allen, a Registered Nurse from Virgina poses with Dr Bernard (left- departing doctor) and Dr. Joseph Kambala (right - incoming doctor)

2.  Step Backward.  NOT ENOUGH TIME IN ONE DAY!

3.  Step Forward.  The Rotary Club of Shelbyville advised me that their board has approved a donation to the Congo Water Project.  Another step forward toward safe, clean drinking water for Congo.

April 9, 2008 - Two Steps Forward and One Step Backward

1. Step Forward.  Today, I substituted as the Sergeant of Arms for my Rotary Club.  To start the "Happy Bucks" session, I told the story of Rotary Clubs in Sweden and the United States helping the Rotary of Nairobi, Kenya support orphaned children.  It happened after the disputed presidential election in December in Kenya.  The Rotary Clubs from Stockholm, Sweden and Dayton, OH (District 6670) raised $5,500 and $25,000, respectively.  The riots and national emergency created additional problems for the orphaned children.  Rotarians should feel happy.

2. Step Backward.  Our April 16 discussion with John Katunga about Congo and Coltan (Columbite Tantalite) has moved up in time to 2:00 and shrunk (we have a smaller room).  Nevertheless, meeting with John will be a great opportunity.  John Katunga is Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) Regional Technical Advisor for Peacebuilding and Justice in the east Africa region, based in Nairobi, Kenya. Serving in this role since January 2007, he provides technical guidance and assistance to CRS peacebuilding and justice programs in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Before joining CRS, John served as the Acting Executive Director of the Nairobi Peace Initiative-Africa, a peace organization focused on conflict resolution and reconciliation across the continent. Previously, he worked as a social sciences researcher in the DRC at the Natural Science Research Center in the Kivus and as a human rights representative for the Congolese Human Rights League, the first human rights organization in the DRC.  John is a Congolese.

3. Step Forward.  I was given the name and telephone of a woman in the DC area.  Supposedly, she had information about shipping to Congo.  I thought she worked for the Defense Department's Funded Transportation Program.  I called her last week and left a message.  Today, she returned my call.  But she explained that she was learning the process to ship through the program.  Actually, she was waiting on getting the Congolese transportation or custom office to sign off on the shipping manifest.  We agreed to stay in touch and she asked for my email address.  Minutes after the call, I got an email message.  At the bottom of the two-sentence message was her organization's web address.  I went to the website.  WOW!  Her organization was instrumental in establishing a Sister City relationship between Falls Church, VA and Kokolopori, Equateur Province on February 13, 2006.  This is the one and only US Sister City Partnership in DR Congo.

April 8, 2008 - Two Steps Forward and One Step Backward

1.  Step Forward.  It was a busy day.  I started with a 7:30am Board meeting with my Rotary International Club, Indianapolis Northeast.  Our fiscal year ends on June 30th.  I was the Director for Programs this year.  I reported that only one vacant date was left for this year, June 25th.  My chapter will be the International Partner for the proposed Water Project.  And they made the BIGGEST donation to date.    

2.  Step Backward.  The price of gas increased by $0.20 to $3.45 a gallon.  The cost of shipping to the Congo will be more expensive.  The shipper is located in New Windsor, MD.  We have typewriters and medical supplies for the Congo.       

3.  Step Forward.  Today, I met with the executive committee of the Marion Rotary Club.  I was invited up to answer questions about the proposed Water Project for Congo.  First, I got to briefing talk to my old friend, Marv, from my previous life as a Webmaster and E-commerce Consultant.  After their meeting, I met with the executive committee.  Success!  They agreed to make a BIG (second largest) donation to the proposed project.  Finally, they invited me to speak to the membership on June 10th.

April 7, 2008 - Two Steps Forward and One Step Backward

A typical day, Two Steps Forward and One Step Backward for April 7, 2008, BUT it was net progress.

1.  Step Forward.  A BIG STEP forward but it has taken a long time.  In June 2007, we delivered the Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) for the Bulape Hospital to the IMA World Health for shipment to Congo.  It was finally containerized and left the warehouse in mid-March.  So by now, we hope it is making it way to the port at Matadi, Congo.  Time for a small celebration!  But it still has to get to Kinshasa and then to Kananga.  I hope to drive it up to Bulape.  Pictured is my longtime friend Don, formerly with IMA, thinks about zipping down the roads in Congo.

2.  Step Backward.  Communication can be a problem especially when dealing with some people in the Congo.  A got an email message from another American NGOs working in Congo.  They had sent a letter to the managers of a church about 11 months ago.  They have no answer to date.  Thinking I was in Congo, he asked for my assistance to shake the bushes.  However, I found someone else to shake the bushes and at least help him get a response.

3.  Step Forward.  There is power in networking with others.  I got a number of unexpected emails, today.  These incremental and small baby steps add together for a major step forward.  Important message was received from John.  He referred a local high school's "nothing but nets" project leader to me (email messages posted separately).  Another important message was received from the Franklin Rotary Club.  They asked me to participate in a fundraising event.  Finally, another important message was received from the leader in the local "Save Darfur" group.  She was announcing the national screening of "The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo" on April 8, 10pm, HBO.  She identified Congo Helping Hands as a source of information and as someone who works in the Congo.

April 6, 2008

A picture of Dr. Bernard Ngoy in Washington DC during June 2007.

Today, I got a call from Dr. Bernard.  He said: Why I haven't heard from you?  I had not emailed or phoned Dr. Bernard for about a month or more.

Dr. Bernard has a cell phone and has Internet access at his new job in Mbuji Mayi.  Therefore, I could easily stay in touch with him.

I have reminded again.  I have not forgotten about him but I had forgotten that Dr. Bernard is a city doctor now.  When he was our doctor at the Bulape Hospital, communication was more difficult.  He had to start the generator if they had diesel.  Then he had to connect to the email server in Kinshasa about 400 miles away via a VHF radio.  Communication was slow.

Dr. Bernard is waiting on me to come back to Congo.  He wants me to come and visit him in the city of Mbuji Mayi where he responsible for overseeing two health zones.  Typically, a health zone is responsible for about 100,000 persons.  A health zone will have clinics spread out through the zone.  Due to the poverty level and lack of transportation, you have to take the health care to the people where they live.  People have to walk to the health clinic.

It was very good to hear from Dr. Bernard. 

April 5, 2008

Faith PC Monthly Men's Breakfast.

Our speaker was Orv. The presentation was about his past career. He passed out a single sheet of paper to begin his presentation. See the picture.

On the left of the sheet was a picture of the 12AX7 Triode (vacuum) Tube. He said the ENIAC computer completed in 1945 occupied 1,000 square feet of floor space, weighed approximately 30 tons with more than 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors, 6,000 switches and 18,000 vacuum tubes. It required 150KW of power enough to light a small town. Its major problem was tube reliability. Ninety percent downtime was attributed to locating and replacing bad tubes.

His company tested for leaking in different products like tubes, air conditioners, transmissions, and other parts on your car. Also, testing included airplanes, medical equipment and home items. He presented a historic account of testing. He contrasted the today's computer has shrink the floor space needed. Also, it eliminated the use of the vacuum tube.

After the question and answer period, I held up my hands. I made the comment about the role of Congo's minerals like coltan had played in this transformation. Only a few people had heard of coltan. He stated that I need to speak about coltan to the group.

Congo has the largest reserve of coltan.  Other African countries neighboring Congo has much smaller quantity.

When I got home and checked my email via my notebook computer. He had written me. He thanked me for broadening his education. He stated that he now remembered tantalum vacuum tubes. I Google'd tantalum and read the scientific explanation. Tantalum occurs principally in the mineral tantalite. Tantalite is largely found mixed with columbite in an ore called coltan. 

So I wrote him back and thanked him for broadening my education.

By the way, I am writing "My Daily Log" on my HTC P3600, a Pocket PC with smartphone. It has email, MMS, and SMS messaging, MS Office (Outlook, Internet Explorer, Excel, Word, PowerPoint), two cameras (took that picture of his sheet of paper), video, WI-fi, expandable memory, touch screen, blue tooth (using a blue tooth keyboard), tethered modem, advanced unlocked phone with video calling and voice dialing, and 3G speed. Also, I have loaded 3rd party software applications like Skype, Pocket Bible, Pocket French Dictionary, Expense Tracker, Adobe Reader, Mobile Newsreader, and the Mobile version of my blogging software TypePad.

I owe Congo a lots! Probably their columbite tantalite aka tantalum aka coltan was used it my laptop and this smartphone/pocketpc.

Because of the fighting over coltan, millions of people have died in the Congo.  You can not say that Congo is "dirt poor".  Congo is mineral rich but it people live in poverty.  Coltan, the black gold, is allowing us to have our toys.