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Under the right conditions, anything is possible. We all could be happy and smiling.
We could solve extreme poverty. We could prevent most deaths from treatable and preventable diseases. We could provide safe clean drinking water. We could minimize most cases of malaria. We could reduce child and mother mortality rates. Even in Congo, under the right conditions, anything is possible.
But business as usual is sad and deadly.
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Do you like flying in a small commuter plane? When I lived in Sierra Vista (Arizona), the town operateda small municipal airport. The airport had commuter service from Sierra Vista to Phoenix. The distance of just over 180 miles which equated to 3 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours of driving. You other option was Tucson, about 70 miles away. Tucson have regular jet service like Phoenix but few flights and connections. You had a choice!
What about Congo? To get from Kinshasa to Bulape, you have choices too. You can fly from Kinshasa to Kananga but just 3 times a week. You will probably fly in a MD-80 formerly owned by TWA or some other American airline. Then you have to drive, 9 to 17 hours from Kananga to Bulape. The total minimum transient time is two days if all the stars were aligned. (NOTE: The stars are never aligned in Congo!) Normally, its three days at best.
You other choice, you can fly from Kinshasa directly to Bulape in a small commuter-type plane. It carries up to 9 people or less. Mostly, it is less due to its weight restriction. Everyone and everything is weighed as you get on the plane. When the pilot reaches maximum weight, the doors are CLOSED. The transient time is just four hours including a refueling stop about halfway at a remote mission station.
What's your choice, 3 to 7 days (or more) flying in a modern jet and long drive by 4-wheel drive vehicle; or flying a small commuter plane for four hours?
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Do you remember your grandma's manual sewing machine? If you are like me, you may remember some of the simple tasks you were asked to do. Threading the needed was a favorite.
In rural Congo, manual sewing machines are not too popular. They are not popular because of being out-dated technology. Probably, it is too the contrary. They are not popular because they are new-aged stuff.
Also, manual sewing machines can only be found at stores in the city. They cost about $150-$200 depending upon availability and exchange rate. Hence, they are not seen in the rural poorer villages.
As a result, wrap-around cloths are the dress of the rural village women.
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These Congolese girls look great. They have big smiles. They look nice in their clothes.
Loose clothes can hide our imperfections like odd shapes. They can hide our few extra pounds around our middle sections.
BUT, loose clothes can hide deficiencies in diet. They can hide signs of malnurition.
This little Congolese boy can not hide his extended stomach.
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In Congo, girls are the minority in schools. But they are officially the majority of the population. The situation must change so that girls are fairly represented in schools. Once they are fairly represented in schools, then comes empowerment.
Where do you start? Education starts everywhere. So you have to start everywhere. Educating girls is so important.
Families, specially fathers, must realize that the majority of the population matters.
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What could you do without electricity? You activities would be limited. Most of our machines and factories would grind to a halt. The lives of many patients would be in jeopardy. Banks would be closed. Traffic signals would not function. Needless the say, our world and life style would end.
Consider the Congo, electricity is limited in the capital city of Kinshasa. It is restricted to just four hours in some major cities. But most of the country which is rural, electricity is almost non-existent.
However, electricity may soon arrive in the rural areas. The development and deployment of the "Bloom Box" could be the answer. The future would be much brighter with electricity for rural Congo.
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I have been talking about the BEFORE and the AFTER. It about the steps required for the poor to obtain the basics of food, shelter, and clothes. Inc the case of food, the before refers to the raw materials need to prepare your meal (the after).
In Congo, you see different starting points (raw materials) used for your meal. You may see a poorest family with the bare basic and unprocessed food. For example, they would have dried corn on the cob.
The next level would be corn kernels ready to be grounded into flour and corn meal. The flour and corn meal is used for cooking. So for the poor, you are now just half way to your evening supper.
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Very few things come in their final form in rural Congo. For us know cooking oil comes in plastic bottles. It comes in favorite brand names such as Crisco. Or it comes in generic bands. But it does not come in raw forms such palm nuts.
In rural Congo, cooking palm oil comes from pressed palm nuts.
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Most of you may know what is a BOGO deal. You have seen them at the shoe and clothing stores. It's the Buy One and Get One offer. Sometimes that's not a good enough deal to get us to buy a pair of shoes or buy another shirt.
Most of our shoes and clothes are fashion statements. They define who we are or who we want to be.
Shoes and clothes matter when you have the basic necessities of life. If you DON'T have food, shelter, security, education, health: do you really worry about clothes and shoes.
In poor countries like the Congo, the basic necessities of life is a struggle for too many families. Therefore, shoes and clothes DON'T MATTER.
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You missed the pain and agony! It's like seeing the final score. It's like sitting down to a meal at the table. It's like putting on a finished dress.
Every time, without seeing or experiencing the before, it seems a lot easier. You do not see the big deal. And most often, you show no compassion or have no empathy.
That's why, extreme poverty still exist!
You need to see the before.
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