Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo

Mistakes Are OK

If you visit a developing country like Congo, one of the things you will notice is plenty of American t-shirts.  You are guaranteed to find a t-shirt from your favorite sports team or a familiar organization. 

You may wonder how all these t-shirts got there.  Officially, many t-shirts are donated to American charities.  Then the charity may sell them to generate needed funding.

But sometimes, you see t-shirts with mistakes.  Some have misspelled words or misplaced logos.  Also, you may be lucky enough to find an advance market-order T-shirt.  It is common for t-shirt manufacturers to print two team-champion t-shirt.  Obviously, the loser t-shirt is a mistake.

The Indianapolis Colts' T-Shirt, as Super Bowl XLIV Champion, is an example this type of mistake. 

World Vision sent me an email today.  Download World Vision - Children Will Receive Super Bowl Apparel They were asking for donations to help ship the Colts t-shirts to Haiti.

These mistakes are OK.

 

A Chicken From My Friend with the Florida T-Shirt

 

I was born and raised in Florida.  So when I found a Florida T-shirt in the middle of the Congo bush, I was excited beyond belief.  I just had to take a picture of the T-shirt.

While taking the picture, I had someone try to explain that I was born in Florida.  I was not sure the guy understood the message.   May be or may be not!

The next morning before I left the village, my friend showed up with a chicken, his wife, and son.  I was touched.  Yes, he was still wearing his Florida T-shirt.

Just Make Music

What's wrong in this picture?  Do you see the error?

 

The boys made some beautiful music on this naturally-carved xylophone.  When I first saw the "thing", I thought no way.  This is Bulape located in middle of bush with no music teachers or instrument makers.  But I was blown away with tone and tuning.

"Just Make Music" was appropriate.  They were no mistake unlike the "Nake" instead of "Nike" T-shirt.

What Do You For World AIDS Day?

Thanks to God, the Congo does not lead the HIV/AIDS race!  There are a lot of countries ahead of Congo.  In this deadly race you do not want to win.

 

Officially, Congo's HIV/AIDS adult rate is just over four percent.  Overall, Sub-Saharan Africa is heavily affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.  Somalia and Senegal have rates around one percent.  But Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland have rates that exceed 23 percent.

 

HIV/AIDS is not the number one killer in Congo.  Other preventable and treatable diseases like malaria, diarrhea, and malnutrition are the killers.  But HIV/AIDS awareness is still needed.

 

 

Doctors, the Modern versus the Traditional

 

Traditional doctors are still prevalent in the Congo especially among the poor.  Many Congolese first go to the traditional doctor before going the modern doctor.  Sometime, they even go to the witch doctor.

Some patients arrive at the hospital or clinic is worst condition after trying the traditional doctors.  Then the modern doctor is expected to do a miracle.  Sometime they are not successful.

Dr Joseph, Chief of Bulape Health Zone, is one of two doctors serving a rural poor population of 100,000 people.

But It's a Dry Heat

 

The Congo has two season, Dry Season or Rainy Season.  The temperature is range in 80's to 90's all yearlong.  There is no Fall, Winter, Spring or Summer.  It is just either dry season or rainy season.

There is two dry season and two rainy season.  The second season are simply short dry season and short rainy season.  

The rainy season signals the start of the growing season.  Therefore,  you have two growing seasons in the Congo.

Why are people starving and dying of malnutrition?  What does poverty have to do with starving when you have two growing seasons?

Silva, Our First Phone Lady

Silva is not a Grameen Phone Lady.  But her T-Shirt could hold the key to prosper and a new beginning era in development for rural Congo.

The Grameen Phone Ladies of Bangladesh climbed out of poverty. They were a driving force behind the success of the Grameen Bank.  The Grameen Bank won the Nobel Prize in 2006.  Also, the Grameen Phone is bring Information Communication Technology (ICT).

"You Can Hear Me Now" offers a compelling account of what Sullivan calls the 'external combustion engine' --a combination of forces that is sparking economic growth and lifting people out of poverty in countries long dominated by aid-dependent governments.

One day, we would like Silva to be our first Grameen Phone Lady.

Which is Larger, Indiana or Africa?

How big is Congo?  That's a common question I get during about half of my presentation about the Congo.  Congo is big and AFRICA is bigger.  Congo is Africa's fourth largest country.  Clearly, both Africa and Congo are bigger than Indiana.

How cool to find a T-Shirt in Bulape from Central Indiana!

Perhaps, it's "just" a T-Shirt from the Indiana Black Expo.  But the outline of Africa fitting neatly inside Indiana is so wrong.  Unfortunately, many people believe it to be the truth.

Officially, the US (including all 50 states and DC) is 9.1 million square kilometers.  So, Africa is over 3 times the size of the US.

Congo is 2.2 million square kilometers.  Therefore, it is about one fourth the size of the total US.  Or about one third the size of the lower 48 states.  Congo is roughly about the size of the US east of the Mississippi River.

Congo is big!

T-Shirt of the Week, Friday - November 14

I lived in Germany during the late 70's.  One of the thing I remember was how some German smoked "like a chimney".

I think this village, Mpata Mbamba, was founded by German.  Why?  I saw more people smoking in one day then I saw during a two month period.

This village is not located near a big or prosperous town.  So, I asked the doctor, why?  He had no explanation for all the smokers.  Generally, Congolese are too poor for such luxury items.  Also, cigarettes must be imported into the rural areas.

Auf Wiedersehn, Smoky Village!

T-Shirt of the Week, Friday - November 7

 

The above picture was taken in Bulape.  A worker was clearing the weeds and grass from pathway to Bulape Hospital.

Actually, there is a lot of truth to the saying on this t-shirt.  All Congolese men are looking for good and strong women.  They must be able to have a child on Tuesday morning and be home for dinner.  Of course, they need to be back in the fields on Wednesday morning.

Seriously, women are the backbone of the Congo family and community.