If we thought it a pity that we could not see more of Gabon because of the lack of passable roads, then the crumbling infrastructure of the Congo-Brazzaville was an even greater example of how an entire country can be completely inaccessible – even to its own citizens, due to lack of roads.
And where there is a lack of roads, there is also a lack of every other amenity that we take for granted in our world; electricity; running water,essential goods in shops; schools – and therefore education,clinics – and therefore medical care; contact with the outside world; in short: any chance of progress and development. These countries that we drive through, have been embroiled in – and subjected to civil unrest and war for so long – every since their independence back in the late fifties and early sixties, that they have never had the opportunity to pick themselves up and shake themselves off and decide on their own lot in life. We are now what? - at least two – or, in a country where the life expectancy is no more than 46, does that make it three generations?-- down the line from the days of white colonial rule, and yet they still seem to all have this attitude that everything has to come from the white man, from Europe or the USA, from someone other than themselves. They have nothing and it is us that must give. It is not, I believe, that they are consciously 'begging' or rather 'demanding' with outstretched hand – they are simply continuing to do what they have done for generations and expecting the same result – that we will give – and continue to give.
Handouts are a terrible thing. We think it alleviates the burden of guilt – guilt of the white man for colonising them, enslaving them, for having more than them, for being fortunate whilst they are not. We think we are generous and kind and showing compassion. But instead we are doing far worse than our forbears with their colonising and brutal slash and burn ways of eradicating everything that was not western or 'civilised' or Christian and leaving nothing of the original proud heritage and tradition and values of the African. We now recognise that their ways were wrong, and yet we continue to treat the African like a child, like someone who cannot decide his own future, like someone who needs to be pitied and helped and carried. Instead of teaching him skills, we give him our cast-off clothes. Instead of showing him how to provide for himself, we allow him to believe that it is our duty as a white man to provide for him.
We come across people daily – young children who know only one word, old people who have seen life -- who hold their hands out and tell us “Give”. They don't always specify what we are supposed to give, but simply assume that we are white, therefore we must give. One old man came to our bush camp one morning and came up to me and asked me to give him clothes. I said no, we have no clothes to give. We are travelling a long way and have with us only what we need ourselves. “No”, he shook his finger at me, “no, don't say that. You are white and white people always have things that they don't need. You all have clothes you don't need. You can all give me at least one piece of clothing that you don't need.”
We, in the group, are often quite taken aback, even shocked, when children come to us with outstretched hands and say “Give me 50 francs” There is no please. There is no doubt that they will get what they demand. There is nothing 'wrong' with their demand. It is as if they are saying “Good morning. Nice to meet you.” It is a way of life inculcated in them from birth: white people are there to give.
Our response is mostly to smile and put a hand out and say “No, you give me something!” The look on their faces is quite something to behold. There is a flash of surprise. Then a bemused tentative smile. Then a little frown as they start to think about this unexpected response. And then a big smile and the discussion commences as to who should give whom what.
Another response that always ends up in smiles as well is when they say “Give!” and you reply “Why?” Never before has anyone questioned their right to demand or asked them to explain why we should give. And the fact that these little encounters always end in smiles will indicate how 'innocent' this demand for charity really is.
Before I go on too long about this issue (oh – I have already? :) allow me to just mention a little fact I was told by a Congolese man I chatted to. When I mentioned that I was so horrified to learn that Nigeria has 77 first class universities, whose degrees are recognised in the West – yes, 77, and the Congo-Brazzaville does not have one single one university or college of education after high school – yes, not one, he confirmed that and said that there is also not a single place where a Congolese can learn a trade of any kind.
“Surely that is what we should be bringing to these countries!! Trade schools – and not us westerners coming to teach them indefinitely, but simply come once to teach one batch and let them then continue by themselves – let that first batch then teach the next lot and take in apprentices and so the process will grow exponentially in no time!”
“Ah!” he then replied. “The Indians have already seen the gap in Angola – where, it has to be remembered, the country has been at war for 40 years, during which time there were no functioning schools, thus NO EDUCATION of any kind – for 40 years. But – the Indians are not taking apprentices in the various trades and are not teaching their skills to any Angolans. They are coming into the country, working at their trades, and leaving.”
If we want to help Africa – if we want to give them any of the plenty that we have, then that is what we should be doing – teaching them skills and teaching them trades.
Did I digress again? And I did not even tell you how a few of us have been buying long-sleeved clothing (to keep the mosquitoes from biting us in the evenings – and to keep us warm in these cooler evenings – as all our warm stuff have been used to wrap and protect the artefacts we have been buying!). The long-sleeved clothing we have been buying all come from the 'clothing shops' in the markets here – and are all discarded, old garments that you have kindly put into the charity box at your church or your local high street charity shop. And you thought it was going to go to needy people? Well – I suppose the people who sell these old clothes are needy in a way, and we who buy the charity box stuff are not far off either!
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