What comes to your mind when you think of Africa? Forests, animals, tribal people, famine...safari, vacations maybe, if you are too adventurous? Oh and missionaries...right?
Hmm... if that's the case then you are not far off from what I thought even a few weeks back. My acquaintance with Africa was from the pages of high school Geography and from cricket matches when South Africa or Zimbabwe (later Kenya as well) were playing. Some information came trickling in later, when I came to know about the slave trade, the story of "Roots - the saga of an American family" and the like. This wouldn't count as much because even though I "knew" these things, I couldn't relate to them. They were just pieces of information that were stored somewhere.
My true connection opened when I started supporting a girl from Rwanda. When I chose her, the only thing I thought about was I want a girl, as they are more vulnerable. Her name came up first, so I chose her. Now that I correspond with her and her family, teachers and pastor, I am getting an idea of the society she lives in. You all probably are aware of the droughts and famines that hit Africa every year, aren't you? We skim through those pictures on National Geographic's magazines and say "oh, not again". That sounds very distant.
When you have a child writing letters to you every few months updating you on her studies, what grades she got in the past exam and the little details of her family, you will not be able to stay that distant. I hope you wouldn't.
My realization came in three forms...
The first one was through a video (probably National Geographic's) that I watched streaming through Amazon videos. It was about natural resources and how we are abusing the Earth. Ironically, the countries that have the most resources are the ones who are exploited. Africa being the greatest example. They are in rags, when all their wealth are being carried off to other countries. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia, for example, do not produce anything, but are numero uno at using up resources - energy, water, everything. The Burj Khalifa has been built on energy and resources sucked up from the less privileged ones. Sorry to sound so socialist, but this is exactly the situation.
The next realization was a Broadway musical called Fela! It was the first (and only) Broadway musical that I have seen so far. This was about Fela Kuti from Nigeria. It was such a no-nonsense type of show that it's hard to imagine. Here's the link, if you are interested. The Africa Shrine was treated like a hotel for the people coming from the West. They would stop over for the night, and then things started disappearing... it started with towels, soaps...then went to petroleum, diamonds and women...you are getting it, right? You need to watch the show...when a country is dying, terrorism would get in. The more it mixes with religion, the worse it gets. There is hope in the end though, we need to bury famine, illiteracy, exploitation and the vices to clean Africa Shrine once more.
The third one is from genetics. Arnab and I were studying genetics all of a sudden when we found out that the human race has originated from Africa. That means that is where we all belong to. The humid rain forests, the vast deserts, the snows of Kilimanjaro, the depth on Victoria Falls.... that's where we all have come from. Like Rabindranath said in his poem "Africa" - it's time we tell the Dark Continent "forgive us", like David Livingstone, who worked all through his life for the betterment of the people there, we all have to come up and stop the vices.
Quoting Rabindranath again, what he said for India, holds true for the entire world - the ones who are downtrodden will hold your progress back, the day will come when you will be pushed back with the ones you have so long exploited. The human race will never progress if this goes on.
Do your part, do your best "for you and for me and for the entire human race".... If you exploit Africa, you are insulting your roots!
PS: The ministry I support my kids through is Compassion. If you want to help a child birth center to rescue mothers and babies, sponsor a child or help with disaster relief, medical, health and educational support please visit this - http://www.compassion.com
Note : My girl wants to be a doctor when she grows up. If she can grow up to be an independent young lady, wise and in good health, I'll consider my work done :-)
Hmm... if that's the case then you are not far off from what I thought even a few weeks back. My acquaintance with Africa was from the pages of high school Geography and from cricket matches when South Africa or Zimbabwe (later Kenya as well) were playing. Some information came trickling in later, when I came to know about the slave trade, the story of "Roots - the saga of an American family" and the like. This wouldn't count as much because even though I "knew" these things, I couldn't relate to them. They were just pieces of information that were stored somewhere.
My true connection opened when I started supporting a girl from Rwanda. When I chose her, the only thing I thought about was I want a girl, as they are more vulnerable. Her name came up first, so I chose her. Now that I correspond with her and her family, teachers and pastor, I am getting an idea of the society she lives in. You all probably are aware of the droughts and famines that hit Africa every year, aren't you? We skim through those pictures on National Geographic's magazines and say "oh, not again". That sounds very distant.
When you have a child writing letters to you every few months updating you on her studies, what grades she got in the past exam and the little details of her family, you will not be able to stay that distant. I hope you wouldn't.
My realization came in three forms...
The first one was through a video (probably National Geographic's) that I watched streaming through Amazon videos. It was about natural resources and how we are abusing the Earth. Ironically, the countries that have the most resources are the ones who are exploited. Africa being the greatest example. They are in rags, when all their wealth are being carried off to other countries. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia, for example, do not produce anything, but are numero uno at using up resources - energy, water, everything. The Burj Khalifa has been built on energy and resources sucked up from the less privileged ones. Sorry to sound so socialist, but this is exactly the situation.
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| Savanna |
The third one is from genetics. Arnab and I were studying genetics all of a sudden when we found out that the human race has originated from Africa. That means that is where we all belong to. The humid rain forests, the vast deserts, the snows of Kilimanjaro, the depth on Victoria Falls.... that's where we all have come from. Like Rabindranath said in his poem "Africa" - it's time we tell the Dark Continent "forgive us", like David Livingstone, who worked all through his life for the betterment of the people there, we all have to come up and stop the vices.
Quoting Rabindranath again, what he said for India, holds true for the entire world - the ones who are downtrodden will hold your progress back, the day will come when you will be pushed back with the ones you have so long exploited. The human race will never progress if this goes on.
Do your part, do your best "for you and for me and for the entire human race".... If you exploit Africa, you are insulting your roots!
PS: The ministry I support my kids through is Compassion. If you want to help a child birth center to rescue mothers and babies, sponsor a child or help with disaster relief, medical, health and educational support please visit this - http://www.compassion.com
Note : My girl wants to be a doctor when she grows up. If she can grow up to be an independent young lady, wise and in good health, I'll consider my work done :-)
8 comments:
Brilliant post Sayari. amar sotyi kichhui bolar nei shudhu tomake dhonyobad janano chhaRa. amar anek kichhu korina, kichhui korina. nijer privilege-tuku niye ghore bose thaki.
tomar meyetar kotha poRe khub bhalo laglo. amio chai or swopnopurNo hok.
Thank you, thank you! Amar ei Broadway show ta dekhe eto bhalo laglo, je mone holo ektu lekha uchit ei niye. Aro sobai jate jante pare. Tomar bhalo legeche shune bhalo laglo :)
Amar ekta chheleo ache - shey thake Bolivia e. Tader abastha eder theke slightly better. Chhele ta aro chhoto. O sudhu football khelte bhalobashe :)
তুমি আমার থেকে অনেক ছোট সায়রি, কিন্তু তোমাকে আমি শ্রদ্ধা করি। এটা একদম বুকের ভেতর থেকে বলছি। সত্যি সত্যি।
Aaaah! Thank you thank you :D
Real good!
Just pray to God that sumday you can proudly consider your part of "Work Done"..
Very touchy post
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