The Complexities of Aid

With the surge of aid going to Haiti, many are asking what is the best way to contribute. I agree with other writers who encourage supporting the humanitarian aid organizations that are already on the ground. Support people who know the language, who live with the people, who have the capacity to work in support of and with local initiatives.  That being said, I just purchased 4 cards created by 3 home-schooled girls who came to my door seeking funds for Haiti.  Sometimes the purpose of a donation is to build capacity and hope within the fundraiser.

In the short time I’ve been involved in humanitarian work, many of my assumptions of providing aid have been dismantled.  I’ve encountered the dark side of aid, the competition for dollars, the subtle discrediting of other agencies, the corruption.  Just as there are businesses that are ethical and corrupt, so there are humanitarian organizations that operate ethically and those that appear conflicted over whether they exist to help others to preserve themselves.

In Race Against Time, Stephen Lewis decries the World Bank policy to loan money to developing countries on the condition that the country charge user fees for education.  The World Bank has since rescinded this policy but developing countries continue the practice of charging fees. This practice makes school an impossibility for millions of children. One man told me how his father had to collect school fees as the principle of the school. If he didn’t collect the fees, no one got paid.  In the weak economy of the DR of Congo, banks are defunct, infrastructure is destroyed, and getting paid as a government worker is an anomaly. In a situation like this, having parents pay school fees means the school can exist.  Would it be better if the government paid the teachers? Probably. Is it likely to happen any time soon? Not likely.

Consider then the situation where an NGO comes into a community, builds a school, and provides free education.  Wonderful, we say. However, this school can not accommodate all the students in the village or city. So what does this do to the school without external funding. Those teachers lose students, the school loses its best teachers, and the struggling local school struggles even more as parents decry having to pay fees when their neighbor pays none.

This same scenario is repeated in hospitals, clinics and other local ventures.  How much better is it to partner with local organizations, assist them in building capacity, and develop programs that are locally sustainable.  Even then there are problems with competition and paternalism.  I have no solutions, just a call to be mindful of the complexities of providing aid.

Stones into Schools

Greg Mortenson has done it again! His latest book, Stones into Schools, rivals his first nonfiction best-seller, Three Cups of Tea. Mortenson inspires readers as he chronicles the adventures of building schools in an Afghan war zone. The following quote demonstrates the audacious boldness required for the job where the biggest risk for an American humanitarian is being kidnapped:

The Habib Bank was tucked away on the second floor of a four-story building in downtown Kabul’s Shahr-i-Nau district…Standing next to the entrance to the park was a man holding a length of chain attached to the neck of a trained monkey. At five minutes to nine on a Saturday morning in August 2009, the monkey’s eyes darted up toward the bank’s entrance as Sarfraz and I burst through the front doors. In his good hand, Sarfraz was clutching a plastic shopping bag that had just been handed to him by the woman who brings freshly baked bread to the bank’s employees each morning. The bag now contained twenty-three bricks of cash totaling one hundred thousand dollars, each brick bound with a blue rubber band. The cash was coated in flour and Sarfraz and I were running as if the devil himself were after us.

We dashed down the steps and across the sidewalk and hurled ourselves into a dented taxicab, whose driver swiftly shouldered his way into the morning traffic without bothering to glance in the rear view mirror (p. 201).

Ah the problems of building school at the farthest reaches of Afghanistan.

For those new to the political and cultural landscapes of life at the end of the Afghan road, this will be an adventure in armchair travel.  Add to that the twists of an American military presence, the masterful storytelling by Mortenson, and an impossible goal – well you’ve got yourself an inspiring, entertaining, and educational read.  I highly recommend it!

But start with Three Cups of Tea.

I Love Sunday Mornings

I love Sunday mornings.  Ross leaves for work early and I take my time preparing for the day. The days when Sunday morning meant getting two reluctant boys ready for church when what they really wanted to do is watch cartoons is long past. Even those battles have taken on a slightly rose-colored hue as I enter what I fondly call, “The Romantic Era”.  You know the time when all the stories of the boys childhood are filled with words like “you were sooooo cute!”  and “have I told you the time when you”. This invariably interrupted with “Yes mom”.

The aroma of fresh brewed coffee lures me out of bed. I sit cradling my favorite pottery mug while gazing outside with nothing pressing on my mind and plenty of time to dream. Prayer intertwines effortlessly with my thoughts and I commune with my God.

Oh darn! Sorry Ross…late again!

Panzi Hospital

One of my key reasons for going to Bukavu was to visit Dr Mukwege at the Panzi Hospital.  I was not disappointed. Panzi Hospital

was established in 1999 in response to the atrocities being committed on the population of Bukavu. As a result of the war many people were displaced for the security. Access to medical care was severely compromised and the death rate among the population, specifically the maternal death rate rose sharply…. Of 350 patients received, 250 (71%) are survivors [of sexual assault].

The hospital has a holistic program of response for sexual assault survivors and their family members. UNICEF has funded a daycare for all children of rape survivors at the hospital. Another building hosts a malnutrition program for complex.

They also have two Dorcas houses where women and their children can stay pre and post medical treatment. Here they learn marketable skills so they can support their families. Many rape victims are rejected by their husbands following rape and the hospital chaplain works with men and women to restore the marriage relationship.

Dr Mukwege and I spent some time dreaming about how Healing Streams could with Panzi Hospital in the future and we are hopeful we will be able to announce those plans in the coming year.

Kinshasa, DRC 2009

Bukavu Snapshots

These pictures of Lac Kivu with the clouds reflecting on the water evoke feelings of peace and tranquility which belie the violence and blood shed that has terrorized the communities around the lake.

Scanning invisible damage of PTSD, brain blasts

Amazing progress on identifying physiological markers for PTSD noted in article below.  Evidence reveals positive impact of psychology in treatment.

The Associated Press: Scanning invisible damage of PTSD, brain blasts.

There Was Nowhere to Run

As we round a corner our chatter comes to a dead stop and suddenly the car is quiet. The tension is palpable. We are face to face with an army camp we didn’t know was there. The way appears blocked but fortunately there is a blind corner we can take and we speed past, relief expressed in nervous laughter.

Minutes later we are sitting at the picturesque Lake Kivu enjoying a fine meal at a Hotel. Gradually the stories emerge (names have been changed). When the war started everyone ran – rich and poor. We ran up the mountain. Families were separated. Samuel, 10, forgot his shoes and was still in his night clothes. The fighting started at 10:30 a.m. At 6 p.m. Papa asked, “Where is mamma?” She was no where to be found so they started back down the mountain to find her. Fortunately they found her and Samuel’s shoes hung over her shoulder. Not only that but also blankets and food. Samuel looks fondly at his mamma, “I love my mother so much. She takes such good care of us.” They were all on foot because soldiers would commandeer private vehicles and the rebels knew this and would target them. “We knew an entire family who was killed this way.” “We live by the grace of God,” says mamma.

Sonia and her family stayed home. By the time they had decided to flee, it was too dangerous. “At night, we could see the gunfire. We were surrounded by red flashes. “When I remember, I have nightmares,” says another.

The villages were dangerous as well. “We should have stayed home. There was no security. There was nowhere to run so we may as well have died at home.”

Mamma has the last word, “You can listen to the stories, but you never want to see a war. You never want to see a war. We are all traumatized.”

Memories of Bukavu

My notebook is well-used and my mind is full of the things I experienced in Bukavu. This is my fourth trip to Africa and it is interesting the progression of impressions. Bukavu was a networking trip. I met with many local and international NGO’s. Two sayings epitomize the work of two of the NGO’s

The coordinator of COPARE told me, “peace without food is like a knife without bread.” COPARE is a network of member organizations all of whom work for peace. It was founded by my host’s husband, Henry Ntonde Namwira together with MCC. Henry has passed on the organization to Laurent. MCC has said it has changed it’s funding priorities so COPARE is seeking new partners. COPARE has representatives in every region of South Kivu who monitor and report occurrences of violence. They then collect this data and analyze it. Together with other organizations they gather annually to try to understand why the violence continues. It is very important work for the stability of South Kivu.

I already mentioned Maurice with the Heirs of Justice who also works for peace and justice in the province. He has many international NGOs as partners. Their focus is on education of the population, civil servants, and government on the topic of Human Rights. The run a group called Peace Hearts where women who have been victims of violence form support groups that teach them how to claim their rights and bring change.

Angeline, my wonderful host and friend, showed me the project she and several other women operate. They identify children in poverty and provide kindergarten and food for three months. Breakfast is maize with sugar and lunch is rice with beans. They currently feed 90 children a day and have 37 in the kindergarten. A photo on their office wall shows a malnourished child that is like the worst example of malnourishment I have seen. A second photo taken two months later reveals a very different healthy-looking child. The problem is that when the children return to their homes after the 3 months, they return to poverty so the women have started a micro-finance program to try to increase the enterprise of the families. It is very heartwarming seeing these women care for the poor in their community.

Plane Crashes at Kigali Airport

Never one to miss an opportunity for drama, I note that the airport I landed at this morning in Kigali had a plane crash two days ago. Our landing was flawless however. I am in Kigali for two nights en route to Addis Ababa, Frankfurt and Toronto. While here I will visit Wellspring Academy, a school founded by my friend Richard Taylor. I am also enjoying 24H electricity, running water, and high speed internet! I’ll be home on the 18th!