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When I first arrived in Zambia, I spent several weeks touring remote villages interviewing men and women and meeting with community groups. I was pleaded to by countless people that they were starving. It felt terrible to hear and I never knew how to respond. Four months later though, during my daily language lesson, I learned a funny fact. 'Buhobe' (the staple food) in the local language Losi, translates directly to 'food' in English. Since 'starving' is defined as having 'no food,' and 'food' is defined as 'buhobe,' then even if you have just finished a sizzling 12oz fillet-mignon with mashed potatoes and gravy but not had 'buhobe', you would be considered technically 'starving'. I don't believe this was a strategy of luring sympathy out of a relatively rich visitor, but instead it a case of mischievous linguistics through translation. But regardless many of the people I visited were certainly undernourished.
I can't honestly claim to be unconditionally against food aid, but I would institute a policy in which every dollar invested in relief food must be matched by two dollars towards productive livelihood diversification training and agricultural extension work. I would then start gradually decreasing the amount of food aid that is distributed, and withhold it for only the most extreme disasters, and even then, I might institute a food for work program or something else to make it more valued.
Times certainly are the toughest I've seen in Kalabo so far. Crops are flooded, malaria is rampant from the standing water encouraging mosquito reproduction, cattle are dying of corridor disease, and my work has slowed to a sluggish pace due to the logistical difficulties of traveling to villages and organizing meetings with a wooden boat and rubber boots. I'm still smiling though, because I've learned how people survive and I have hope.
People are lifted through problems by a great wave of family and community support. Many African cultures define family much more broadly than we in Canada. In Lozi, there is no word for "nephew or niece" to distinguish your sister's children from your own, because there is no difference, her children are your children. I've seen this firsthand as I've been gradually welcomed into the loving family that constitutes my village of Sunga. This network of social capital provides true strength to rural communities.
Today I read the last page of Nelson Mandela's "Long Walk to Freedom." His struggle against Apartheid lasted his entire lifetime and left him innocently imprisoned for nearly 30 years.
There is no doubt that this fight was difficult, tragic and trying, but I couldn't help but think how much simpler his battle was then ours. Apartheid was well defined and legislated. Someone was clearly responsible and the oppressed were united by commonalities. The battle that we face today, the end of extreme poverty, is none of these. Poverty is not a legislated Act, it's a condition of life for many of the Southern majority perpetuated structurally and personally. It is complex, ill-defined, under-perceived, dispersed and multi-caused.
I've always found the concept of an outsider fighting for the liberation of others a bit questionable. Can you and I genuinely contribute to ending extreme poverty? Do we accurately understand? Can we truly empathize? And will we fully commit? On the last page of Mandela's book I found encouragement.
"To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others." - Nelson Mandela
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Chad Hamre
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Comments
Great Topic Kirsten Jordan | Mar 25th, 2007
My friend Laura would totally agree with you on how food aid is not the solution to the development problem as it creates dependency; it may be a short-term solution, but not a long term one. She came back from a year in Malawi and like you is not a big fan of food aid for the very reasons that you mentioned. She believes that there should be sustainable development rather than the dependency. Her and I both know that the ultimate solution is to create a world where people can support themselves. This is as true in Canada as there too!
Parker | Jul 3rd, 2007
wow, i never really thought about the food aid program in that light. but it makes sense.... thanks for sharing!
Agreed. Mariel GM | Jul 12th, 2008
I agree with you and with the comments above - food aid is not the solution. Moreover, I consider that food aid has gained popularity because it is an easy solution - "Spare a dollar and feed 324345 people in a deprived village in Africa".
I hope one day food aid is used only for immediate solutions, and that we can see more works aimed at real development.
Thanks for sharing this. Eating aid food must have been quite the experience.
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