The Things I Do at 2:00am...

As my first year at university is winding down, I've realized that for the last month or so, my sleep patterns have been entirely off. I've had two final papers due so far this month, with one more to go, so it's really no surprise that I'm awake at such odd hours. What this time in the night gives me, though, is a chance to just be alone with my thoughts (my roommate is gone for the night, wheeee!).

For some odd reason, I felt like going for a run, which never happens, so I figured I should take advantage of such a fleeting moment. I was a little sketched out, as is natural, because who is outside, let alone goes for runs, at two in the morning? But I stayed in well-lit areas and all seemed to go well - we'll see how I feel in the morning. While on my run, something hit me that I've known forever, but it's on nights like this, in complete solitude, that I'm so aware of it. This place that's called Vancouver, that I now call home, is so breathtakingly gorgeous, even in the nighttime. I love this campus, and every time I go out, there's always some place new that I discover. While taking a breather in Koerner Plaza, I thought it would be an awesome idea to lay down on the ground and stare at the stars for a while, which is a luxury I never had the chance to do very often in Abbotsford. It's nights like this that remind me that there's an entire world out there to explore, that though in the moment I feel incredibly worn out and stretched thin, it will pass and new things will come.

Speaking of exploring the world, I'm so, so, so, so, so very excited to announce that I will be traveling to Europe once again this summer! It'll be a short trip - two weeks - but I'm sure as hell going to make the most of it! I will be traveling with my sister as she attends, what I like to call, a "Conference for Incredibly Smart People" in Barcelona, Spain. What she's actually doing is attending and presenting research at a neuroscience conference (she is so smart, seriously) and she invited me to tag along for the ride! She told me about the trip back in December, but I was hesitant to commit to going because of the fact that I need to think about being able to afford my next 3 years, if not more, of my undergraduate degree and the cost of living in Vancouver. But, of course, the prospect of rich experiences won out in the end and hopefully this trip won't break the bank too badly! On July 5, I'll be flying out of Vancouver and arriving in London to catch a connecting flight to Edinburgh, Scotland, where we will be staying for a few days with my sister's good friends. From Edinburgh, we fly to Barcelona, where the conference is. We plan to travel around the northern parts of Spain, but haven't quite figured out the logistics of the trip yet. Even so, I'm so excited to be able to see Europe again! I'd love to write more, but I feel as though it would just be a completely unorganized rambling of thoughts...perhaps I should do some reading for class tomorrow...

Thoughts from inside the Horn of Africa

I'd like to take a break from the controversy surrounding Kony 2012 and share a little bit about my time in Ethiopia. It's been almost a year since I boarded the plane that would take me to another world, but I can recall every vivid detail. I've written and spoken about Ethiopia so many times, about our group's experiences in the different communities and some of our reactions. What I haven't done (and I'm very excited about this) is post my journal entries from the days I was actually in Africa that express, in real time, my thoughts about the things I saw. Ladies and gentlemen, for the very first time in the public eye, my reactions to Africa!

**Notes: I have changed nothing in the transfer of my journal entries to this post; what you read is exactly what I have written in my notebook! Also, anything in square brackets is additional information that will help put my writing into context (:

March 13 - Day 1

"Flight was late. Tanya needs a tissue. My ears are popping. We have to start Harry Potter over again [we had to restart the movie 3 or 4 times because the plane's entertainment system was being glitchy..]. FML. Where is my passport? The screen is yellow (they had to reboot the system). Armrests fold up so we can sleep! This is our seating arrangement: 

We found the bathrooms + finished HP. 6 hours to go. I think we're close to landing (PS, most uncomfortable sleep of my life). I actually wish I could understand/speak German [we flew Lufthansa airlines]. Maybe one day (PPS...not even close to being prepared for AP exams).

Frankfurt to Ethiopia [layover in Frankfurt]

The food on these flights are surprisingly good. I'm incredibly full. One hour until we land in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Saw the horizon outside the window. Beautiful."

Monday, March 14 [day we arrived in Ethiopia]

"Got to our hotel in Addis (Ras Hotel). Rainbow, Tibebu, and a couple other people met us at the airport and drove us to our hotel. Kdey [my friend Kristen] and I are rooming together. Driving to the hotel already revealed the cultural differences. 10pm + people are walking around the streets. There were slums on the side of the road. Tomorrow we take a tour of the city in the morning + then visit an orphanage. It's hard to think we're here already. I feel anxious and nervous about everything...what we're gonna see and feel as a result. I'm very excited to work with all the people here with us and I'm trying not to think about everything else going on in my life/mind. This is about water now."

Tuesday, March 15

"Mah burfdaaay. We visited two museums and the palace that the emperor lived in. We're now eating lunch at a place called 'Blue Tops'.

"HOLD MY FREAKING HAND!" - Tanya and I almost died crossing the street. People drive crazy! We visited 'Save a Life,' run by Frehiwot, and they help support orphans affected by HIV/AIDS. They also teach prevention of HIV/AIDS and run programs for guardians of the orphans, such as income generation. One thing that stands out to me is that she said that they 'cannot really help these people to live...to exist is more accurate'

The family we visited was rough. Two girls are supported by the SALE [Save a Life Ethiopia] program and live with their aunts. They have been living with their aunts for 7 years, since their mother died. The vibe was harsh. Their home is 200 birr a month [$11-$12 Canadian], and they barely afford to pay. And theirs was not the worst of it. There are slums everywhere; I wonder how they found these kids in this slum chaos. But the kids, they appear happy, given their circumstances. I won't ever forget their faces, nor the tone of their aunt's voice when she was asked about future plans.

'I'm suffering and I will keep suffering.' Her eyes reflected her future - hopeless.

After, we went for dinner @ Yod Abyssinia, a traditional ethiopian dinner. There were dancers + live musiv. The women are stunningly beautiful, I couldn't take my eyes off of them all night. They were so talented and elegant. They sang me happy birthday + gave us a cakeee. Good 2nd day. Still gotta video blog. Tomorrow we jeep it to the South; I tried to get on Facebook today but the connection was too slow that I gave up. Goodnight."

Wednesday, March 16

In the jeep to the South now. It's hard to take everything in around us. Dogs + cats fend for themselves on the streets, much like everyone else. A tarp is basically all people have to shelter from the rain.

...

We just jeeped almost 12 hours to the South. The first 7 hours was fine, the last 3 had half paved roads that did not treat the stomach well [just realized that 7+3 does not equal 12...must have miscalculated somewhere...]. I didn't sleep for any of it because there's too much to see. We passed through many villages and a common sight was kids pouring water from puddled on the side of the road into their containers. Opaque water (orangey brown). Some people didn't have shoes and my heart broke. Mostly kids were happy to see us. Women/girls didn't smile too much, and some boys weren't happy to see us at all. Spitting at the vehicle, etc. However, when we went through the villages. families smiled and waved.

At Swayne's hotel now [it's more like an eco-lodge]. Ate dinner + discussed the trip and HOPE. Lightning storm outside.

In the field tomorrow, in a village that started construction two weeks ago. Will help build well [actually a spring-water system, clearly I was tired...]"

Thursday, March 17

"Woke up + went outside. So peaceful and serene. Mountains in front of us and the lake beyond (Abaya). Huge spider in our room. Windy, but nice. Saw a baboon!

The ride to the HOPE field campground was about two or three hours. I've never seen such an amazing landscape. I don't even know what altitude we're at. After settling into our tents, we went to a village [Bojiga] to see its completed water project. 12 water distribution points. Our welcome was too much for words to describe. Everywhere we went, we had a crowd of locals with us. I will honestly say that seeing these people and their reactions to us and just smiling/interacting with us was amazing. These people are so incredible.

We also visited HOPE's office where the regional director told us about the organization of building a spring line for fresh water. I wish I could remember everything, but so much has happened today. Meeting two families and their homes really reflected how HOPE is trying to convert traditional homes into more healthy environments through education. Tomorrow we will visit the village that just started construction."

Friday, March 18

Went to Fishito village. Greeted w/ immense hospitality. I'm so amazed with how warmly we are greeted when we have done nothing to deserve it. Tanya and I were talking yesterday about how people would think they'd initially feel pity for these people, but being here in this moment makes me realize that I have so much respect for them. They are so hardworking and determined in their work. While we were in Fishito, we helped their spring with carrying rocks for the wall, mixing cement, and bringing cement to the retaining wall. After a while, people started gathering around and Madi and I made friends with a couple girls (one named Dior I think) and they're all in grade 5. Walking down the mountain made me realize that they walk this path every day. It changed my whole outlook on Ethiopia and I'm only here to learn their ways and do whatever I can to help. The girls were so excited to guide us down the mountain, and even took our bags for us! I don't want to forget their smiling faces or the way they acted around us. So much to think about. The coffee we have @ every meal is amazing. 

Back at the campground, the locals all came and Tanya, Kdey, + Madi danced for them. They sang for us and when we had to do for dinner, they all crowded around and spoke with us. That connection is what I will always remember. Baraket [Bereket?] has been telling us the technical parts of each project; the amount of planning and what to consider when they commence a project. Not only do they take into account the source of water, but also the amount of people, the growth rate, the social status of the people (in terms of where to put distribution points) and the benefits of the women, children, and users. Much examining takes place before a project is to be started. 3 projects in the region serve 15 000. 1 town = 27 pts [distribution points]"

Saturday, March 19

"Packed up + driving to another district (G). I will never get used to how intrigued people are by us, especially kids. Everything about this place, with its rough edges and majestic landscape, is so beautiful. The people, the villages, the view from the mountains. Each day takes my breath away. Seeing poverty, especially on the ride down to the South, didn't just tug on my heart strings, it ripped them out and threw them on the ground [as if to say, "and you have the nerve to complain about your life?]. I feel so ashamed/guilty for having what I have at home, but these people are so warm to us in spite of it. This is why I feel such a strong sense of respect. Even when we were just driving on the road, when we pass people carrying heavy loads, I feel as if they resent us for having such a luxury. But once in the villages, they are excited more than anything.

We visited the village that is in the "Thirst for Africa" video, where Tayo and her family live. We walked a kilometre to their water source and got the chance to fill water containers for them. The hole we descended into was unbelievable. A rock sits at the bottom where the women stand on and water surrounds it. The water was a dark gray - water that I would never dream of drinking or using for anything. I carried a 50lb container of water back up the hill. I can't believe how these girls + women are able to do this multiple times a day. I'm glad we were able to make them laugh and it was so amazing that the whole trip up, I had a group of girls following me to make sure I was okay. I've said it before and I'll say it again: these people are amazing. At the Strawberry Fields Eco Lodge now. It's dark out and the rest are sleeping. It's too hot to sleep + there is a huge spider somewhere in our hut. I hear loud music playing in the distance. The moon is full and so bright that I can write this without any other light. I never see this view @ home. Everything is so clear."

Sunday, March 20

"I've seriously lost track of time. So much has happened today, it's insane. We left this morning from the eco lodge at 8:00am and travelled to the Darashe district where water projects are complete and 90% of the people have access to clean water. After clean water, HOPE puts Income Generating programs in place and one of the ways they help is by giving loans. With loans from HOPE, the interest goes topeople (ex. need 1000 birr, people give you 900 + last 100 is your responsibility). We visited many families today that went to HOPE for loans, using that loan to start a business (buy a sewing machine, fruit to sell, pingpong tables, cattle, etc) and kickstarting a new life, learning how to save money, and plan for the future.

One woman told us that she loves us from the bottom of her heart, and many said 'God bless you' and 'Thank you' for encouraging them and stuff like that, as if we personally had anything to do with their life improvement. The significant amount that these people's lives have changed from something as simple as a loan. It forced me to think that these people in the forgotten corners of the world are treated as equals and as human beings and not being discriminated, as it should be. Her words are so heartwarming. With these loans, people are able to make enough money to send their kids to school, support their businesses and families. Many people mentioned that they felt free + confident now that they own a business. Seeing these programs made me realize that life from nothing can grow into everything with some help. Again, kids followed us everywhere and guided us, smiling. I want to bring these kids home with me. When we weren't paying attention, they were grabbing our hands and spoke to us, trying to use their english. I'm glad these kids are in school and will have the chance at a better life. Last family we went to had the wife elected by the community as treasurer; trust + respect [I think I was trying to say that this demonstrates the trust and respect that the community has for this woman, despite the fact the she is a woman]. Reveals the sustainability in having the community be a part of the project, keeps them together and builds strong relationships + respect after water projects or other developments have occurred. 

Women = hold community together = give info = they will spread change"

Monday, March 21

"Rainbow's b-day, went on safari in national park and saw zebras (lots of them). Did discussion questions and went to dinner in town (w/ ducks + cats!) [Okay, admittedly I was really excited whenever stray cats were around, which happened in restaurants in the rural areas]"

Apparently missed some days of writing...

Thursday, March 24

"I can't believe our trip is at a close already. I knew it would pass quickly, but it still shocks me when I think about it. On the plan heading back to Vancouver from Frankfurt. During our layover in Frankfurt, we trained to the city and walked around a bit. It was a bit hard, and made me want to come back and live here. I don't know what the future holds, but I would love to see more of Europe, if not live there [this refers back to when I traveled to Germany the summer before...which I'm sure I will also write about sometime!]. Last night as we departed from Addis, we said our goodbyes to Bereket, Tibebu, and the drivers [Endeshaw and Atis]. At the start of the trip, I never thought I'd remember anyone's name, and now I find myself wishing to go back. When we were shopping in the market yesterday, Endeshaw + Atis helped us communicate and barter with the shopkeepers. I'll miss their friendliness on the bumpy roads of Africa. Madi, Kdey, Curtis, and I decided to get tattoos for this trip. If anything, this trip has changed my life and I want to honour it and all Ethiopian people. Mine will say "life within" in Amharic, in a circle with a dot showing where it starts + where it ends. The story behind this is that Bereket told us that we are the life within ethiopian people, and we have become their ambassadors, their voice for change. On a further note, I feel as though they are the life within myself as well. They will always be on my mind whenever a toilet is flushed or whenever I take a shower [and realize how lucky I am to have clean water at my fingertips]. They have become my heart. I will always speak up for them and tell their stories to everyone that will hear.

I am so incredibly grateful for being able to travel to Ethiopia this year. It was more than I ever could have imagined. It was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. One image that illustrates this for me vividly is seeing the most gorgeous sunset in Addis, and then shifting my sight down to the street, where the slums and beggars lie. Such a contrast will always stay in my heart and mind."

Photos

Slums outside Ras Hotel, Addis Ababa 

Tanya, myself, Kristen, Madi (Swaynes)

Fishito village - three grade 5 girls

The tattoo (:

It always comes down to the money...

One of the biggest criticisms of Invisible Children seems to be about how they allocate their money. To me, and I'm sure many others agree, how an organization decides to spend its money is extremely important. The thousands of dollars that are donated every year to non-profit organizations should be spent wisely, but how many people really know what their donations are used for?

Here is a copy of IC's 2010 Annual Report:

http://c2052482.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/images/135/original/InvisibleChildren-2010FinancialStatement.pdf?1285008974

Page 6 of the report shows a rundown on all of IC's expenditures in its programs, administration, and development. The amount of money being used for travel and transportation alone is an enormous figure, and  the film and production costs are no better. In my opinion, an organization's primary focus should be on actually delivering aid to the ones in need - in the IC's case, this would be providing resources to the people of Uganda. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on films, production, and promotions, I believe that IC should refocus and start to pour more resources into its programs on the ground in Central Africa, whatever those programs may be. That being said, and judging by how quickly the Kony 2012 video has spread,  it is very evident that using the media to raise awareness is highly successful - but is it really worth spending over $750,000? I honestly don't think so. Furthermore, there are criticisms about the fact that IC is spreading the wrong message through its slick-edited videos, and it's very possible that the content of the video plays on human emotion far too much and turns viewers away from the truth. Does IC support military intervention in dealing with the LRA? Yes. This blog http://whitthef.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/kony-2012/ makes shocking arguments and challenges IC's honesty in their Kony campaign. For example, they support armies that engage in rape during war. Do we really want to support something like this, and if not (which I'm hoping is your answer), are there other ways that IC could try to bring Kony down? Unfortunately, I'm not sure there is an answer. The problem with hunting Kony is that his army is comprised of child soldiers, and who really wants to kill children in order to bring Kony to justice? Are their lives worth sacrificing? That being said, I think IC's mission is noble, but it might be focusing on all the wrong areas. This goes back to the neo-imperialism and white man's burden argument. What is our place in Africa, if any? Do they really need Westerners coming in to "save" them from their dire situations? To an extent, I would argue, yes - but they don't need to be "saved"; they know what they need to do, they just need the resources.

To argue my point of aid, not save, I'd like to contrast IC with HOPE International, the organization I worked  and traveled with to Ethiopia last year.

Here is a copy of their 2010 Annual Report:

http://www.hope-international.com/about-us/annual-reports/2010-annual-report/2010-financial-summary.html 

First of all, the report is extremely simple and easy to understand. The sources and uses of their budget is very clearly laid out. The most important thing I would like to point out is how little is used for administrating and education in Canada - 2% and 3% respectively. These are impressive figures that demonstrate HOPE's commitment to their programs in target countries - 83% of their budget is allocated to these causes. Specific to their spring systems project in Ethiopia, much of the money is used to educate the local community about the importance of clean water and how to achieve it. A committee composed of representatives from the community plans out the spring system and once these plans are made, the community builds the spring system itself. The purpose of allowing them to build the system themselves is two-fold: first, having built it themselves, they will know how it functions and when something breaks, they will be able to fix it, and second, constructing the project with their own hands will give them a sense of pride and ownership over it, ensuring that it will be cared for many generations to come. In essence, HOPE simply provides some education and the building resources needed to get the job done - these communities will become self-sustainable and independent. When the spring system is built, it means a number of things: clean water (lowering the risk of disease), opportunities for children to attend school (children, especially girls, spend much of their time walking long distances to bring water back to their homes), and opportunities for the communities to flourish. After ensuring that a community has clean water, HOPE stays in the community and begins a second phase of their program: Income Generation projects, which basically help the locals start businesses and become sustainable. That is the gist of HOPE's current work in Ethiopia, and I believe that they are doing it in ways that IC should consider. What truly matters is how an organization engages with the local residents - dependency as a result of handouts is more harmful to a community than helpful. 

In short, I do agree with the criticisms against Invisible Children, but what are the alternatives or solutions? 

The Question of Africa

In light of the viral video "Kony 2012" uploaded by the Invisible Children group, I would like to voice some of my opinions and thoughts about this movement. Two years ago in a morning leadership class, my peers and I were shown a video that introduced to us for the very first time the conflict between the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan state. The leader of the LRA rebels is a man named Joseph Kony, the world's most wanted war criminal. You might ask yourself, what does a man have to do to become so sought after? In a world full of many evils, it's hard to imagine that a prioritized list of the most wanted criminals is possible - how are such decisions made? I can't attest to that process, but I can tell you what Kony has done to get to the top. For about 26 years, this man has used his rebel army to move into vulnerable villages and abduct children - both boys and girls - from their families. The boys are turned into child soldiers, forced to kill on command, while the girls are forced to become sex slaves in the army. Ask yourself this: is this any way for a child to live, if "living" is in fact what these kids are doing?

A friend of mine introduced me to this blog post: http://ilto.wordpress.com/2006/11/02/the-visible-problem-with-invisible-children/, which presents very valid arguments as well. I am not very well-versed in the current affairs of Uganda, but I understand the author's points well enough. I think that although LRA forces have retreated, the question of Kony's capture still remains. While rebel attacks may have ceased on Ugandan territory, other problems have arisen instead - problems that we must understand at the core before we mindlessly throw money at them. I will, however, try to address these issues in a later post.

The Kony 2012 campaign proposed by Invisible Children is simple: purchase action kits (which include posters, flyers, t-shirts, bracelets, and stickers), gather in a public area, and plaster your city with them. Some may argue that this will contribute nothing to the cause, that defacing buildings with these posters is disrespectful. And to these people, I will tell them that I understand their point. After all, who's going to clean up after we post Joseph Kony's picture everywhere? But my counter-argument is that everything needs to be put into perspective. Nobody knew who Kony was before this video went viral. The US government never sent aid to Uganda because it wasn't economically or politically beneficial to the American state. Now, after much support has been witnessed, the US sent 100 advisors to Uganda to aid its army - this is a start. The purpose of spreading Kony's face around cities and streets is to raise awareness - Kony has lived in the shadows for too long, eluding arrest and continuing to strike terror into hearts. We need to let our governments know that we will not stand idle while our fellow members of the human family are suffering deeply. Abducting children from their families and forcing them into harmful situations is most definitely a violation of human rights, but universal human rights mean very little if the most powerful nation in the world - the United States - will not stand behind it. We need the US, and other governments, to join the fight. But the fight cannot stop here - I urge the masses to contact their local representatives and let them know that we want Kony, and hopefully other war criminals in the future, caught and reprimanded. Above all, I want every person who has watched, shared, or commented on the video to take away at least this one thing - we hold the power to change the world if we truly want to. Maybe before you watched the video, you had never thought of anything going on outside North American borders. Many will accuse this generation of "jumping on the bandwagon" of international aid simply because everyone seems to be doing it. And you know what, maybe that's how this thing started out for many of you. But this can become so much bigger than any of us - I hope that the video inspired a change within each and every person who's watched it, or in the very least, opened their eyes to the brutal realities of the world. I hope that, in the wake of this phenomenon, you have been pushed towards a genuine desire to help the ones in such need.

I decided to shed light on my views towards the Joseph Kony issue because of a personal connection I have with Africa myself. Last year, I was blessed with an amazing opportunity to travel to Ethiopia to learn about the water crisis and how the organization I was traveling with (HOPE International) engaged with the communities to create brighter futures. Now, I realize that my time in Ethiopia has little in common with the conflict in Uganda, but the point I'm trying to stress is that, no matter how far away somebody lives, they have just as much of a right as I do to a fulfilling life. The people of Uganda deserve security in their homes and children should not have to be subjected to such terrible treatment. When I went to Ethiopia, it finally dawned on me just how lucky we are to live in North America. It's something we are all told when we grow up, but it will never solidify in your mind until you witness the hardships that others elsewhere in the world must endure. In spite of impoverished (by North American standards) circumstances, the people I met had an appreciation for life. Where I visited, there was no fear of political instability or attack. The children I spent time with were some of the happiest kids I've seen, and their happiness came from being able to attend school and live relatively healthily. The child soldiers of the LRA are denied these opportunities.

I wish I could write more, but I really need to stop staying up until 2:00am. In the coming days, I hope to post more detailed stories about my time in Ethiopia, but this topic just couldn't wait any longer.

If you haven't already seen the video, take some time out of your day and watch. It's a little lengthy, but it's worth looking at.