Page 357 - Volume 2_CHANGES_merged_with links

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m̩ 'zuŋ u memories of NGO in Africa

walk softly, go quietly and you will see...

but it’s fair to say that in some African countries, NGO are regarded as the most profitable

property renters. (A similar property in Gisenyi in Rwanda would start at c USD 2,000 per month.)
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Each 'zuŋ u volunteer was given the equivalent of USD 18 each day as a sort of 'out of
country' allowance.

Not surprisingly, to me at least, the NGO apartheid style of living led to a distorted
project. What I saw were highly educated Africans being treated as though they were, in

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effect, 'bag carriers' for the 'zuŋ u 'mentors'.
To help you understand the hideousness of this, I should explain that these Africans had
been hand-picked and typically had a mixture of two qualifications, such as a university

degree, an MBA or an accountancy qualification. I should also explain that for most Africans,
particularly those from the poorest African countries, there is nothing like the educational

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support structures that 'zuŋ u children enjoy.
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And yet the not so well qualified 'zuŋ u 'mentors' were in effect handling these
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eminently educated and qualified Africans as 'juniors' / 'bag carriers' for the m'zuŋ u.
And all of this funded by a part of the UK government. It's too easy for institutionalised
civil servants who have little real experience, let alone understanding of Africa, to set up and
sign off projects.

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The Aid m'zungu apartheid
And the NGO apartheid carried over into all aspects of life. The UK ‘handlers’ told me in no

uncertain terms I must not travel on local African transport. It can't be safe. "You must take

the luxury bus coach service".
(Meaning the one where they try to emulate airline hospitality, with movies and trolley service!)
I neither agreed about the issue of safety nor the sense behind this separation of

m̩ 'zuŋ u consultants from the reality of African life.
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There's something absurd about the idea of 'zuŋ u business consultants whose whole
life has been in a developed economy, trying to operate within an underdeveloped country

where the norms are completely different.