Page 361 - Volume 2_CHANGES_merged_with links

m̩ 'zuŋ u memories of NGO in Africa
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walk softly, go quietly and you will see...

Our polite conversations about what each was doing uncovered that she was also

evaluating some NGO / Aid donor expensive medical equipment. And of course she readily
told me of the USD 1 million or so machine that was lying idle because whilst there was a

need for it, there was neither the trained staff nor money to make proper use of it.

So what you say.
During the same period, one of the main East African newspapers was running a series

on disused ambulances. The theme was for readers to send in photographs of the disused

ambulances in their area. Week after week we would see a photo of an ambulance stripped of
its wheels, resting on some sort of rickety stone work, covered in the dirt and green mould

that something that hasn't moved in months acquires after months in the tropics.
To understand the significance of these ambulances, it can help if you first realise that a

number of well-placed aid agencies will term the 'journey to get medical care' the biggest killer

in Africa. For example, in Ethiopia 70% of the population live more than 3km from a made up
road. And even when someone reaches the road, they might wait many hours before anything

like a bus or minibus might come by.

And at this time in the whole of Uganda there were less than 30 official ambulances for
the whole country!

NGO after NGO leave a trail of 'gifts', often nothing more than modern day 'white
ɡ
m̩
elephants' that help no one. But never mind the 'zuŋ u can return to the comfort of their
ɡ

m'zuŋ u-land home, clear their conscience, stick out their chest and proudly sit back and tell
their stories of how they personally helped Africa!

***** ***** *****
The Aid amateurs

We are in our dug-out canoe. Dug-out canoes are the locals favourite form of transport around
and across the lake.

Canoes cut out of tree are ungainly to steer and hard work to paddle. But they are a 'once
in a lifetime' purchase. They are easy to repair and repairs can be done on site. Canoes made

of modern materials such as GRP are much more expensive to buy. And even more expensive

to repair, as they have to be taken to a faraway business.