I refuse to accept that 'nothing good comes out of Africa’

I refuse to accept that 'nothing good comes out of Africa’

I sometimes get really discouraged when I get asked the simplest of questions while working in Africa. In these times of the Internet when information is at our fingertips. 

Talking to a Lady from West Africa yesterday who is based in London, she was vehement that there was nothing good to go back to Africa for. Here kids or may I say her young boy was now in secondary school, getting ready for university and her daughter was progressing through school without any hitches.

She went on to talk about how minor deceases were killing people in Africa and even the rich are falling victims. She sighted India as an example, saying that if India had not taking it upon itself to improve her health system, would Africans have had the option of going there for treatments?

Her comments brought back a discussion I had while having tea with some friends at Westfield in Stratford during the week. She had lost a very close friend to Parkinson’s, just a few weeks back and was despondent about the health care her friend received while in Africa.

He was undergoing treatment in London and was well cared for by the system, until the family from Africa felt that he would get a better homecare in Africa and so he was taking back. Well to cut the story short, he died of bedsores complications two years later. At the critical stage the family wanted to bring him back to London, but no airline would take him.

Am sighting these stories to bring out a point, and my point is this, If we all look at the negative things happening in Africa, where do we expect the help or success to come from. 

There are many people and organisations doing great things in Africa, but as we all know, bad news travels faster.

As for us, we travel to African countries doing our best to help educate women to reduce breast cancer deaths. It’s a very hard task because you have to convince the countries you are going to that what you are doing is legitimate and for the benefit of the people. Anytime you approach anyone their first thoughts are, “these people have a hiding agenda”.

You have to go beyond the extra mile to convince the governments who are willing to support or encourage you, but need to be sure you are legal and legit and doing it for the correct purpose, because they too have been burned for too long.

You also need to convince organisations of your legibility and intentions. This is a normal practise for all ventures, but when it comes to Africa, the case of integrity is numero uno. So many non profits are been setup in Africa just to bid for projects and then use a high proportion of the funds for personal projects, so on this note, I do not blame the international organisations for their conceptions.

And finally, we have to convince ourselves of the tasks we are taking on. Against all odds and challenges, we really need to ask ourselves, is it really worth the stress? Is it worth putting our lives at risk every time we step into an unknown territory?

As for me, it is better to stress for something that’s saving lives or stress for money. Africa is our home and we must at all times put back into Africa whatever we have gained, to make it a better place. I refuse to accept ‘that nothing good comes out of Africa’. No I refuse to accept that. It took one man in India ‘Ghandi’ to make a change. Slowly, one step at a time we will make a difference

A manager once told me few years ago that “long lasting success takes a long time to implement”. I feel this is the strategy we are employing. We all cannot just keep looking at the negative things in Africa and shout about them; we need to do one small thing at a time

What are you doing? In Lome there are factories producing something, in Ethiopia there are factories manufacturing something, in the depth of fighting in Congo, we have factories. So we can build from there.

Don’t give up on Africa. You may be comfortable in the western world, but please give back to Africa. Make a difference to just one community and one person each year and you will see the difference you will make

Imagine a rural community in Africa were one hundred people partner with from around the world? Just Imagine. It’s not just about giving money, it about getting your hands dirty and working the problem with them. Enough of just sending out cash with no results or buying expensive items or equipments that won’t last or they can’t use.

Don’t give up on Africa, we won’t. Join us as we make another breast cancer awareness journey to Kenya in September. If you can’t make September click this link for other volunteering projects in Africa.

Don’t give up on Africa. We aren’t.

#cancelcancerafrica