Taking A Step Back

Frustration.
The word of the week unfortunately. Frustration that I still don't have any work to do (we are waiting on money from the donor organization before we can launch the program). Frustration that I haven't really done anything to benefit the community, nor do I really know what I can do. Frustration that there is in fact too much to do, but no marked starting point. As my understanding of the situation here grows, the opposite effect is applied to my confidence in what to do.

Visiting a local school. Seen here with Mustafa and the
Director of the school. Picture taken by Sarah.

For me, development is suppose to be about providing opportunities; it's suppose to be about empowerment. But does that really matter when you can't put food in your child's swollen belly, or can't pay for their malaria medication when they get sick. In Burkina I feel like it needs to start with the basics - health care, education, nutrition. When I grew up, these things were provided to me by the government (nutrition was perhaps provided by my parents, but we lived in a country abundant with nutritious food). This begs the question: what happens when the government is unable to provide these things?

Enter the idea of charity. Obviously these issues come down to a lack of resources (well money, basically) and the resources, when not provided by the government, come from charities (or NGOs - Non-Governmental Organizations). In Canada though, and I'm sure across the globe, I see people suffering from donor fatigue (a lessening of public willingness to respond generously to charitable appeals, resulting from the frequency of such appeals). We have been howled for years to give. Shown fly-ridden images of starving children, and from the pit of our stomachs we felt empathy and gave. But for how long can we look at these images and feel guilt?

Les enfants d'aujourd'hui seront les adultes de demain.

If we look deeper at the core issue though, we will uncover a truth that has been buried beneath layers of doubt and denial. We are facing a problem of unity. When we view the world through the lens of 'us' and 'them', we miss our commonality. When we forget that we are created equal, that leaves only room for intolerance and animosity. The way I see it, for as long as we don't look at our world as a shared space between us all, there will be no real progress. I see no other solution.

"The feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of inability to change or achieve something." The dictionary is rather successful at putting my feelings into words this week. But like always, resting in frustration or pity or guilt does nothing. One must channel these feelings into something that will make this world a better place. A place that weeds out injustice, inequality and inferiority. A place that flourishes on kindness, selflessness and oneness. Optimism is seen as futile to some (certainly to me from time to time), but in this moment, the way I see it: the future needs hopeful seeds to be planted today in order for us to thrive tomorrow.