The Ebola Crisis... What you and I (yes you, reading this post) can do for humanity. I did not think I had any role to play in this crisis gripping Sierra Leone and a few other countries in Africa, until this morning when I read a post by my FB friend, Fran Mashonjowa Sekete. She writes about the Panorama programme she watched last night and how that awakened a strong desire in her to be out there helping. Many of you will agree that wading out into areas of crisis or conflict as a volunteer is very un-us as an African people. Or rather let me speak for myself before some of you descend on me like a ton of bricks on that one. I know we are very much there for each other when it comes to funerals, illness and lending each other hoes, wheelbarrows etc etc, but Im talking of a humanitarian crisis on a large scale such as the outbreak of Ebola, SARS or earthquakes. Many times I tell myself that what difference would my meagre £30 do compared to what big companies donate? I make excuses for not helping in Africa by claiming to know that the money would not reach their intended beneficiaries, a claim I cannot even substantiate. I am content to give whatever excuse assuages my guilty conscience. Our response to a crisis on the continent is generally to distance oneself from the area as much as possible. We dont venture out to those afflicted areas lest we too become the latest victim, and we stand back and let the big organisations like the Red Cross take care of the problem even though it is right on our own doorstep. Fran would like to go out to Sierra Leone, and shes not the only Zimbabwean who feels like that. On Frans FB post, her friend Fungai says she wants to go and help as well and has discussed it with her family who are in full support of her decision. How selfless can one get? Im reading a book by an American lady called Deborah Rodriguez, titled The Kabul Beauty School. A hairdresser by profession, she volunteered to go out to Afghanistan with no real clue as to what form of assistance she could give. She was a mere hairdresser among people in the medical and security and education fields, people whose expertise would be of benefit in a war torn country where even the most basic of infrastructures had been destroyed. It did not take long after her arrival to realise that there were many people working with NGOs who needed her services. She realised the need for trained hairdressers in Kabul, a war torn city that to her, was like paradise compared to the abusive marriage she had back in America. After her 3 month stint in Afghanistan she went back to America and started asking for donations from big companies in the hair and beauty industry. Her burning desire was to set up a beauty school that would train local women in hair care and beauty so that they could open and run hair salons. These businesses would cater for the needs of the local women as well as empowering them by giving them the means to earn a livelihood and be less dependant on their fathers, husbands, brothers or sons. Big companies, Mac, LOreal and Tresemme among them, donated a container full of goods, and a company that makes salon furniture donated salon equipment valued at $30 000. Yes, big companies chipped in and helped Deborah with stuff worth several thousands of dollars, but it is not these contributions by big companies that touched me. They are worth millions of dollars anyway so a mere $50 000 is chicken change to them. It is the response of Deborahs clients at her hair salon back in America that touched me. When they heard she was planning to go back to Afghanistan in her own capacity they volunteered to help her raise funds for her plane ticket. Some dropped a few dollars here and there, others brought cakes and bric a brac to be sold in the salon. The friends and clients were not in a position to go out there themselves so they did the next best thing they could, which was to assist she who was going to this country deemed the most dangerous place in the world. So here we are in this Ebola crisis; you and I cannot go for whatever reason, but thats not to say there is nothing we can do even from the comfort and safety of our homes several thousands of miles away from the deadly virus. We can give our support to those who have the courage and the selflessness to try and contain this virus so that it does not spread all over the world and wipe us all. Those who have perished from this disease, does anyone know how their families are faring? Will some child somewhere drop out of school and forfeit their dream because their father or mother was selfless enough to try and save lives? What can we do for such people? And for those like Fungaj who says she has discussed the various likely scenarios in the event of her going to help out there, what support do we give? Deborah first went out with a group of medical and security staff and nobody seemed to know how to make use of her, a mere hairdresser, so she was assigned the task of staying in her hotel room and interceding in prayer for those going out to work with the Afghan people. Maybe thats where we could start off where this Ebola situation is concerned, until we can think of something else more concrete. Support comes in various forms, even a heartfelt prayer will do. Im sure there are some who believe in God yet they have not once prayed about the Ebola crisis. Mind you, this post is not about whether or not you believe in God or whether prayer alone will work, for we know it wont, its about what little you can do wherever you are. Let it start with you. I would like to help sponsor a volunteer or the children of those who perished while doing their best for the sick. And of course Ill keep them in my prayers too. To Fran and Fungayi, your hearts are in the right place and I salute this selflessness in you, my sisters. You know you could die but its a decision that you say you are reconciled with. Bless you both. #ItStartsWithMe#
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 12:16:12 +0000
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