Real Crisis… in Darfur

We think we’re in a crisis? Just read up on what’s going on in Darfur. Perhaps, then, you’ll get an inkling of what it is to “do without.” As I was reading up on how more than a dozen aid organizations have been recently kicked out of Sudan, cutting of major aid resources to millions of displaced people, many things disturbed me. But, one disturbing thing is, perhaps, not so apparent as the others. So I wrote a reply to the blog post and comments that are linked above (and here: A Handy Guide To What the Hell Just Happened in Darfur).

I’m so grateful for the international aid organizations and the resources and work they provide throughout the world. BUT, one things really disturbs me:

“The picture at the Zamzam Camp grew even bleaker Thursday when no aid workers showed up, leaving residents to figure out how they would get life sustaining goods from sorghum seeds to running water and tents for the influx of new refugees.

“[']We are very concerned,['] said Ibrahim Safi, 34, one of 75,000 residents at the camp. [']After God, we only have the organizations.['] [...]“

If these organizations have been in country for YEARS why hasn’t there been a system set up to educate the people about what to do in just such a scenario?? It shouldn’t be “After God, we only have the organizations.” There should be SOME SORT of plan the people have been educated to put into place to mitigate the damages from loss of resources as best they can until more aid is let through. I know. I know. It’s a HUGE blow to have resources cut off. And that the resources are already hugely lacking when there is good aid. But, I still feel there should be SOME SORT OF ACTION the local people could be taught to do until more aid gets through, instead of just depending on aid. Let’s teach them to depend on their own ingenuity. This would greatly help the problem too even when there is aid. Are there research programs going on that explore how to use the natural resources of the region to create make-shift tents and/or shelters for example? At least SOMETHING until more get through??

Perhaps I’m ill informed and there are such programs in place. But I haven’t read about it here. I’ve only read that these people have NOTHING but God and NGOs. The human being is remarkable. A community of human beings even more so. Why isn’t that a resource we use? Themselves! The ingenuity that they all must learn they possess??

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This entry was posted on Friday, March 6th, 2009 at 12:50 pm. It is filed under activism, Africa, Charity & Aid. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.