In his book Capitalist Nigger, Chika Onyeani outlines the biggest problem with Africa today. The continent is the richest one on earth, with vast mineral deposits and oil fields all around its coastline, but the people living on it have a "begging mentality", expecting the "West" to provide instead of getting up and going about creating their own wealth and independence.
I've seen it happen in my home town, where the townsfolk are so dependent on the mines that the smallest hiccup in the mining economy sends everyone scurrying about like so many rats. And if there should be a serious calamity (such as the mine strike a few years ago), the food parcel queues go on for miles!
My personal problem with all this is that people don't think of providing their own food and sustenance the way their ancestors (even as close as their parents and grandparents) did. Instead, it seems to be easier to adopt a "poor me" attitude and go begging.
The mine strike of 2014 was the start of my mission. I was fortunate in that the strike did not affect my job or my income, but I saw businesses close down and people queue on community lots and at churches for their daily meals and vegetable packs. It begged the question:
And then I wondered what would happen if we ALL grew something somewhere... What if we supplied in our own basic food needs, so that we aren't as dependent on the mines and the other industries around town for our everyday sustenance? And we could literally give our "first fruits" to wherever we choose to worship? What if we could teach the next generation to do the same? What if we could go on guerilla gardening sprees and plant fruit trees in public parks? What if I could (literally) sow the seed to a better future for everyone in my community?
So I guess this is what I am passionate about - getting people to DO things for themselves and not to simply wait around for whoever to provide.
After all, I am an AfriCAN!
I've seen it happen in my home town, where the townsfolk are so dependent on the mines that the smallest hiccup in the mining economy sends everyone scurrying about like so many rats. And if there should be a serious calamity (such as the mine strike a few years ago), the food parcel queues go on for miles!
My personal problem with all this is that people don't think of providing their own food and sustenance the way their ancestors (even as close as their parents and grandparents) did. Instead, it seems to be easier to adopt a "poor me" attitude and go begging.
The mine strike of 2014 was the start of my mission. I was fortunate in that the strike did not affect my job or my income, but I saw businesses close down and people queue on community lots and at churches for their daily meals and vegetable packs. It begged the question:
WHY?
Could those queues be shortened or eliminated altogether if someone just decided at the beginning of the strike (or even when the rumors of the strike started) to buy a few packs of vegetable seeds and grow a pot or two of tomatoes? And maybe their neighbor would grow pumpkin... or cucumbers... and another neighbor grew salad greens and carrots and peas and beans... and a few stalks of corn...?And then I wondered what would happen if we ALL grew something somewhere... What if we supplied in our own basic food needs, so that we aren't as dependent on the mines and the other industries around town for our everyday sustenance? And we could literally give our "first fruits" to wherever we choose to worship? What if we could teach the next generation to do the same? What if we could go on guerilla gardening sprees and plant fruit trees in public parks? What if I could (literally) sow the seed to a better future for everyone in my community?
So I guess this is what I am passionate about - getting people to DO things for themselves and not to simply wait around for whoever to provide.
After all, I am an AfriCAN!
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