BIOTECHNOLOGY, THE NEW HOPE FOR AFRCIA’S AGRICULTURE.

Biotechnology has the potential to do for the agriculture sector what mobile technology has done for the communications sector, but to realize this potential, African countries need to adopt flexible and supportive biotechnology regulations, celebrated academic and internationally- recognised authority on the role of innovation in economic development… these were the words of Prof. Calestous Juma.

Prof. Calestous Juma, was speaking at a public lecture organised by the Association for Strengthening Agriculture Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) at the Golf Course Hotel in Kampala. He told nearly 400- strong audience at the lecture, that most of the technologies needed for Africa to propel itself forward are already available and can be obtained through, research and international partnerships.

Prof. Juma noted that for Africa to sustain its exploding population, it must adopt strategies to put science, technology and innovation at the centre of economic transformation.

Juma, a Professor of the Practice International Development and the Director of the Science, Technology and Globalization programme the Harvard Kennedy School, explained how advances in information and communications technologies, especially mobile phones, illustrate the benefits of emerging technologies for economic transformation.

“Is Africa had restrictive mobile technology regulations imposed at the outset, it would not have benefited from the technology and even pioneered in fields such as mobile money transfer,” he remarked.

ASARECA Executive Director, Dr. Fina Opio in a speech read by Dr. Charles Mugoya, the Manager for Agro-biodiversity and Biotechnology programme at ASARECA, said ASARECA invest in generation of Science, Technologies and innovations to address current and future challenges such as pests and diseases and drought among others.

She said ASARECA mobilizes money, skilled people and sources knowledge to generate new technologies and ensures that those that are already generated reach the farmers.

Under the theme, Rebooting African Economies: Science and Engineering for Rapid Economic Transforming,  the lecture attempted to identify approaches for leveraging the world’s fund of scientific, technological and engineering knowledge for rapid economic transformation.

It argues that agriculture and allied industries offer a timely entry point for building a broad base for local, national and regional economic transformation. It stresses the importance of exponential growth in generic innovation platforms such as information and communications technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology and new material (especially biopolymers).

It also outlines strategic measures needed to harness these technologies. These include investing in infrastructure, reforming higher technical education, stimulating entrepreneurship and fostering regional integration.

The lecture concludes with suggestions on how to strengthen innovation governance (especially high-level advice), improve international science and technology cooperation and foster a new culture of innovation among the youth.

Participant after participant appealed to the anti-biotechnology activists to let Africa’s own scientists introduce new biotechnologies to boost agricultural production.  

In Jesus' Name from Darlene Zschech's #RevealingJesus Project

A Friend

I’ve always wanted a friend,

Someone I could talk to,

In times of sorrow and joy,

A listener to my problems,

And the way I feel.

And there you were,

Ready to hear me,

When I cry and when I laugh,

Always there to give me,

A shoulder to lean on,

Always there for me to count on,

You may not know it,

That when I see you,

A smile conquers my face,

Because you are closer,

Closer than a sister,

And a true art of a best friend,

That seems to understand me,

Beyond motherly nature,

You, I will always cherish,

As a treasure, held so dear to my heart.     

© Copy right 2008: Ochoo Ronald Ross

THE UGANDA I WANT FROM YOU.

From you, I want today, I want to run in your streets and not fall in a pot hole.

To express myself and not turn into a pink clown,

I want to bank my money in your bank and be sure it won’t close the next few months,

I want to take a stroll a long your pavements and not fall in open manholes,

To drive across your city and not be stopped by poorly fed malnourished policemen looking forward to getting some bribe.

I want to stand and speak and know I won’t be judged because of my tribe or religion.

I want to fight to see Rule of law in you, and not be called a terrorist or a potential threat.

I don’t want to be labeled a threat by you just because I don’t support your view.

I want to walk in freely from one end to another, and not be arrested for being idle and disorderly.

I want to join your political parties and speak for the voiceless, and not be trailed by your intelligence officials,

To shake hands with the opposition officials and not be forced out of the party,

I want to speak my views and not be persecuted in the names of prosecution,

I want you to be where the youths are not used as human shield for selfish political gains,

I want you to be where the youths are not defined by the party they support. 

I want where the youths are not used as child soldiers to fight wars they don’t know.

I want you to teach the youths the values of development and not political party ideologies.

I want you to allow the youths to speak freely and not be though to be in opposition,

A Uganda, where we shall all be given equal opportunities, not based on our tribes or political associations,

A Uganda, where my tribe is not a matter for discussion, but developmental issues,

I want to be prosecuted for the wrongs committed and not be driven as tribal persecution,

I want you to be lenient to all who disagree with your views, and look further into their ideologies.

I want to be loved not for what I am but for who I am,

I want to, stand and not be made afraid of being chased away from the country politically,

I want to shout out for my rights and not get scared of you, or your armory.

This is the Uganda I want from you.

Ronald Ochoo,

f: Ronnie Ross Onyang  O

T : @Ronnie_Ross_O

Commonwealth Youth Programme,

 Correspondent from Uganda.

11 Words You Should Never Use in Sales or Marketing

Want to stand out from the pack? Stop sounding like the pack.

                                                                                                                                                             shutterstock images

Samples are helpful. Demos are often effective. But what is the primary tool used to convince potential customers to buy?

Words.

Whether spoken or written, words make sales happen.

Or not.

Too many salespeople (and marketers and advertisers) use the same words to describe their products and services. Pretend I'm a potential customer or client.

Here's how I react when you use the following words:

"Customer focused."

Talk about redundant; should you be anything but customer focused?

If your goal is to imply that other providers are not customer focused, tell me how: Faster response time, greater availability, customized processes or systems... tell me in concrete terms how you will meet my specific needs. (If you don't know my needs and therefore can't address them, shame on you.)

"Best in class."

There are two problems with that phrase: Who defined your "class," and who determined you were the "best" in it?

My guess is you did.

Still, maybe you really are that awesome. So prove it. Describe your accomplishments, awards, results, etc.

As a customer I don't need best in class, I need best for me--so tell me, in objective terms, how you can provide the best value for my needs.

"Low-hanging fruit."

You say, "We'll start with the low-hanging fruit." I hear, "We'll start with really easy stuff you are too stupid to recognize or too lazy to do yourself."

No one wants to hear they have low-hanging fruit. Just describe, in cost/benefit terms, how you prioritized your list of projects or activities.

"Exceed expectations."

That's admirable goal, and one every business should aspire to, but exceeding expectations is an internal goal. Tell me you will exceed expectations and exceeded expectations instantly becomes my expectation. (I know that's kinda Zen.)

Tell me what you will do, every time. If you consistently pull that off, I'll be delighted.

Always let the customer judge whether you go above and beyond.

"Unique."

The ever-increasing pace of commoditization means few products or services have no like or equal for long. If I'm considering hiring your firm or buying your products, "unique" (like "exclusive") sounds good but describes nothing.

Instead tell me, in concrete terms, how you are better.

"Value added."

This term is often used to imply I'll get something for no or very little incremental cost. That means what I will receive isn't value added--it's part of the overall deal.

So tell me the deal, explain all the options and add-ons, and help me figure out how I can take full advantage of what you provide.

"Expert."

Margaret Thatcher once said, "Power is like being a lady; if you have to say you are, you aren't." Show your expertise instead.

"Social media expert" often reads as "We have Twitter and Facebook accounts and even know how to use them!

"Implemented social media campaigns for ACME that generated..." lets potential customers evaluate your level of expertise and your suitability for their needs.

"Seasoned."

Experience is only a partial indicator of expertise. If you're a contractor you may have built 100 homes... but that doesn't mean you did a good job.

Any reference to experience should immediately quantify that experience.

"Exceptional ROI."

We all seek a return on investments and we all love a great ROI. But without access to my numbers you can't accurately calculate my ROI. Therefore your estimates are either theoretical or based on another customer's results. Either way, I know your estimates are incredibly optimistic and that my results will definitely vary.

"Provides an exceptional ROI" reads as "...you're a terrible businessperson if you don't do this."

Show the costs, don't hide anything, and trust me to calculate my own ROI. If I'm not smart enough to do so, I probably don't have purchase authority anyway.

"Partner."

Long-term business relationships are great, but we will never be partners because while your hand will reach into my pocket, my hand will never reach into yours.

Still, maybe one day I will see you as a quasi-partner... but that's something I will decide on my own based on your performance, not on your marketing.

"Turn-key."

I love a turn-key solution as much as the next guy, but few solutions truly are.

No matter how comprehensive the offering I always wind up participating more than I was led to expect, so when I hear "turn key" I'm naturally skeptical... that is, unless you thoroughly break down what you will provide and what my participation will be, both during implementation and after.

Turn-key is in the eye of the beholder.

The customer is always the beholder.

THE UGANDA I WANT FROM YOU FOR THE YOUTHS

From me, From You, from us, I want to be identified by my contribution to the development of you and not my tribe.

I want to stand at the Constitutional Square for a cause and not be tear gassed,

To express views freely and not be washed, to be a pink clown,

A Uganda, where the youths decide their fate, but not imposed on programmes,

I want to walk freely, run freely and not be worried of falling in a pot hole, or worse an open man hole,

I want a Uganda, where corruption is not condoned,

Where we prosecute based on facts and not persecute,

I want a Uganda, where the youths are allowed to discuss the budget and account for everything,

I want where all shall be equally treated alike and not based on our tribes or political affiliations,

I want you to TRAIN the youths to be job creators and not job seekers,

I want the youths to be taught practical life skills and not theories,

I want you to be a role model with exemplary skills and deeds,

I want a Uganda, where the youths are not used as ladders for fulfillment of political ambitions,

I want a Uganda, where the youths are trained for future leadership without being brain washed and corrupted,

I want where the youths are free to join any political party and express their views, without fear for their lives,

I want a Uganda, where the youths are not used as human shield for selfish political gains,

I want a Uganda, where the youths are practically engaged in agriculture extensively.

I want a Uganda, where unemployment will be controlled,

I want a Uganda where there will be no more Nasser road Degrees,

I want a Uganda a where excellence and competence will be a basis for grading and not our tribes,

 I want a Uganda, where I will be able to speak freely and live freely and fear nothing.,

The Uganda I want for the youth is this, what do you want for Uganda.

Ronald Ochoo,

F: Ronnie Ross Onyang  O

T: @Ronnie_Ross_O

Linked:

*Correspondent  from Uganda.

Commonwealth Youth Programme

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STEALING OF PUBLIC FUNDS IN UGANDA

Just a few months ago, Ugandans had one big cause to celebrate. It was the 50 years Golden Jubilee celebration, of our independence from the colonialists. One wonders why we celebrated. Though we had joined those African countries that had celebrated theirs years before, the likes of Nigeria and was quite lucky, it was the first in the East African Community.

Little did they know the good news was to quickly be supplanted by a more ominous story. The Uganda media houses have been vividly following last month’s revelation that the Ireland government had suspended aid to the Ugandan government after an audit showed that over Euros 11M, had ended up in the unauthorized personal accounts of the Office of the Prime Minister officials. Just in a wake of this suspension, many countries have joined in suspending their aid to the government of Uganda, these are; Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, and the UK government. Of course the UK government chose to cur aid totally, and even withholds the intended Pounds 41M meant to be received in March next year to support the budget.  This was a tight moment for the UK government amidst the tight home budget and foreign aid spending being complained about in the legislature. This was officially published in one of the local daily’s Sunday Vision, bearing its headlines for the day, on November 19^th, 2012. When the official s of the Finance Ministry were contacted by this local daily they claimed they did not have any documentation as to that effect and were only aware of it by the awash publication in the media, this leaves a lot to be desired.  However before we could even think of what to believe, it all came up again in news with the prime Minister apologising to the Donors to restore their aid as the intended “beneficiaries” would suffer.

Let’s get to the roots of this matter, the money stolen was meant for Peace, Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP) in Uganda. And for that purpose the focal point was the war torn Northern and Easter Uganda that had faced the rage of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebels insurgency. This programme covers 40 Districts in all, and was meant to restore the livelihood of these people, but one wonders whether after stealing $38M, any recovery will be justified in this region.  This is not the first of its kind, earlier on in 2011, the aid money worth $50M was diverted to buy a Gulf Stream jet for the President of Uganda.

In one of local Daily’s the Daily Monitor, it was reported that Billions of shillings meant to help Ugandans affected by the over two decades of war rebuild their lives ended up building mansions in Kampala and buying  luxury vehicles. As parents in war ravaged Northern tied their Children affected by nodding disease to trees, corrupt technocrats in the ministry were flying off to exotic holiday destinations. Such was the sense of those involved in the scam that a cashier whose monthly salary is less than 1.5 Million Uganda Shillings ($580) regularly “lent” the government hundreds of Millions of shillings, which were paid back to his personal bank account. “Funds advanced to the cashier’s account were described as a refund of borrowed cash, making it appear, as if the cashier lent government money from his personal savings” the Audit report noted.

The of ice of the Prime Minister has since suspended 17 officials from its office some being interdicted by Parliament,  and some from the Finance Ministry and Bank of Uganda. This was the kind of foil that left Treasury Chief Accountant Chris Kassami in shock, when questioned by Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC). The Prime Minister, Amama  Mbabazi declined to take responsibility for the embezzlement and instead met with donors in the capital Kampala to apologise and reassure them a further investigation will be conducted. The Investigations have also had the hands of the First lady Janet Kataha Museveni who also doubles as the Minister for Karamoja affairs under the Office of the Prime Minister, implicated of having spent over Ugandan Shillings 143Millions in 8 frequent trips to Israel in one month, spending what was meant for her ministry. The Prime Minster has been implicated in various corruption scandals in the country and has been vindicated by the President each time. As though to add salt to injury, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Pius Bigirimana has been interdicted by parliament but the Prime Minister and President have chosen to vindicate him in this scam.

The Ugandan Political magazine, The Independent, reported on what the president is doing to fight corruption. However many Ugandans think he is not fully committed to the fight. The President himself at one point said he was tired of corrupt officials in his government.  The media publications and social media activity on embezzlement scandals in the Office of the Prime Minister, definitely captures the frustration the ordinary citizen faces.

It should therefore be noted that the implications of the scandals go beyond the tarnished reputation of the Office of the Prime Minister. It will take us enough time to gain the confidence of would be donors and foreign investors after hearing such dismal acts. This is just to show how damaged the country as a whole has suffered, and not only the immediately affected, by the acts of the corrupt officials. I therefore call upon each and every Ugandan youth to rise up and let’s join in the war against corruption in Uganda, the future belongs to us.

Ronald Ochoo,

F: Ronnie Ross Onyang  O

T: @Ronnie_Ross_O

Skype: ronnieross256

Commonwealth Youth Programme,

Correspondent from Uganda.

Norah Nasasira’s story.

My name is Norah Nasasira, I am in Primary Seven at Munyonyo Primary School and I stay at Kyamuwendo Children’s Home-Buziga, Kampala.

I am an orphan, my dad died of HIV/AIDS when I was very young and left the three of us and our mother alone. We were staying at Kyankwanzi (now district) our father’s village. When our dad passed on, our relatives chased us away saying our mum was responsible for our dad’s death. We were chased away from our land and our property destroyed, it was only after another uncle intervened and offered us some piece of land to till but on conditions. The condition was that my mother was to accept to be his second wife, and for the sake of our upbringing our peasant mother accepted and later gave birth to other three of my siblings to make six of us now.  He later also chased us away from his land and destroyed everything that we had planted in the gardens.

We had to leave the place and depended on handouts from people who knew our condition. Life was so hard and we had to find a way of surviving but with no piece of land to till or leave on it was a hopeless life. Life became even harder and we had to find a way of going to stay with our poor maternal grandmother in Rwanda. She was too poor and life was not any better, we had all dropped out school and here we were, looking at her to help but she couldn’t we left and came back to the streets of Kampala and that is where we lived.

Leaving on handouts was also not easy and this became technically impossible, it was only when some concerned person told member s of Another life International that’s when they came to our rescue and took us in their Children’s home called Kyamuwendo Children’s Home. Life has been a little better with less worries and more hope for a better future.

Much as the life is little bit better now, the organisation is self-funded by the founders who are majorly students in University, and this means its dependent on friends and well-wishers so in case of fund constraints it can take us back to square one.  We however live by faith and pray that some good Samaritans and well-wishers will join and support the organisation to realize its dream of seeing me and other children at this home succeed in achieving their dreams. I have been able to meet 20 more people at the home since I came in 2009, and I hope to be what I want to be in the future by the grace of God.

I want to be a lawyer and bring to an end the misery that comes with mistreatment of widows, children and the general abuse of human rights. I can only realise this dream with a good educational background and hard work. I love Kyamuwendo Children’s Home and I pray they get supported by other well-wishers and sponsors to help them help many children fulfill their dreams and thus develop Africa and the world at large.

As told to:

Ronald Ochoo       Freelance writer, Youth Advisor-YHRC (Youth Health and Rights Coalition)-U.S.A, LLB-Student-Uganda Christian University-Mukono, Uganda.

STORY ABOUT NOWARUHANGA STEPHEN.

Stephen Nowaruhanga is three years old and is a son to Kyomukama Beteasii. He goes to Kiswa Primary School and is in baby class. He was rejected by his father before birth and his mother is from a very poor family that can hardly afford a daily meal. He stays in Bugolobi with my family since we are their care takers at the moment. She helps with the work at home since she can’t get any employment because she is illiterate and yet she has to earn a living for her son and herself. Stephen can only tell you his father’s name but he has never heard or seen him. His relatives have not been of much help since they can also hardly support themselves.

Stephen’s mother was my grandmother’s care taker and when she passed on, we decided to take them on because they had no place to go. At that time he was 1 yr old and the mother was not earning any pay since she had no work to do.

We have watched Stephen grow and he is a very interesting child who loves going to school and learning new things. He is very quick at learning despite his young age. He started school this year and every morning he wakes up he is excited about putting on his uniform and running to school. An education for this boy will be the only reward one can offer him.

His mother has dedicated all that she can to see him go to school since he is the only hope she is left with. She was rejected by his father and since his birth the two have not received any support from him.

Her only dream is to see her son acquire a quality education but she can hardly provide that for her son since she has no descent job. She is very worried about the future since she is not sure of what the future holds for her son. Helping this boy is the best way one can help his mother and all of us that care for him and want to see him grow into an important person who will help his country and family. With a single support to this cause we should expect a great impact in the lives of those who are around him and also in his life. Remember helping him alone means helping generations to come and we do humbly believe that he will for sure return a favour by executing the same to another in the same state he was in when he was helped out.

Written by:

Nuwamanya Maureen.

Ochoo Ronald

The Mini Skirt Bill In Uganda; how will it be implemented.

On a sunny Wednesday, waking up to Facebook wall updates all stating the same thing mini skirt law in Uganda, after the aborted Marriage and Divorce Bill. What many may not know is that the now aborted bill has been on the parliament shelf for now a very good time that had long been forgotten.

Just as one might have thought that the parliamentarians having been “offered” 5 Million shillings each by the government to do research for the Marriage and Divorce Bill, would not again shock the nation with another bill, the Anti-Pornography bill was already waiting their response. The Marriage and Divorce bill having caused a lot of controversy with even the religious leaders strongly opposing it, some politicians and church leaders associating them to the cultures from the west that want to break the family bonds in Africa this saw it later being suspended following a heated debated that divided the House.

Unlike the Marriage and Divorce Bill, the Anti-Pornography Bill met it hot with people wondering how the government would implement such a bill that of all the clauses in it the population only concentrated on the clause that considers the wearing of mini skirt and showing some flesh amounting to pornography. This to some people who feel it being against their human rights would bring up all that they feel should be a ground to oppose this bill.

Going to the root of the bill and the person who tabled it in parliament; it should be noted that this was first tabled by the Ex-Ethics and Integrity Minister Mr.Nsaba Buturo but he lost the battle to parliament with a number of pressing issues coming up the bill was always being shunned to have time and concentrate on matters of concern. Just as he quit, his successor of three years felt obliged to re-table this and thus Fr.Lukodo tabled that bill that saw the nation go wild on how one would determine what another ought to have worn. It should be noted that the eradication of mini-skirt was established during the reign if the then late President Idi Amin, who was in the event of seeing that the sharia law being established in Uganda and thus introduced the wearing of long skirts that reached the feet, this was ensure decency in the society. In the wake of his exit, Ugandans slowly but sure degenerated back to wearing what suits them with the coming of the new era of President Museveni where human rights had a view in the public.

The implementation of such a bill is what wonders how it will be done. From experience many a law are passed in the legislature but the implementation bit of it becomes the biggest problem. A look at the mini-skirt bill, one wonders whether there will be policemen at very homestead with an already stretched human resource. How will you determine that wearing a mini skirt is a violation of the laws, and if that then,  what is the use of the rights to self-expression provided for in the constitution of the country, and does it still remain supreme and won’t that only lead to many suits against the state or the law and justice department. Many questions can be asked and eye brows raised but the answers to these questions are best found with the people tabling this bill.

It’s one thing to be a student of law and also to be the one tabling it, at this point I am tabling my views not as a student of law, but rather as any lay Ugandan citizen would have looked at that bill. One wonders why Uganda being one of the countries with very tough laws are so lacking in the implementation of these laws. I will answer that, implementation of a law comes with the people’s willingness to be obliged to the laws. I for one may not have known how it would have felt to propose a law and see it being left to the society to decide its fate, I would worry of course.

Let the people decide just as they vote to be represented their fate lies in the hands of those whom they entrusted to represent them in the august house, they should hold them accountable.

Ronald Ochoo,

F: Ronnie Ross Onyang O

T: @Ronnie_Ross_O

Skype: ronnieross256

Commonwealth Youth Programme,

Correspondent from Uganda.

THE AFRICA I KNOW

I got out of my four-wheel drive Toyota and walked toward the Sunset Hotel. It had been a long and exhausting drive from Kampala, the border crossing took two hours in spite of some bribes and I just wanted to sit on the balcony, drink a cold Tusker's Beer and view the glorious sunset over Lake Victoria and the ensuing thunderstorms over the lake.

As I walked across the lobby I was greeted by a friend of mine, Charles.  He was smiling from ear to ear, and shouted "come and meet my new wife."  Hmm, I had met his old wife, so what was this all about?  

As I sat down with him and his new wife, Charles told me that his brother had died and he had inherited this new wife of his.  It was a Luo custom, and before one rejects such a concept based on Western values one should take a closer look.  In Africa, a widow would have a hard time trying to make ends meet, so in the wisdom of tribal elders, there came the concept of wife inheritance.  Not only in this tribe but in many others as well.  (The negative side today is that often the former husband died of AIDS, his wife is also infected and now it is passed on to the brother and his current wife.)  The thought and wisdom is that it is the responsibility of the family, of the clan, the tribe, the village to take care of those who have a deep need.  We in the West can look at such a practice and call this or that without realizing that the real reason for it, is an act of compassion and commitment to vows made to other family members and meeting the need at hand.

Some years ago I heard the a song performed by some Ugandan children entitled "In Africa - it takes a village to raise a child."  Life in Africa as I have seen it does involve the village, the tribe, the clan, the family. Over and over have I seen individuals and families demonstrate this spirit in every part of life.  Charles in Kisumu is only one example of this.  As I sit here typing away I can think of many others who have shown that a string of wool alone cannot accomplish it, but weave them together and you have a tapestry of unity and togetherness of a village working together in the spirit of the Swahili word, Harambe.    

Rose lived just down the lane from me in Makindye, a neighborhood in Kampala.  She lived in a house without electricity, no water, and other facilities we take for granted.  Her husband had died of AIDS some years earlier he had contracted in an affair.  Yet, in spite of it all, Rose did not live alone.  She was surrounded by about 10 AIDS orphans, children she had taken on from her extended family.  She told me it was her duty as their mother.  She was not their physical mother, but in her society even if the real mother was alive as an aunt  she would be called that by her children.

I have also seen this spirit with people who were not related by family but because they were living in the same village.  There is a sacred duty of caring for those who cannot help themselves.  No matter what tribe, no matter what country in East Africa, the same spirit exists.

If you meet an African here in the United States or another country in the West, you might find out, that this person sends home on regular basis money so that nieces and nephews can go to school, that other family members back home might share in the prosperity that this person in the West is enjoying, no matter what kind of job they might hold.

I have written about this woman before.  She lives in a town called Lira in Northern Uganda.  She has seen her husband die, her oldest son die in a governmental overthrow, she has lost home and property and yet she is a woman proud of her inheritance.  The inheritance being her family, her status as a matriarchal leader in the village.  This was something I saw readily when I arrived to her home, and all kinds of people came to call on her, I had brought some gifts, which she immediately shared with others in the village.

Weddings in Africa, like everywhere are expensive, and yet there is a grand celebration even if there are not many financial resources.  Before the wedding the families and friends, neighbors from the village or neighborhood come together for a dinner, at which time they commit themselves and resources they might have to make the wedding successful.

Funerals happen often in countries like Uganda.  Drive along Entebbe road in Kampala and you will see countless of shops with wooden caskets, many of them for children.  You will see families come and buy one and take it home on their bicycle.  Attend the funeral and you will see the whole family coming together, the village standing as one with them in this time of grief.

In the West we can live alone, not know our neighbors, we can live in a town, have an address but not know or be known by the village.  In Africa the village is the soul of life.  This does not change in the town, the neighborhoods simply become mini villages where people come together in the evening drinking their homebrew and share their dreams, hopes, sad stories, dance and rejoice that they know others with whom they might share and are known.

You can see this spirit when one of their own graduates from University, the village turns up at graduation and rejoices with those who rejoice.  You can see it at the airport when someone from the village returns or leaves.  The whole village turns out to say goodbye or hello.

We all need that village, in our society in the West, the village often takes the form of the government but there is the absence of the spirit of the village, the absence of a soul that is alive and breathing, not just an institution that functions by legislation.

I have asked countless of children in Africa, what they wanted to do in their lives.  Their answers have been very similar.  "I want to be a lawyer or  a doctor, a businessman to help my family, to bring water to my village, to help my grandmother, all answers with the realization burned into the African soul, "It does take a village."  Ask any child in Africa...jon.