finally, something good happens in that country

So here is another article that perturbs me as much as the previous experience. The highly acclaimed Foreign Policy magazine’s online version within its new Pasport Blog section states, “Rwandans: Finally, something good happens in that country. An American millionaire promises to bring 8 million Rwandans free Internet.”

How can such an influential and ‘well educated’ magazine from a ‘developed’ country make such a statement, ‘Finally, something good has happened in that country. […]’. What? Are we to believe that Rwandans cannot make anything good happen within their country without the aid of a wealthy American business man? I am not saying that foreign aid is not sent without good intention. That is also an issue for another year’s blogging. I am also not saying that access to internet is not important. As the article states how can internet feed a hungry child or provide clean water for a community. What I am saying is that our media is headed in a dangerously poor direction, especially when areas such as Africa are looked down upon as a young child in need of a stepping stool to reach the cookie jar of development! We are partners in this effort to save lives and help fellow human beings. If we in the West hope to make a difference we need to realize that there is no way to achieve success without our collegues working on the ground in their communities.

Please I beg you all who read this, do your research, engage in some travel outside your country, or in the least – work hard to understand Africa and its culture and its people before trying to think that you hold the answers to the problems and before thinking you know everything or thinking that you can state claims because you live in a ‘developed’ country. Education is an amazing asset, travel is the best teacher.