We boarded the minute Cetraka aircraft towards Beni. The mismatched 70s fabrics upholstering the compact seats and the stacks of luggage piled high everywhere gave off the aura of an old Mexican passenger bus rather than a machine that could take flight. An ancient, partly see-through curtain, matching one of the many patterns in the interior, was the only separation between the Russian pilot and the passengers.
Harper and I went to Beni, north of Goma, to visit an organization called Congo Initiative and the bilingual university they have opened there, UCBC. I had recently learned that a college friend, Justin Hubbard had been working for Congo Initiative since October- fancy that, from the University of Minnesota in the Midwest, Harper, Justin and I now all live and work in Eastern Congo. Somehow, though, it all makes sense; good people come from the Midwest, right?
The crimson clay and dirt cake everything in Beni, a remarkably different sight than the dark Goma lava rock. The winding, powdered red roads, bordered by stick-and-mud huts with straw-thatched roofs scream of a much more rural Africa than the border town I live in. Beni has been much affected by the war, especially since this summer, and industries have been limited due to the ever-deteriorating infrastructure of the national transportation. So many times Harper and I dream of the innumerable products DR Congo could export internationally for a dramatic and sustainable boost to each local economy- palm oil, artisan handicrafts, wood carvings, maize, peanuts, potatoes, fruits, beans, etc. Invariably, the stark reality halts our wild dreams: until an effective infrastructure for transportation is developed in Congo, and corruption is decreased, the overwhelming riches this country owns will remain limited and local. Harper often argues that if huge aid organizations like USAID want to make a difference, this type of large-picture project is what they should invest in, instead of slicing up small disbursements to multiple organizations. Infrastructural change would benefit every organization, as well as all the citizens affected by improved transportation time as well as cost-effectiveness for trade.
Enough of my soap box on this for now. I was talking about Beni. It was so fun to visit there, see a different side of DR Congo, to meet David and Kasoera Kasali (CI founders) and to hang out with the staff there, to hear of Congo Initiative’s plans and goals. Meeting the university students was also extremely fun, as they are friendly and quite eager to practice English. The second day we were there, I was to join the students for their daily soccer games. Slightly appalled at myself that I had not thought ahead better when I packed (I never do!), I donned my only work-out clothes for the trip: pink capris and a hot-pink Heart of the Beast Theatre T-Shirt. Way to make being a mzungu shine like a lone star in the middle of the night! Not only were Justin and I the only white people on the field, I was the only woman, and I proudly bore that reality with my pink outfit … the students and people couldn’t get enough of the mzungu girl that could play soccer!
The following day, Heather, with Congo Initiative, and I headed to Goma so that she could see our income generation programs with Healing Arts. She plans to open a holistic family center, in which training of the sort we do (sewing, cooking, soap making) will be offered there. We waited HOURS in the dusty, tin-room airport until our plane left around 3 PM. All I have to say is that WAITING is one of the most common themes threaded through all moments of living in the Congo. Time is a different concept- even in that I have to learn how to tell time in Swahili (exactly the opposite of ours- 6 AM is called 12:00, 4:00 PM is called 10:00, etc) or in Congolese French (military time=I have to add or subtract everytime I want to tell the time until I have it down!).
Harper and I went to Beni, north of Goma, to visit an organization called Congo Initiative and the bilingual university they have opened there, UCBC. I had recently learned that a college friend, Justin Hubbard had been working for Congo Initiative since October- fancy that, from the University of Minnesota in the Midwest, Harper, Justin and I now all live and work in Eastern Congo. Somehow, though, it all makes sense; good people come from the Midwest, right?
The crimson clay and dirt cake everything in Beni, a remarkably different sight than the dark Goma lava rock. The winding, powdered red roads, bordered by stick-and-mud huts with straw-thatched roofs scream of a much more rural Africa than the border town I live in. Beni has been much affected by the war, especially since this summer, and industries have been limited due to the ever-deteriorating infrastructure of the national transportation. So many times Harper and I dream of the innumerable products DR Congo could export internationally for a dramatic and sustainable boost to each local economy- palm oil, artisan handicrafts, wood carvings, maize, peanuts, potatoes, fruits, beans, etc. Invariably, the stark reality halts our wild dreams: until an effective infrastructure for transportation is developed in Congo, and corruption is decreased, the overwhelming riches this country owns will remain limited and local. Harper often argues that if huge aid organizations like USAID want to make a difference, this type of large-picture project is what they should invest in, instead of slicing up small disbursements to multiple organizations. Infrastructural change would benefit every organization, as well as all the citizens affected by improved transportation time as well as cost-effectiveness for trade.
Enough of my soap box on this for now. I was talking about Beni. It was so fun to visit there, see a different side of DR Congo, to meet David and Kasoera Kasali (CI founders) and to hang out with the staff there, to hear of Congo Initiative’s plans and goals. Meeting the university students was also extremely fun, as they are friendly and quite eager to practice English. The second day we were there, I was to join the students for their daily soccer games. Slightly appalled at myself that I had not thought ahead better when I packed (I never do!), I donned my only work-out clothes for the trip: pink capris and a hot-pink Heart of the Beast Theatre T-Shirt. Way to make being a mzungu shine like a lone star in the middle of the night! Not only were Justin and I the only white people on the field, I was the only woman, and I proudly bore that reality with my pink outfit … the students and people couldn’t get enough of the mzungu girl that could play soccer!
The following day, Heather, with Congo Initiative, and I headed to Goma so that she could see our income generation programs with Healing Arts. She plans to open a holistic family center, in which training of the sort we do (sewing, cooking, soap making) will be offered there. We waited HOURS in the dusty, tin-room airport until our plane left around 3 PM. All I have to say is that WAITING is one of the most common themes threaded through all moments of living in the Congo. Time is a different concept- even in that I have to learn how to tell time in Swahili (exactly the opposite of ours- 6 AM is called 12:00, 4:00 PM is called 10:00, etc) or in Congolese French (military time=I have to add or subtract everytime I want to tell the time until I have it down!).
2 comments:
Props for getting on a small plane in Congo - my fear would've kep me from it!!!Miss ya
I think your right, good people come from the midwest, and even better from North Dakota! Interesting thought about USAID and infrastructure, it's cool how you've been able to see foreign aid from the Congolese perspective. I'll be interested in finding out more of what your learn. I love you and miss you biso, and show those congolese how we white people play futball ...
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