Author: Mark Crocker

I am a traveller and a teacher who understands that sustainability is a set of tools, not just an attitude. I designed a process for volunteers to succeed overseas at STM Leader. I want to change how the world works and I have helped tens of thousands of others to do the same. I am available to speak a compelling message at your event, train your team in fresh ways or move your leadership skills to the next level. Click Here to contact me. Check out my many resources at Stopover.ca or for free membership and fresh new thoughts, click here.

Kids Playing with Mud, Machetes and Fire

In Haiti it is not uncommon to see children, sometimes as young as two, bringing mom the chefs knife. Those kids are often found at the cook fire helping out, and like all kids if there is a muddy puddle, you are sure to find them there. It’s definitely different for us who live in a highly safety conscious world.

I wondered what might happen if we shared mud, machetes and fire with kids here in Canada.

We decided to build a stove in a local school

Something is Cooking at Vic West Elementary School.

Thanks to the incredible librarian Rachel , principal Marla Margetts and the grade 4-5 Teachers, we were able to share a stove build with 80 students.

I am sure you can imagine how much fun it was … but we wanted to share some of the story and pics with you.

The first week

Week one we let everyone know where Haiti was located on a map. It took some time to locate the small island nation. Then we had the opportunity to talk about how so many people around the world need to breathe in the smoke of open cook fires to make their meals. This smoke kills more people than HIV/AIDS and Malaria combined and is the #1 cause of death for a babies and kids under 5 in Haiti.

We took all of the kids outside and everyone jumped in to mix mud to build the bricks for a stove.

You should have seen both the incredible mess and the amazing delight the kids took in the project.

I literally had to tell kids they were cut off and had to go for lunch they were so engaged.

We took those bricks into the school boiler room to dry as we definitely don’t live in sunny Haiti!

Two Weeks Later

After the bricks dried, I headed back for the round two.

During our second time together we were impressed at how much the kids remembered from our first session. They had great questions and leapt at the opportunity to participate again.

It was so much fun!

This time around, we talked about deforestation in Haiti. It’s so easy to come up with simplistic solutions from a distance, but I have never been put in the position where I would need to decide between cutting down a tree or feeding my family. Honestly, I know what I would do. My family would come first.

We headed outside and took the now dried bricks and built ourselves TWO stoves. Scott and Mark from the school district each took charge. Although neither had ever even seen a stove in action before, both of them looked super skilled as they helped the kids make some amazing stoves.

Thanks in particular to Brad, the assistant chief of the Victoria FD, who was there to make sure we were safe – a bunch of his team showed up in their firetruck a little later for the kids.

Also during our build we were visited by Shaw Direct Satellite TV who is doing a story on this event. We will certainly share with you know when it comes out!

The moment of truth

45 minutes later we each finished our build. The stoves didn’t look as nice as the people make them in Haiti, but we built a fire in each stove, and after a minute or so … SUCCESS. We had 2 roaring fires going.

Right away we started some Haitian tea.

Check out the video of Candy (he is the tall slim Haitian guy with some serious style) if you want the recipe …

As the fires burned hot, we continued our time in the school gym by talking about the solutions for really complex problems like deforestation and smoke.

The stove is not the solution!

The long-term solution is never a technology. It’s always people. We were proud to share the stories of Haitian families who are actively making a change in their communities. They are the heroes of our stories.

A few minutes later we were back outside to drink the tea. Kids kept coming back for 3rds, 4ths … one kid let me know he had six cups. (Sorry to his mom and dad for sending him home jacked on sugar!)

It truly was an incredible opportunity and I am grateful to the staff Vic West Elementary for letting us share.

You should check out the video of our time here:

If you are part of the school, see who you recognize in these photos! Share them with a friend, and please LIKE our facebook page New Hope Schools Society

Want to get your hands dirty?

If you are interested in having a program like this at your school, church, community centre or business – get in touch with Mark at info@newhopeschools.com

And if you want to make a lasting difference in the lives of Haitian families – would you consider making a $30 donation to put one stove in to help one family. It means so much:

https://newhopeschools.com/donate/

The kids all made it! Once it was over I certainly did breathe a sigh of relief

The Luncheon

Lifitha invited us for lunch.

Stan and I walked down the pathway after the previous nights rain. Mud sucked at our feet along the road, so our hosts lead us the long way around – through the planted field – in the hope of keeping our feet dry. After a few minutes we stopped at her home with the cook shack in the front.

Lifitha set us up in white plastic chairs under the short eaves of the home to keep the sun off of our head. Once we were settled, she stooped under a tarp to quickly built a cookfire.

Meal preparation, cutting, cleaning and cooking all took place in the open air as we watched. She occasionally asked us to help out with small tasks – sorting beans, or chopping vegetables – but her discerning eye realized that we felt unfamiliar with the ingredients.

She kept a steady rhythm as she prepared dish after dish. A beautiful meal of rice and beans, fried chicken, plantain, salad and okra. We sat enthralled as she performed masterful culinary feats in her simple kitchen. A couple charcoal fires were kept burning. The unfinished top of a short block wall was her countertop. An open plastic bag became a steamer cover for rice. Her large chef’s knife paring then chopping as the situation demanded.

Tidy and efficient in her movements, the meal took time – as all good meals do.

This is her story.

The Family

Lifitha Jean-Amond and her husband Jean Pierre live in a one room house in the village of Grande Goave, Haiti. Their six children range in age from 20 years old to 7 years old. All of them are attending school.

After the 2010 earthquake they lived in a tent as their home and yard were almost completely destroyed. It took them many years to rebuild both their home and garden.

We met them one year after they moved back inside their house.

A hardworking couple

Jean Pierre works six days a week as a fisherman. He leaves early each morning in a boat rowed by two other men, sets gill nets and spear fishes. He showed us a box of single hooks, about the same size we use to catch salmon, but his catch seems to smaller. He arrives home most nights, just before dark, with a fish or two for the family to cook and eat

Any leftover fish is salted to preserve it for those days that Jean Pierre does not make a catch. Anyone who fishes knows the fickle profitability of the sea. In the moments he is not on the boat, Jean Pierre also works as a part time farmer who grows corn, beans, potatoes and bread fruit. Lifitha sells cooked food and fish in the local market as well.

They buy rice when they can afford it. Haiti used to produce a lot of rice until well-meaning aid dumped a glut of over-production of rice into their market. Local rice farmers couldn’t compete with free rice from outsiders. Local farmers stopped growing rice.

After a few years, the free rice also stopped.

The future

They did all their cooking on an open fire until they worked with New Hope Schools to install a smokeless stove in their home.

They were very excited to be able to use it as they were aware of how much the smoke from their open fire was affecting their health and their children – who often help with the cooking.

As we finished the installation, Jean Pierre excitedly cut off the small tarp covering their stove. He planned to raise the structure, to improve the life of his family a little more.

Separated by language we smiled often at one another, expressing our gratitude for the meal. Thankful for the moments we shared together.

Together we dream of a better world for their family.

We dream of how these children will grow up.

Mark Crocker

reflecting on a trip in November 2017

Perhaps you want to help Lifitha and Jean Pierre to write the next chapter in this story …

Are you ready to help us provide more stoves for Lifitha’s neighbours? It doesn’t take much, consider setting up a $5 per month donation to help us build stoves in Haiti. you get a tax receipt and you change lives.

Will you join Lifitha and Jean as they continue to create beautiful meals for their family?

Click here to say “Yes, I’ll help more families like Lifitha’s in Haiti!”

Eight Years Ago Today

Eight years ago the Haiti earthquake struck.

Three weeks later on February 5, 2010 I was able to finally make my way in. We drove in through the Dominican Republic. The destruction was hard to imagine and I wanted to document what I could.

It took so many lives, but one thing it could not take was Haiti’s strength.

In memory of the hundreds of thousands.

Mark Crocker

sus·tain·a·ble s??st?n?b(?)l – adjective

This was a HUGE New Years surprise … check out this video by Candy – our translator – he took some shots of the stove he built himself … in his own home!

He was proud of his work and made a video to share the story. He shared it with us and I think you need to check it out. There is something VERY special about this (more on this in a moment)

please like and share

The Background

We took a team to Haiti in November to build stoves and to learn. We had local people volunteer to help out as well as a number of translators who made our surveys work.

One of our translators is Candy. He is a young man who lives in Grande Goave after escaping from the earthquake in Port Au Prince. He was with us every single day, translating what we needed and (evidently) learning how to build a stove.

As we left, we had some leftover bricks that were still drying. I had asked him if he wanted to build a stove of his own.

He eagerly said yes.

So we left him the bricks to use. Life got busy for him and he was working in another town, back in school and enjoying Christmas and Haitian Independence Day on Jan 1.

Then something amazing …

Finally! Just after New Years! Candy sent a video of his own personal stove build in his own home!

It is difficult to explain how exciting this is.

You see, sometimes charities come up with amazing ideas that sound great to donors, but don’t really have a lot of interest for the people.

Sure people in difficult circumstances will take a new stove if it is given to them, but if you ask them to build it themselves you might discover that the great idea goes over like a lead balloon. It is simply not something people will put their own time and money into.

Candy’s stove build proves something different and so important.

How we measure success

When guys like Candy take an idea and make it there own, it means that the idea is truly helpful.

When he put in his own time and money, he did it because the stove would make his life better.

Simply stated … it works!

I am so proud of this young mans efforts – and so excited to help thousands of other Haitians in 2018. Would you join with us to make a lasting difference?

please like and share

Do what you can … Join us and Donate to make 2018 the year of change for Haitian families!

Build It Everywhere

Want to see how we built a stove for a family in Haiti?

Click and check it out!

Curious about how we built the bricks? check out Part 1 here

Merry Christmas!

Here is our version of those fireplaces you see on Netflix or Shaw TV. Sorry we don’t hire the celebrity hand to come in and stir things up, but we do have a gorgeous fire to share with you. (Hint: Go full screen!)

Thanks so much for celebrating with us at New Hope this year!

Merry Christmas

The Father’s Stove

The following was written by volunteers from our 2017 Vision Trip: Dauna Geddes and Bev Robertson

The Father

He leaves his field in the mountains to find a better future for his eight children.

Like all good fathers, Mark Robensen Lounds dreams of a good education, health care and nutritious food for each one.

The Provider

The family survives in the city of Grand Goave by growing a garden and raising goats and chickens. Their one meal a day is cooked over a three stone fire with wood gathered from the surrounding green space.

When asked what his favourite food is, he replies, “when you have no money, you don’t have a favourite food”.

He creatively finds enough food to feed his children from a small garden but can’t always provide them with the rice and bean staples they need.

The Husband

The earthquake of 2010 wipes out their home and garden and they must start over with very few resources.

In 2013 the mother and wife passes away for unknown reasons and suddenly Mark is a single father.

He is saddled with all the cares and responsibilities of a growing family, which in the Haitian culture is no easy task.

The Survivor

Challenge after challenge strikes this resilient man.

The hurricane of 2016 washes away his entire garden and all his livestock.

Once again he and his children have to begin over.

His youngest boy, named Robensen, is in charge of lighting and maintaining the cook fire in their cook hut. The thick smoke fills the air burning his eyes and making him cough.

The Bread Winner

His three eldest children need to move to the Dominican Republic for work. His five remaining children, range in age from 10-20 are going to school and living with him.

It is difficult to find full time employment so Mark takes piece-meal labour jobs in order to provide food for the family.

It is hard to work and be both father and mother to his children.

The Gracious Host

We knew nothing of this story when we first met Mark settled into his cinder block home. We discover it slowly as we make inquiries. He is quietly and graciously working with two of his daughters to prepare a Haitian meal for two of our team mates.

He and his family cook all morning. It takes time to create this delicious meal.

The Hero

Mark and his family were the recipients of a smokeless stove provided by New Hope School Society, made on site with local materials and with local volunteers.

It is men and women like Mark who are the heroes of our work. They are the ones who are actively building their families and communities in the middle of terrible circumstances.

We are the sidekicks.

Privileged to work alongside of these heroes. Doing what we can to support their investments into their communities.

Mark was thankful to have a stove that reduced the amount of smoke his family had to breath. His children will be healthier and happier.

Life will be a little easier.

Mark’s only expressed concern with the stove is his sadness that his neighbours were not able to have one as-well.

The Partner

Perhaps you want to help Mark write the next chapter in his story …

Are you the partner we need to put more stoves in Mark’s community? It doesn’t take much, A charitable donation of $30 would help us to equip the local leaders that are building stoves in Grand Goave and beyond.

Will you join Mark as he continues to write his story?

Click here to say “Yes, I’ll partner with Mark in Haiti!”

Build It Anywhere

Have you ever heard of a smokeless stove? Here is how you can build one (anywhere) even in Victoria, BC, Canada

Cultural Idioms – Every Culture has Something to Say

No matter where you travel around the planet, every community, culture and country has insider language. These are the cultural idioms that every traveller needs to learn if they want to sound like someone “who knows the score”

So as a traveller if you want to “hit it out of the park” then all you need to do is “buckle down” and “put your nose to the grindstone” for the task ahead. Are you the “one in a million” who can understand each one of these cultural idioms. “Don’t pass the buck” give it a shot and see if you can ace this test!

Here is a great list

check out all the various world idioms – see how many you can get from the list

Every culture has something to say from Mark Crocker

Cultural idioms fade and bloom

Wherever there are human beings who talk to one another, we form poetic and short-form language. It is easier to say “we made it by the skin of our teeth” and not going into a long explanation about traffic backup. Our idioms sound normal to us, but to a visitor, they sound foreign and sometimes a little crazy … After all, what kind of teeth would have skin on them?

If you are working hard to be a polyglot, you need to excel at language. It sure helps if you listen to and learn the local idioms.

Did I miss any of your particular favourites?

Where Should I Donate? Ask a Charity these 5 questions

It is just about Giving Tuesday, that means that someone has probably recently asked you for a donation. Unless you don’t care very much about others you are probably asking yourself “Where should I donate?”There are plenty of good options: Are you supporting socks for the homeless, christmas gifts for kids, or are you buying a goat for someone on the other side of the world?

How do you choose where to give?

Once you have narrowed it down from the thousands of charities you could support, it helps to ask these 5 questions:

1. What difference are they trying to make?

Any charity should be able to answer this question in a single tweet. If they don’t know then don’t feel obligated to help

2. How do they do it?

There are many ways to do something. Do you like how they choose to work and are their activities all directed to the same goal?

3. How does the charity keep score?

What do they use to measure their success? Are they making a difference and how do they know?

4. Where are the stories?

Everything sounds great in planning, but what does it look like in reality. Vague plans are not as helpful as real stories from real people.

5. How much do they spend on overhead?

Too much is terrible, but so is too little! What does the overhead cover and is it worth it?

Around here we are interested in the work of New Hope Schools Society. The plan for smokeless stoves in Haiti is simple and will make a lasting difference for thousands of people.

Wherever you are tomorrow, plan to make a donation. Put your money into something greater than yourself and make a difference

Happy Giving Tuesday!

Harry Potters Mom Hates Orphanages

I hear that J K Rowling is upset about orphan tourism. She started a tweet battle and let everyone know that we need to stop seeing orphans as a person you should go travel to hold. She has a point. There are terrible things that are done to orphans both in magical make believe worlds and more importantly in the real world we share

Rowling tweeted: “Globally, poverty is the no. 1 reason that children are institutionalised. Well-intentioned Westerners supporting orphanages…perpetuates this highly damaging system and encourages the creation of more institutions as money magnets,”

She is taking a stand – and it is a good one. She has a certain perspective – a good perspective … but her good intentions might hurt more than they help.

Here is the problem

Her opposition to an outsiders sweeping generalities because of good intentions for the care of children is (wait for it) sweeping generalities by JK Rowlings good intentions as an outsider.

(It could be ironic that I probably just stated a sweeping generalization about the good intentions of JK Rowling …)

Again – I think she is right. Institutionalization of children is a practice we have basically stopped in the developed world, why do we import this practice internationally?

Opposition doesn’t change much

The problem I have with her tweet is the focus on demonizing the very people who are most interested in solving the problem.

Complaining that well-intentioned westerners who support orphanages is the major source of the problem is wrong. It is too easy to pick on someone who at least is trying. A lot easier to play quarterback from the couch

Everyone loves to talk about how they would do it if they were in charge, but few take charge.

By blaming and focusing on well-intentioned westerners, she re-inforced the stereotype that nothing works and we should just get everyone out of the development business as quickly as possible.

Another conversation about orphan tourism is possible

What if we didn’t just focus on the good intentions of people involved in orphan tourism?

What about focusing on badly intentioned westerners who take resources from nations that need them desperately

Or more importantly

What about focusing attention on oblivious and uninterested westerners who have no idea that the very resources that power their cell phones are part of a globally unequal trade. That some places on the planet are unliveable for the people who were unfortunate enough to be born there.

Try this instead

Asking hard questions to the people who are trying and suggesting we should pause before we start a project to help.

That’s good.

If you blame people who are trying, and tell them how they are doing a terrible job long enough, eventually those people might just decide it’s not worth it. They give up.

That’s terrible.

I think JK’s tweet is a challenge to the idealistic who make mistakes (huge ones!). But to much of a challenge is discouraging. I would rather push hard to encourage better engagement.

Let’s joyously lead people who want to hug orphans and show them to engage in much more informed ways.

There are better ways – Even for Harry’s Mom.

Mark Crocker

What development 2.0 models should we celebrate more often?

Development Goals and the Cool Factor

When you think about it, we all want to be cool. Women wear painful high heels to look good, men wrap a noose (tie) around our neck to feel powerful. Fashion trumps comfort when we head out on the town. We upgrade our phone, not because it is broken but because it is a generation behind the latest and greatest. That is why your development goals also need to be super-cool.

We all know it is somewhat ridiculous, vain and self-centred … and totally human. This is a universal feeling for everyone on the planet. That everyone, also includes the materially poor.

That is why international aid programs that allow people to feel cool – work a lot better than those that just pay attention to a problem.

Why Cool Matters (a lot)

Programs are started every day in places where there is perpetual poverty. They might be started by well-meaning outsiders who see the horrible states of infection of malaria, or STIs and want to change the terrible stats of unemployment.

Even as outsiders, we KNOW these are the major issues that the community wants to face.

But, when we jump in gung-ho-style with our great solutions, we are shocked by the lack of interest.

Local people know that the problem exists, they might even agree with your solution, but it is frustrating to find out that people won’t just quickly change everything just because you told them to.

That’s when we can blame the people.

We can focus on the people who are not doing what we say they should do. We grow mad at how they are not contributing to the success of our program. Unchecked, this can lead to a racist sense of superiority. “My development goals would have totally worked if they had just listened to me!”

It is easy to forget that the problem may be more complex than our simple solution. An example might be a lot closer (and uncomfortable) than you think.

In fact, we deal with the exact same issue at home.

A human-sized problem

At home we also have serious problems. To name a few, obesity, depression, heart disease and diabetes are all fine examples.

We also have unlimited information to cure those problems.

Fashion magazines and Hollywood celebrities promise miracle cures
Your doctor will always advise you to try and lose that 20 lbs …
Entire forests have been harvested to write up peer-reviewed studies about better nutrition.

There is no lack of information about the problem and what we need to do.

The Solution is not the Solution

In the end, everyone knows we should “eat less and exercise more” and many (not all) of our health problems would disappear overnight.

But knowing the solution and doing the solution are different things

Shame and guilt doesn’t work to get people to change, it is hard to keep motivated to eat less and exercise more

So where does it work?

If you convince people to get together in a cool new gym. When you make it a club, a place to meet friends and listen to good music. When you gather people together in community … something interesting happens.

The side-effect is that by making it fun to gather together, you can watch a bunch of those health problems start to disappear.

People say they want to lose weight and be healthy, but they are much more interested in being part of movement and a community.

To be in the ‘in-group’.

If you want your development goals to work … don’t forget to be cool.

Interested? Intrigued? I was inspired by this article and you might want to check it out: https://medium.com/…/turning-maslow-s-hierarchy-on-its-head…

Think that the guy in post pic looks super fly? I bet you will like this short 5 min documentary by Guiness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2O5yfw20Yg

Do you think that fashion impacts the success of your development goals or not?

How to Understand Racism in Canada

Is racism killing black people in the US? I hope not, and as a Canadian, it is easy to pat myself on the back about our lack of racism when we watch our American neighbours implode every weekend with news about cops shooting another black kid. It made me wonder how racism in Canada affects me?

I was visiting family in Newfoundland when I began chatting with my father’s uncle, Bruce. That’s when I found out I was an Indian. It was a surprise.

(more…)

15 easy tips for what to pack in a carry on

When I travel, I only carry travel-on luggage. I never lose my bag. It saves me a tonne of time when I get to skip the luggage carousel. And now that most airlines charge you to check a bag, it also saves me money. If you want to know how to save time and money, this is all you need to know for what to pack in a carry-on.

1. Size Matters:

Get the largest size carry-on luggage (that still fits in the sizing device!) Soft-sided with an expandable zipper is best so you can always cram another sweater in.

(more…)

Bob Geldof is Pimping the Poor.

“Do they know it’s Christmas?” That is the lyric of the Bob Geldof song. The song he sang with a bunch of celebrities 30 years during the BandAid concert to raise funds and awareness about starving people in Africa. He is trying to do it again for Ebola but this time lots of people are telling him that he should know better than pimping the poor.

In 1984 Bob Geldof decided to tell people about one of the greatest disasters of his time. The famine in Ethiopia was staggering and countless people were dying. Bob raised an amazing amount of money for a problem that the world was trying hard to ignore. I have to heartily applaud him.

The problem is that he is trying to do it again.

Why is this a problem? There is still a need. Poverty and disease are still problems. The West/North/Developed world still has no clue about Africa and needs to be made aware (my recent experiment proved that point)

Bob you asked if Africans know it is Christmas?

Coptic Christians in Egypt (an African nation) recall that Jesus spent his first two birthdays in Africa. There are 2.5 times more Christians in Nigeria alone than the entire population of Canada. In fact, the majority religion of many African nations is Christianity. I dare say that they all know about Christmas. Bob, the song sure sounds condescending.

“where nothing ever grows, no rain or rivers flow, do they know it’s Christmas at all?”

Bob I know you didn’t start BandAid to educate Africans about December 25 on the calendar. You sang the song to collect money for a country of starving people and you succeeded. Shouldn’t I just thank you and move on? So much good came out of it!

A lot has changed since that first song.

What is the last image you remember from a charity that works with the poor? If they work in Africa it might be a poor black kid and his mother in front of a dirty hovel of a house. A white person stands there with a gift in hand and the child’s face lights up with a tremendous smile.

The irony is that donors give a lot of money because of those kind of pictures. Aid agencies know this and take more of those kinds of pictures. This ultimately means they make money from the exploitation of children and women.

Mr. Geldof, it is called poverty porn.

Or pimping the poor. And as offensive as those terms sound, it is even more offensive to be made to feel like you are the needy subject of pity. An agency in Norway gives ‘awards‘ out to the worst offenders of this kind of advertising. We need to stop this kind of thinking.

Mr. Geldof, the world has changed since you first sang that song. Aid work has come a long way. Development workers have tried to get rid of the earlier paternalism that lead them to fixing other people. Some people have discovered that people in Africa are not a single faceless needy horde. I appreciate the first time you sang us the song, but it is time for a change.

Pimpin’ ain’t easy.

It is really easy is to criticize others. I find it a lot easier to find fault with someone else than to create something better. Bob, I don’t want to be your critic because it is the boring way to avoid the adventure of getting involved. I don’t ever want to stand by and take shots, or worse, make snide comments about you in a poorly read blog.

I also don’t have your ability to call even one artist, let alone pull an international cadre of superstars together. I don’t have anyone’s phone numbers. But Bob, I do think you still could do something that might make a real difference. Here is my unsolicited advice.

How to Stop Pimping the Poor

Bob Geldof if this ever reaches you, I think your motive is probably right but you need to reconsider your method. Think about your own life. At your personal poorest would you have wanted to be described as a “victim of poverty” or would you rather be seen as an “aspiring talented musician”? The same goes for everyone. Don’t describe people by what they don’t have or don’t know, rather describe them by what they hope to be.

If you wouldn’t want it said about yourself and your kids don’t say it about African mothers and fathers and their kids.

Pull off the BandAid fast (it hurts less) and use the old song but co-opt it. Be subversive. Reverse the storyline.
Show Africans in positions of power and have them sing as ridiculous a song to all of your celebrities.
Have fun with the fact that the 30-year-old song is maudlin tripe.
Let everyone know you are in on the joke.
… and yes, please raise a tonne of money, we need you to use the drawing power of your A-list celebrity friends. I will be first in line to donate.

In short. Please Exploit the song. Not the Africans.

Thanks for listening Bob.

If you could talk to Bob Geldof, what creative advice would you give him?

Mark Crocker

I knew people would be upset, but you will NEVER guess what made people mad.

Last week I started up a war. I wrote a controversial post about the country of Africa and said that due to bad press because of the Ebola media hoopla, I was going to share some “lesser known facts” so people could understand the ‘real Africa’. I wrote a blog post. A lot of people complained when I said Africa is a country. It struck a nerve.

So why did I say that Africa is a country when I knew it was not true? It was all a joke of course. I know that Africa is an ancient city-state stretched along an enormous archipelago of 15 large and hundreds of smaller islands just off the western coast of India. For reference purposes, I have included a quick sketch of that fabled land (not to scale):

Why did I write the post? I had some noble reasons: I wanted to break stereotypes, stop the ‘poor African’ storyline, and to share a conversation with a wide audience, the same conversation I have shared with plenty of Africans over the years.

I also wrote the article to have a little fun and I figured more people might read it.

There was a method to the madness, but if I am honest, it wasn’t until I saw the comments on Facebook or Twitter that I really understood what I had written. In the middle of the backlash one small niggling fact really stuck out for me. I learned a lot from it.

Clues

First of all, if you missed it, go read it and then come back here. I can wait.

In my post I tried to give plenty of cues that I was writing satire. I kept repeating that Africa is a country, and then wrote something else equally silly. Most caught the hints. If you were just skim-reading you may have missed what I was trying to say. Here are the clues I tried to leave:

I gave my article a sensational over-the-top title like the headlines that flood my Facebook stream.
I made sure that every single sentence I wrote was ridiculous or wrong, or both.
I made up absurd facts. Some were so crazy I thought that I had gone too far.
I used the most condescending language I could think of
I made up senseless quotes from imaginary people.
Each of my links in the post actually told the exact opposite story.
I kept the ruse going. I played an arrogant jerk or a clueless idiot in my Facebook responses when people reacted.

The Country of Africa — “up to your usual jackassery”

Africa is a Country: The reaction

I got a lot of confusing “WTF!?!” type responses. A number of people tried to correct my uninformed facts. But I must say that I was personally surprised by one little thing. Most people would only scold me about the error of my title. Again and again I was told:

“Africa is a continent, not a country!”

I was surprised that with all the dumb things I said about Africa, people were mostly concerned about my geography. They ignored the bigger picture. No one questioned my condescending tone about the needy people in Africa waiting for a brave hero from the west. People were fine with the thought that volunteers should go to Africa to hold babies and give away stuff. Or that an African’s favourite sport was war. No one challenged those statements.

Why?

I am not sure, but I have suspicions. Most people got the joke of course (many Africans loved it!). But for others I wonder if it has a lot to do with how we have grown up thinking about Africa, or maybe it is about reverse racism where we elevate people unrealistically. I don’t know. All I know is that I am sure glad I wrote the article. I loved the reactions! It has definitely given me some ideas for future posts!

Enough serious reflection. Back to the funny!

One of my favourite recent videos comes from a group of students in Norway. SAIH has made some hilarious videos about this way of thinking. Do yourself a favour and please watch this genius clip! Maybe Africa is a country you can visit to save a child?

Other videos from SAIH are here on their Radi-Aid page. They are so brilliant that the only fault I can find is that I jealously wish I could have made them.

Know any other great videos like this? Share the link-love and post them in the comments below!

Mark Crocker

10 Astounding Facts about the Country of Africa (#6 will break your brain!)

The country of Africa is receiving a lot of bad press during this time of CRISIS OUTBREAK of EBOLA (the deadliest disease in recorded history). While these fears should probably be increased, I wonder if it is time to also share lesser known African facts.

I have travelled throughout the country of Africa, and while I am not an expert, I do have some experiences worth noting. Here are my views! CAUTION: although Africa is one of the world’s greatest destinations, during this deadly EBOLA outbreak, I would not recommend ANYONE to visit ANYWHERE in the country of Africa.

A little knowledge is a powerful thing – very little knowledge is the most powerful thing of all. – Nelson Malala

1. Africa is not only a big country it is a HUGE country.

A wonderful magical majestic country only slightly smaller than the USA and consisting of over 5 distinct people groups.

(more…)

How Steve Sold a Smokeless Stove That No One Knew They Needed

Sustainability is one of those buzz-words. It is right up there with gender-balance and environment. That’s the problem.It means that everyone uses the word on every single proposal. Some projects should never be intended to be sustainable at all (like all disaster relief projects). Still, sustainable language is rammed into proposals.

The alternative is donor-funding suicide.

A Test for Sustainability — The Test for Sustainability. Photo Credit: State Farm via Compfight cc

How do you know if something will actually last longer than your attention on this post? I like to use the crisis test.

Simply put, “If I get hit by a flaming meteor (or bus), does the project die with me?”

Stay with me, I have a story to tell. (more…)

The second worst way to think about the poor.

I was in the middle of a boring class and unfortunately I was the teacher.

My nightmare is to have too many people nod in agreement while I am speaking. If everyone already agrees with you, it feels comfortable like a warm hug on a sunny summer day. A great recipe if you are trying to have everyone enjoy a luxurious long nap.

Bloody terrible for a memorable teaching moment.

How do you think about the poor?

The people in front of me were preparing to get involved in poverty reduction. They figured that they knew more about poverty and travel than 90% of their friends and family and they were used to being the experts. They were not yet practitioners, but they knew the language, they understood the stats, they had made some visits. Everyone in the room identified with the poor. They felt their pain.

The problem was everyone in the room thought they already ‘got’ what I was teaching.

I was talking about how many people think about the poor. How we see their needs more than we see them as people. The students were nodding in agreement with me. It was terrible.

This is one of the toughest groups to train. People who quickly agree with you have invariably mentally checked out. I could read the thoughts coming from some of their heads, “I hope so-and-so is listening to this, THEY really need to understand!”

My friend Paul once taught me a technique I still use. Great teachers will occasionally create some tension and disagreements in the classroom. Everyone pays attention to an argument. The problem was that I couldn’t find someone to disagree with me. Everyone was being too agreeable – thus boring class. Here is a hint, if you ever find yourself falling asleep in class, vehemently disagree with the prof. It will make the time go by a lot faster!

I felt like I was becoming the kind of teacher I hated – a fool blathering about things everyone already knows.

As I tried to push people to think a little different about the poor, suddenly I caught a little break. A great student began to speak, she said “I understand the poor, I was recently spending time with some poor people and they began to complain about their poverty. So that’s when I told them “In many ways you are better off than me.’ …”

It was a perfect moment for a disagreement and I did. I responded. “Really!? If you really think that the poor are better off than you, go ahead and trade places”

How would you respond?

Would you trade places?

If you wouldn’t trade, then the poor people you are talking about are probably not really better off than you. Sure you may admire or even want some parts of their life or their community, but that is not the same as saying you are actually better off than me. That rings hollow.

That brings me to my point. The #1 worst way to think about the poor is that “The poor are victims waiting for our help“. Most international workers have learned how offensive and destructive this is.

The solution is not to try to think of the poor through the exact opposite lens. If you do, you will hit the #2 worst way to think about the poor. “The poor are magically noble.” People who have worked with the poor for a short time will say things like:

The kindest person I ever met is homeless
The poor are so noble and super inspiring
The people in [insert poor country here] are the friendliest people you will ever meet!
On the street, they really know how to give

Is it true that the poor are inspiring?

Sure, sometimes, just like any group. But I am suspicious of any sweeping generalization. Places with extreme poverty also have people who want to manipulate and rip you off. Platitudes about the poor that ring hollow don’t help. The poor are not some second-coming of Gandhi, Buddha, Robin Hood and Jesus.

Stereotypes rip people off from real friendships

Don’t get me wrong. I understand why people want to embiggen the poor. It comes out of a healthy wish to right the wrongs. To reverse the terrible tragedy of seeing the poor as hopeless and incompetent. But sharing any simple opinion about a huge community is not helpful even if it is tries to paint them in a noble light.

To deal with poverty we must stop all one-dimensional versions of the poor. Negative and positive. The people who make a difference in poverty are the people who see the poor as ~~friends~~ people. Actual ~~friends~~ people. Occasionally witty, sometimes annoying. Like your friend who is always late, the one your mom likes, the one who forgets your birthday, the one who always calls you to go for lunch at the exact right moment.

People we want to share our lives with. Real. People. Just like you or me.

Have you ever been guilty of talking about the poor in unhealthy noble terms? What has been the result?

5 things that you might think taste like chicken but really don’t

“Tastes like chicken” – thats what people say when they try something new. In my travel I have eaten plenty of unusual stuff – much of which certainly does not taste like chicken!

One of the best and worst things about travel is eating all kinds of strange and wonderful new things. Once you get off of the plane and away from the abomination that is airplane “food”. I try to eat local.

Nothing gives your tastebuds a workout quite like local cuisine. My favourite is the roadside stall. Since I do this a lot, I have a quick internal checklist I follow to make sure I find the best place the first time. Usually a flavour-filled portion of something exotic and tasty! Read through for my hints on how to eat well!

In the meantime, here are 5 things I have eaten while travelling that definitely do not taste like chicken:

5. crocodile

This was on the menu at Carnivores Restaurant in Kenya, a great restaurant if you are ever nearby. Crocodile comes roasted on a sword-like skewer, you fill your plate with as much as you like, as well as Zebra, Impala and a few other local animals. A lot of people say that crocodile tastes like chicken – I disagree. I think croc tastes like something half-way between a fish and chicken, with a rubbery texture like squid. Not sure if that sounds appetizing or not, but I would eat it again.

4. emu biltong

Biltong is basically South African beef jerky. An emu, like a chicken, is also a flightless bird but thats where the comparison ends. An Emu is huge like an ostrich and is a red meat. It tastes a lot wilder. Like venison. Perfect for those long hikes through the African bush when you are tracking game

3. pigs ears

I ate them in China at a special Szechuan restaurant. Fish heads, green spicy peppers that numb the mouth, heaps of dry red chilies, and pigs ears. I am not sure why this fancy restaurant was serving pigs ears but I dug in with my chopsticks, took a bite, then surprised my hosts when I went back for more. i would compare the taste of Pigs ears to the tendon in a big delicious bowl of Vietnamese Pho. If you haven’t tried Pho you are missing out on one of the best meals on the planet.

2. caterpillars

I had heard that Zambians ate caterpillars and I was curious. I was staying overnight at a Zambians home and asked what they were like. Luckily they had some in the cupboard! The next thing I know is that the frying pan was out and caterpillars were popping in the hot grease. The verdict? Delicious! Seriously you should try them if you ever have the opportunity. They tasted like a mixture of popcorn and peanuts. I can see them taking over the menu at hockey games.

1. chicken

I was in South Africa and the cook came out with some beautiful pieces of fried chicken. It looked great crispy, big pieces, juicy and hot. I took a bite and there was a sudden strange disconnection. I looked a little more closely, I thought this was chicken, but it sure tasted like fish. But what fish has a drumstick? It was only later that I found out that this chicken was raised on fish meal. A very strange combination and I must admit not one I wish to try again. The chicken tasted exactly like crocodile.

How to eat well when traveling to non-tourist destinations:

So if you stuck around through my 5 meals that don’t taste like chicken, here is my quick guide to getting great eats:

Find the place that looks the busiest by locals.
Ignore the place with the English sign in places that does not normally speak English
Sit down elbow to elbow with a crowd on a rusty bench
Look around you at the good looking things that other people are eating.
Order one of those
You will eat well, you won’t pay much money.
Even if you don’t like it (rare) you won’t pay much money, so try something else!
You may not want to ask for a translation of what you just ate

Share the exotic meal you ate that definitely didn’t taste like chicken?

9 simple hacks to speed your way through airport security

We stand like cattle, shuffling forward, penned in by keepers in blue blazers, turn and turn again, awaiting the next stop.

Photo Credit: Kris Krug via Compfight cc

As I walked towards the departures gate I saw a long line and a short line. The short line had the Global Entry logo and I knew my Nexus card would get me through. My moment of happiness turned bitter as the security guard pointed to the TSA pre clearance logo.

Confused? So was I.

Anyways the guard at the line certainly wasn’t letting me through.

I returned to my line-up and my novel. Everyone needs a book when they travel. The line shuffled a step forward. After twenty long minutes of snaking back and forth I heard an urgent voice over my shoulder.

“Excuse me. I’m late. Do you mind if I cut in front?”

He looked frantic. I let him pass. No big deal. Everyone else in line agreed with a few quiet grumbles “why didn’t he get here early like the rest of us?” He reached the head of the line. At that moment the gate agent, who told me off a moment before, began to strut his authority. Something he clearly enjoyed.

“Sir.” He shouted for all to hear. “There is a line for a reason. Come with me.”

He beckoned, and marched the man back to the beginning of the line. The man protested. Explained he had an international flight in 20 minutes. Explained how he had asked each of us for permission.

I get it

The reality is that I have been in the latecomers shoes before. Sometimes I have been late due to my own forgetfulness – it happens. More often I have been late because my connecting flight was delayed, my bag was the last off of the carousel, or I was stopped at the police roadblock. Interruptions are as normal to travel as sushi in Vancouver and traffic in Toronto

The agent stood firm in his polyester jacket and laminated badge of authority. By then the crowd in the line had heard enough. Initial grumbles turned to shouts of support for the latecomer. A few in the line mumbled comments about the moral character of the gate agents mother. Sensing an uprising the agent relented and the man walked to the front of the line once more.

I hope he made his flight, but he probably hit another line up at his gate.

Lining up like airplane cattle is tedious. Here are some clues on how to make it through a security checkpoint as fast as anyone with a million aeroplane points.

Check out the tips!

1. Get a Nexus Card. If you live in North American you might want to give a foreign government all of your information (Canada shares with American and vice versa) in order to get the card. You will feel like a travel princess as you are escorted to the front of the line in border crossings across North America.

2. Pack Carry-on Only. People who don’t have to wait for luggage get to the next line-up earlier. I can pack enough in carry-on for just about any trip. If you have clothes for 10 days or so, you should be fine, people in other countries do laundry too. Get yours done.

3. Pick the right line. If you have a choice, choose the lineup filled with businessmen and businesswomen. They have been there before and will often move more quickly than a shorter line (especially if the shorter line has children or people wearing flip-flops and shorts).

4. Wear light shoes. They are more comfortable on the plane, probably don’t have metal in them so you can wear them through the x-ray machine, and if you have to take them off it won’t take long to put them back on.

5. Get to know your clothes. Jackets and sweaters always must be taken off so don’t wear them if you don’t have to. Some belt buckles set off the detector and others don’t – if the line up is not long, keep your belt on and see if it will pass. It will save you time in the future if it does. Don’t wear a shirt with metal buttons.

6. Keep your fluids on the outside. You know that zippered compartment at the top of your carry-on bag? That is where you should put your 100 ml containers in their clear plastic baggie. A quick zip and you have them in the tray. No need to open anything.

7. Empty pockets early. Coins, phone, wallet, earphones, and everything in your pockets can go into your carry-on while you are waiting in the line-up. Don’t put it in the bin to be spilled as trays and passengers pile up.

8. Walk through the detector and keep moving. If you did not hear a beep you don’t need to wait for the security guard with the wand. Immediately walk over to get your stuff from the x-ray machine.

9. When security picks you! Don’t worry it is probably some metal thing you have in your bag that looks a bit unusual. Tell them: 1. “Yes, this is my bag” and 2. “Yes, you have my permission to take a look inside” and 3. if you know what the thing probably is “Can I show you what I think it is?” Spend the time they are searching putting back on your belt, and putting stuff back in your pockets. (If they are being power-hungry you can ask them to put your bag back together as well)

Granted none of these suggestions will save you a lot of time on their own, but all together they add up. Also, when you do these things, security will recognize that you have been here before and they might even treat you like a real human being!

What secrets can you share for getting through security as fast as possible?

Mark Crocker

Do not be the change you want to see

Have you ever tried to corral a group of friends and come up with a plan. What do we want for lunch? What movie do you want to see? Should we go camping for the long weekend? It could be anything but when you get 5 or 6 friends together it gets tough to make a decision on something simple. Imagine something hard:

“Hey friends, want to start a successful business together? “

Getting all your friends on the same page is not easy, add something as complicated as a new business and finding a way to agree just got a whole lot worse! That is why I think it is naïve and maybe even unhelpful when I hear people ask ‘why aren’t these poor people collecting together and collaborating to make their lives better’

“It’s naïve to say poor people should just collect together to make their lives better”

Liz is a woman I trained who is volunteering in Zambia. Energetic and adventurous only begins to describe this retired Dutch-direct woman. She started her work with a child program for a year and went back for a second year to continue with a group of 5-6 widows and single mothers. Her agenda was simple – Connections and support for the women. They would cook together and chat over a meal, sharing laughter and tears at the table.

As Liz walked deeper into the stories of her friends she saw the everyday hard decisions of poverty. She wanted to step in and lend a hand. She talked to the group and suggested that maybe they should start a business together. Liz had her retirement income and she thought she could swing a small loan.

Noble intentions.

When she told me the news I felt really uneasy. I have seen this kind of well-intentioned solution way too often. It usually ends in pain – for the donor and the recipients.

“Want to REALLY help? Give up on the romance that the #poor are waiting to hear your great idea.”

The idea is out there that no one in the village has thought of working together before and they need a visitor to arrive with plans for them to happily share a business together. This way of thinking romanticizes people. The local culture may certainly be a lot more collaborative than yours, but it sure doesn’t mean that they are all going into business together. Do you have the free time to find a group of five friends and start a new business? Think of how tough that would be.

What business do we start?
What do we need to buy?
Who is in charge?
Who does what?
How much do we chip in?
When can you work?
What’s fair?
Who bankrolls this?
Where will the profits go?

And another 1000 practical questions

Getting into business with friends is a recipe for complication.

I wanted to warn Liz about these questions, but since I was travelling all I had time for was to send her a strong email, written directly to her, asking her to hold on! I gave her some rushed quick points and asked if we could meet soon.

Liz told me that she read my email and suddenly saw the trouble she was getting into. She certainly didn’t want this project to end up totally dependent on the outsider. She wanted to change her plans but felt bad that she had already promised money. As a woman of strong faith she prayed and decided to lay her cards on the table.

She did something awful.

Liz opened up my email to her and read it to the group. When she told me this I felt terrible. I hadn’t known she was going to read my email out loud. I certainly would have written it differently if I knew I was directly communicating with her friends.

When Liz and I later talked, Liz laughed. She told me that my fears were unfounded. The meeting went really well. The women even told Liz that they had wanted to talk to her about the same questions that I had raised but they didn’t want to offend her. They liked her too much.

In the end Liz read my suggestion that the women start a savings group together. The women discussed and agreed. Each of them decided to pitch in a little each week, and at the end of the month one woman would get the cash, enough to fund a personal project.

Then Liz did something great!

Liz asked them to consider how much they could save each week and did something really helpful. She didn’t suggest an amount. The next time they met Liz discovered the women were saving double what she had assumed they could. They drew names and at the end of a month, Brendah received the group savings of $200. She immediately put it into buying more handbags to sell at her stall in the local market. No committee meetings. No profit-sharing. Just a hard-working woman who is building her business.

Every month, another woman receives her group savings cash and expands her own business. Some women are fixing their homes and shops, others are buying more stock to sell, others pay school fees and build up their sewing businesses. Community collaboration is vital for development. Unless it is the wrong kind (lead by an outsider)

Our solutions are easy – we think about them every day. Sustainability is hard. To be successful we must restrain ourselves. Maybe as outsiders we need “to not be the change we want to see in the community”

Did this post influence you? If so, tell me why in the comments below.

Mark Crocker

——————————————————–

PS. This is the email I wrote to Liz, unedited.

hi Liz,

thanks for the further detail … I love the heart you have to engage and appreciate the wealth of experience you have with the women in the room.

I want to give you some principles of a good project as this is a critical phase to begin well. There are many people who start these kinds of projects and the high majority of them fail. I want you to succeed, so here are some principles to keep in mind.

i would encourage you NOT to be the one who holds the money and gives the loan. Instead, I would do the training and ask if they would like to do a program like this. the unspoken thought if you hold the money is that a foreigner needs to be involved to really make this work. Good, sustainable development puts this back in the hands of the local people each and every time.

secondly, I would suggest it is very important that the project is owned by an individual, not the group. If a group owns it, the group will commonly consider the project somewhat outside of themselves. failure and success are not as important to a group as blame for the failure can be put on something outside of oneself. the worst possible outcome would for the project to be seen as your project. This is what we see with projects all over Africa … “That is Unicefs well..”, “That is ERDOs chicken farm…” for a project to be successful, it must be owned locally.

Do not start them out. Let the group build up savings together in order to build trust and anticipation – and most importantly long range project planning where there is a real risk for failure and lost money. Even a failed project that is owned localy is good for a person, as they tend to be a lot more cautious with how they plan for the next opportunity. If failure is not a very real option, in such a way that it will affect the people personally, the project probably does not have local ownership.

Finally – realize that your suggestions are not suggestions. As the richest person in the room, they are heard with Biblical weight. IF Donald Trump ‘suggested‘ a business opportunity to you, you would probably pay very close attention and ignore your other plans, because you know that he is very financially successful. You are the Donald Trump to these women!

These concepts are not from me, but are the results of hundreds of thousands of others who are attempting this work around the world. The principles I am suggesting are proven and I encourage you to slow the process to do the research on how to faciliate an implementation with the ladies you are partnering with.

In short:

1. you cannot be in charge of anything (suggesting a project to do, or even holding the money at your home)

2. have the individuals come up with individual plans (they can collect money together), and let the project fail or succeed

3. Dont suggest options – let people make up their own mind on what to do entirely. fight the urge to suggest.

I am gone to Japan and Philippines for a few weeks, perhaps we can find a moment to chat after?

Mark Crocker

Did this post influence you? If so, tell me why in the comments below.

Is It Ignorant to Ask “Where Are You REALLY From?”

I was once called by a survey company. I began to busily give my opinion about whatever it was that interested them. As we neared the end, the interviewer needed to know some demographic information and he asked me “Where are you from?”

“Canada” I replied.

“But what is your background, where are you from?”

“I am Canadian.” I asserted.

He then asked where I was originally from.

I replied that I was an 8th generation Canadian (at the time, I didn’t know I was also Status Native). He was really stumped…

(more…)

Only have $2 to help the poor? This might be the best way

I was training a group in Toronto. All of them were on their way overseas to go work in countries where poverty is the norm. They all want to help the poor. The question is what helps?

That’s when I surprised them with a strange social experiment.

I asked the group to do a crazy social experiment where they were to give away a toonie at a time to three unique people. They were not allowed to explain why, they simply had to give $2 to three separate people. To make it interesting they had to:

Give $2 to a person who is obviously economically poorer than you
Give $2 to a person who looks like they are at about the same economic level as you
Give $2 to a person who is obviously economically wealthier than you

Laughing a bit nervously, they fanned out across the city and bravely attempted. Later when we debriefed the experience I asked them how it went, I thought the responses were surprising!

The Poor

Everyone said that it was easy to give money to people who looked poorer than them. People simply gave to pan-handlers who were already asking for money. When they gave the $2, the people who received looked them in the eye and said thank-you or God Bless.

It was a pretty natural exchange. The gift felt good and kind.

The Same

The story changed when people tried to give money to people at the same economic level. People who were offered the money were guarded and surprised. The donors raised a few eyebrows. They were asked ”What is this for?” and “Why are you giving me this?”.

The general response was perplexed wonder and confusion. Recipients laughed and gave the givers a double-take, shaking their heads at the craziness of the situation. The gift felt odd.

The Rich

It was when people tried to give money to the rich that things got really interesting. Flashes of irritation crossed people’s faces. Responses were quick and snappy, “No thanks” and “I don’t want this”. People walked away in a hurry, trying to avoid the giver.

In most cases it was almost impossible to give $2 to a rich person. The gift was an insult.

What does it mean to help the poor?

Giving money is an exceptionally powerful act. When we give money to help the poor we are setting up a powerful relationship. Money is power. And the act of giving money conveys power to the giver. This relationship with money affects us in deep ways:

the giver is benevolent, the receiver should be grateful.
the giver is kind, the receiver is needy
the giver is good, the receiver should learn from them

Giving $2 to a homeless person reminds us that we are noble. We are re-affirmed and thanked. When we disrupt this story (by giving money to the non-poor) we create tension. It breaks down this story. This is a good thing.

Poverty needs you in power.

If we continue to find immediate gratification by giving to an person who can thank us. We will continue to reinforce the power structure that poverty requires. Don’t believe me? Do one of two things:

Just go and try to give some money away to a rich person yourself.
Or sit on the corner and beg for money for 30 minutes

So what should you do with that $2 in your pocket the next time you want to help the poor? You may just try giving it to a person in a BMW. This kind of giving will change your perception of how money affects you as a giver just as much as it does the receiver.

Until we change how we give, we won’t be able to understand how others need to receive.

$2 per day per person, is the average of the national poverty lines for all developing countries.

Never believe that your $2 doesn’t make a difference. It makes a powerful difference in people’s lives.

Did this post intrigue you? If so, tell me why in the comments below.

Mark Crocker

How to reduce the threat of militants who are trying to kill you

My brother was working in Pakistan, in an area where terrorist attacks have become commonplace. He was there to aid the local people rebuild after some devastating mudslides had torn up their homes, communities and lives. While he was helping, militants were actively looking for ways to kill people who look like my brother. It was and still is a dangerous place. Thankfully he made it back home safely and I recently asked him what he considered the secret to his safety.

I too have felt the results of war a few times – In the Palestinian territories as I talked to the soldier in Bethlehem square, blocks of concrete whistled past my head at a guard post. The soldier clicked his gun off safety and ran towards the youth. Later that same trip as I walked up a hill to find a moment to myself, my persistent guide began to shout for my attention. I ignored his cries until I heard him say “They are shooting up there!” I decided to turn around.

Driving the shooting gallery

I have worked in a war zone in DRCongo, the longest running war in the world with a death toll of over a 1,000,000 people in the last 20 years. I most remember the striking image of the rocket launcher slung across the shoulder of the militant. She was there to protect me I was told. I missed a border crossing and had to run the hazardous trail from Bukavu to Burundi in the afternoon – the time when the local militias got trigger happy. My friend, Raha, kept calling and checking in every moment he could reach us by cell phone, frightened for my safety.

In the grand scheme of risk, my stories do not share the same drama that others have faced. Much more horrible things happen to international workers. I got a call from a volunteer within hours of the moment when he held a man as he bled to death. A construction accident on a job site building a children’s home.

The equipment burst in his hands, sending a shard into his heart.

There is real danger in travel.

Most development takes place in places where there are greater dangers than home. Disease. The Environment. and Armed Men With Guns all play a part.

Back to my brother in Pakistan. He was surrounded by razor wire, and high fences. The guards on the compound carried guns. There were protocols and procedures. Safe areas and meeting points. Still that is never enough. He let me know his secret to personal safety, the same one I use.

He got to know the neighbours.

Like most of life, the secret is relationships

He dropped in often to the neighbour next door. He brought over food. Learned the names of the kids. He drank endless cups of tea. He asked questions about their lives. He shared his own experiences. In short he became a neighbour, not a foreigner.

After getting to know them, at one point he asked about the dangers of local militants, “What should I do if something bad happens?” His neighbour pointed out how the neighbourhood worked, the narrow streets that felt so confining also held an advantage. The houses were all close together for a reason. He told him, “if ever you are feeling in danger get on your roof – jump over the gap to our house – we will shelter you.”

When surrounded by danger, no amount of protective razor wire or fire-power is as powerful as the protection of a neighbourhood. The first step to safety is to become a fellow human begin and get to know the neighbours.

Have you ever been in a dangerous situation?

Mark Crocker

Photo Credit: gfairchild via Compfight cc