« February 2006 | Main | April 2006 »
March 29, 2006
Women in Burkina Faso
On the way down from Gorom-Gorom back down to Ouagadougou during my recent visit to Burkina Faso, we bumped into various celebrations of International Women's Day. This is a day to commemorate the contributions of women in society, as well as to highlight the inequalities, oppression, and violence still suffered by many women around the world.
Women's Rights and Equality
The previous president of Burkina, the radical Thomas Sankara, was a big supporter of equality for women, and he banned female circumcision, condemned polygamy, and promoted contraception. Women's Day was a big deal. On that day, women stayed at home, while the men had to do the shopping and cooking. Unfortunately, the women got really upset about it because the men had no idea of prices and ended up paying up far too much for stuff at market!
There has been progress in many areas for women in Burkina - women have equal rights by law, and the government has campaigned vigorously against early and forced marriage, fgm etc. But, in rural areas in particular, where traditional customs dominate and awareness of legal rights are minimal, such laws are difficult to enforce, and reports show that women continue to suffer inequality and violence. In such areas, social and cultural factors negatively impact levels of female school enrolment, inheritance, custody of children, land ownership, access to work and finance, and political decision-making.
Famous Burkinabe Women
In the towns and cities, opportunities are increasingly available for women, and many are making use of them. Here is a list of some successful women from Burkina Faso. Fanta Regina Nacro is a film director from Tenkodogo, whose 2004 film "La Nuit de Verite" (The Night of Truth) has won several prizes. "Mai" Lingani is a popular singer, who divides her time between Burkina and New York, and whose band Burkina Electric, will be playing at the Ouagadougou Jazz Festival this year.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso women travel women's day sahel
March 26, 2006
More photos from my trip to Burkina Faso
More friends from Gorom-Gorom and Boukouma.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso gorom-gorom travel fulani photos sahel
March 25, 2006
Watch out, Harry Potter - Sophie's Coming !
Harry had better be on his guard. The next “big thing” could be just around the corner and about to dethrone him:
Yes, the time is rapidly drawing near for the publication of the first book in the series of “Sophie and the Albino Camel” by Steve Davies. A wonderful children's (8+) story, set in Burkina Faso, it tells of the adventures of a young girl (Sophie) and her albino camel (Chobbal).
You can actually read a chapter of the book online at Steve’s website Voice in the Desert. The story follows Sophie and her friend Gidaado, as they set out from Gorom-Gorom into the vast Sahara desert on the albino camel, Chobbal.
You can also order your copy of "Sophie and the Albino Camel" from Amazon, for immediate delivery on its publication on 6 April.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso harry potter children's books camel books literature sahara
March 23, 2006
Fighting the water-beast in Burkina Faso
There was notable enthusiasm in two Fulani villages I visited during my time in Burkina Faso - Moussa's village of Yengerentou, and Yusufi's village. The reason for the excitement was that in both places, pumps that had been broken down were now repaired.
The lack of a ready source of clean water means either a walk - usually for the women - of several miles to the next pump - which will of course then be twice as crowded. Or, a return to the closer, unclean supplies of hand-dug wells or lakes. Dirty water is the source of many life-threatening diseases, including diarrhoea, hepatitis, cholera, typhoid, and schistosomiasis.
On a previous visit to Yusufi's village, our clean water had run out, and the water had not yet arrived from the distant pump. One of our number thus resorted to filtering the local water through his turban to try and remove the worst of the impurities, including the dreaded Guinea Worm. Guinea Worm is a horrible little worm. Once inside, the worm can grow up to 2-3ft long, and will then eventually emerge through the skin on the feet. It is very painful, and can incapacitate someone for 2-3 months - or more if if gets infected. As this usually happens during the rainy season, when work is needed in the fields, it is disastrous. You don't want to get Guinea Worm. The Burkina Faso government has a vigorous campaign encouraging people to use clean water supplies, where possible, and to filter water otherwise (hence the turban).
Yesterday was World Water Day. 1 in 5 of the world's population still lack access to clean water. Remember these stories when you turn on the tap, or complain about not being able to use the garden sprinkler because of a water shortage.
So, everyone was happy that their pumps were working well. The one in Yengerentou was busy - pumps become a social place of meeting and laughter, as everyone waits their turn. We used to collect the water every day at Boukouma, and I can assure you that turning the tap on at home was never so much fun.
And in Yusufi's village, the water was clean and pure... and decidedly less chewy.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso guinea worm travel world water day water sahel disease health
March 20, 2006
The right to die...?
A man in Afghanistan is apparently on trial for conversion to Christianity, with the sentence of death hanging over him if he is found guilty.
This is the same Afghanistan that has just voted in favour of a new Human Rights Council "aiming to strengthen the world body’s machinery to promote and protect fundamental rights, and deal with major human rights offenders".
Please pray for Abdul Rahman, and for the future of human rights and freedom in Afghanistan.
Tags: afghanistan afghan human rights conversion religion christianity islam
March 18, 2006
First photos from my trip to Burkina Faso
A few friends from Gorom-Gorom, Djibo, and Boukouma. Click for larger images.
More photos, stories, and thoughts coming soon...
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso gorom-gorom travel fulani photos sahel
March 17, 2006
So what did I do?
Thanks for all your helpful comments on the article "To bribe or not to bribe..." There were some excellent responses.
So, what did I do...?
Well, I didn't pay the bribe.
As a result, I lost the bike, missed a key appointment in the afternoon, and finished the day with very sore feet and a sunburned face. The bike had to be collected and the fine paid the next day.
Burkinabe responses
Interestingly, the first reaction of almost all the Burkinabe I spoke to about it was an astonished:
"But if you'd have just given him a couple of thousand, he'd have let you go!"
"Yes, but if we keep allowing them to make us pay bribes, it will never finish!" I answered the three people in the tourist office. "How will this ever be 'la terre des hommes droits' (land of righteous men - the literal meaning of Burkina Faso) if we keep agreeing to it? We need to fight corruption!" They agreed enthusiatically, though I had the impression they were humouring me somewhat.
"But now you have made yourself suffer!" commiserated the Christian guards outside an office compound. "You will have to walk in the heat, and go all the way to Patte d'Oie to get your bike back. Why didn't you just pay him?"
"It wasn't like this in the time of Sankara (the previous president)" ranted the taxi-driver. "At that time if you tried to take bribes you would be shot! And it's getting worse all the time. But what can we do...?"
"If only you'd called me on my mobile" sympathised my Christian soldier friend, "I'd have come and they'd have let you go. That's what my brother does. We understand each other, the police and us..."
"Ha!" cried the young guy at the coffee stall, "you shouldn't even have stopped. What could he have done...?"
I had the feeling that my "righteous stand" was seen as mere foolishness by all the Burkinabe. So, were they right? Maybe. I don't know, but here are a few thoughts:
It's not about me
I think I was right not to pay the bribe, since this would have been encouraging a corrupt system, by which the powerful exploit the weak for personal gain. It is not me, but the normal Burkinabe who are the true victims of this system, since they are less able to pay.
And there is the real dilemma. Was I not also supporting the system by actually paying the fine for a crime I didn’t commit? Again, I am well able to pay the fine, but what about the many other victims who are less able to?
So, are there ways of making a stand not only against paying the bribe, but against paying the fine? The option of being prepared to “hang out all afternoon” is a great one when you actually have the time. It can make a point without confrontation. Certainly, if everyone took the same personal stance, there would eventually be a change. However the police count on the fact that we rarely have that option, and the "lesser sin" might be to pay the fine rather than disrupt a working day. Sometimes we have to pick our battles.
But maybe there is also a time for confrontation. Maybe there is a time to speak up – not just for myself, but for the others. To speak up, humbly, yes, but clearly, saying that this is not right.
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy." (Pr 31:9)
I didn’t do that this time.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso bribery travel ouagadougou mission sahel corruption
March 15, 2006
I'm Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qaddafi - fly me!
Tripoli Airport
Location: the international airport at Tripoli, capital city of Libya. I am sitting in a large, characterless transit lounge, with a few brightly-lit shops around the outside that seem to be closed. In the corner is a small coffee shop, outside of which is a display cabinet laden with pastries, and piled high on top with mini tubes of Pringles.
It is about 4am, and there are barely-awake rows of West Africans, surrounded by their bags, unusually sombre on the lines of hard metal chairs. Groups of North African men are drinking coffee around the small round tables by the coffee shop. A large black departures board takes up most of one wall, flashing up departure times in red lcd, alternating between Arabic and English.
The last time I was here was in 1988. Since then Ghaddafi’s Little Green Books that covered every surface have disappeared, and now only one large poster of the great leader smiles down at us from above the transit desk.
Leaving Burkina
I am on my way back to the UK at the end of my three weeks in Burkina Faso.
At Ouagadougou airport, there was concern when they tried to process my ticket as I checked in at the desk of the Libyan airline Afriqiyah,:
“The computer says ‘Destination Invalid’” said the young lady suspiciously. “Where are you going? London? Are you sure Afriqiyah flies to London…?”
Soon a small crowd of friendly and concerned airport staff were gathered round the console, making helpful suggestions.
“We may have to leave you in Tripoli!” twinkled one large beaming lady, and they asked me to wait while they processed the next passenger, Chantal, on her way to continue her studies in London.
However, after 20 minutes of the same problem with Chantal and other passengers, the system was “re-configured” and I was finally booked in – to my relief, all the way through to Gatwick.
The Afriqiyah flight from Ouaga to London is long and tiring, with stops in Bamako in Mali (where a dust storm last week prevented some flights from taking off), and then Tripoli. The flight takes about 13 hours overnight, leaving everyone somewhat frayed around the edges. But it is much cheaper than Air France, and the Tunisian staff are cheerful, relaxed, and – given the opportunity – enthuse readily about their own homeland.
I managed to grab a couple of hours sleep, and was awoken by the captain’s announcement that we were preparing to approach Tripoli. I blinked blearily out of the window into the night, and did a double take. For a moment, I thought the sky was below us, with constellations of stars underneath our feet. Having reassured myself that the blood was not rushing to my head, I watched as the occasional lights became a whole carpet of stars, the street lights of the flat and broad city of Tripoli spread out in the darkness below us.
Returning to the UK
A few hours later, the final leg of the flight takes us from the fresh sunny morning crispness of Tripoli, with the smell of the sea in the air, to the grey coldness of London in March. On my left is Chantal, the charming young Burkinabe lady, studying in London, whom I met at the check-in in Ouaga. There are not many Burkinabe in the UK, so I am thrilled to meet her, and she tells me there are a few doing higher studies there who have often first studied in Ghana. The UK rarely has problems with people from Burkina, but can often be discouragingly harsh with those wanting to visit. Chantal has invited me to come and eat a traditional Burkina meal with her and her friends next time I am up in London.
On my right is Jideh, a very softly-spoken Nigerian pastor from “Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries”. He sounded like he should actually be from “Mountain of Still Small Voice Ministries”. He is looking forward to his first visit to the UK.
The three weeks have gone very quickly, and have been very filled with visits, travel, meetings, ministry, and – above all – time with old friends. Once more it struck me how much richness there is in Burkina Faso, that we need to receive and learn from – richness in relationships, in community, and in spiritual life. How much we need that to speak into our money-, success-, and pleasure-driven lives.
It was very easy to be back in Burkina. I have enjoyed the time immensely, and believe God has been speaking through this time. But it is right to come back to the UK at this time. Please pray for me over these next few weeks as I seek God’s way forward for my life. Thank you.
I will continue to post stories and thoughts from my trip, including the follow-up to the Bribery post, over the coming weeks.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso tripoli travel ouagadougou libya airport afriqiyah
March 11, 2006
To bribe or not to bribe...
Yesterday I was stopped by the police in Ouagadougou.
Just as I was turning the corner at the traffic lights, the lights changed from green to amber. I heard a whistle blow, and knew I was in trouble. I looked up to see a policeman waving me down. I pulled over and he told me I had crashed a red light.
Patiently, but knowing it was a lost cause, I tried to convince him that the lights had changed as I was coming through. He sent me off to see his boss down the road, where I joined a small and growing group of frustrated moped riders trying to get the attention and sympathy of an older, and unsympathetic-looking policeman.
After dealing with the immediate scrum, he turned his attention to me, and gave me a piece of paper with official stamps on it.
"You crashed a red light. You will need to take this paper to the central police compound tomorrow morning at 8am, and pay a fine of 4800cfa (about £5). Then you can get your moped back."
Once more I tried to persuade him that maybe his man had made a mistake. I was careful not to accuse directly, but was trying to give him a way to back down. He drew me aside.
"Look, I want to help you. If you can pay half the price now, I can let you go with your moped. But I can't give you a receipt... In that way we can settle this as friends. But if you need a receipt, you will have to go tomorrow to the police compound, and then you will have to pay the full price..."
What should I do? If I paid now, I knew the money would not go into the proper box. Policemen - like everyone else in Burkina - are using whatever means they have to make ends meet. Their salaries are often barely enough, and the weekend was coming. If I pay the gift to my "friend", am I not sustaining the system of corruption that so weakens the economy of the country?
And yet, would it really be so bad? If I paid now, the money would at least be helping the poorly-paid policeman's family, rather than the over-populated bureaucratic system. I also had a very full programme, and to be deprived of my moped for the rest of the day would throw it into complete chaos. Without wheels, I would be forced to walk in the sun a fair distance to find a taxi to get me where I needed to go. For just £2.50 I would be free to get on with my day, and no-one - except maybe you, dear reader - would know any more about it.
What should I do?
What would you do (honestly)?
And what did I actually do?
Part two can be found here.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso bribery travel ouagadougou mission sahel corruption
March 08, 2006
Eating the white man...
Well, I am back in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, and writing this from a very clean and efficient air-conditioned cyber cafe! A bit different from Gorom-Gorom.
On Monday night in Gorom, Steve, Cris and I had a little farewell party with Seydou and Monique and their children and W, who I wrote about a couple of days ago. As a special treat, Monique cooked up spaghetti - known in Fulfulde as "tekketti tubaaku" or "white man's innards". And from somewhere she came up with some prawn crackers - known in Fulfulde as "noppi tubaaku" - or "white man's ears"! Our Tamacheq neighbour was fascinated, and so we subsequently learned the unpronouncable Tamacheq phrase for "white man's ears" which Steve then started teaching the Fulani...
Monique also bought some meat for the feast - very expensive at the moment as animal prices are high. The only affordable meat is chicken - as everyone is trying to get rid of their birds in fear of bird flu. In case you are wondering, she chose goat meat...
It has been great to renew friendship, and to laugh, cry, pray, and serve together again, even for such a short time. Please keep praying for them. Seydou did find work recently, helping a builder, but never actually got paid for it. They are persevering in the faith that they are where God wants them.
The next day we made our way on a rickety old minibus to Dori. That night I headed out into town to buy a torch (75p with batteries), a sachet of waxhing powder (5p), and a roll of toilet paper (30p). As the moon was shining brightly, and the air was cool after a hot dusty day, i flip-flopped my way through the sand into town to look for an internet cafe (30p for 15 mins). Unfortunately both were out of order. But on the way, I passed by several little shops with televisions out on the street, and small crowds standing in the road watching Chelsea v Barcelona on the national Burkina tv channel.
It was another long and dusty ride the next day down to Ouaga, and I have a few more busy days visiting ahead of me. I am looking forward to catching up with more friends, and to talking with my Horizons leader who is coming over from Niger to meet up with me. As well as enjoyable, my time here has been very instructive, and I have a lot to think and pray about as I prepare to return to the uk. I will write more about stuff that has happened, and about vision for the future over the coming months. Thank you for your prayers.
More soon....
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso gorom-gorom travel ouagadougou fulani mission sahel
March 05, 2006
Snapshots
Life has been busy here in Gorom-Gorom. I've not managed to get online all week till now. Yesterday's post was dictated to Steve on his laptop, which he then uploaded for me. A few snapshots from the last few days -
* Relaxing with Yusufi and his family on the sand dune, and sharing Christ with his Fulani neighbours. All my cows are doing well, and I have two new additions.
* Talking with J&S about their new association to help orphans
* Being constantly greeted by children by my Fulani name as I walk along the road: "foofo Diallo Adama!" - and having no idea whose children they are
* Being thanked by everyone for the grain that was sent and distributed. Apparently even the Imam was in the queue to get some
* Suddenly realising I had no idea where my return ticket was, and silently panicking until i found it again
* Being asked several times if I am merried yet, and when the answer comes in the negative being offered various daughters and sisters
* Talking with pastors and Christians about vision for the work here, and sensing that God is at work and speaking
* Seeing seriously ill children whose parents don't have the means to take them to the hospital
* Sweating constatnly in the heat!
On Tuesday we leave Gorom to head to Ouagadougou again. More soon...
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso gorom-gorom travel fulani mission sahel
March 04, 2006
In memory of Muusa
I followed Muusa's older brother Boureima, the village leader, past the sheep to the millet-stalk shelter, where he placed a low, wobbly stool outside the entrance. I perched precariously on it, conscious of the sun beating down on my head, and peered inside. The cool shade of the shelter looked dark in comparison to the glaring sun outside. On either end of the traditional Fulani bed, perched like bookends, were two older Fulani women, Muusa's mother and mother-in-law. Behind them, stretched out on the bed, and half-hidden by one of the bookends, I could just make out the shape of the lower half of Muusa's widow Jelika, with their two-month old girl lying by.
'Salaam aleykum,' I greeted them.
We went on to ask after each other's health, family, children and village. Then there was a pause.
'Mi nani kibaaru Muusa,' I said. (I heard the sad news about Muusa)
I spoke about how I had been looking forward to seeing him again, and how the news of his death had shocked and saddened me.
*
I had first come to know the people of Yengerento years earlier, and we had often visited each other. Whenever we visited they would welcome us, often killing a goat in our honour. They listened attentively whenever I shared the message of Christ, and were always respectful and interested, but they continued diligently in their Muslim prayers five times a day. It was Muusa who seemed most interested, and he used to come regularly to Gorom to visit us. After a few years he prayed to give his life to Christ. He couldn't read, and being the only believer, twenty-five miles from the nearest Christian, was hard for him. He was nervous about sharing his faith with his family. They saw him come to meetings in Gorom, and Fulani Christian gatherings elsewhere, but they never bothered him about it.
Slowly Muusa was growing in faith and becoming part of our little family of Fulani Christians in Gorom. He got on particularly well with Yusufi and Hamadou. In 2003 we went to Yengerento at the villagers' invitation to spend three days preaching the gospel and showing the 'Jesus' film. That was my last time in the village.
During my time in Britain last year I heard that Muusa was ill, but it was a shock when I got to Gorom to hear that he had died.
*
I tried to encourage the women with the assurance that Muusa's life was safe in God's hands. The older women in return, with Fulani stoicism, said that's the way life is and when your time has come, there's nothing you can do about it. 'Crying does no good - it was the will of God.' Jelika just lay silently, almost invisble, in the background. Finally I gave them the little present that I had bought for Muusa and his family - a shirt, some toiletries, some children's clothes and a toy dog. I added a bit of money to help with feeding the children, and then I followed Boureima back past the sheep to where the men of the village were drinking tea.
Muusa left eight children. Seven were his own: Aisetu, Hamsetu, Amadou, Ibra, Oumarou, Mariama and Hajata. The eighth was his grandchild, whose parents had both died: Aissa. Now Boureima, with six of his own children, would have responsibility for an extra nine people. He seemed unfazed by the challenge. As he said, 'Muusa did well; he sowed a lot of seed.'
Shortly before we left, for the twenty-five miles back to Gorom-Gorom, four-year old Mariama came out to say goodbye. She was dressed in one of the children's outfits with the toy dog tied on her back like a baby.
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso gorom-gorom travel fulani death sahel
