Everyone can make a difference
This article is about my inspiration behind the project MIKITA.
De Weekkrant De Havenloods Wednesday, 4 June 2008 – Page 19
Rotterdam – Stella Tesha, daughter of a Tanzanian Diplomat, experienced something as a 4 year old girl, that will influence the rest of her life. It was 1977 and the Tanzanian president Julius Kambarage Nyerere came to Sweden, where Stella lived at that moment. Nyerere held an inspiring speech in front of a big group of Tanzanians, with the message, that everyone can make a difference. When little Stella asked, if that applies for her too, Nyerere said “especially you”. From that moment on, making a difference became Stella’s life motto.
Not long after that Stella came face to face with poverty. She had meanwhile moved with her family to Dar-es-Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, and lived in the district Makongo, were next to rich people like herself, also many poor people lived. Shida, a girl the same age as Stella, belonged to the last category. She walked barefoot and regularly didn’t go to school because she had to help her parents with their work.
For many years the two girls lived just next to each other. But when she was 12, Stella took the courage and walked into the hut of Shida and her family. She asked and was overwhelmed by the stories about hunger and poverty. Out of guilt she started bringing food from her parents garden, but very soon realized, that this wouldn’t solve the problems of Shida’s family.
Since then Stella, since 1999 living in the Netherlands, looked for ways to really make a difference. Eventually, this lead to project MIKITA, with which de poorest woman will learn to make clothes and with that earn a living. For that at first already existing woman tailors will be helped with the making of products, for which there is a bigger market.
The extra money, which the tailors will earn, will make it possible for them, to invest time in teaching their knowledge to the poorest woman. Those who want to help to realize the project: on Thursday, 12 June there is a benefit dinner in Theater Hal 4, (Watertorenweg 20.) More information: www.green-waters.org or
J.K Nyerere & me.JPG -
Stockholm Sweden 1977
The people are the foundation for development J. K. Nyerere
This comment was mentioned many times by Father of the nation Julius Kambarage Nyerere.
When I was growing up, in almost all of his speeches, he never failed to mention watu ni msingi wa maendeleo
I regard Julius Kambarage Nyerere, as a living legend. He was not a me first person, he led with compassion, wisdom, discipline and a clear vision. That is why he was named, Father of the nation by Tanzanians.
It was easy to follow Nyerere, because he was someone we could trust 100%. Unfortunatelly now that he is no longer there, Tanzania remains like a family with foster parents. This creates uncertainty and opportunities for many things to go wrong.
Coming back to the heading: It makes me wonder, if the people are the foundation for development, and they are not empowered with the right tools, what kind of a foundation are we creating? And what kind of a nation are we building?
A higher population of developing countries, have traditional skills though they lack advanced formal education.
I believe we can tap into this resource and polish it to be a finer tool, and in so doing empower more people to participate in production.
It is not possible to depend on foreign aid for the rest of our lives, and it is not possible to repay all existing aid.
The trend needs intervention, and therefore reviving primary industries has to be one way of rectifying the current situation for a better future.
People need to be able to provide for their basic needs, without wondering who will be dropping in with their next meal.
When people's stomachs are satisfied, we might be able to maintain our record of good governance and getting rid of corruprion to boot!
Furthermore, what has happened in Zimbabwe and South Afrika, should be taken as a warning. If the higher majority of the poor population can't manage to earn a sustainable living, the end result is undesirable for everyone.
One can not reason with a hungry and angry person. The solution is in our hands. We can either empower the people with production tools, or wait for them to be empowered by opportunists from the weapon industries.
It is two sdes of the same coin 'production versus destruction'