Can Change Come to Our Poor?

By George Esunge Fominyen

Forget Obama now. Look at the picture below. Take a really hard look at the picture below and tell me what you see…

Let me help out. What you see is not an abandoned latrine.  That is a school: Government School Pomla near Figuil in the North Region of Cameroon.  That building is the same classroom for all the different grades of the school. I saw the different blackboards (or what passes for that) per grade (class) at different wall angles. Now that’s the face of poverty on our side of the world.

There are classrooms in despicable conditions in many parts of Cameroon, Africa and other parts of the world. Some are built with thatch, others with wood that has lasted 34 years; so you may say that a broken mud building is not the worst you’ve seen. What makes all the difference here is that this school is located barely a dozen kilometers from Figuil. Why? Simply because the main cement manufacturing plant is located there.

Figuil is white with the dust from the CIMENCAM (Cimenterie du Cameroun) cement factory. The roofs are full of white dust and the Sahelian variant of evergreen trees would be best described as “everwhite”. So much dust, so much pollution you may want to say. Unfortunately, not a single bag of cement in the thousands or millions that leave this factory was dropped at the Government School Pomla so that children from around Figuil could have the kind of education that may one day give them a good job at that factory or elsewhere.

It was approximately 2.45PM when that photo was taken on Monday 21 January 2008 (last year). But there were no kids at school. According to our driver and guide, they may have closed early to help out as it was a ‘big’ market day in Figuil. If it were not for the flag we would not have noticed this place of learning.  In fact, I was in a car with a team of Cameroonian journalists that I was leading on a field trip to report the threats facing Cameroon due to climate change. But none could believe it was a school until I asked the driver to stop and reverse.

How could a cement factory (43 %shares owned by Cameroon government and 55% by French group Lafarge) be so close to a crumbling school built in mud? How could this possible?

Next week (beginning 27 January until 1 February), I will be leading another team of journalists on coverage. They from five different West African countries and they’ll be covering the World Social Forum through online production of the Panos Institute West Africa’s conference newsletter – Flame of Africa.

The World Social Forum (WSF) is “an open meeting place where social movements, networks, NGOs and other civil society organizations opposed to neo-liberalism and a world dominated by capital or by any form of imperialism come together to pursue their thinking, to debate ideas democratically, for formulate proposals, share their experiences freely and network for effective action”.

It is the sort of place where the world social movements converge to discuss poverty and other issues that need to be handled to make the world a better place for all. The slogan of the WSF is “Another World is Possible”. Do you think another world is possible for those kids attending that primary school in the picture? Do you think that would be possible by the converging of alternative forces as in the World Social Forum?

Can another world be possible? The people of Ndian should have this question on their lips each day. They hardly have an all-weather road to their part of Cameroon and they mostly use fuel that is smuggled in from Nigeria whereas they live along the Rio del Rey from which most of Cameroon’s oil is extracted for exportation.

Is another world really possible? One in which the youth of Doumé, Belabo and Yokadouma (East Region, Cameroon) whence trees are felled for exportation could also have a volley-ball or handball court with a wooden playing surface as those on which NBA stars strut their stuff in the USA.

Do you think another world is possible? One in which farmers and civil society activists working in their interest would not be jailed for organsing a protest to question why funding and material support that was meant for them ended up in the pockets and farms of some officials.

Do you think if this other world where to be possible it would be result of conclaves like the WSF?  Is it not a matter for people like you, me, the boss of the extractive industry in your town and that corrupt mayor and minister friend of yours to start making a difference?

Just minutes before stumbling on that school (pictured above) we had visited the calm and beautiful residential area of the cement company staff. The contrast with tis school was so sharp that one of the members of my team wondered if the top brass of that company ever travelled via this road to Garoua – the regional capital because the school is by the road.

From a purely public relations and social responsibility perspective: couldn’t management of that company develop a project to support the construction of schools around Figuil, at least, to make locals feel that this factory was giving back something apart from dust? 

Can change ever come to the lives of our poor?

Comments

[Dibussi]

Hi George,

In my opinion, this is less about poverty and more about neglect (by government and other social actors) and about a complete absence of a culture of corporate responsibility in Cameroon - which explains why corporations such as Cimencam can get away with not actively participating in the development of those communities where they have their factories.

[BamendaBabe]

You asked: "Do you think that would be possible by the converging of alternative forces as in the World Social Forum?"

To be honest, I am uncertain about the value of a forum, but I'd like to hear back about what goals are achieved through various agencies and individuals networking and taking action. If Dibussi is right, then the only way to help is to circumvent government and corporate Cameroon, unless these elusive bodies magically become more responsible institutions.

The strange things is, behind all this inequality, there are people. Real people. People in government. People in corporations. People beyond this. A worker at Cimencam. A manager. A buyer of cement. People just trying to survive and better themselves, even if at the expense of others. How do you get these people to make a sacrifice? To stop. To start in a new direction.

That I think is the real problem. People. Why do we, as humans, seem to be so comfortable coexisting in the polar extremes of comfort and poverty?

I spent some years of my childhood in the North and some in Ndian, so I have a sense and a memory of how dire and desperate things are in both areas of Cameroon. But I also witnessed Cameroonians trying to help and them being sabotaged at every turn by both other Cameroonians and foreigners, individuals protecting their own interests. Thus, I feel nervous when I try to internalize any call to action.

And what about the poor? What do they have to say? Can you or I, or all of us educated folk, speak for them? If we could publicize their words, what would we hear them say and what would their requests be?

[GEF]

BB

The questions at the end of your post are very apt.

Discussion rages among many civil society groups and organisations about how much we really hear from "the poor" directly.

Critics have argued that, "the poor" do not quite have access to such gatherings - meaning their views may not be heard at all.

I suppose it is preferable for them to speak directly about their concerns rather than through educated folk.

What we need to focus on is how. How they get this opportunity to speak and be publicised for the right people to hear them.

Creating democratic spaces for expression is one way. The media are another.

Media - not as in simple reporting. It should be through media formats that let people say it for themselves. The organisation, I work for has been developing and promoting such initiatives.

However, were the poor to tell their stories as they live them; point out their challenges as they experienced them; using whatever platform that could be available - do you think there would be change?

By the way, I enjoy the poetry on your blog, Sister.

[BELL ROSE NTUBE NGOLE]

Dear Gef,
Your article and the picture are heart wrenching. I got teary-eyed reading through it. Your thoughts on the entire article coincidentally happens to reflect a conversation i had recently with Barrister Caroline Time when we heard that some particular group of persons here in the U.S were planning to buy computers for some elementary schools in their different villages. The news was mind boggling to us.The question we asked were what are the physical conditions of those school buildings?
Gef, we are living in a computerized age and there is dire need for all, especially the young generation to be computer-literate- but i believe in prioritizing things. Like the school in the picture, i do think it would be reasonable for us to think first of an adequate infrastructure before thinking of buyng computers. Our concern should be first of all, to ensure that the floors are cemented, the roofs are not leaking, there are enough benches in the classroom and the benches are comfortable for the students to sit on. Then we could think of a library(not something big). We would love that our younger ones cultivate the habit and culture of reading. A comfortable environment i believe will play a very important role on students' outcomes.There is hope for these kids, if we all come together and decide to make a diffference in their lives-one school,- one kid at a time.
Like Dibussi said,the problem is more about neglect and less about poverty. Our governments have failed us, our politicians too. This is a new era, a new beginning were transformational leaders are ready to make their mark in the continent of Africa and in Cameroon in particular.
Let's put the name calling, the blame game, the accusations and counter accusations aside. Let's put our ideas, our resources together and see what we can do to make a difference. We have all been waiting for change- but who are those to effect change in our socities if we ourselves do not pick up the baton of command and lead the way. Let's be the beacon of hope that the younger generation can look up to.
Iknow politics is always a fertile groud for arguements but let's put that aside and start a different conversation.
Making effective changes in our schools is a good place to start-Let's see how we can help.
We all know that education is empowering.It strengthens individuals, families and communities. One of the ways i believe we are going to combat poverty and some of the problems facing our country and continent is to improve the quality and accessibility of basic education to our people.
Let's put our heads and resources together and see how we can become effective advocates for change.
Don't ask what your country can do for you but do ask what you can do for your country. (President JFK).
Our children, our younger ones need us -let's not let them down. Let's make a change, let's together make a difference in their lives.

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