Poetry/Prose: Shape Shifters

Posted by Jemila On Friday, October 29, 2010

Inspired by the "harmonious" cohabitation of extreme poverty & opulent wealth and the people who cross that great divide


They're the ones who will be there to have a "good" time
To rock the Prada, Armani and Luis Vuittons
And when chanced with nii hao? They respond muy bien gracias, ca va bien and mangi fii rekk
They hold it down with the heavyweights and don't bat an eyelash when a minister looks them over
And with their airconned lifestyles they hop from house to car to office and back again
But don't be fooled, they don't belong. 
They're just shape shifters, simply attuned to the world around them
 --

Then there are those who'll join a good 5-6-7-8 other mouths around the dinner table
And with tummies still a-growling, they'll paste a smile and say "Thanks, I really am full now"
With empathy signed off in their gaze you don't feel embarrassed when you can't pay the dollar equivalent for a piece of bread
Alas, they haven't but 50 cents to their own names 90% of the time
But don't be fooled, they don't belong
They're just shape shifters, simply attuned to the world around them

--
Some might call them opportunisitc, others might call them saints
More still might accord them the title of word mongers, while the rest title them 'our very own mouthpiece'
Whatever the title, whatever the role, it doesn't matter because they really don't belong
They're just shape shifters simply attuned to the world around them

 --
However you regard them, whatever side of the plane you're on
One thing can be said of these ever present, never really theres
They're the bridge across the great divide, the borderline crazies
The Robin Hood troops who witness from the rich to teach the poor
AND/OR
The treacherous pranksters who unveil exploitation schemes
They're the happy medium between hot and cold, the life line between 
Aside that however, don't be fooled, cos they don't really belong
They're just shape shifters simply attuned to the world around them


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Water Wars: Dawn of a Scary New Reality (Blog Action Day 2010)

Posted by Jemila On Friday, October 15, 2010

Scale of Preference: Water Vs. Oil?
The idea of economics being a social science is no novelty and even though the notion dates back as far as the era of Adam Smith and the other fathers of economics, it still holds true today. It would seem that every being, society or entity is forever in the pursuit of that elusive – or to put it in economic terms, scarce – something. For some select countries like the United States, that elusive or increasingly scarce thing is oil. For most of the world however, and particularly the impoverished world, that commodity is oil's arch-rival, water.

Nothing lasts forever and that applies especially to natural resources that tend to be used up with no thought of their replenishment. The world literally goes crazy because of this commodity oil. All things being equal (ceteris paribus), when global oil prices drop, everyone - with the possible exception of suppliers - rejoices. When the prices rise - as they seem to do more frequently given their increasing scarcity - everyone's a-panicking. Except maybe the suppliers, again. For countries like Senegal where there's a frighteningly high dependence on the earth's black gold for keeping the economy afloat, fluctuations in oil prices wreck havoc on more than just electrical appliances. At the very least however, Senegal is in a pretty okay state when it comes to oil's main competitor: water.

While some parts of the capital Dakar might not have running water for the full 24 hours a day, there's a pretty good indication on what time of day to place a bucket under a tap in order to capture that precious first drop. In countries like Ghana however, it's an entirely different story. At best, one could expect to have one full day of flowing taps per week. And even then, you've got to time it down to the tee, like the rooster does the first rays of sunlight. True, it makes for a booming "polytank" plastic and water storage container industry, but when Ghana is littered with rivers and other water bodies left, right and center, you can't deny that there's something seriously wrong with the picture.

Changing Dynamics : The Looming Threat of Climate Change
 In July this year, the U.N. declared water and sanitation a human right in order to address the water crisis plaguing numerous parts of the globe. While that's a great step in the right direction, in itself it will by no means slows down what many analysts agree could soon be the harsh reality for millions, particularly developing country inhabitants: wars over water. Add the growing influence of climate change and that gloomy prediction could be closer than we anticipate. Neglect for our environment and climactic systems is literally throwing everything out of balance. Life as we know it is gradually becoming a confluence of extremities.

This summer alone there have been numerous accounts of extreme flooding and consequent deaths in places like Ghana, Pakistan, Senegal and Nigeria - with most being labeled the worst in decades.  On the other hand, places like Sudan and Ethiopia are experiencing their worst droughts ever, further aggravating the global food crisis and throwing millions further into hunger. It might seem unfathomable that things could possibly get any worse, but at this rate, the potential of water wars is at its highest point. An NPR article forwarded on to me by one of my tweeps, 1stworldmusic, paints a scary picture of what is already happening in Egypt and what could become widespread. One would think that more attention would be paid to the issue of water access, considering the fact that water IS life. Yet unfortunately, many African governments are turning their eyepiece away from the issue, preferring either to ignore it and focus on arch-rival oil or simply handing the situation over to private - and often foreign - investors whose sole aim is profit maximization.

Facing the Facts: Water Statistics (Culled From Blog Action Day Email)
An estimated 1 billion people lack access to clean water, leading to daily struggles, diseases and sometimes death. 

- 40 Billion Hours: African women (and girls) walk over 40 billion hours each year carrying cisterns of up to 18kg to gather water, which is usually still not safe to drink. More info

- 38,000 Child Deaths Per Week: Every week, nearly 38,000 children under the age of 5 die from unsafe drinking water and unhygienic living conditions.

- Wars Over Water: Many scholars attribute the conflict in Darfur at least in part to lack of access to water. A report commissioned by the UN found that in the 21st century, water scarcity will become one of the leading causes of conflict in Africa. More info

The Water Wars: Beginning of the End?
At the beginning of the year, I did a review of the documentary/film Earth 2100 which predicts what Earth's state of affairs could be like in 2100 if the necessary steps aren't taken to curb climate change and the increasingly capitalist nature of our societies. I'd encourage you to watch the film if you can because it highlights some of the connections between water and conflict/disease/health/migration and so on that are sometimes overlooked. What I'd like to do now is present a case study of sorts of how a war over water could essentially play out in a relatively peaceful country like Ghana or Senegal. It might seem slightly exaggerated, but I hope you get the idea in the end.

Scenario: 
The year is 2030, and as specialists predicted, Ghana's oil reserves have run out. While some people still debate whether the country used the proceeds from its oil revenue in the best way possible, the monuments to those glory days lie all over the capital city Accra. Tall rise offices and apartments, numerous shopping complexes, state of the art roads, more schools and hospitals, the list is endless. Ghana has finally gotten a taste of the "development" it so craved since its youthful days. Aside the thick fog covering the city from factories burning oil in order to process goods and the carbon fumes from the cars that practically everyone now owns, everything's perfectly fine. 

One morning, as on any other day, you wake up, go into your bathroom and turn on the tap. Nothing comes out. No worries, that's "normal", you think to yourself. You head outside to the large polytank to fetch water into your bucket. Still nothing. Hmm, I guess we forgot to fill the tank since the taps have been flowing for some time now. Still, you're not fazed. Let me head over to so-so and so's house to buy a bucket or two of water. You get dressed, and step outside your house into utter madness. Buckets, cups, calabashes, basins- large and small - jerry cans, cars with hoses trailing behind them. People - young, old, male, female, rich, poor, everyone you could possibly think of really - is screaming and shouting, straining and shoving, groping and grabbing, all in an effort to reach the one man who used to sell water in the days of non-flowing taps. He steps out of his house with a forlorn and confused look on his face. "There's no water," he announces. Utter mayhem! "How am I supposed to shower and make this business meeting with so-so and so foreign investors heh?" "My child is burning with fever, I need to bathe her and feed her. Where am I going to get the water to cook for her?" "Ei, our clinic has a surgery scheduled for 10am, how are we going to scrub down in prep for it?" Everyone's caught up thinking aloud. "Maybe, it's just in this locality, let's go to East Legon and check if there's water there." Response: "No need to. I'm on Twitter and East Legon, Airport Residential Area, Cantonments, even the Osu Castle are all reporting water shortages." What to do?

Everyone decides to approach the government to help solve the situation, but alas, the government sold over its last shares in the water company to a private foreign firm a year ago, and used the money to purchase a fleet of aircraft for the president, ministers, and rumor has it, some "unofficial" benefactors. "Let's go to the water company then!" Everyone trudges over to the head office of Aqua Incorporated, only to find a long queue. What's going on? They're selling a bucket of water for the equivalent of today's $200! Upon hearing the price, 70% of the people you headed over with slink away, scratching their heads in wonder at the situation. Most of them end up going to receding rivers and lakes in order to get some water for boiling. The remaining 30% - the lucky few who have the money necessary - begin what soon becomes a case of selling water to the highest bidder. This situation goes on for a while, with Ghana's neighboring countries gradually withdrawing support. "If Ghana of all countries is going through a national crisis as acute as this, then we should guard our water resources." 

The international community and organizations warn about an impending health crisis as waste and sanitation management literally go down the drain. Farmers start complaining - there's no water for irrigation. It hasn't rained in months and the crops are failing. Mothers, young girls, and now, even boys, walk endless hours in the burning sun, often on an empty stomach, in order to find water for cooking. The academic year is barely over, but school's already out. Both teachers and students are busy water-searching. Eventually, the little water in the Akosombo Dam starts to diminish and the government issues a directive to the national electricity corporation, which it thankfully has control over, to start rationing electric power. In the midst of all of this, an exodus starts from the rural areas towards the cities. As always, everyone forgot about them. So, in typical rural-urban migration fashion, they head to Accra, Kumasi and Tema in search of water and a better life. The result: overcrowding and a galloping jump in communicable diseases in the slum areas. Soon enough, people become wary of one another. 

That friend you always used to poke fun with, you can barely look him in the face for fear of contracting something from him. Your family accuses you of neglecting them - you with all your money who can afford to pay $200 for a bucket of water. Discontent breeds distrust which breeds hate. It takes one whisper, "Those rich people living in their fancy houses can use their money to import water all the way from Nigeria, yet they won't even share a drop with us," and all hell breaks loose. Weeks pass and Accra, Ghana is not even a shadow of its former self. There's fighting everywhere, monies going to arms in order to fight over the little water left, women exchange sexual favors for food and coke - which is in surprising abundance - and disease is rampant everywhere. The government eventually succumbs to the pressure and crumbles. "Each man for himself and God for us all," the president announces grimly in his final national speech. After that, absolute darkness. It would seem the world returned to its former state right before a drop of water differentiated earth from the then-nine other planets in the solar system. All because we paid no heed to the needs of our very own Mother Earth.

Water Solutions: Little Drops of Water...
Anyway, 2030 is a long way away and for now, there's a lot we can each do to ensure that every man, woman and child has access to the water they are each entitled to. Some individuals - like FaceAfrica's Saran Kaba Jone and Sangu Delle of the African Development Initiative - are already taking steps to make the accessibility to water a reality in the lives of numerous of Africans. Organizations like the African Women's Millennium Initiative (AWOMI) engage women and youth in tracking government accountability in areas including water access, and with the 2010 edition of it's Young Women's Knowledge and Leadership Institute (YOWLI), will be bringing the debate on climate change and economic empowerment in Africa to the fore. 

There's a lot that each of us can do to help turn this potential war ship around. Little drops of water, after all, do make a mighty ocean. Here are some resources from the Blog Action Day team to help you take that first step.

 Building Wells: Organizations like Water.org and charity:Water are leading the charge in bringing fresh water to communities in the developing world.

Technology for good: Want to measure how much water it took to make your favorite foods? Here's an app for that.

Conversation Starts at Home: The average person uses 465 litres of water per day. Find out how much you use and challenge your family, friends etc to do the same.

Keeping Rivers Clean: We can all take small steps to help keep pollution out of our rivers and streams, like correctly disposing of household wastes. More info

Drop the Bottle: Communities around the world are taking steps to reduce water bottle waste by eliminating bottled water. More info

 So there! I hope you've found this post helpful or at the very least, informative. Kindly forward on to interested parties, and don't forget to check the Blog Action Day Website for other African blogs participating in the discussion. Water is LIFE and we're all responsible for taking care of that delicate balance! Let's keep the conversation going!





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The Letter Writing Project: Inspiration's the Word!

Posted by Jemila On Wednesday, October 13, 2010

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it" - Helen Keller
--

Dear "Discouraged One",

Life is hard. There's no two ways about that. Sometimes it gets better, other times, it gets worse. And in those one in a million times, it makes you feel like you'll never make it out alive or the same. And you usually don't. Instead, you come out stronger, with a couple more lessons under your belt, and most importantly, with the feeling of being achingly alive, instead of simply existing. Everyone goes through their trials and tribulations in life, but the key difference between those who overcome and those who crumble under the weight of problems is summed up in two simple words: personal effort.

Ever encountered that one individual who seems to have their life all figured out? Who always has the best opportunities, the coolest friends, the brightest smile? That one person who you are convinced was born with a silver spoon and never had to really work to get what they wanted? Yeah, one - or two - specific names are probably popping up in your head right about now. But before you conclude your opinion on who they are and where they've been, ask yourself this: Have you ever actually stepped up to them and asked that they relay their life story to you? If we're gonna go with documented personal stories and history, most of the successful, well-known, influential people in life didn't just drop from Jupiter and land as far as they got. They worked hard, even when the going got tough, and they insisted on making it through.Take Oprah Winfrey, Helen Keller, Albert Einstein, President Barrack Obama, Patrick Awuah, Kwame Nkrumah, or any other business/fashion/career/science/sports/media/national pacesetter in any country out there and you'll see that's what they all have in common.

Most times people will talk about the importance of hard work, of networking with like-minded individuals, or being persistent in order to achieve one's dreams. And I think all those square away as being essential in the pursuit of happiness or dreams. But I'd also like to add another thing to that list: inspiration or self-motivation. In my opinion, that's a skill that can be garnered any and everywhere, but that few people actually take the time to cultivate. Take note, inspiration or self-motivation here don't mean relying solely on other people to make you feel better about yourself and whatever your latest "worst experience ever" is. It means taking charge and actively seeking out things, people, opportunities to inspire yourself (and others if you will). As Elizabeth Gilbert eloquently puts it:
"Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it."
My History With Active Self-Motivation
In writing, I always make it a point to highlight some of my personal struggles, because too many times I've had people comment - to me or to someone else - that I seem to have my life all figured out. Well, as they say, appearances can be deceiving. Trust me, the day I finally unlock the code to cruising right through life, y'all will be the first I share it with. Until then, allow me to share what has been, for as long as I can remember, one thing that has helped keep me sane, particularly when I'm drowning in 'problems' or craziness: inspiring others in order to inspire onself. In high school I once copied down over 300 motivational quotes onto plain sheets of paper, bound it up in a book and gave it to a dear friend of mine as her birthday present. Ultimately, she got the book, but that entire process of collecting quotes, writing them down, and "producing" a booklet of quotes did more for me than I ever imagined. It taught me how to actively seek inspiration and to keep myself motivated regardless of time of day or prevailing situations.

However, very few people know - and here, I'd ask those particularly close to me to brace themselves in case this is the first time they're hearing/reading this - that at one point in my life, I actually considered ending it all. During my first year in high school, second semester I believe, I 'contracted' a skin ailment that was very irritating. The doctors couldn't decide whether it was viral or fungal and I had rashes all over my body. But these weren't ordinary heat rashes, they were persistent and they spread everywhere, with the exception - thank goodness - of my face. The worst part wasn't necessarily how they looked, but rather how they felt. They itched like crazy, particularly during the humid nights in Cape Coast. Like any adolescent, I was on the journey of trying to find myself and as a first year in high school, any Ghanaian can tell you, it was a particularly tumultuous time of my life with trying to find new friends, keep the grades up, and dealing w/ boarding school life.

My little nuisance wrecked havoc in my life, especially on my self-esteem and my grades. Whereas I was usually very involved with after school activities, sports, entertainment etc, I kind of just closed up and lost interest. Whereas I was usually in the top 5 students of my class I dropped to 15th that semester. And while I had a smile plastered on my face, I felt like no one really understood what was going on. For the longest time, I'd thought about being a psychologist. And now, in the situation I was in, I felt I needed help, needed someone to talk to - outside of my family and friends - and I even started seeking out psychologists in Ghana, under the pretext of career research. But truth be told, when your thoughts start bordering on 'what would be the easiest/less painful way of taking your life', you know you gotta find help. Unfortunately, back then - not sure if its changed - not much attention is paid to adolescent mental or emotional health. If there's a psychiatric hospital (and there were quite a number) they are mainly for interning the already 'mad'.

As fate would have it, both my parents had undergone training in child psychology as they're both teachers, and they had a whole bunch of books on the topic. Leafing through some of the books I came upon a chapter dedicated to suicides among adolescents. I sincerely believe God led me to that section of the book, and mercifully, he helped me understand - through the book - what I was going through, what my thoughts were, how I was reacting to people, why I was closing up, all of that. Adolescence is probably the most confusing part of growing up, and unfortunately, most developing countries including Ghana do not have the systems, programs and resources necessary for paying attention to the emotional and mental health of adolescents. Sure, there's peer counseling and all, but they tend to be focused on sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) not self-esteem and self-perception issues. Anyway, to conclude the story, I also chanced upon a book on self-development. And in that book, I found quotes from some of history's greatest people about perseverance, the importance of knowing oneself, and insisting on pursuing one's dreams. That book started my journey to active self-motivation.

Today, when I think about that entire experience - one of my "I'm not gonna make it through this alive" moments - I cannot help but continue to share motivational and inspirational quotes on twitter, on facebook, in conversations, and where have you. Because you just never know who needs what when. The way I see it if such a simple act could give someone some encouragement to make it through the next hour or day, then it's well worth it, even if you risk being called a 'spammer' LOL.

Resources for Active Inspiration
Since 2001, I have come across some really amazing motivational resources thanks to the awesome social media networks I'm blessed to have. And now, I'd like to share some of my best and often-used resources with all of you. If YOU have some inspirational/motivational sources, kindly comment on this article so we might all share in those couple of words that make life seem less draining. Alors, here goes!

1. Google: With the expanse of Google's empire, I'm sure its no longer a surprise when they come up first in anything. On a day when I don't have a specific quote/inspirational piece in mind, I google it. If I'm looking for quotes about "perseverance", about "achieving dreams", about "knowing oneself" about "a new day", about "forgiveness". Whatever key word I have in mind, I just google it. You'll be surprised the kinda stuff that pop up. And of course, always make reference to whoever that piece of inspiration burst out from :)

2. Books & Authors: Be it the Qu'ran, the Bible, a collection of poems, fiction, an autobiography, most books document experiences and lessons and there's bound to be at least one sentence that inspires or motivates. For me, that book on self-development helped change a dangerous course in my thinking and life. Another book - the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - has come in handy through so many rough patches in my life. And now, I re-read and refer to so many books/writings - Conversations with God (Neale Donald Walsch), Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert), The Zahir (Paulo Coelho), Khalil Gibran's poetry, Hafiz of Persia's poetry, Rumi's poetry, Desiderata by Max Erhmann - that inspire and motivate me whether I'm going through an up or down in life. If you'd rather not re-read the entire book, just go on www.goodreads.com and look up the author's profile/book and quotes.

3. Quote Databases + Newsletters: There are numerous quote databases out there, you barely have to look too hard! Do you have a role model? Check out Brainy Quote, Think Exist, BeliefNet-Inspiration, Neale Donald Walsch.Com and so on. If you can, sign up to their daily/monthly/weekly inspiration newsletters. Trust me, there's nothing more motivating than starting your day to some words of inspiration delivered right into your inbox.

4. Songs + Lyrics: Music, they say, is food for the soul. You know how you come across that song that just lifts up your soul? Well. In addition to downloading/buying the song and putting it on replay, it's always great to check out the lyrics. Maybe I'm just a word person, but something about seeing the actual words - without all the sometimes distracting tunes - makes a lot of difference. Some particularly motivational artistes I usually turn to are: Lauryn Hill, India Arie, Rascal Flatts, Alicia Keys, Mary J Blige, Kate Voegele, Asa, Tracy Chapman, Regina Spektor and so on. Additionally, some words literally jump out at you, kinda like T.I. and Rihanna's "Live Your Life". So yes, while we might no longer copy down lyrics in notebooks as the in-thing to do in primary school or high school, it's still great to check out those lyrics from time to time.

5. Twitter: You know twitter's a global phenomenon when you look to it to keep you inspired (in addition to informed) throughout the day. Since becoming more active with my tweeps (twitter peeps), I've started following some amazing quote-dedicated accounts. Some of my faves include TheGodLight, IHateQuotes, MensahOtabil, TheDailyLove (also subscribe for their daily newsletter!!!) IyanlaVanzant, EncourageOneAnother, MulahTruth, Rumi Quotes, GeniusQuotes, and AceQuotes. I usually retweet some of their stuff, so you can also just follow me  :)

6. Miscellaneous Links: In consideration of time, and in no particular order, here are some of the other places I peruse frequently for inspiration or just a reminder to be thankful for blessings.

The Whisper Wall

Paulo Coelho's Blog

Dear God

BeliefNet

Dua to Allah

Post Secret

Gives Me Hope 

Africa - The Good News

Tonic
 
Finally, there are a lot of blogs that showcase the perseverance of the human spirit. All in all, the thing about active inspiration is to keep an eye and an ear out. You just never know when the next bout of inspiration will hit you! Hope you guys find this post helpful and look forward to seeing and learnin from some of YOUR suggested resources. Sharing is caring! Much love + peace! Stay inspired!

Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3, Photo 4
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Poetry/Prose: Atypical Love Affair

Posted by Jemila On Thursday, October 07, 2010

This is a piece that found me in the dead of night (3am). Originally typed it on my phone, and wonder of wonders, my screen froze and I lost the original. I have tried my best to recapture what I remember of the original piece, although, knowing what that one was, I doubt this comes close. All the same, enjoy, and do share your thoughts :)

--
Atypical Love Affair

It starts quite innocently, as most love affairs do. A spoken word here, a stolen glance there, a shiver down the spine. It starts with the simple mention of a name, but it’s the mysterious undertones - the whos, whats, wheres, hows and whys - those are what send you spiraling forth. No turning back, drawn in under the spell, you hold your breath to relive it one more time. Burning desire coursing through your soul, exhale suspended long after the moment unfolds.


It awakens, like most love affairs do. A fluttering of lips against skin, eyes locked in duel, palm in hand. Yet even after the winds tamper those imprints, you continue to drink from the embellished cup. Bittersweet, each satisfying sip propels you gradually closer to the end.


It grows, as most love affairs do. Souls peering upon one another, bit by bit, layers stripped away. In uncomfortable vulnerability, you share your all. Discovering horizons, learning anew, the entire while birthing fresh worlds from within. Truth be told, you were never not meant to be. Destiny had called right from the start.


It is challenged, as most love affairs are. Within and without, semi-poisonous-innocuous arrowheads eerily close to the heart. Breakups, make-ups, loyalties lost and gained. Battling it out till the very end, you against your very world.


And finally, like most love affairs eventually do, it comes to a halting end.  Fitful nights of insomnia, you, achingly alive.  Staring yourself down, soul naked before your eyes. Growth, change, truth, dreams.  Legacies built upon not giving in.


Yet, despite all the similitude, it never is a simple love affair. Write it on paper, capture it on film, break it down, build it up. Whatever you do, there’s always that something left unseen. Live by the rules, swim against the tide, nothing could have ever prepared you for this. Looking back or all around, you see that there’s nothing vaguely typical about life.


With all your expectations, with all your hopes, with all your ideas of who you are, it takes one look at you and then… PAM!...door slams right in your face. Certain you’re betrayed, wandering around lost in the cold, one sunny day, lo and behold, there you stand, chancing upon your soul.


Pool of clarity clouding your sight, you sit there and take it in with all your might. All you ever were, all you ever are, all you ever could be, it’s all there, no lies. Then, somewhere, someway, somehow, sometime, a trick of fate occurs. A spoken word here, a stolen glance there, a flutter down the spine. Creeping upon you, as most love affairs do…

--
Photo Source: Photo 1


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