Only in Kenya, will a drought occur every 7 or so years, without the govt. putting in place any measures to make sure that it's citizens do not succumb to the eventual famine. And so as it has happened again this year. The President sent out appeals for food donations to sort out another of our problems, that we never seem to be able to solve.
So the other day, a New Zealand lady, Ms Christine Drummond, offered Kenya's starving masses 42 tonnes of dog food. Yep, Dog Food. At first glance, it sounds like a vicious joke...
"You look very hungry, here, have this. I'd made for my doggy, but u seem to need it more."
Ok, so maybe i'm being a bit colorful with my illustrations, but disgust was a common first reaction. It did not look good on the surface by any means. It was all over the FM station talk shows and letters to the editor. What many might not have been obvious, was that this food is actually very nutritious and loaded with proteins and vitamins, especially critical for children who are at highest risk of malnutrition.
Many questioned whether being hungry and poor is reason enough to eat what is fit for dogs. On the other hand, what is in a name? Ok, so it's "dog food". Should that stop us from accepting the offer and save thousands lives? The food is hygienically packaged, highly nutritious and has been generously offered to our famine-stricken victims. The lady owns the company donating the food, and i trust, she had the best of intentions when she made the offer.
Hmm? I don't know, what do you think? Drop a comment.
Is this another case of ignorant ideas about how to help 3rd world countries out of their problems, or a genuine and considerate offer of help from a kind lady, who tried to help in the best way she could?I'll let it go at that.
Next time, i tell you about the resignation of our Minister for Finance. Easily the most powerful portfolio in government after the Presidency. No one resigns here, even against the most damning of evidence. Certainly a first for Kenya, as we continue the fight against official corruption.
Laterz,
The WebDoc,
seeking dog-food recipes.
3 comments:
what? dog food? whatever happened to horse and cattle food that we got in the 80s? i remember coz i was in i=one of the drought-devastated regions (kajiado district) all we saw (in boarding school) during meal time was yellow flour that had the consistency of concrete...albeit IMO tasted better than the government apportioned white flour, but that's just my opinion.
anyway, sometimes i think we excuse ignorance for inocence in the name of being politically correct. when Katrina striked in New Orleans people raced to condemn anyone who used the term "refugee" Why? is it because of the association factor--you know what i'm talking about--'refugees' only exist in Afrika (or developing/third-world countries for that matter) not in the developed,western hemisphere.i looked at it in a completely contexual perspective i.e, people displaced by a natural disaster (like famine?)who are looking for a "PLACE OF REFUGE" are _________ (fill in the blank).
Dog food is highly nutritious, but i didn't hear this same lady extending the same gesture to the Tsunami victims...why? if she did donate something then she probably donated something other than dog food.
the perception that ingnorant non-Afrikans have about Afrikans is more prevalent than we care to admit, and it is in such "inocent" gestures that true colours of the aforementioned come to light.
PEACE,
CLEMO
Interesting point Clemo.
Just so you know, she recanted the offer... i mean, she claims to have been misquoted on the dog food issue. Apparently, she meant to say (or she insists that she said..) that she would turn her dog factory to churn out nutritious foods for people... not nutritious dog-food.
Keep 'em comin'
Monda.
i agree ayk. Thank God the rains are back. I'm hopin the govt. plans on food security are rock solid this time. (Not just the usual rhetoric) wouldn't like to have to keep gettin food offers, dog, cattle or human.
The WebDoc.
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