Letter-writing
Do not fancy that an intermission of writing is a decay of kindness. No man is always in a disposition to write; nor has any man at all times something to say.
Dr Johnson (1948).
Girl Power
Women in Sarayaku, Ecuador, are fighting for their right to remain on their land, facing up to oil companies who are wanting to start oil exploration on their land.
The group of Kichwas live in a province of the Amazon highly sought after by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Mines and Oil, but they have consistently failed to break through the opposition. The local women have played a key part in preventing the invasive investment proposed by the oil companies, threatening their husbands that they will have to look for women elsewhere if they allow the oil companies to work on their lands.
They have faced several violent confrontations, meeting face to face with the companies armed guards in 2003, forcing the army to intervene. Yet still the Kichwas remain remarkably defiant, determined to protect their land.
Oil drilling can be detrimental to the environment and well-being of the local people. Water sources become polluted, killing fish and endangering domestic animals and crops. The pollution can also affect the local population, causing respiratory diseases, birth defects and even miscarriages.
It’s no wonder the Kichwas remain opposed, for they know it will dramatically alter their lands and lives forever. Of course, the battle is not yet over, they face lawsuits, challenges to their land rights and intimidation tactics. Yet, with the Kichwa women standing firm, they have little to fear.
Awful Advertising
I received through the post today what appeared to be a rather charming little flyer advertising home decorating. A qualified interior decorator, it read, was available for painting, wallpaper hanging and boarders.
I sighed.
So near, yet so far. The stumbling block of mispelling is unlikely to bring much business to this local entrepeneur. It is more likely to invite confusion (is it implying lodgers are part of the deal?) than prospective customers. If you are going to go as far as print several hundred flyers for your home start-up business, surely it’s worth proofreading first?
Still, this little faux-pas is a mere trifle compared to the errors made recently by the Latvian tourist board, who proudly boasted that their capital city, Riga, was ‘Easy to Go, Hard to Live!’. I assume the translator was away on holiday when that mistake was handed to the printers. A very embarrasing £500,000 slip-up to make on an international advertising campaign….
World Toilet Day
Today is World Toilet Day, a time to appreciate the vitally important toilet, something we often take for granted. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness of the 2.6 billion people worldwide who do not have access to a toilet or even decent sanitation facilities.
WaterAid is running a brilliant campaign to highlight the desperate need for better sanitation across the globe. Water is something we often take for granted, until there is a sudden scarcity. Yet billions of people worldwide still have no access to clean, safe running water. A lack of toilets quickly leads to the spread of disease and diarrhoea is a major cause of childhood deaths worldwide. Such deaths could be easily prevented by providing adequate sanitation.
Give it some thought when you go to spend a penny today.
Response to Rainforest Alliance
Regarding the comment that my previous post received, I thought I’d write a response.
The crucial difference between the two is a commitment to tackling the root causes of poverty, and addressing the injustices of the current trade system.
Whereas Rainforest Alliance may provide a minimum wage on the farms, there appears to be no price guarantee for the products. Fair Trade tackles the issue of trade injustice, aiming to get a better deal for the producers, and to reverse the current trade system. They each have a different focus, Fair Trade aims to empower the poor, change the trade system and improve the lot of producers in developing countries. Rainforest Alliance is primarily committed to environmental sustainability.
Both classifications have their merits, aiming to abolish child labour and adhere to International Labour Organisation standards.
However, the Fair Trade mark represents a partnership between the buyer and the producer, paying a Fair Trade premium (to encourage community development) and a guaranteed minimum price, no matter what the market does. Farmers certified by the Rainforest Alliance have no such guarantee, and rely on market prices to ensure their income. Such instability can compromise sustainability.
Rainforest Alliance has indeed higher environmental standards than Fair Trade, yet the Fair Trade mark always indicates that it is 100% Fair Trade, unlike the varying amounts in Rainforest Alliance certified products.
I have to say that it is really encouraging to see such commitment to sustainable and fair trade with developing countries. My point was not to deride the Rainforest Association, because it clearly represents a great step towards a trading system that acknowledges the importance of protecting the environment and addressing social issues. My aim in writing about this is to examine the differences and try and bring a bit of clarity to what is becoming a confusing array of labels for the consumer.
Ultimately, for me, it’s the people that matter, and I am committed to buying Fair Trade.
The Diving Bell
Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) is a film that I’ve been meaning to watch for years, but only got round to watching it recently. Some of the scenes felt strikingly familiar.
The film is based on the true story of the Editor in chief of the fashion magazine Elle, who suffered a sudden and tragic stroke, leaving him paralysed from head to toe, only able to blink his left eye. Jean-Dominique Bauby is told he has ‘locked-in syndrome’, trapped in his body – the diving bell, with only his imagination and memory – the butterfly, intact.
I’m not going to write a film review, there are others that can comment on the marvellous cinematography with far more creativity and expertise than I can. I will urge you to watch it if you haven’t already, it is incredibly moving and a great inspiration. It’s not just the perseverance of Jean-Dominique, but also the dedication and patience of the speech therapist and the beauty hired to note down his thoughts that capture the true strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
We never know what might lie just around the corner, and the film reminded me of how fragile life really is. It has made me all the more determined to make every moment count.
Scar Tissue
It’s hard not to get frustrated sometimes. I don’t have the independence I’m used to, and I’m trying to keep myself busy with little tasks to stave off the boredom. A long, slow recovery is often difficult to deal with.
But then I have to remind myself that I’ve come a long way. It was only twelve weeks ago that I was airlifted into hospital with a serious spinal injury, a head injury, internal bleeding and several broken bones.
For days I couldn’t turn over without five members of staff being there to support me, and even after my operations I could hardly sit up in bed without needing incredibly strong painkillers on hand. It took me days to learn to walk again, and it was only a few weeks ago that I was able to walk around without the help of my crutch.
Considering the gravity of the situation, it was miraculous that I was out of hospital two weeks after the accident, and I guess I’d assumed that my recovery would proceed at the same speed. Yet it has been a slow process, and there is still some way to go.
It’s hard not to be self-conscious about my scars, and still difficult to explain to people who haven’t heard about the accident why I sit at home all day. Now the crutch has gone and I’ve relinquished the need for my sling, it’s tough to explain to someone why I need a seat on the train when my injuries are not immediately obvious.
It’s a constant rollercoaster of energy levels, pain, and frustration. I know I have a lot to be thankful for, which I am. But it’s hard not to feel vulnerable, frightened, and a bit helpless at moments.
I don’t feel like this all the time. Far from it. I am determined to make the most of this situation, and deal with it all with a smile on my face. But I guess, like all things, life isn’t always that simple.
A Career in Kidnapping…
Having assumed what I wrote about yesterday to be a fairly rare occurrence, I have now discovered that this is far from the truth.
Only days after the two female aid workers kidnapped in Darfur were released, another French aid worker has been abducted, with his captors demanding a one million dollar ransom. Gauthier Lefevre was taken at gunpoint last week, marking the fifth kidnapping since the ICC (International Criminal Court) demanded an arrest warrant for President Bashir earlier this year, in an attempt to indict him for war crimes.
Abducting aid workers has become a new career for gun-wielding rebels, seeking a lucrative reward by demanding high ransoms. So far the Sudanese government has refused to pay the ransom, but even the mere suggestion that a ransom was paid to free the two women last week is acting as an incentive to encourage further kidnappings. The Sudanese government insists it is pursuing an alternative strategy to ensure the safety of the hostages, but a botched attempt to free workers in south Sudan last year resulted in the death of three out of nine hostages that were hoping to be rescued.
This only goes to show the bravery and dedication these aid workers are demonstrating, in a life or death situation – risking their own to save others.
Home at last
Two female aid workers were set free last week, having spent 107 days held hostage by their captors in the remote mountain region of the Sudan-Chad border.
Sharon Commins and her fellow captive, Ugandan Hilda Kawuki were abducted from their aid office in Darfur in July, and have now been released from a terrifying three-month ordeal. They had to endure mock assassinations, had their food and water heavily rationed, and were held in harsh desert conditions with only a blanket for shelter.
This has been the longest kidnapping so far in Darfur, with previous abductees set free after a couple of weeks. Commins told the press that it was her friendship with Kawuki that kept her going, and helped them endure the abuses they suffered. Both women have now returned home to their families and are enjoying a well earned rest before they return to work.
However, despite a love for the Sudanese people, Commins has expressed some reluctance to return to Darfur; “I think my family will have something to say about that”.
I think it’s incredible that there are people who work in such risky conditions in order to bring aid, medical assistance, and hope to people who desperately need it. I hope they both continue to work in what appears to be a tough but immensely rewarding profession. Inspiring.
