A LAND OF CONTRAST by Bob Gregory December 2006
This past November, I had a chance to travel to Africa and meet up with my friend Gary who was born and raised in Zimbabwe but now lives in Collingwood. I have always wanted to go to Africa and this opportunity to travel with a friend who was familiar with the continent was too good to pass up. Elephants have always been my favourite animal and the chance to see them in the wild was high on my list. What I discovered was a land of exotic beauty and wonderful people who struggle against great odds to find hope in the midst of enormous adversity.
Like most Canadians, I was well aware of the cruelty perpetrated by white explorers during the times of slave trading and colonization. More recent news of violence and atrocities, the AIDS pandemic, and immense poverty tempered my expectations. In the end, I can honestly say: “Whatever you think about Africa – think again.”
Indeed, Africa is not like any place I have ever experienced and I have traveled extensively to many parts of the world. For starters, to think of Africa as one entity belies the fact that it is a continent with 54 separate countries. Most of my time was spent in Zambia with side trips to Botswana and South Africa. In some ways, my limited exposure there could be compared to a foreign traveler going to Alaska and saying he had a good understanding of the United States.
Zambia is located in the interior of Southern Africa, surrounded by eight other countries. It has been an independent country since 1964 following many years of British rule. There is much unemployment and poverty, a high incidence of AIDS and the average life-span is only 42 years of age. However, there is also an expanding tourist industry, mining of copper and other minerals, and most recently deposits of oil have been discovered. No longer saddled with immense international debt, Zambia seems poised to rise up from the ashes and begin anew.
During my stay in Livingstone, Zambia I toured a school, visited the hospital, and met many local residents who are trying to make a difference. Fabian Chitambala, a former national soccer player, is running a sports program for kids, Chris Lubasi has opened a recreation centre for young people where education about AIDS is taught, Harry Werth has just opened a chocolate factory to employ disabled men and women, and Stephania Maseka, the head mistress at the Linda West Basic School, has managed to get funding for a lunch program to feed students. Livingstone is located only six kilometers from Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world and new resorts are being built for an expanded tourist industry which will create much needed employment.
There are many contrasts to our way of life in Canada. In 2006, Canadians spent 933 million dollars on video games but when I asked some students at the school, in Livingstone, if they knew what a Nintendo was they had never heard of it. Linda West Basic School has 1400 students but only one hundred and sixteen desks, no library, no science equipment, no computers, and only one or two text books per class. Many students, who want to attend school, cannot do so because they do not have money for school fees and uniforms or are busy caring for younger siblings who have been left without parents due to AIDS.
In the hospital, patients wait for hours in a line to see a doctor but must purchase medication before it is dispensed. Those who are hospitalized must have food brought in by family members since none is served. This gives a whole new perspective on those in Canada who complain about wait times and hospital food.
I also had an opportunity to visit several farms in the area, where crops were all planted, awaiting the rainy season which begins in early December and runs until March. Hundreds of mango trees, growing in yards and along the roadside were ripening, bringing an ample supply of fruit for everyone and a smile to many faces. The soil is excellent in Zambia and a revitalized farming industry has now made Zambia one of the few countries in Africa which grows enough food for export. Everywhere, I encountered people who were friendly and anxious to make sure my visit to their country was an enjoyable experience.
Undoubtedly, my trip to Africa exceeded all my expectations. I spent time in traditional mud hut villages, saw the awesome Victoria Falls, played soccer with some young boys, went on a game drive and a river cruise and made new friends. I got to see zebras, hippopotamus, crocodiles, and a host of other animals and exotic birds. Watching a herd of my beloved elephants emerge from the jungle and bathe in the Chobe River was a dream come true. I can hardly wait to return.