Sustainability anyone

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-interviews/Hollywood-stars-ready-to-help/articleshow/6518888.cms

Here we go again, another disaster, another famine, another genocide and the Hollywood left is jumping on the bandwagon. This type of self righteous bull shit really bugs me. Sometimes I wish I was rich and famous, but then I know I would be a total douche-bag who loves the sound of his own voice, who is vain, conceited, and thinks he can change the world (wait that is actually me now, but I m not rich or famous FUCK!) Where are these people before the situation arises. Why are they not trying to avert disaster rather than fix it. Most of them know nothing about the conflict or people they are trying to save. Therefore all their work is done in vain. I cant understand why we are are a nation of remedy rather than prevention. This is true of our government 100 times over. We wait for the terrorist strike, the earthquake, the hurricane, the oil spill, before we try to mend the situation. Then people offer only fickle , temporary solutions rather than long term results. Sustainability anyone?

This is what I call the bandaid solution. You cant fix a massive injury with a bandaid, there are things you can do to stop the bleeding, temporarily ease the pain, but unless treated properly, the consequences are deadly. Same with the charitable world. You have starving, malnourished people who are victims of violence everyday in Darfur, so what does the world do, give them food, water, vitamins. That is wonderful and I am sure the people are truly grateful, but this does not stop the genocidal violence, the massive sexual assault, or the constant starvation. So why dont people take that same money, the same brain power and try to fix the problem at hand. There is so much human potential in the world to end suffering , but leaders, governments, and people choose other expensive and irrational solutions.

There was an article I read today on a women building schools in Afghanistan, education is the key to peace. The amount she has spent building hundreds of schools over the last few years is the same amount it costs the U.S. to support ONE troop in Afghanistan. Now what is a better solution education and freedom or violence and war. All you hawks and war mongers think of it this way, the lives that have been lost, the families that have been saddened by this war, a country in deep depression with few allies, is it worth it. Or would we have been better to follow the lead of this young women, of Greg Mortensen and try to make peace with the people of Afghanistan through liberation of their mind.

My short experience with Invisible Children taught me one valuable lesson, if you are going to try and positively effect peoples lives, then you have to make sure that the things you give them, the changes you make are adaptable to the people. That you give them what they need, that they can take over ownership of the ideals, values, and systems that will make their community flourish. Charity groups have been in Africa for forty years, what has changed. I still see civil war, corrupt leaders, genocide, rape, famine. So something must be going wrong, to many people offering to many bandaid solutions to massive problems. I think its pretty simple...

1. Education: An ignorant mind, is a harmful mind. Most people commit these horrendous acts because they are ignorant to anything else. They grow up in a violent, war torn community. They have not had proper education or care. So they turn to violence for a sense of belonging and protection. There is so much human potential in the world. There are doctors , scientists, teacher, and world leaders all over. But they are never discovered , never given the opportunity because they are surrounded by conflict. If they are provided an education who know the untapped potential that will be unlocked.
2. Empowerment: The people hold the power, there is always a majority in the poor, the down trodden, the oppressed. Empower these people so they can form their own revolution. This is the goal of IC Teacher Exchange, they dont try to change the culture, the values, or infringe on anyones rights. They offer empowerment, letting the people of Uganda know that they are important for their children, for their community. The offer them opportunity, if they desire to better their lives. Most projects IC funds has to be proposed by the people, the teachers of Gulu. They need to see that if they do the work, positive change will happen.
3. Sustainability (i hate this word) You give computers to a high school in Sudan. 10,000 dollars were spent by some charitable organization to put these computers in the school, to give the students an opportunity to see the world through the internet. However there internet connection is impossible in the area and the students and teachers were never trained on how to use a computer. The computers just sit there and waste away. What does sustainability mean, to offer things that can continue for a long time. Train those teachers on how to use a computer, they can train their students, and the cycle continues. Then the computers have value. With out sustainable solutions there will always be long term problems.