Change in Mali

A New Start for Barack Obama in Africa?

Translation posted 7 November 2012 19:42 GMT · View original post [fr]

Countries	Kenya, Republic of Congo, Ghana, Madagascar, Mali,South Africa, U.S.A.
Topics	Breaking News, Development, Elections, Environment,International Relations, Politics, Economics & Business,Citizen Media, Humanitarian Response, Digital Activism
Languages	French, English

With Barack Obama re-elected to the Presidency of the United States for four years after the election of November 6, 2012, Africa is reviewing his legacy[fr]. This following his four years at the head of an America more concerned with the economic crisis than international relations, especially within the African continent. The expectations of Africans were great, but many think that the second term of President Obama will enable him to have a wider margin of manoeuvre on African issues.

U.S. President Obama walks with Malia, Michelle and Sasha following, during their visit to Cape Coast Castle, Ghana via pd2020@sbcglobal.net on FlickR (CC license-NC-BY)

Adrien Hart wrote on Slate Africa that the African legacy of President Obama is rather mixed. Hee xplained [fr]:

Visibly ill at ease to act as the “world’s policeman”, he managed world affairs like a good father, without making waves.  His critics accuse him of a lack of leadership, his supporters highlight his humanity and remind us that Bin Laden was eliminated under his mandate.With him, America has become less arrogant. But has it become more popular in the Muslim world and Africa? This is not so certain.Certainly, as far as Africa is concerned, Obama has tried to catch up. In August 2010, he received more than a hundred young Africans at the White House to discuss their “vision for Africa for the next 50 years”, implicitly criticising the generation of independence [ed. note: African leaders that came right after the colonial period]

However, many found there were extenuating circumstances for him.  RFI reported that Nadine Gordimer, winner of the Nobel Prize of South African Literature, thinks that one term is not enough[fr] to solve the world's problems:

In a large country with so many problems, it is difficult to sort them all in one term. But I think he had the right approach. His philosophy and his energy are going in the right direction, globally speaking. And, of course, the United States is very important for the rest of the world. If they sneeze, it's we in the rest of the world who catch pneumonia. I also think that he has the right ideas regarding equality, both practical and of consciousness.

Obama giving a speech in Accra, Ghana, 2009 by L'expressmu

These critics are harsher on Obama’s strategy in Africa. Gene Healy of libertarian thinktank theCato Institute described the militarised action of the American administration in Africa:

Four years ago, few could have predicted that one of President Obama's legacies would be increased militarization of U.S. foreign policy towards Africa – but that seems to be the case. [..]
Promiscuous war-making leads to unintended consequences. For example, U.S. intervention in Libya stoked the civil war in Mali, as Tuaregs serving in Gadhafi's army joined the fight after the dictator's fall.
It's not clear that our expanded military presence in Africa serves any pressing U.S. national security need.

The Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Henri Lopès, thinks that the expectations placed by Africans on Obama’s policies were unjustified. On RFI, he stated [fr]:

We must not delude ourselves. Obama is the son of an African, but Obama is American. His election is historic in a country which has known slavery and segregation. But on the field of politics, it’s a question of large-scale calculations of interests.

At Kogelo in Kenya, the woman that Barack Obama considers his grandmother, Mama Sarah, picked out these criticisms. Stéphanie Braquehais told of how she experienced the victory of her ‘grandson’:

With the hint of a smile, she answers questions with liveliness and humour. After each statement she squints, sometimes nudging the person beside her. At no time does she deviate from her script. “It’s God who has allowed this victory” [she says], she refuses of speak ‘politics’ and intends to go to the United States for the inauguration.

The election of Barack Obama for a second term still appeals as much to young Africans.  In Madagascar, bloggers rose at dawn to follow together the election outcome live onscreen. Here is the video of this meeting by jiviard [fr]:

Even though the disappointment felt at Obama’s legacy in Africa is certainly tangible, the political convictions of Obama seem to converge with those of the majority of Africans. The ‘chemistry’ felt is not due to his family ties with Kenya but rather to a geopolitical pragmatism and common interests to defend, as underlined by [fr] Adrien Hart:

Obama, comme les Bush avant lui, n’a pas vu venir en Afrique l’«ogre chinois». Les Américains, tout comme les Européens, n’ont pas anticipé non plus la menace croissante des «fous de Dieu» en Afrique [..]Obama n’a rien pu faire pour contrer l’avancée des Chinois et des islamistes. Mais l’Afrique votera-t-elle en novembre pour son adversaire Mitt Romney, républicain, mormon et surtout immensément riche, sûrement trop riche? Sûrement pas. Oui, Obama a déçu. Mais l’Afrique ne veut pas qu’il parte. Sans lui, cela serait pire.

Obama, like the Bushes before him, did not see the ‘Chinese Dragon’ coming to Africa. The Americans, just like the Europeans, did not anticipate either the growing threat of ‘God’s fanatics’ in Africa. [...] Obama could not have done anything to counter the advance of the Chinese and the Islamists. But will Africa vote in November for his opponent, Mitt Romney, Republican, Mormon and above all immensely rich, surely too rich? Surely not. Yes, Obama has disappointed us. But Africa doesn’t want him to leave. Without him, things would be worse.

Written by Rakotomalala · Translated by Jane Ellis
Translation posted 7 November 2012 19:42 GMT ·  Print version

http://crs.org/mali/delta-survie/

Mali Women Craft Fair Trade Comeback

By Kim Pozniak

In January, a team of product designers and marketers from Catholic Relief Services' partner SERRV, a nonprofit fair trade organization, traveled to Mali to train a group of women artisans in design and product development for their jewelry business. Funded in part by a grant from Catholic Relief Services' Fair Trade Fund, the weeklong training was designed to help the women at the Delta Survie Center expand their product line and identify new export opportunities.

Banyine Bora, Delta Survie's boutique manager, welcomes passers-by to buy beaded jewelry and textiles at the roadside shop. Photo courtesy of Julie Danis

The sign above the women's street-side jewelry boutique, adjacent to the center, welcomes customers to "Boutique des Femmes Malade de Fistule" (Boutique of Women With Fistula Illness). Delta Survie is located in the heart of Mopti, a bustling market town often called the "Venice of Mali" because of its unique network of dikes. Every year, the center serves approximately 200 rural women artisans who are recovering from obstetric fistula, and educates hundreds of women and their families through a radio and TV campaign about prevention and treatment.

In addition to providing medical and social services, the center also serves as a workshop and storefront for the women's jewelry and textile business.

In Mali, one of the poorest countries in the world, where women in rural areas often don't have access to basic health care, obstetric fistula can be caused by prolonged labor, poor prenatal care and a scarcity of midwives. The resulting infertility, incontinence and odor often cause husbands to leave their wives, and many women face discrimination in their own communities.

But when you ask the artisans at Delta Survie about the sign above their shop, they insist on keeping it. "[The exposure] is good for us. It makes people attentive to our problem," Banyine Bora, the boutique manager, explains.

A Fresh Start

At Delta Survie, the women find acceptance and economic opportunity. After undergoing medical treatment, they learn a fresh set of skills so they can rebuild their lives—often away from their families and villages.

"You might well expect to find a somber, heavy mood at Delta Survie," says Keith Recker, a SERRV volunteer and expert in crafts and home furnishings who worked with the women to identify new product designs. "But it was clear from the start that they see themselves as a community—that they bond together to help each other recover."

Seated around several tables in the main workshop, the women create beaded jewelry, scarves and other intricate textiles as their children play nearby. "The light, stationary work is a perfect occupation for these women, who are at different stages of recovery and many of whom need frequent periods of rest," Recker explains. "And as you quickly learn from the pretty necklaces and earrings and bracelets worn by many of the women, such jewelry is part of the vibrant style zeitgeist of Mali."

Safiatou, one of the women at Delta Survie, displays a beautiful necklace she made after consulting with SERRV trainers about product design. Photo courtesy of Keith Recker

The artisans divide the profits of the handcrafts between themselves and the Delta Survie staff. But with SERRV as their only export customer and limited sales generated from the boutique, they needed to increase their customer base and diversify their product line in order to stay afloat.

A Marketing Boost

Three representatives from SERRV visited the group to provide training in organizational management, product development, costing and pricing, as well as production and shipping. They showed the artisans how to improve their design and marketing skills. In turn, the artisans will pass on their knowledge to future groups of women who come to Delta Survie.

Recker, whose previous clients include big-name retailers like Bloomingdale's and Saks Fifth Avenue, says the trainers and artisans tried designs based mostly on techniques already used in the local tourism market.

"We worked to produce over 15 different necklace prototypes, with a handful of earrings thrown in. And we tried some fun, new ideas that were very achievable with available materials and skills."

With new and improved product designs and a few lessons in basic marketing, the women now hope to attract more buyers, and add a few more items to the SERRV catalog.

"[The women] are eager to become more professional and are specific in what they think they need in order to grow and become better," says Julie Danis, a marketing consultant and SERRV board member. "We believe we can help them with a basic marketing plan right away, and some sales help too."

Together, the group also took a good look at improving the curb appeal of their roadside jewelry store. "I told the women that I want to make their boutique so beautiful that when the motorcycles drive by, they are stopped in their tracks by its beauty and must come back to make a purchase," Danis laughs.

About the CRS Fair Trade Fund

Every time someone makes a purchase from one of CRS' fair trade coffee, chocolate or handcrafts partners and references CRS, a percentage goes to the CRS Fair Trade Fund, which is used to help producers increase their efficiency and expand their markets. Overseas, the fund is used to make Development Grants that help disadvantaged artisans and farmers gain better access to the fair trade market. Market-Building Grants are meant to help grow demand for fair trade products here in the United States.

Kim Pozniak works as a communications officer for CRS and is based in Baltimore, MD.

Mali History

Mali is a beautiful but poor country in West Africa with an incredibly rich history. The River Niger runs deep into Mali's Sahara desert. Today boats still ply their trade up and down the Niger, but the flourishing empires of old that were responsible for building legendary cities like Timbuktu, have had their day. Salt caravans still ply their ancient routes, but now the riches lie in the cultural festivals of this region. Mali is also home to the fascinating Dogon region, and one of the world's most vibrant music scenes.

Mother and Child, Mali

Babies throughout rural Africa are carried on their mother's backs, freeing their hands to work in the fields or tend to domestic chores.

Watering Crops with Gourds, Mali

Mali is culturally rich, but economically poor. Most people farm small plots and live off the food they grow. Traditional gourds are still used to water crops.

Mali Women Outside Mud Mosque, Djenne, Mali

The area in front of Djenne's Grande Mosque, is a natural meeting place for people and also the site of one of the best markets in Africa, held every Monday.

Kananga masks form geometric patterns. These masks represent the first human beings and are normally made by carvers of the Awa society. The masks are worn during the Dama dancing ceremonies The Dogon believe that the Dama dance creates a bridge into the supernatural world. Without the Dama dance, the dead cannot cross over into peace.