THE ADVANTAGE MY DISADVANTAGES

 Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship. - Denzel Washington

That which does not kill us makes us stronger. - Friedrich Nietzsche

What naturally follows from these quotes is that suffering is good for you and makes you more resilient. However, there is little to boast about in suffering; it is humiliating and kills more dreams and people than anything else I can think of. My most humiliating moments, as someone who has known poverty for much of his life, have been a result of being in need. Even in my pursuit of higher education, my career was largely determined by the cheapest available course and the one where finding a job would be easiest. I could write extensively about my experiences with suffering and poverty, especially poverty. This is why I have a chronic case of peniaphobia.

I have been despised, accused, refused, cast aside, and rejected by both good people and a coterie of snobs, including those who always have their noses in the air. Despite all this, I choose to look at the brighter side and learn lifelong lessons with great gratitude. Albeit in retrospect.

There is an advantage to being disadvantaged. This definitely sounds like an oxymoron because it is. With the experiences I have lived, I have already been disadvantaged, and few things can really break me down. I have built a concrete wall of adversity quotient (AQ) – one’s ability to go through a rough patch and come out without losing one's mind.

People often judge an individual based on their intellectual capacity, cognitive abilities and family names. We are misguided by the assumption that someone’s success is determined by their intelligence and access to opportunity. These all are indeed an integral part of excellence, yes. Undoubtedly a huge blessing. But if you are unable to resist and hold out against challenges in life, you will not be able to utilize your intelligence and potential to the maximum extent.

Life is unpredictable and notorious for throwing a preponderance of curveballs, and we may encounter several challenges in our journey towards the end of the road. A perfect nonplus outcome. Thus, success is not only determined by achievements but is also dependent upon how capable an individual is at persevering in times of adversity. It is necessary to develop skills that enable one to overcome challenges, learn and grow from them. Running away from hardships is easy and effortless. But it requires courage, determination and serendipitous moments to fight your adversities and uplift yourself from life's stressors.

It's easier said than done, though. But with prayer and heart, there's no storm that can never be weathered.

Indigenous Knowledge Is The Unheralded Pillar of Sustainable Human Advancement

The narrative that human advancement can only be framed under the aegis of western ken must be dismissed with contempt. 

Throughout Zambia’s history, indigenous knowledges (sometimes called Traditional Ecological Knowledge) have been responsible for the development of many technologies and have substantially contributed to science.

Before you start disputing, remember that science is just the pursuit of knowledge. Approaches to gathering that knowledge are usually culturally relative and subjective. Indigenous science incorporates traditional knowledge and technologies, while non-indigenous science is commonly recognized as Western science. Together, they contribute substantially to modern science and cannot be sequestered.

Tradition practices have played an inviolable and inalienable role in people’s lives to solve problems and thrive in the face of challenges. From the intricate basketry and woodworking commonly found at Luangwa Bridge of the Chikunda people to the vibrant textiles and pottery of the Lundas and Tongas, Zambian communities have demonstrated exceptional ingenuity and creativity. The famous Kabwata Cultural Village, a showcase of indigenous architecture and craftsmanship, testifies to the excellence of traditional construction, art, and history.

Having used the village as my classroom and laboratory in my formative years and as my office in my current years, I can proudly say that indigenous knowledge and technology is the last redoubt of humanity and sustainability that is waning. Indigenous knowledge and technology can provide insight into management and mitigation of environmental change, healthcare, agricultural practices, social behaviour, economics and so much more. Traditional knowledge is used to maintain resources necessary for survival.

My grandmother who never had the opportunity to attend school had a simple yet effective use of indigenous knowledge.  For example, for healthcare, she would often rely on a traditional remedy called Ukufutikila (steam therapy) to alleviate various ailments, and it would work wonders. Years later, I learned through formal education that steam therapy has scientific benefits, including relaxing the body's muscles, improving blood circulation, and stimulating the release of endorphins (body's natural painkillers). Nordic countries repackaged this practice and sold to the world as ‘sauna’.

When it came to treating Menso (conjunctivitis), my grandmother would swear by salt water as the answer. Her approach may have been unconventional, but it was effective.

In agriculture, this lady would use of natural pest control methods like neem and chili which – as I later learned is crucial in developing sustainable farming practices and ultimately soil fecundity and food security. She would observe leaf budding on trees and other phenomena to correctly predict the rainfall pattern and other environmental changes. The timing and intensity of leaf budding can be used to predict the onset and duration of the rainy season. Even leaf shapes, size and colour indicate an impending rainy or dry spell. This is because for the El Nino – the cause of Zambia’s current drought – causes stomata closure and reduced photosynthesis on tree leaves.

Moreover, my grandmother had a remarkable ability to predict the weather. Whenever the skies were cloudy, she would predict that the nights would be hot. I later learned in school that clouds produce a greenhouse effect, trapping the earth's warmth, which is why deserts can be cold at night despite being scorching hot during the day.

Why am I waffling about all this, you may ask?

First, its to pay homage to lady who was way ahead in time with the unflinching usage of indigenous knowledge to make corrective and preventive decisions. This surprisingly had a very small margin of error and over 90% confidence level.

Second, it is to highlight how life was simpler and linear before modernization. Our ancestors relied on traditional knowledge and natural remedies to solve everyday problems. I've even seen a video of a tribe performing successful brain surgery without conventional anesthesia or equipment, a testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of our forebears.

While modernization has brought many benefits, we must not forget the wisdom and effectiveness of traditional practices. It is also dangerous and fatuous for us to just use conjecture to dismiss these ideas. Elders must display of noblesse oblige and relay the traditional knowledge and technology to the young and youth, it is a debt they owe those who have gone before them and the rich cultural heritage they bequeathed them. By embracing and valorizing both traditional knowledge and modern science, we can individually and collectively lead healthier, more sustainable lives.

The enterprising yet faceless Zambian women

ODF Billboards: From Triggering to Informative

As I grow and evolve in the WASH sector, I realize that my perspective on what messages Open Defecation Free (ODF) billboards should convey has also gone through an evolution. Initially, I believed billboards should be triggering emotions for change as used in CLTS. However, I now argue that announcing information on the achievement by the community is a more effective approach as it attracts envy and admiration from communities that may not yet have achieved the feat.

Though CLTS encourages the use of "shame" or "social stigma" as a tool to promote behaviors, some WASH practitioners have documented practices that don't meet basic ethical standards and violate human rights. Some have even gone to the extent of questioning whether CLTS undermines individual human rights in the name of the common good. For example, April 2013 the was an outcry led by the then Eastern Province Permanent Secretary – Patrick Mwanawasa – over a billboard announcing the open defecation free (ODF) zones which was termed dehumanizing. The Permanent Secretary would then order all District Commissioners in Eastern Province to pull down the billboards in all the 15 districts.

ODF billboards should convey information on the status of the community, highlighting progress made. This – I believe - fosters a sense of pride and responsibility among community members, encouraging them to sustain the ODF achievements. Thus, ODF billboards should be used to canvas support and promote a sense of pride for the locals for achieving the feat. For non-locals, they are for information dissemination and promotion of the achieved feat.  All this, however, should be done respectfully within sociocultural acceptable norms to amplify the messages needed to achieve equitable and sustainable WASH for all. The Sanitation Learning Hub will be running online training on Using ethical images in the WASH sector which aims to equip individuals and organisations to take respectful, ethical photos that represent the complex realities of WASH issues.

In conclusion, my perspective on ODF billboards has shifted from blowing a battle horn to blowing victory horn. I am quite agnostic on what exactly is the right way of putting out the messaging on the billboard, however the message should be more biased towards announcing the positive achievement particularly the ODF attainments and its sustainability. Announcing achievements establishes a positive tone and rapport with the reader. It is positive reinforcement.