School Girls, Lane Girls

I read the Liberia headlines last week: 24 Students Become Pregnant at Guthrie (June 9, 2008, C. Emmanuel Johnson)

"The Ministry of Education has constituted a team to investigate circumstances surrounding the pregnancy of about 24 students at the Guthrie School System in Bomi County.
Education Minister Dr. Joseph Korto said when facts are established that the impregnate students were under the age, the matter would be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution because of the statutory nature. He told a news conference Saturday in Monrovia that reports of sexual activities among students and teachers were worrisome."

Last night a friend introduced me to a film by Carielle Doe who lived and worked in Liberia as an aid worker in 2005. In 2006, she went back to Liberia to create her documentary "School Girls, Lane Girls" as her master's thesis in Journalism. It focuses on young girls in Monrovia who sell thier bodies in order to pay for thier education (which is not free in Liberia). Save the Children, a UK Charity, estimates between 60-80% of young school girls in Monrovia sell their bodies to make money to pay for the fees. This is staggering. The education system is not very good either.
After years of civil war, the smallest West African nation of Liberia was ripe for change. In 2006, they welcomed Africa’s first female president as their new head of state. Her agenda included creating new opportunities for Liberian women. Many young girls in Liberia want to take advantage of the opportunities by going to school. Unfortunately the girls’ methods of funding an education may do them more harm than good.

The film explains how after the long war, basic survival has become a way of life for Liberians. Prostitution is just an extention of the survival for these young girls, many of of whom have left their parents and homes in villages to come to Monrovia for school.

Click here to watch the Trailer.

Sophie Jodin

Speaking of the proposal (which I was last post), as the idea was developing in my head in Canada a year ago, someone asked me if I had seen Sophie Jodin’s work. I knew of this Montreal artist and had partly followed her work over the years, but had not realized she was working from a similar theme (War Series/Ward Series). Check out Sophie Jodin’s War Series on her website HERE.

All The Good Things

I have had a number of people asking what became of my art proposal to Mercy Ships. Mercy Ships decided they were not interested in being involved. I suspect an artist may represent too risky of a marketing move for a company intent on branding themselves. I think I am better off in the long run as their policies on complete copyright and creative control would make any art maker nervous. We have different visions and that, I realize, is fine.

I did however feel strongly (and brilliantly) about the idea. I was momentarily left hanging and wondering what had gone wrong. Then I reassessed as I often do when things don’t seem clear. I think most artist fluctuate between thinking they are the most brilliant thing out there and feeling like losers who can't produce anything other than shite. It is essential to have times where you think you are brilliant as it motivates the production of all those brilliant epiphanies. It will keep you thinking people are quite possibly blind when they don't buy into it. Artists shouldn’t fight their tendency to be sensitive either. It is there where artists record so that others can participate in perspectives they could not imagine. 



So, back to feeling like doggy doo on this particular occasion, not so much about the rejection itself, but more about how it was rejected. I pulled out my list entitled “all the good things” which is where I record all the really positive things that keep me believing in both myself and my goals.

All the good things (Apr/May)
-16,000 hits on my www.michal.ca for April
-receiving a random email from a man who inherited one of my paintings in a will
-selling 4 major and 2 minor works through Vancouver Art Gallery and an Alberta art auction
-selling $12,000 of work in two months through galleries while in Liberia
-discovering my work has been featured on paintblog.ca
-a friend writing a really nice blog about me
-a designer writing really positive comments about my work
-small encouraging notes my family members gave me at Christmas, but I saved until the spring
-4+ exhibitions I have lined up for the fall (with more ideas in tow)
-a strong sense that the best I have to offer is actually art related, not minor jobs
-the original proposal being picked up internationally with development possibilities into a bigger project than initially projected.

I would encourage anyone to write down lists like this. When I am not feeling that good about my situation, I pull it out and am instantly transported back to my exciting world of possibilities.

Liberia: Series of Things

Here are some fun series of photos that people have shot in Liberia. Click on the subject below to view more images.Wheelbarrow Entrepreneurs in MonroviaRoad Signs & Shop Names
Transport and Other Humours

Bumpers

Liberian Church

I went to a small church in the country side: Pillar of Fire. The walls were made of woven reeds and the roof was corrugated tin. The walls reached to the top of my head leaving a good 4 feet space between that and the beginning of the roof. It was hot, but the breeze was able to flow.

The church was near a Sierra Leonian refugee camp and the church that morning was at least two thirds full of young children. A few of them got up to sing for the congregation wearing the best they had, which in some cases was ragged clothes that were too small for them and didn't cover enough. They were timid as most children are in front of a crowd. I was sitting in the front along with other foreigners and if I thought they were performing for us, I would have cringed in self-embarrassment.

I learned that the children were all orphans and the community had taken them in. Whether from AIDS or from the civil war, I don't know, but they all wanted to shake our hands after the service had ended. There was one particular girl I noticed that was thin and the least dressed with hair in half braids that had begun unravelling sometime in the past week. She approached me to shake my hand and I leaned down to tell her how nice her singing was. She shyly looked away.

The thought of all of these kids in one community with so many who had no mother or father, no family, left me choking back tears. What must we seem to them? Rich foreigners coming to enjoy our "African experience"? A young man approached Nigel to ask for help for a hernia he had in his navel. He explained that he was wrapping it in tight bandages every day. Nigel had to tell him that the visiting surgeon was already booked and there was no space left. We could do nothing for him. What would become of him now?

In Liberia, life is tough. To a Westerner it looks like a life of camping: gathering wood to cook your meal on an open fire. Gathering food. Fixing your makeshift shelter. If by chance you are unfortunate enough to become ill, death is a very common outcome. It is a difficult existence which I have a tough time justifying even homesickness when I am amongst.

The State of the World

"One illusion has been shattered on 11 September - that we can have the good life of the West irrespective of the state of the rest of the world. Once chaos and strife have got a grip on a region or a country, trouble will soon be exported...The dragon's teeth are planted in the fertile soil of wrongs unrighted, of disputes left to fester for years or even decades, of failed states, of poverty and deprivation."
-Tony Blair at the 2001 Lord Mayor's banquet.

"Widespread poverty and chaos lead to a collapse of existing political and social structures, which would inevitably invite the advance of totalitarianism into every weak and unstable area. Thus our own security would be endangered and our prosperity imperilled."
-John F. Kennedy arguing in 1961 for a big increase in America's aid budget.

"In the aftermath of September 11 people were fond of saying that 'the world had changed'; that life would never be the same again. What they meant, of course, was that life in the rich world, and especially in America, had changed. In the poor world nothing much had changed at all - except that many more countries would be regarded with suspicion and many more of their citizens seen as potential terrorists."

"If leaders like Tony Blair (and those that follow him) remain true to their words, then over the next forty years Africa might well look very different from the way I have had to portray it during the last forty years."
-George Alagiah, A Passage to Africa, 2001

Charity: Water

From New York City party promoter, Scott Harrison volunteered onboard the Mercy Ships for 6 months and it seemed to begin a monumental change in how he felt he needed to live his life.

He began Charity:Water, an organization that digs wells in the poorest regions of the world providing often the only clean water in the region.

I am impressed by Scott. As an artist I am impressed by his media savvy and the visual impact of his websites. As a human I am impressed by the scope of people he appeals to and who he pulls into his cause. As someone living in Liberia, I am impressed that living in the west, he has found a way to settle the uncomfortable feeling in his soul when seeing the disparity of many lives in this world.

Scott's Links:
www.charitywater.org
mercyglobal.com

A Joint Ticket?

I couldn't resist posting this one. Hillary Clinton has conceded and rumour has it she may run as his vice.Barrily Obinton

Quote: Henry Ford

“If you think you can’t do a thing or you think you can do a thing. You’re right.”

Henry Ford, American industrialist and pioneer of the assembly line product method, 1863-1947.

A Response to "In Postwar Liberia, Paradise Amid the Poverty"

A response to Craig Timberg's May 29 Washington Post article (posted below): "In Postwar Liberia, Paradise Amid the Poverty" (link here)

[Thanks Tyrone for the link. I will have to formulate my response to both articles.]

The “Paradise Amid Poverty” article indicting the lifestyles of Western NGO workers in Monrovia is a biased portrayal and imperfect analysis of a complex situation.

Firstly, for the record, not all expatriates live in the “paradise”-like described and not all NGOs have huge disposable budgets and shiny new SUVs. I live in a local-style apartment in downtown Monrovia with six Liberian roommates. We don’t have running water and have only sporadic electricity. In addition, the office of Youth Action International (YAI), the NGO where I am currently serving as a volunteer consultant, does not have the luxury of high-speed internet or air-conditioning, or the convenience of private transportation.
Secondly, the so-called profligate lifestyle of European and American expatriates actually helps stimulate the capital city’s economy. Those sushi bars that you so easily critique are employing dozens of local Liberians as cooks, waiters, busboys, and bartenders and are supporting the livelihood of fishermen who otherwise would not have a market for their fish. Expatriate dollars are trickling down into the impoverished local economy and are providing jobs and stimulating business growth.In addition to the jobs in the burgeoning hospitality industry, NGO community employs hundreds of Liberians as drivers, secretaries, domestic helpers, and security guards, at wages that are very generous by Liberian standards. These otherwise unemployed Liberians can now afford to pay their children’s school fees and can contribute to their households’ rising food expenses.
While most of the jobs offered are low-ranking as the author accurately mentions, few Liberians have the experience or education necessary to fill high-ranking posts. The 13-year civil war all but eradicated the educational system and most of what has been rebuilt so far is laughable in quality. Those Liberians who are educated often choose to go into sectors that are more personally profitable such as business or government rather than non-profit work. However, many NGOs try to fill mid-ranking positions with Liberians so they can gain the experience and knowledge to eventually take over for themselves. And some have already succeeded. For instance, all the YAI country staff are Liberian.
Finally, the foreigners who come to work here are motivated, bright, hard-working individuals. We are taking risks to our personal health and safety to live and work here, far from our families and friends, and distant from the comfort and familiarity of home. We truly care about Liberia and Liberians and the fact that we want to sit back and enjoy some California rolls on a Friday night should not negate that.
It is facile to see the slow progress of development in postwar Liberia and point a blaming finger at the Western NGO workers who enjoy a “lavish lifestyle,” but these indictments fail to assess the true impact of the Western presence here in Monrovia.

Today's Menu

The dining room jokers strike again. Our menu board was blank and in its place was this note. Tyrone, our head chef, would probably answer the phone with "Joe's Garage. Joe here." rather than sit and chat about the finer points of the meal that you would like to tell him how to improve on.

Liberia: Soccer Fans Die at World Cup Match

Several crew from the ship were at this football match and described an insanely overcrowded scene in which the UN and Police were having a hard time controlling the crowds that were so dense it was hard to breathe with all the pressure from bodies. An estimated 50,000-60,000 people crammed the 35,000 capacity stadium.

allAfrica.com / Posted to the web 2 June 2008 / Written by Boakai Fofana

Monrovia - At least eight people died of suffocation caused by overcrowding at the stadium where Liberia faced the Gambia in a soccer match Sunday, according to published news reports in Monrovia today.

The Lone Stars of Liberia were playing their counterparts from the Gambia at the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) Sport Complex in Monrovia. The game was an African Nations Cup/World Cup qualifying match

The SKD stadium has the capacity to hold only 33, 000 spectators.

The stadium seating capacity is about 35,000 but security guards could not contain thousands more who flooded the stadium. The match was Liberia's first game in the qualifying series and expectations for what many regard as a new team – especially with the hiring of the German coach, Antoine Hey – have been building for weeks.

Authorities at the Liberia Football Association are blaming “criminal elements” who produced duplicate tickets for the overcrowding of the stadium. Football lovers started arriving hours before the game started and it became apparent long before kick-off that there would be problems in controlling the crowd.

Some of the victims in front of the stadium shortly after Sunday's incident.

Local radio stations were told before the match to ask those en route to the stadium to turn back. It is not clear whether this call was heeded – there were already thousands of people outside the stadium, waiting to enter.

In the stadium itself, the crowd became rowdy, pushing and shoving. There were many cries for “water” when the heat from the midday sun set in. The showers of rain that fell did not alleviate the problem and fire trucks had to be called upon to help

The game itself ended in a 1-1 draw.

With another game scheduled for the stadium, many are calling on the authorities to treat Sunday's tragedy as a wake-up call to plan better.

Beach Art

Fun at the beach with found object and Nigel's foot.

Quote: Moby

On George Bush: "A lot of what I want to talk to him about is faith. Because I try not to judge, but I really don't understand the notion of a pro-capitalist, pro-death penalty, pro-war Christian. To me, that just seems like a vegetarian who eats a burger."

Moby, musician, May 2006

In Postwar Liberia, Paradise Amid the Poverty: Feelings Mixed as Aid Workers Live Well

Finally someone is writing about the dichotomy of the NGO world...

Sushi chefs work at the Barracuda Bar, one of Liberia's newest hot spots for foreign aid workers. "They drive the best of car, go to the best of entertainment center," says one Liberian. (By Craig Timberg -- The Washington Post)

By Craig Timberg
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, May 30, 2008; Page A01

MONROVIA, Liberia -- The second sushi bar to open in ragged postwar Liberia did not settle for having its chefs wear simple T-shirts, or for serving $25 worth of sliced fish on plain white plates.

Instead, the Barracuda Bar -- the new favorite hangout of ambassadors, U.N. officials and legions of aid workers whose shiny white SUVs jam the parking lot most nights -- opted to dress its staff in Japanese-style robes and red bandannas. Bigger orders of salmon and yellowtail arrived not on flatware but on little wooden sushi boats. Lobsters languished sullenly in a tank near the door, waving their antennae as customers walked by.

As this impoverished country climbs its way back from 13 years of civil war with the tiniest of steps, a boom is underway in the industries that cater to the rarified tastes of thousands of mostly European and U.S. expatriates who have come to help since peace arrived in 2003. The increasingly visible splendors available to this relatively wealthy group have left some Liberians wondering whether the foreigners are here to serve the nation or themselves.

"They drive the best of car, go to the best of entertainment center," said Allen Weedor, 42, the Liberian manager of a modest bar in a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of town. "You can't really see what they've done."

The offices for aid groups and U.N. agencies that line major thoroughfares evoke as much discontent as gratitude in Monrovia, the capital. Their signature white trucks offer vivid contrasts when most vehicles on the road are worn-out old coupes with broken windshields, torn upholstery and thoroughly battered bodies that bespeak the troubled times Liberia has endured.

A U.N.-maintained list from 2005, the most recent available, catalogued more than 600 nongovernmental organizations, donor groups and agencies of the world body working in Liberia. Their missions included tending to nearly every facet of national life: food, health, education, forestry, farming, religion and rebuilding the electrical grid, water systems and roads.

Yet whatever the accomplishments of these groups, Liberians say the benefits of this massive international investment are far more obvious in the parts of town inhabited by the foreigners themselves. The number of swimming pools is burgeoning. Casinos are opening. Beach-side bars are springing up and sprucing up.

At the Abi-Jaoudi supermarket, ground coffee can be bought from Dunkin' Donuts, Starbucks and Seattle's Best. There are eight types of Chi-Chi's salsa and 90 types of cereal, including six varieties of Special K. Pop-Tart lovers have 16 options; if they can't decide between strawberry and blueberry, they can get a "Splitz" Pop-Tart, with both.

A bag of these expensive imports can easily exceed the monthly salary of a Liberian lucky enough to have a job. A dinner for two at either of the sushi bars is much more -- especially if the meal is augmented with a few $8 caipirinhas or mojitos, as is possible at the Living Room, Monrovia's original, and somewhat less fancy, sushi spot.

There is another side to aid work in Liberia. Eliane Van De Velde, 35, a Belgian public information officer for the U.N. mission here, now on maternity leave, said many Westerners leave behind their families to work in a place that often is dangerous and disorienting.

"There are a lot of people who are there because they love the work," Van De Velde said.

Yet over several years in Liberia, Van De Velde said, she witnessed the most urgent needs ease as the aid flow grew sharply. As the money poured in, so did the amenities geared toward Western tastes.

Nudes (I thought that would get your attention)

I held my room door open as someone waited in the hall while I fetched the money from my closet.

"Were there young guys in this room before you?" he asked.

What a strange question. It must have come from somewhere.

"No, I don't think so." I scanned the room in the direction he was looking.

Then my eyes landed on my open closet door with pictures stuck everywhere to it, including a nude. I laughed and explained that I had studied nude drawing and painting for 7 years as well as fashion design and liked the human form. The pictures were all mine.

Disclaimer #2

I don’t have all the answers, but I do have a lot of questions about life and the way we live it in this small world together. I am an observer and feel an urge to speak up when I see discrepancies. I feel we can learn from those that have insight (those who have been there longer than we). We can learn from being quiet, listening and watching. From being a humble guest in someone else’s home. I seek truth and love and these things need not be compromised for anything. I see no conflict of interest in choosing this. My weak point is often my negativity that can arise from being on a different page from everyone around me. I need to present things objectively and critically. It does make me nervous when complex issues are simplified, whitewashed or generally not fully exposed. I trust something more when I see all the sides, good and bad, clear and hazy. I want to understand how something works and sort it out for myself before buying into it. I will never make a great follower. To see my previous disclaimer CLICK HERE.

Quote: C.S. Lewis

"Five senses; an incurably abstract intellect; a haphazardly selective memory; a set of pre-conceptions and assumptions so numerous that I can never examine more than a minority of them - never become even conscious of them all. How much of total reality can such an apparatus let through?"

C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Two Different View Points From Three Different Worlds

I like stories of first impressions or reactions. Here are two different viewpoints from 3 different worlds:

2 Ghanaian friends of mine who live on the Mercy Ship are shocked in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). They can't believe it when they see westerners begging on the streets. The impression that we westerners leave is that we are all made of endless money.

A Canadian O.R. nurse comes to Liberia and adopts a 12 year old orphan she has formed a strong attachment to. She takes her back to Canada and watches in amazement as the young girl eats half of everything and throws the rest away. She turns on the shower and then does another job before getting in. I wonder what sort of wasteful impression (or reality) we westerners leave the world.

Two North American women hire a private taxi regularly in Monrovia. They refuse to pay private taxi fairs and continually insist on giving the driver public taxi prices (US$5 vs. US$.35) because they feel all Liberians are out to rip them off. I am not sure they are aware that gasoline prices are higher here than in their own country. They have him chauffeur them around for half a day stopping for lunch at a restaurant where they invite him to sit with them. They feel generous when they give him the parts of their sandwiches they can't finish & wonder why he speaks of needing more money to send his son to school when they feel he is obviously well paid for a Liberian.

Halo 3 in a War Torn Country

Sometimes I wonder what Liberians would think of our playing the video game, Halo 3, on board the ship.The situation becomes more complex when you consider the teenagers on board. I imagine they are the people who have the toughest time being squashed for years on a ship with 400 others. No where to escape or be on your own. No chance to get a job and earn money to do your own thing. And sheltered from the reality of what goes on outside along with the rest of the crew.

The situation becomes more complex when you consider that there are both hard core travellers that come on board and young 18 year olds who have never travelled before. The blanket rules seem to cover the more uninitiated but cause a somewhat stifling environment for the others. I suppose you have to cover your own butt as an organisation.