Making A Better World

Black Consciousness Revisited

by Benedick M Louw

A QUOTE in Spanish by the revered Cuban patriot, poet and writer Jose Marti (1853-1895) states “La unica manera de ser libre es ser cultos”. When translated into English it means “the only way to be free is to be cultivators”.

Contrary to hasty interpretation thereof, this statement, which by now is a social belief in Cuba, means that in order to be free one needs to produce food to feed yourself or work hard to be able to pursue your happiness whatever trajectory you choose to undertake. In other words it defines absolute independence characterised by a complete psychological, physical but most of all economic liberation from the oppressors.

Underlining the word ‘absolute’ gets one’s attention more in the sense that it calls for complete and total independence vis-à-vis dominance from the oppressor, which in Cuba’s case was principally from Spain.
Now it has resonance for the West, particularly the United States of America.

It’s obvious today that we in Namibia are continuously being led and misled by the former architects of apartheid, particularly the small percentage that owns, dictates and monopolises the economy, sowing divisions or disunity inconspicuously amongst the majority of blacks. This is because it would be unthinkable to repossess the country politically hence the cunning manner of pulling the bargaining ropes with the state and economically sabotaging the majority of the people, namely blacks.

In simple terms, 21 years after independence the majority of blacks clearly do not hold absolute power, being economic ownership, leaving the status quo of apartheid architects still unchanged and unchallenged. It would be foolish or naïve to suggest that a few black elitists do not gain from this fundamentally manipulative neo-colonial manoeuvre.

In his book The Dialectics of Ideological Resistance to White Supremacy, author Robert Fatton dissects the pertinent issues of Class, Blackness and Economics in a very eloquent approach. At the Black Renaissance Convention organised in 1974, Foszia Fisher and Harold Nxasana presented a paper entitled “The Labour Situation in South Africa” which expressed the point of the radical wing of Black Consciousness on the class nature of the blacks.

They argued that white supremacy was not simply the result of military conquest; it also depended on co-opting a black minority into the structure and superstructure of the white system.

This co-option permitted the systematic exploitation of black labour without the permanent use of force.
In this sense, some blacks became auxiliaries of the white system and also participated in the exploitation of fellow blacks. Namibia is a prime example in respect of this rather abyssmal chain of events as evident today.
The ongoing tender tussle of the Neckartal dam is a case in point, which bears all the distinguished hallmarks of black elites at work.

These elites lack the logic, insight, and courage that would have made them leaders of the black revolution. They are blinded by their material egoism and they hardly dare to conceive the idea of black liberation, for this idea was the very negation of their existential condition. Furthermore, since their only social base of power – outside white support – resided in the intensification of tribalism, they actively contribute to the fragmentation of black resistance.

In Namibia nothing is more likely to cause more argument and debate than the ‘land issue’. Land has become synonymous with this situation where less than 10 percent of the people control nearly half the land, while a further 65 percent of the population lives off 41 percent of the total area.

The fact that the former 10 percent are white and largely derived from European settlers, adds racial and political dimensions to the issue.” (Society and Governance – Namibia’s Land Issue)

Kazenambo Kazenambo, alias KK, Minister of Youth and Sport’s recent rhetoric regarding white arrogance sent shockwaves throughout the corridors of white owned businesses and straight into the living rooms of most, whether it be in urban areas or in the luxury of their farm establishments or industries.

These overdue sentiments silently enjoyed praise and still echo in the minds of black youth nation-wide, not to mention youth leaders, the majority still crippled by the manacles of apartheid and the continued experience of being oppressed and economically disadvantaged.

It is the elitist class that is sowing seeds of confusion and division amongst our people. It is the elitist class, created by the very oppressor which has joined hands with the oppressor in suppressing the legitimate aspirations of the masses of the people and they collect crumbs from the master’s table for this dirty work.

To draw parallels to this fact is the undisputed partnership between white capitalists and some few BEE elites discreetly establishing empires, whereas the latter in the name of BEE affirmative policies and with capital funds of their former slave masters through unscrupulous and dubious means seek what is known as ‘tenderpreneurship.

This act of self-enrichment of a few to the disadvantage of the masses is fundamentally unconstitutional, morally backward and ought to be shamed where and when it shows its face.

Such a severe condemnation of the tribal elites was an example of part of an incisive criticism of the whole policy of separate development, which in turn led to radical criticisms of the whole capitalist system.
The linkages between tribal elites, separate development, and capitalist exploitation were identified in Black Consciousness literature and thoroughly condemned:

“Let blacks take full notice of the fact that the Transkei and other homelands are there not for our benefit but to maintain the chains that bind us into perpetual servitude by keeping us divided and involving us in useless and meaningless political exercises so as to keep our eyes away from the pot from which the racial poison is being brewed.

They are there to ensure that the blacks never attain what they aspire for - their liberation.
They are there to maintain the capitalist system of this country by keeping (the black man) starving and ignorant so that he can continue being a tool in the white man’s farm, mine or industry for the production of wealth for the exclusive benefit of the white imperialist.”

Despite liberal claims to the contrary, foreign capital did not contribute to the overall development of black Namibia; instead it enriched the white population and propped up a new black class of pseudo-capitalists.
It’s obvious today that despite the success stories of numerous well drafted policies and well intended regulations, we have dismally failed regarding the effective implementation of these fundamental policies, which putting it candidly, are collecting dust and serve as mere white elephants, archived in the deep office corners of legislators, remaining idle until Kingdom comes.

In the words of Nkwame Nkrumah: “In the era of neocolonialism, under-development is still attributed, not to exploitation but to inferiority, and racial undertones remain closely interwoven with the class struggle”.

Benedick M Louw
Karas Region

Milton Louw - Future Namibia : Autorenportrait BoD - Books on Demand

Milton Louw - Future Namibia : Autorenportrait BoD - Books on Demand: “Why did I write this book?” “In this book I hope to objectively evaluate Namibia’s economic problems in terms of Namibia’s realities. ... Namibia’s economic problems have both proximate and ultimate causes, too. The solution must eliminate its proximate causes which are multiple and complex. They include: a hugely expanding rural population that is moving to the urban areas; illiteracy – especially in regards Information Technology; lack of adequate schooling and medical care facilities; and their constantly escalating states of poverty. ..."

The Dogg making racial jokes on Facebook

Facebook and social online media is today becoming a method of sharing our ideas with friends and relatives from all around the world, and all around our country too. It allows us to share our ideas, photos and private comments with each other and we know that our friends often think in the same wey that we do - that is after all why we are friends. Many of us do not think that our comments or posts should be considered public, or often consider that people we might not know can read our posts and judge us accoring to these comments.

Last night, 5 January 2012, I was rather saddened to read a post by one of our leading artists who has over 29,000 people following him on Facebook. The Dogg posted the following at around 20h00 on his fan page:

"A MULE IS A CROSS BREED OF A DONKEY AND A HORSE.....SO A BLACK PERSON AND A WHITE PERSON OFFSPRING IS ALSO A MULE SINCE IS CROSS BREED?....HAHAHAHAHAH"

This is obviously a racial slur and can lead to a charge of racism. What was worse, was that as it was posted by the star many of his fans felt they too could comment and make even more outrageous comments making fun of other people whose parents were from different cultures or mixed races. It was particularly sad that these fans (many of them still youth and possibly born frees) did not realise their comments were racist and to be strongly condemned - even possibly having a criminal charges laid against them (and The Dogg).

I wish to urge our artists, and our fellow Namibians, to be careful of the things they write on facebook or any other social media. Not only are your comments racist and hurtful, but can, and should, lead to criminal charges of racism.

I hope that our people who make use of these tools think twice before making such comments, or even participating in such activities.

Martin Morocky (born 31 March 1983), known by his stage name as The Dogg is a Namibian multi-award winning musician, producer and actor. He's one of the most outstanding artists in Namibia and is considered one of the pioneers of Namibia's kwaito genre.

Future Namibia - On Sale Now

"Future Namibia" is a book written by Milton Louw covering various PEST (Political, economic, social and technological) issues facing Namibia.

About the author
Milton Louw is a Namibian born socio-political entrepreneur. He has traveled extensively promoting Namibia as an investment destination.

His publications, email newsletters and more recently his blogs are read by entrepreneurs from all sizes of businesses. His research on managing a country as a business using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools has been received by a wide audience of business, academics and other social entrepreneurs.

Future Namibia Mission Statement
"Develop the tools and systems to assist the management of Namibia (government, civil society and private sector) in providing access to services and technologies to allow maximum quality of life to all who live here."

Click for the versions you wish to purchase:

Idealism

Idealism! Throughout history, some men had sought the ideal, and most had called it freedom. Only fools expected absolute freedom, but wise men dreamed up many systems of relative freedom, including democracy. They had tried that in America, as the last fling of the dream. It had been a good attempt, too.

The men who drew the Constitution had been pretty practical dreamers. They came to their task after a bitter war and a worse period of wild chaos, and they had learned where idealism stopped and idiocy began. They set up a republic with all the elements of democracy that they considered safe. It had worked well enough to make America the number one power of the world. But the men who followed the framers of the new plan were a different sort, without the knowledge of practical limits.

The privileges their ancestors had earned in blood and care became automatic rights. Practical men tried to explain that there were no such rights—that each generation had to pay for its rights with responsibility. That kind of talk didn't get far. People wanted to hear about rights, not about duties.

They took the phrase that all men were created equal and left out the implied kicker that equality was in the sight of God and before the law. They wanted an equality with the greatest men without giving up their drive toward mediocrity, and they meant to have it. In a way, they got it.

They got the vote extended to everyone. The man on subsidy or public dole could vote to demand more. The man who read of nothing beyond sex crimes could vote on the great political issues of the world. No ability was needed for his vote. In fact, he was assured that voting alone was enough to make him a fine and noble citizen. He loved that, if he bothered to vote at all that year. He became a great man by listing his unthought, hungry desire for someone to take care of him without responsibility. So he went out and voted for the man who promised him most, or who looked most like what his limited dreams felt to be a father image or son image or hero image. He never bothered later to see how the men he'd elected had handled the jobs he had given them.

Someone had to look, of course, and someone did. Organized special interests stepped in where the mob had failed. Lobbies grew up. There had always been pressure groups, but now they developed into a third arm of the government.

Bagde of Infamy - Lester del Rey

Why did I write, "Future Namibia"?

Namibians have a lot to be proud of. It is one of the most spectacular countries in terms of scenery and wildlife. In addition, it has enormous mineral wealth.

The most important ingredient of this country however, is its people. Namibians have emerged from decades of colonialism and apartheid rule to become one of the most integrated societies in the world. Regardless of social, economic or political background, Namibians are proud of their country.

As a child of Independence, having raised the flag of Namibia over Windhoek the morning of 21 March 1990, I am grateful for those who went before me to ensure the quality of life we can all enjoy.

I have been trained in investment promotion, or in plain words, marketing of Namibia to outsiders. This has had its share of success and failure, but more importantly given me the chance to study the people, the landscape, the business sectors, history and so much more.

This book is the result of my experiences and study of the best system for making this country even better for us, and our generations to come. While preparing the book I was looking for a basis on which to write. The best structure, I believe, has been to write this book as a “Business Plan for Namibia”. Accordingly, I looked at:

· Management (Government, Legislature and Executive)

· External and Internal Environments (PEST analysis)

· Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)

· Marketing planning(through segmentation and targeting) to find the best value proposition

· Forecasting

In all these, I looked for the best result achieved in other countries such as China, Germany, France, Netherlands, Japan, USA, etc and adapted it to our specific situation.

Throughout this book I also looked at how to integrate technology into our systems and daily lives. I have struggled to find a term for this and the best I could find was “Progress through Technology”, or in German, “Vorsprung Durch Technik” . I prefer to use the German expression because in German the word “Technik” not only means technology, but also the technique of studying and mastering the skills of something.

My conclusion is that in Namibia, discrimination is not based only on race, culture, gender, or geographical location, but more importantly in access to services (and technology).

Just as in any business plan, this book is not set in stone. It is a work in progress that will develop and change to reflect the changes in our society. I hope that you the reader, will not only read, but become a participant in creating this vision of “Future Namibia”.

Future Namibia Mission Statement

“Develop the tools and systems to assist the management of Namibia (government, civil society and private sector) in providing access to services and technologies to allow maximum quality of life to all who live here.”

Milton Louw

14 August 2011

Email friend

(Dedicated to Jaqueline)

Although you are a friend of mine

And letters we exchange

I would not know you on the street

And doesn't that seem strange?

You hold a place within my life

Unusual and unique

We share ideals and special dreams

And still we do not speak

I picture what I think you are

Perhaps you picture me?

An intriguing game for both of us

For someone we cannot see.

So for this friendship we possess

We owe this mail a debt

Perhaps the charm lies in the fact

That we have never met.

Think out of the Box

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night. You pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus:

1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.

2. An old friend who once saved your life.

3. The perfect man (or) woman you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car?

Think before you continue reading. This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.

You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first; or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to find your perfect dream lover again.

The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer.

He simply answered: "I would give the car keys to my old friend, and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the woman of my dreams."

Never forget to "Think Outside of the Box."

Swearing at the Namibia Music Awards 2011

The profane language by a certain artist, formerly known as Lady May (she is no lady), has sparked a lot of debate on the various Internet forums such as Twitter and Facebook. I am sure it is also a topic in many people's houses during this weeekend, and will be amply covered by our newspapers during the week.

My first reaction when she made the comment (I do watch NBC), was to laugh. The artist obviously did not have any idea what the meaning of the words were, or the insult she was trying to convey. After all, did she really mean, to refer to the audience as people who participates in sexual intercourse with their mother?

Then I did a double take. How do I explain to a child in the audience (at home) what she meant by this? Must I tell the child the truth that this artist believes we are engaged in sexual acts, or should I just answer, "she's swearing, and does not mean it"?

Thats when I got angry. Why should I be forced to make excuses for someone else? This artists is dependent on us as consumers to buy her music. Thus her behaviour is unacceptable.

As a consumer, I believe its my money and I will use it where I am treated as king. So no Lady May, no business that swears at me will get my money.

Some encouragement in the workplace

DON’T LOOK TO BECOME A PERSON OF SUCCESS, LOOK INSTEAD TO BECOME A PERSON OF VALUE!

There was a farmer who collected horses; he only needed one more breed to complete his collection. One day, he found out that his neighbour had the particular horse breed he needed. So, he constantly bothered his neighbour until he sold it to him. A month later, the horse became ill and he called the veterinarian, who said:

- Well, your horse has a virus. He must take this medicine for three days.. I’ll come back on the 3rd day and if he’s not better, we’re going to have to put him down.

Nearby, the pig listened closely to their conversation.

The next day, they gave him the medicine and left. The pig approached the horse and said:

- Be strong, my friend. Get up or else they’re going to put you to sleep!

On the second day, they gave him the medicine and left. The pig came back and said:

- Come on buddy, get up or else you're going to die! Come on, I'll help you get up. Let’s go! One, two, three...

On the third day, they came to give him the medicine and the vet said:

- Unfortunately, we’re going to have to put him down tomorrow. Otherwise, the virus might spread and infect the other horses.

After they left, the pig approached the horse and said:

- Listen pal, it's now or never! Get up, come on! Have courage! Come on! Get up! Get up! That’s it, slowly! Great! Come on, one, two, three... Good, good. Now faster, come on.... Fantastic! Run, run more! Yes! Yay! Yes! You did it, you’re a champion!!!

All of a sudden, the owner came back, saw the horse running in the field and began shouting:

- It’s a miracle! My horse is cured. This deserves a party. Let's kill the pig!

Points for reflection: this often happens in the workplace. Nobody truly knows which employee actually deserves the merit of success, or who’s actually contributing the necessary support to make things happen.

LEARNING TO LIVE WITHOUT RECOGNITION IS A SKILL!

If anyone ever tells you that your work is unprofessional, remember: amateurs built the Ark and professionals built the Titanic.

DON’T LOOK TO BECOME A PERSON OF SUCCESS, LOOK INSTEAD TO BECOME A PERSON OF VALUE!

(Thanks to my sister Arlene for passing along)

Namibian Facebook Fan Pages - 16H30 on June 4 2011

The Dogg 26 560
NAMIBIA 15 341
MTC Namibia 7 474
Namibia is the most… 7 326
Stop Animal Hunting… 5 784
INamibia 4 187
www.exposenewspaper.com 3 566
My Namibia 3 201
namibia-travel.it 2 431
Namibian Sun 2 304
We are Namibia! 2 287
Lady May 2 263
www.swapoparty.org 2 165
Republikein 2 147
SPCA Windhoek, NAMIBIA 1 986
Travelstart Namibia 1 652
Hilton Windhoek 1 605
Namibia - Where to Stay 986
Pneumatix Namibia 943
Namibia Wildlife Resorts… 901
Namibia Annual Music… 761
Namibia Geographical… 705
KTM Namibia 683
Voices of Namibia 668
Update Namibia NBC 549
Polytechnic of Namibia 416
Travelyard: Camping in… 408
Goethe-Zentrum/NaDS… 404
Conservancy Safaris… 360
Vespa Namibia 305
Namibia Breweries Ltd 267
Ultimate Safaris Namibia 266
Namibia On Foot 259
Black Economic… 253
NBIC Namibia 247
Herbalife Namibia 225
consumer news namibia 221
Rally for Democracy and… 143
Namibia National Youth… 138
Dr Tjitunga Elijah… 120
Telecom Namibia 66
Milton Louw - Namibian… 60
National Youth Council… 52
Linux Namibia 50
Namibia Information and… 41
Institute of Management… 40

We Remember: Before, Now, and Later

The past:

“Those who control the past, control the future.” (George Orwell, 1984)

How do representations of the past affect our understanding of it? How are historical representations incorporated into collective memory? To what degree are ideas of national identity embedded in collective memory, and what role do museums and social online media play in the creation of this collective memory?

Too many times, leaders and nations have dwelled in the past, which has handicapped the immense potential of the present, instead of using knowledge of the past advantageously towards the future.

In conclusion, history has proved that it cannot disappear. Wars can never disappear. Poverty can never disappear. Sickness can never disappear. Corruption can never disappear. Yet our connected history has produced success, happiness, growth, and prosperity. History has shown contrasts, andNamibia, the country we are so fortunate to

live in, advocates the diversity of every individual. In the words of Shakespeare, “What is past is prologue.” Indeed, the future of mankind will build upon what it has already established. As time progresses, the common public memory of the past will continue to fuse and intertwine all nations’ destinies together based on what each individual accomplishes now, in the present.

Paraphrased: http://www.greatquestions.com/winners/en/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20AnnaBetkaessay.pdf

Now is the time to look at what is our common memory - and include all sides of the wars as part and parcel of one nation. And learn to use our differences to map a path for the future.

In a tight spot of debt

Many years ago in a small Indian village,a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer’s beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.

He said he would forgo the farmer’s debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter.

He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father’s debt would be forgiven.
If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be forgiven.
But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer’s field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag.He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

What would you recommend to the girl to do?

Well, here is what she did…

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

“Oh, how clumsy of me,” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one.

And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one!

Conclusion of the Story

Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don’t attempt to think.

When the mind is alert, sharp and calm while facing any problem, there definitely would crop a good solution to it whereas if the mind is too agitated, depressed and fidgety, the brain loses its ability of positive “thinking” and everything seems blank and bleak with no solution that the mind forces a person to take drastic and negative measures like commit suicide or a crime as an immediate solution.

If we can understand the problem, the answer will come out of it because the answer is not separate from the problem!

Also, the important thing about a problem is not its solution, but the strength we gain in finding the solution!

Next time you face a problem, consciously make an attempt to think more clearly, cleverly and calmly…and you will surely find the best solution for it.

He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father’s debt would be forgiven.
If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be forgiven.
But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

What would you recommend to the girl to do?

Well, here is what she did…

“Oh, how clumsy of me,” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one.

And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one!

Conclusion of the Story

Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don’t attempt to think.

If we can understand the problem, the answer will come out of it because the answer is not separate from the problem!

Also, the important thing about a problem is not its solution, but the strength we gain in finding the solution!

Next time you face a problem, consciously make an attempt to think more clearly, cleverly and calmly…and you will surely find the best solution for it.

Namibian Facebook Fan Pages - 18H30 on May 30 2011

NAMIBIA 15 254
MTC Namibia 7 444
INamibia 4 063
www.exposenewspaper.com 3 558
My Namibia 3 200
Namibian Sun 2 294
Republikein 2 146
SPCA Windhoek, NAMIBIA 1 982
Travelstart Namibia 1 648
Hilton Windhoek 1 404
Pneumatix Namibia 942
Namibia Wildlife Resorts… 883
Polytechnic of Namibia 416
Vespa Namibia 305
Namibia Breweries Ltd 267
Black Economic… 253
NBIC Namibia 247
Herbalife Namibia 225
consumer news namibia 221
Milton Louw - Namibian… 60
National Youth Council… 52
Linux Namibia 50
Namibia Information and… 41
Institute of Management… 40

If you want to add your page, please drop me a mail.

Internet Friends - Author unknown

(Dedicated to Jaqueline)

Although you are a friend of mine

And letters we exchange

I would not know you on the street

And doesn't that seem strange?

You hold a place within my life

Unusual and unique

We share ideals and special dreams

And still we do not speak

I picture what I think you are

Perhaps you picture me?

An intriguing game for both of us

For someone we cannot see.

So for this friendship we possess

We owe this mail a debt

Perhaps the charm lies in the fact

That we have never met.

Job Interview Question

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night. You pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus:

1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.

2. An old friend who once saved your life.

3. The perfect man (or) woman you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car?

Think before you continue reading. This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.

The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer.

He simply answered: "I would give the car keys to my old friend, and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the woman of my dreams."

Never forget to "Think Outside of the Box."

Namibian Citizens' Emergency Flood Relief Campaign

Dear compatriots and friends

Namibia Cares was formally launched on the 14th of April 2011 by a number of caring Namibian citizens to assist the victims of the unprecedented floods in our country. We are writing to let you know how you can join the growing movement of human solidarity with the tens of thousands of affected residents of Namibia. We believe that every person in Namibia cares, and, if given the chance, would want to help in his or own way.

Today, more than 13,000 persons remain in relocation centres, more than 200 schools remain closed, and more than one hundred lives have been lost due to the floods. It is expected that the relocation centres will continue to operate at least until the end of June in some areas and until the end of August in others. When the flood waters subside and the relocated persons are able to return to their homes, they will face the prospect of clearing debris, rebuilding their homes, replanting their crops and replacing lost personal property.

We therefore appeal to you to donate, as you see fit:

• In-kind contributions of clothes, bedding, canned food, cooking and eating utensils, dish, laundry and body soaps, writing pads, pencils and crayons, toys, shovels, rakes, refuse bags or any other useful items; or

• A cash donation to one of the accounts listed below. (A law firm, Dr. Weder, Kauta and Hoveka, is receiving the funds to assure proper control).

You may bring your in-kind donations to our office at Khomas Regional Council headquarters or you may phone our office for collection or more information.

We also invite you to join our efforts. You can

• place collection boxes at your place of work or school;

• ask your church or organisation to appeal to its members for contributions. (We can supply collection boxes or stickers for your own boxes)

• send this letter to your email contacts or to your friends on Facebook.

You are welcome to attend our weekly Monday meetings at 5pm at the Khomas Regional Council Office or to phone the office for more details. We need many more volunteers, and your humble contribution will be very much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Helmut K Angula (National Coordinator)

Deputy Coordinators: Tangeni Angula - Paul Smit - Vicki Erenstein ya Toivo

Patrons: Hon. Libertine Amathila Hon. Ben Amathila, Hon. Johan De Waal, Hon. Samuel Nuuyoma

Trust Accounts

Name: Dr. Weder, Kauta and Hoveka, Inc.

Ref: Namibia Cares

Bank Windhoek

1026 643 801

Branch code 48-19-72-00

First National Bank

Acc. No 6201 677 2578

Branch code: 281 072

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When interacting on Facebook

Here are the most important things to keep in mind when interacting on Facebook:

Choose your friends wisely because it is considered rude to delete someone as a friend. If you're unsure, it's more acceptable to not accept the initial invitation.
Poke carefully because this interactive features means different things to different people. It depends on what your relationship is with the person originally. It can be used as a business tool to build rapport with colleagues and clients, but it is more famous for having a sexual connotation.
Respect people's privacy, especially if you are a parent and your teenager is on Fcebook. Instead of asking to be your teenager's friend using Facebook (which could be perceived as an invasion of privacy), instead tell them you set up an account and let them decide whether to become your Facebook friend.
Be aware of what you post because a message posted on the "wall" section at the bottom of a profile page can be read by anyone. A general rule is that if it's not appropriate for someone's boss to read, then don't post it. (FYI: If someone posts something questionable on YOUR wall, you can delete it.)
Be sure and upload a photo of yourself as this really helps people to connect a face with a name. Also, it's much more appealing to look at a photo than the default blue question mark used for those who don't post a picture.
Take advantage of the high degree of control over what people see. For example, you can adjust your privacy settings if you want to limit who can and cannot see certain photos.
Don't overdo friend requests. Even though Facebook makes it easy to upload your contacts (and automatically issue friend requests to a whole address list) it's not meant to be misused.
Another no-no is flooding your network with status updates. Each new update you post appears on your friends' news feeds so it's best to show a little restraint (as in no more than two updates per day).
Finally, don't be creepy in the sense that even if you share similar music interests with a nice 20-year-old, it doesn't mean she wants to be your friend. The best rule of thumb is to not make friend requests of strangers (especially ones who are significantly younger than you). Even if you know them, it's a better idea to wait and let young people take the lead.

The Racial Gap in the Namibian Healthcare System

Authors: Audrey Eisemann, Laura Overton and Tamara Siburg

Week 13

While Apartheid ended 21 years ago, as has been portrayed in many of these blog posts, the effects of Apartheid continue to be prevalent in Namibian society today. Those in Namibia who are black and coloured in general have fewer privileges and more obstacles than white Namibians. These privileges are highly due to the advantages gained by white Namibians through having generations of wealth in their families that many black and coloured Namibians do not have. While this is not true for 100% of the cases, it is true for enough to be an indicator of significant disadvantage.

This issue is no different when it comes to healthcare system. Those who are more wealthy have the privilege to have access to medical aid which enables them to utilize the private hospitals, while those with less privilege and who cannot afford medical aid must rely on under-funded, under-staffed, state hospitals. Since lack of wealth is one of the obstacles that many black and coloured people have to overcome in Namibia, many are forced to rely upon government run hospitals, and do not have access to the more technologically advanced and thorough healthcare at private hospitals.

This past week we visited a private hospital, Roman Catholic Hospital, and a government hospital, Katutura State Hospital. The differences in treatment due to funding and staff were blaringly obvious from the infrastructure, the equipment and the queues.

Roman Catholic Hospital is a privately-owned hospital nestled in the center of Windhoek. Their brochure states: “Our mission is to provide a Christian based quality nursing care service. We endeavor to provide compassionate health care for those suffering from illness and to help them find psychological and spiritual stability and peace” (Roman Catholic Hospital).They have a full staff of nurses and doctors with nurses there twenty four hours a day, and at least one doctor who is on duty at all times in the casualty department. Like in private hospitals in the United States, patients can be turned away. If patients do not have adequate medical aid, which is our version of health insurance, they will not be treated at the hospital. To be admitted to the Roman Catholic Hospital, a deposit covering the estimated cost of the procedure, service or operation is required. Throughout the semester we have learned about the inequality among races within Namibia that is left over from Apartheid. We have been taught that Namibia has the highest rate of inequality in the world. By charging such a high admission to be admitted to a private hospital, the segregation between different races within Namibia is perpetuated.

Katutura State Hospital is a state-run hospital. The government provides it with all of its funds. While at the hospital we noticed how impersonal the feeling of being in there was compared to the private Roman Catholic Hospital or even to state owned hospitals back home in the United States. One of the sisters that were showing us around at the Roman Catholic Hospital even told us that the state hospital is set up more like a business then a caring family. Due to socioeconomic inequalities, the lower class can only afford to go to the Katutura State Hospital. The most expensive price that on anything the hospital offers to its patients is 30 Namibian dollars. Staying overnight 1 night or even 3 weeks will both only cost a person 30 Namibian dollars. But if a patient needs to be in the hospital for a (photo: Outside of Katutura State Hospital) few days that means the more money they lose for missing work. When we asked why the hospital was so under staffed because they did not have the funds to pay the doctors and nurses a salary comparable to that of the private hospital. It is good for the patients without a lot of money needing care to come to the hospital because cheap prices, yet if the hospital can’t keep the doctors and nurses then one would have to ask what quality of care do the patients receive at the state hospital and how time efficient for the patient would it be.

Making A Better World - Milton Louw