Founded on Divine inspirations and supported by charismatic leaders, Faith Based Organizations have continued to be impactful to the populace. Their engagement in human integral growth cannot be wished away, let alone be forgotten.
A big Kudos to those that have continued to sacrifice their lives and resources, for the sake of the lowly.
A current world trend however, reveals the apex of self-centeredness of the human person. Coupled with short-sightedness, individuals choose to focus on individual gains to the detriment of the larger society.
Any expressions of thought appear to shrivel only to the borders of one’s nuclear family. This attitude bears fruits which elicit divisive evils of crime, corruption, negative ethnicity and nepotism. Endowed with power and money, these evils are perfected. A major concern is how the human being, bestowed with knowledge, power and wealth, is able to manipulate the vices to appear virtuous, and sell them to the populace, for the short term detriment of the latter, and the long term detriment of the former.
A continued observation, also sadly witnesses a gradual shift of some FBO leaders towards agreeing and supporting, as well as belonging to the same pool with other world leaders. Such a move gradually compromises the very role and values that FBOs stand for, among them being the voice of the lowly. An added worry is when human knowledge and leadership turns against the environment.
Natural resources that are meant to be exploited discretely and allowed to reconstruct the self for sustainability of future us and future generations, are turned towards enriching a few. The wanton destruction of the same, leaves one wondering the rationale of the doer and the concern that such individuals have for their coming generations. While FBOs amidst other Civil Society organs have a significant role to ensure that the world unconcerned leaders are watched, some have joined the band wagon of consumerism and materialism. With these positions, the human race, more so in the developing world, has never been so threatened.
With the continued dwindling hopes, the masses continue to search for a savior as they continue feeling the pangs of being pushed to the wall. Will the lost FBO leaders rethink their positions? Will the remnant of the FBO leaders who still have the human race at heart, desist from the lure towards joining the wagon of consumerism and materialism?
Will all reclaim their earlier glory of being the voice of the very poor?
The educational centers that were brought about by the FBOs still stand, though some are dilapidated. We are fruits of their hard work and sacrifice. The educational styles of modelling can never be forgotten. How about their focus on health! They worked and continue to work on end for the health of the population. Their health facilities and provisions have remained poor friendly, countering the evil, where the patient is seen as a source of individual wealth. As for the bad governance, the FBOs have been on the fore front challenging the world leviathan. Due to the large following that FBOs enjoy, they are not only a world economic force, but a voice to reckon with. Few individuals cannot be let to derail the worthy course. Through the FBOs vices were and continue to be largely countered.
While Europe, America, parts of Asia and Australia, work towards elevating the wellness of their citizenry, Africa, though claiming to move in the same direction, is still struggling immensely. Levels of illiteracy are still high, let alone the quality of education. Universal health for all remains a mirage and the available health becomes the product of the rich. Each year, government officials appear on media lamenting and cursing natural disasters. On receiving monies to finance the re-construction, there is a natural wait for the catastrophe to end, monies be whisked away, and await for the coming year, to repeat the same whining. While taxations escalate, little on accountability is given and efforts to cub corruption end up elevating the criminal. The vicious cycle of lack of transparency, and accountability among our leaders is unquestionable. The masses, remain so disempowered that they can hardly concentrate on any thing else other than search for their daily food, devoid of nutritional values, and rent, lest they are kicked out. Many still grapple as squatters and await leadership led evictions that majorly come in the middle of the night and during floods. Insecurity among the very poor is an evil to live with. This may come from within the family circles, from the neighbors, or even from those mandated to protect them. A continued collection of bribe from among these poor is filthy loud. Violence mainly affecting the marginalised women and children, are a normal occurrence during elections. Each time, there is a promissory note from the leaders, that this is the last time that the occurrence will be witnessed. Efforts to do so are certainly not evident. All these factors, contribute largely to mental health illnesses among the poor. While the rich have their share too, that of the poor is screaming. With whom shall we join hands to drop a pebble in the large vast ocean in order to cause the ripples, no matter how small?
On the one hand, many of the mentioned success cases, have had the populace, individually and collectively working on their self emancipation. The conscientization Latin American wave led to an effective change of thinking and a subsequent change of guard. Earlier work removing the powers from an individual and vesting them on the parliament, worked for England. The unity among the Japanese after the Hiroshima bombing can not be overlooked. The recent cases of India and Singapore among other Asian countries need to be studied and learnt from. The North Americans and the nordic countries also have a lot to offer on matters of institutional strengths leading to a power-filled and human rights friendly populace. Awareness creation is a social transformative wave. At individual level, family and at village level, each of us has to be interested in personal wellness, that of the immediate family, the village, and of the environment both human and non human. No one is so poor as to have nothing to offer!
On the other hand, the writeup has a bias towards (not against) FBOs. The strength of these organisations in numbers and resources, is evident to all. Their long histories and internationality, adds to their strengths. They command such respect among the African populations and often remain unquestioned. While the work towards the poor is evident, more can and should be done. Charity is positive indeed, though justice goes much further and is long lasting.
While it is Godly to feed the hungry, clothe the poor and follow the beatitudes to the letter, advocacy and lobbying for right policies shall hold world leaders accountable to the tax payer, and hence offer justice to the lowly.
A remodeling of solidarity and preference for the poor is needed even the more. A deeper and more reflective avoidance of the wave of consumerism and materialism, will speak volumes. Your platforms reach out to many far and wide.
Together, we can socially transform the world, more so the suffering Africa.
