No Shortcut to Development: The Drone Corridor is not Viable a Development Project

If there is one thing most of our leaders in Africa have consistently failed to understand, it's the fact that there is no shortcut to development. Development is a multifaceted never ending journey. Yet we know one thing for sure, one needs to understand/observe the landscape of any  pathway s/he chooses when s/he journeys out to a far away undiscovered land. At least, not fully discovered. That action to study the landscape of a pathway is what we can refer to being strategic; being systematic; and being visionary. But it's rather unfortunate that most of our leaders (I say most owing to the fact that Africa is host to majority of the developing countries) lack that visionary attribute. This is as a result of many things, one of which being lack of "honesty." Most of our African leaders are not honest. We can debate about the quantifier "most" later. Meanwhile, let's deal with this drone project funded by UNICEF.
Yes the "Drones for Good" project was funded by UNICEF in partnership with the Sierra Leone's Directorate of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI). Imagining the capacity of the DSTI, it is safe to say it's fully funded by UNICEF. But why should we be concerned about it, and especially at this time since its launch on 29th November, 2019? Well, because apart from it being a none viable development project, it still has the propensity to deny us the true development we deserve.
According to the WHO (see: https://reliefweb.int/report/sierra-leone/drones-good-corridor-launched-drones-take-flight-deliver-medicine-remote-areas), maternal mortality rate in Sierra Leone is one of the highest in the world with 1,165 per 100,000 live births. And according to a report by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation National Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Strategy 2017-2021, up to 46% of maternal deaths are as a result of blood loss (obstetric hemorrhage). The drone for good corridor is basically meant to facilitate the delivery of medical supply to hard-to-reach areas within 200km square airspace in order to save lives in emergency response actions, especially those related to maternal health care. Other use may include agroforestry and geospatial mapping (that could be later). This initiative is however not new to Africa. Rwanda has had it since October, 2016. It's believed to supply more than 65% of blood outside the capital Kigali. Ghana has had theirs in April l, 2019 (too).
I want us to note few words (like: "most efficient) in the excerpt taken from His Excellency President Bio's speech during the launching of the programme: "It is time for Sierra Leone and other developing countries to take the lead in solving our developmental challenges, such as maternal mortality. My Government has prioritised technology and innovation as an essential part of our solutions package. Using fourth industrial revolution technologies to accelerate our development goals is not an option--it is the only way we can quickly and most efficiently address the huge problems existing for our people." I want to say that's not an accurate proposition. This drones are not most efficient a response to the huge problems existing in those areas. As a matter of fact, they may worsen the appalling conditions of hard-to-reach rural areas.
As beautiful as all the project ideas (especially the one that has to do with maternal health care) may sound, we are forgetting to ask what that will mean for infrastructural development in those areas. Yes, this drone can deliver medical supplies for emergency response, but sure drones cannot transport a pregnant woman in urgent need of better medical attention than offered in those hard-to-reach areas. Sure also the drone cannot facilitate easy access to better hospitals/medical centers for pregnant women in those hard-to-reach areas. And sure the drones cannot facilitate the transportation of needed medical exparts and interventionists to those areas.
It's with no hesitation I say that this project will give our leaders more reasons to relax in delivering the development aspirations of their people. They have a duty to facilitate movement to those hard-to-reach areas by constructing roads. Using drones as development intervention to those areas is equivalent to putting the "cart before the horse."
African leaders should stop seeking shortcut to development and develop the courage to face the problems of their people. Drone use will only be most effective when the areas are cleared from being hard-to-reach areas. Maternal health and maternal emergency response does not start nor end with emergency medical supply. It starts with supplying the needed development requirements in those areas that will improve livelihood and movement. The construction of  roads cannot only help make those areas accessible to medical staff and expart- interventionists, but also expand pregnant women's choice to medical care. With good roads they can choose to seek medical care where they think is safer or more affordable without any fear of accident or danger. With roads they can easily sell their produce to nearby communities and take care of their medical needs and enhance livelihood. With good roads, their communities can attract some of the best medical practitioners and civil servants. What is the use of emergency medical supply when the doctors to administer the drugs to them are stuck on the road to those areas from their visit to a nearby village?
A viable development intervention in the form of emergency medical intervention starts and end with expanding people's choice. Construct the roads and expand their choice to a medical care/attention they need.
Some would argue that, the drones are not bought by the government, they are for free. I would say, yes, but they will give them more reasons to drag their feet in responding to the development needs of especially rural areas. For a more Sustainable Development intervention, roads leading to those areas should be constructed.  UNICEF should instead support in the construction of roads if they truly want to alleviate people's suffering in those areas.
Meanwhile, as a conclusion,I would like to end this piece by recommending that academics consider conducting "research" projects on this. To know the development implications of medical-drone intervention (particularly, with regards livelihood and infrastructure).
#My_View
©Amadu Wurie Jalloh
®The Emmanuel Ivorgba Foundation
® Students Analysts and Writers Network
11/02/2020

Over 34,000 persons tested positive of the virus (globally). Death toll is 636 (as at recent report). 41 passengers in a cruise ship in Japan tested positive. The virus infiltrated in many parts of the West and Asia.
Lucky for Africa, no positive case tested in the continent just yet. Taken into consideration the capacity of many states in Africa, and the ignorance/stubbornness of many of its citizenry, I would advise Africa puts a travel ban to/from mainland China or put measures to screen in comers thoroughly to protect its citizens. This will hurt the economies a lot. It already may have started showing symptoms. Business people in Freetown (capital of Sierra Leone) have been accused of blaming the Coronavirus for the incessant increase in price.
Come to think of how it will slowdown supply due to security checks. How it will discourage several business persons to travel to China for merchant. Nation states will eventually start to even scan goods from the country. It will be hard for Africa. But what will be harder than containing a virus that a greater nation like China (economically) itself finds difficult to contain?
There are several undiscovered things about the virus at now. Vaccine development could be difficult if a source is not known. We cannot tell how this virus will perform in the tropics and other regions.
It's not hatred or lack of sympathy, but rather protection of a much more vulnerable people. Many African sates are less equipped to tackle breakouts like this. And our interactiveness in all spheres will create a room for its rapid spread in the community than in any other civilization. We don't know yet how equipped we are with face-mask or other protective gears to prevent its spread. We are prayerful people. We all know the first place our people will flood when such things occur (God forbid), the Churches and Mosques. Places where they will spread easily and rapidly. So please save us the worries. Be proactive for once.
My heart and prayer to China and its loving citizens. God help us all.
© Amadu Wurie Jalloh
® Students Analysts and Writers Network
®The Emmanuel Ivorgba Foundation

Tips to becoming (a Good) Writer

I want to dedicate today's time to answering one of the questions colleagues on both social media and in my community frequently pose to me: how can one become a good writer?
Most times I would dodge the question and switch the discuss to other things. That's because I wouldn't want to assume authoritative or expatriate knowledge of the art of writing. I tell myself I am still struggling to know the art.
But guess what, I would be a  fool to think that a true writer is someone who must have mastered a subject or a topic of discussion. After reading a passage from Furey Robert J.'s "So I'm Not Perfect"(1986) where he did mention about a time in life when he encountered psychologist Dr. Rollo May in a public lecture in St.  Louis, just like Dr. Furey, my writer's block crumbled. After his lecture, Dr. Rollo took his time to entertain  questions from the audience. One question from a young man about anxiety would however have Dr. Rollo pause for a short while before he could deliberate on it. He finished the deliberation with an unexpected declaration (well perhaps unexpected declaration to many begining writers like myself) that there were certain aspects of the issue that still puzzled him. The young man protested, "But you wrote a book about this!"....Dr. Rollo would relax for longer while this time before he could finally argue that: "A man does not write a book when he knows something. He writes a book when he is struggling with something" (Furey, 1986 p. xi).

It's so I would take to introduce us to today's topic of discussion proper. For this, I would like to contextualize everything I say here with my experience as an amateur writer.

1. The Voracious Reader

It was after my narrow escape to pass promotional examinations to class eleven that I realized I was lagging behind. I would ask myself where did it go wrong. One day I sought a counseling from my high school English Literature teacher who advised me to start reading any book I could lay hand(s) on, but especially Literature books. He said literature books will help heal not just my ineptness in the art of reading and understanding, but also help introduce me to characters I can relate to in whatever circumstance(s) I find myself. Thereon I started buying books from street vendors. I could buy and read books that did not pertain my school curriculum (not abandoning the school syllabus). I would end up falling in love with Poetry.
For several reasons, I would advise any would-want-to-be writer to start with Poetry. Apart from its aesthetic and puzzling nature, poetry will teach you write short but meaningful sentences-- that's a good way to start writing.
Reading voraciously will make you start questioning the many things you used to know; provoke you to search for knowledge; and surely humble you to become teachable. You will start realizing you dobnot know everythings; you were/are not right all the time; and most importantly, it will provoke you to start writing down important points. Notice the order of things: realization, humility, and a sense of purpose.
I guess Dr. Rollo was telling us similar things: we don't write because we know. We write because we are struggling to know things. The struggle is marked by search of knowledge: read, travel, and focus on the small things that happen around you.

2. If you can read a passage, you surely could write a sentence

Another important step in starting a hobby (or say a career) in writing is the practicality of the art.
It was around 2010 when I started using Facebook. It was new to me, and I guess to many Sierra Leoneans considering the cost of mobile phones and (especially) internet service then in my country. But it was not until 2012 that I started decorating my Facebook wall with opinion pieces. O those were some silly and incoherent write-ups. Anytime Facebook reminds me of them, I would just smilingly choose to press the "hide, don't show" button. Not that I seem them useless, contrary to that, I regard those reminders as  motivation to do better. They expose my mistakes year(s) ago. They show me how far I have come in this. And I take note of the progress and work harder to give my better.
You should start with a sentence a day. Provoke discussions on burning issues by making a short statement (a sentence or two) of your opinion on trending issues. Note: people will attempt to cry you down. They will tell you to go back to school and learn to write. They will basically give you the best advice you need for self motivation. Take note of what they tell you, but don't stop your naive posts. Keep writing and editing your pieces for a better outcome. Gradually you will notice changes. You will see how far you have come. Do not let those criticisms to get at you (negatively). Accept you are never perfect, but you have something to say and a career to build. Also, sometimes no one will read your lines or like your post. Don't let that stop you from writing a sentence or two a day. Someday, somehow your post will make sense to few persons who will start critiquing.

3. Search and Follow up with mentors

Everyone needs mentoring. A mentor is someone you consider examplary, admirable, and exceptionally gifted in any field or career you are interested in; and they could be anyone (other than yourself) with the experience and expertise.
The internet, and to a very larger extent, social Media have made things a lot easier to interact with people you never could have got the chance to see or interact with in your life. Before now, most people could only see or hear and interact with writers through radio discussion or TV programmes, or when the writers are in their region or area to sell their new publications. Today (however) you can be anywhere around the world and connect with any writer or activist from across the world and learn about their moves and skills by simply following them on Facebook or other social media platforms. Some will even gift you their books.
For me, I will not hesitate to say my use of Facebook helped greatly in shaping my writing skills. I follow-up with almost every major news broadcasting institutions/organizations. I search for authors and activists and follow them to learn their skills and moves. I am able to take from them many writing and analytical skills. Facebook is full of good writers and thinkers. You can improve your skills by simply making judicious use of your time on Facebook. Click follow them.
Many of us today do not use our social media platforms to promote our career (dream) nor to learn or transfer knowledge, rather we use it to spur disorder and violence, which is wrong. Use it to build or promote your career and/ or business.

4. Good, better, best, never let it rest until the good is better, and the better is the best.

One bad mistake anyone would make is to assume that they have perfected their skill(s). But worst still are those who would underestimate themselves.
It was some weeks ago I read a piece on intellectual humility shared by a friend. The central lesson is that we should learn to accept that we could not always be correct. You cannot be an all sufficient fountain of knowledge. Nor can you be completely correct on all matters. You should allow for criticism and dissenting views for they will inspire your next piece of writing. Even if your piece is informed by research, it will not capture everything. Hence, let their be room for dissent views on any piece you write. Make your defence when you find them incoherent, but don't drive away your critical followers.
Another thing to also note is, your best is yet to come. Keep exploring. A curious mind is one unique attribute of writers. There is an anonymous (to me) saying that: to fill your cup, you must first empty it. How do you empty your cup? Speak less and listen more. Be curious and learnable. And most importantly, don't rest your pen just yet. Keep writing naively. Someday in the future you shall open to read these words and pieces and smile to yourself for the simple fact that: you have come a long way to this point. A point you always doubted you would ever reach.

And now for a closing statement I say to you that is reading this piece, do not underestimate yourself; and don't allow others low appraisals of you bring you down. Knowledge and intelligence is something we all aquire at different points in life. Some would prove to be intelligent right from their elementary level earning their teachers respect. Others would catch up at a later stage in their educational pursuit. But many of us would have to catch-up later after high school or (even) after university. Meanwhile, no matter the case, just know  that with perseverance we can all develop and become smart.
#Be_A_Curious_Mind

©Amadu Wurie Jalloh
® Students Analysts and Writers Network
®The Emmanuel Ivorgba Foundation

The three fundamental principles of solid waste management otherwise called the three Rs: 1. Reduce the use of it; 2. Reuse it in any case you've got to use it; and 3. Recycle it once you are over with it...
They all complement each other. Reduce the use of plastics by reusing the once you already may have, and recycle (transform it into something usable again-- it could be for another purpose other than its original intended design) the few you have to help make the environment more sustainable.

What About Our Youths and The Future?

In my city: Makeni (to be precise), in almost every corner you pass you will notice youths in small kiosks fashioning wearable shoes, amulets, shirts, household utensils, and tags from animal skin or some plastic (runner) or metal and aluminum scraps/waste society dumps in their gutters or street. Our wastes are generating wealth for both Economic, social and Environmental sustainability.
We have a lot to learn from some of these petty businesses if we are serious about economic diversification. The business of recycling waste and mitigating environmental damage is a futuristic (prospective) gain we should embark upon as African states.
If we want to promote Local Content Policy we may perhaps need to start with localizing our education design to a larg(er) extent to inculcate some of these skills into our curriculum design for high school pupils. We need to equip them with these ideas earlier in their lives, I believe as they move on/forward with their educational pursuit they can transform or compund the knowledge and skills gained (in)to creat(ing) business opportunities that will stimulate growth (entrepreneurship).

Another step to help promote these businesses could be the award of prices to some of the skilled (Craftsmen) in these businesses to help expand their businesses to make them more competitive and popular.  Budget allocation to waste management should consider these types of businesses. They should encourage them to thrive so to boost reuse and recycling of waste in our communities. Grants and scholarships opportunities or fellowship opportunities to exchange ideas or impact more knowledge for these types of businesses should be made popular in order to maintain and strengthen their competitiveness in the market. Create the opportunity for them to travel and learn from the experience of similar businesses. They can adapt those skills and technologies into theirs to compete...

And most importantly, encourage local businesses to buy and sell their products. This is particularly the case for those in plastic-waste-brick manufacturing. Government should encourage bidders to use bricks or tiles made from these people in facilities they construct for them. We should encourage big businesses and influencial persons to use these recycled-plastic-bricks in their homes to make them fashionable in order to promote these businesses. Once the demand for them is high, more people will invest in the sector.

Meanwhile, we should also not forget to advance the knowledge and skills on/to reuse. For instance, I have observe that those melting plastics for reuse or brick manufacturing also mostly rely on fossil fuel or coals to melt them. This can also create adverse effect on the environment; it can cause pollution and carbon monoxide emission....
We should advance studies on local technologies to make them more sustainable or climate friendly. But that again 's the more reason we should teach the skills to the younger generation. As they move on in life, they will device techniques or technologies to reduce their environmental effect and of course rebrand them to more advance methods or results.
#Think_Sustainability
©Amadu Wurie Jalloh
®SAWN & The Emmanuel Ivorgba Foundation

LOVE

Like the sun:
Would rise piercing softly through the walls of darkness that had hung over our heads
Through out those chilly nights
Radiating forth its splendid twilight;
Love would rekindle our lost hope
After someone thought our hearts to broke
And while on our knees in the dark we grope
To reinstate our shattered selves:
Love from the depth of hopelessness
Will spring forth galloping In might
Commanding a battalion of knights
To repel the lies they told;
To shield us from the enflamed spears of hate thrown at us;
And guide us through the emboldened gate of bravery
Under the protection of a mightier ruler we could trust:
Oneself

©Amadu Wurie Jalloh
®SAWN

Photo credit: Iyanone

To Julia
I have come to discover thee, Julia,
At a time when the air was frigid
And the music in hearts: soft and timid;
A sad beginning and a happy ending in stria.

I have come to discover thy hair
Like an enchanted cohort
On guard along the Congo with robes sewn with the secrets creeping from whispers of the night.
Thy face upon which every tale ensnare.

Thy breast, the mysterious pyramid
Where every Pharaoh yearns to rest enblamed.
Thy navel a circular-moon with its silver looks to glow the night.
Thy waist

Aye, to me the book of wisdom lost to fools;
Thy feet upon thy ankles the batons of kings
In the rising kingdoms in time not aloof.
Aye, I have come to discover thy glowing blackness in Africa rising.

As Written by: Amadu Wurie Jalloh
(SAWN archives)

Time

From the dark chambers of uncertainty
We were given a sudden pull to consciousness
By an inpatient and irreversible lone traveller
To be driven across a boulevard of hope;
Just so we can conceive fear and its ever more harsh and coercive growl.

Time, that one thing that lures us into the uncertain future
Pulling us by the string of curiosity tied around our ego.
To reinstate us into obliviousness.

Time has no purpose but to instill hope and fear.
And Life is but just a spark of hope that travels in the speed of fear
Soon to shatter and dissapear into pieces of nothingness.
©Amadu Wurie Jalloh
Photo credit: Santiago Caruso