Comments on: Return to Ethiopia http://action.one.org/blog/2009/11/06/return-to-ethiopia/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:05:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: Jimma http://action.one.org/blog/2009/11/06/return-to-ethiopia/#comment-566496 Jimma Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:46:59 +0000 http://www.one.org/blog/?p=10438#comment-566496 Thank you! Thank you!

]]> By: Debbie K http://action.one.org/blog/2009/11/06/return-to-ethiopia/#comment-566066 Debbie K Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:52:32 +0000 http://www.one.org/blog/?p=10438#comment-566066 I would like to echo all the others here in thanking Jamie Drummond for this excellent report on his recent trip to Ethiopia. It's very much appreciated. I'm very glad to see Jamie restate something that I have long expressed here in the ONE Blog: the necessity of our movement for Africa's Future to incorporate many more African voices in the decision-making processes regarding our movement. It would be disingenuous of us if we said that we were advocating to better empower African People to develope their own countries & steer the course of their own futures and then to hold back those African voices from fully participating in our movement at the highest levels. From Jamie's own words, it is apparent that he is as committed to the original visions & goals of our movement from the DATA days as ever. That re-assures me that we are still on a correct course in our movement. Thank You, Jamie Drummond.~ AS ONE, debbie www.myspace.com/mulago I would like to echo all the others here in thanking Jamie Drummond for this excellent report on his recent trip to Ethiopia. It’s very much appreciated.

I’m very glad to see Jamie restate something that I have long expressed here in the ONE Blog: the necessity of our movement for Africa’s Future to incorporate many more African voices in the decision-making processes regarding our movement.

It would be disingenuous of us if we said that we were advocating to better empower African People to develope their own countries & steer the course of their own futures and then to hold back those African voices from fully participating in our movement at the highest levels.

From Jamie’s own words, it is apparent that he is as committed to the original visions & goals of our movement from the DATA days as ever. That re-assures me that we are still on a correct course in our movement.

Thank You, Jamie Drummond.~

AS ONE, debbie
http://www.myspace.com/mulago

]]> By: Marie Smith http://action.one.org/blog/2009/11/06/return-to-ethiopia/#comment-566050 Marie Smith Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:29:44 +0000 http://www.one.org/blog/?p=10438#comment-566050 Thank you very much for this update. Learning about the successes of the ONE Campaign has helped to re-ignite my passion for those who are in need. Sometimes we can get to a point where we are not sure if what we are doing is making a difference, and the issues can seem very overwhelming. When that happens, I have a tendency to get into a rut or become more focused on my own (seemingly) big personal problems. Over the past few months, however, I have been encouraged by contact with children through World Vision and also by paying more attention to ONE's successes again. This has spurred me to become more of an activist again. It is also very important to think about what still must be done, but to do so in a hopeful and positive way. Thank you again! Thank you very much for this update. Learning about the successes of the ONE Campaign has helped to re-ignite my passion for those who are in need. Sometimes we can get to a point where we are not sure if what we are doing is making a difference, and the issues can seem very overwhelming. When that happens, I have a tendency to get into a rut or become more focused on my own (seemingly) big personal problems. Over the past few months, however, I have been encouraged by contact with children through World Vision and also by paying more attention to ONE’s successes again. This has spurred me to become more of an activist again. It is also very important to think about what still must be done, but to do so in a hopeful and positive way. Thank you again!

]]> By: Marieme Jamme http://action.one.org/blog/2009/11/06/return-to-ethiopia/#comment-566047 Marieme Jamme Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:55:25 +0000 http://www.one.org/blog/?p=10438#comment-566047 Excellent Blog! So love it! Marieme Excellent Blog! So love it!

Marieme

]]> By: Laurie Cook http://action.one.org/blog/2009/11/06/return-to-ethiopia/#comment-566046 Laurie Cook Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:32:58 +0000 http://www.one.org/blog/?p=10438#comment-566046 Like this post - like to hear the backstory and understand where a movement is coming from. I think it's great that celebrities and others are lending their voices to Africans to give them more weight in the rooms of power. I think it is also important to look at who is controlling what is needed to create change in Africa. Most people's eyes glaze over when they think of policy, but policy is what drives all other decisions in an organization or a country. We need the right kind of policies in place to support One's objectives, and we need the right people in place to write and push for those policies. Who are these people we need? What are the positions we need to influence to change the system? Those are the questions for the new age of change, I think. Just as Obama encouraged people to have their own discussion groups about health care in the US, I think we need to develop a system of dialogue that would empower people who are not celebrities to also be able to play a role in influencing change. What can I do to help besides just joining some public protest that really I'm not sure is very effective. I think it is those private meetings with people of influence that actually get things done. We need more champions who actually have the power to create change, or people in positions of power who can and will, and more accountability to ensure if they do say they're going to do something, that they do. Like this post – like to hear the backstory and understand where a movement is coming from.

I think it’s great that celebrities and others are lending their voices to Africans to give them more weight in the rooms of power. I think it is also important to look at who is controlling what is needed to create change in Africa. Most people’s eyes glaze over when they think of policy, but policy is what drives all other decisions in an organization or a country.

We need the right kind of policies in place to support One’s objectives, and we need the right people in place to write and push for those policies. Who are these people we need? What are the positions we need to influence to change the system? Those are the questions for the new age of change, I think.

Just as Obama encouraged people to have their own discussion groups about health care in the US, I think we need to develop a system of dialogue that would empower people who are not celebrities to also be able to play a role in influencing change. What can I do to help besides just joining some public protest that really I’m not sure is very effective. I think it is those private meetings with people of influence that actually get things done. We need more champions who actually have the power to create change, or people in positions of power who can and will, and more accountability to ensure if they do say they’re going to do something, that they do.

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