Dávid from Zambia – III. Blog Post

Hello again! Big high-five to everyone!

This is kind of a "second part" to the previous post, and of course, I'm adding a few new observations and updates – I'll try to keep it short, although that's not going to be easy with all the new experiences.

So... after our first city tour in the heart of Ndola, we faced the fact that things here work very differently than in Europe (and why would they, right? After all, we're in Southern Africa, aren't we?).

Transportation:

It's simply terrible, but also really funny at the same time. The traffic laws and rules here are almost unknown (at least compared to the European traffic culture we're used to). It's more like whoever gets there first gets the right of way. Drivers pass pedestrians by just a few centimeters or honk their horns to let you know they're coming, forcing you to move aside. The side streets and main roads are decorated with potholes ranging from 1 to 5 meters, which the local drivers expertly dodge. One thing we quickly concluded: not a single car would pass a mandatory inspection in Europe.

It may seem frightening at first, but surprisingly, the "traffic system" works quite well, and there are fewer road accidents in Zambia than in Hungary (annual average in 2022). Maybe it's because of the calmness and patience of the people? Probably!

Local People and Culture:

The locals are incredibly friendly. They greet us, come up to us, shake our hands, or place their hands on their chest as a sign of respect and greeting, and nearly everyone thanks us for being here. We've already picked up this gesture, and we now reciprocate it every time. We are also continuously learning and practicing the local language, Bemba – we're hoping to build trust and friendships while also adding another language to our skills.

The welcome we've received has been really heartwarming, and it's quite mind-blowing how different our cultures are. A few days ago, a young guy approached us on the street and thanked us for coming. While I was processing his gratitude, I thought to myself: "Wait a minute... I should be the one thanking him for this opportunity," yet he was the one who was grateful... surprising, but really uplifting.

Challenges:

One of the first challenges on our list is how to appropriately handle the many people asking for money or food. It's tough. Sometimes begging even takes the form of people following us down the street for a while. At first, this might seem frightening or annoying, but the truth is that we need to dig a bit deeper to understand why this happens and find ways to handle it better.

The Importance of Understanding History:

First off, the role of the white man (or Muzungu, as the locals say) is generally seen in two very different ways by the people here. One view is that of the very rich and all-powerful white man, while the other is the "plundering" and continuously exploiting white man – the latter perspective is more often felt among the older generation, likely because they still remember the legacies of colonization and the shameful events during apartheid.

The good news, however, is that based on our experiences here in Zambia, we haven't felt unwelcome at all. On the contrary! Just two days ago, I had a conversation with a member of DAPP (the organization we're working with), and he firmly confirmed that it's not common for Zambians to look down on "white people."

It would be completely understandable if we were not greeted warmly, after all, we (white people) have often come to Africa with the intention of exploiting its natural resources. The result of this is that in some African countries, we are not always welcomed. However, here in Zambia, things are different, thanks to groups and organizations that have spent decades building a trust-based relationship between locals and those who want to help. As a result, life is easier for everyone, and opportunities for cooperation and development have opened up, as we now share a common goal!

Back to the Begging:

As one of my friends who has visited Africa multiple times put it: "It's frustrating, annoying, sad, and even a bit guilt-inducing, and it's something you can never get used to..."

And I must say, I completely agree! If we give (even just 1 or 2 dollars, which is almost nothing), the next day we'll definitely be asked for money again – if not by the same person, then by someone else. It's easy to get used to giving, but in the long term, this is absolutely unsustainable. In fact, we might actually be doing more harm than good.

So, in conclusion, we've quickly realized that we have to be very careful with what we show, do, and most importantly, what we leave behind during our time here. It can be a big mess, but maybe we'll bring some progress and development to the lives of children, mothers, or entire families.

We're striving for the latter, and we're making extra efforts for the project's success (which I'll detail in the next post).

Final Thoughts:

Based on what we've seen so far, the reality here is completely different from what the media shows. Poverty is much more visible and tangible than it's made out to be. However, instead of aggression or hate, people are extremely friendly, respectful, and loving.

Of course, there are some basic rules to follow, like not walking around at night alone or even in groups, but this is something recommended in many European countries as well. Zambia is generally considered a peaceful and safe African country.

Of course, it takes time for the locals to get used to our presence, and that's entirely understandable. For now, we usually roam around with the DAPP team until we get to know the city and the residents of Ndola become more accustomed to having guests like us around.