by Dan Brose
12. June 2009 11:30
While in Congo on my recent trip, I was accompanied by some amazing friends -- Ben Edwards (photographer) and Beth Fischer (videographer) from the World Relief NEXT team. The following video by Beth is a remarkable and heart-wrenching overview of the situation in eastern Congo and the work that World Relief is doing there. Watch the video in a pop-up window.
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by Dan Brose
9. June 2009 09:29
My recent visit to Sudan was a first for me, and I was eager to learn more about the situation on the ground there. My initial impressions can be summed up in these words: poor, few educational opportunities, little or no infrastructure, hopeful people, birth of a new nation, and highly reliant on outside support. I took this picture in the capital of southern Sudan -- Juba -- at the site of a recent IDP camp that had been destroyed by the government to force people back to their homes and land.  Despite the relative peace that has come to southern Sudan over the past couple of years, there remains significant conflict in the region. A recent article in the Economist states that violent conflict has killed more people in recent months in south Sudan than in Darfur. The article states that "the south is now slipping back into its pristine state of widespread insecurity from which it was supposed to have been rescued by a peace deal in 2005. Most of the recent deaths in the south have been caused by inter-tribal fighting, usually linked to land rights. As the rainy season arrives in different parts of Africa’s largest country, so the traditional competition for the best grazing areas for cattle and other livestock becomes more intense." Another Economist article on southern Sudan states that "since 90% of southern Sudan’s people live on less than $1 a day, tightening belts is not an option. They are as hungry, poorly educated and diseased as the ill-starred people of Darfur. ... The UN says 187,000 Southern Sudanese were displaced by tribal fighting last year. This year the number may double." Sudan’s president, Omar al-Bashir, who was recently indicted by the International Criminal Court at The Hague for alleged crimes in Darfur, is nervous about the possibility of Southern Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, running as a candidate for the national presidency. And in 2011 the Southern Sudanese will conduct a national referendum to determine if they want to secede from Sudan to form an independent country, probably to be called New Sudan. Subscribe to receive the Cauzal Connections blog by Email
by Dan Brose
29. April 2009 08:01
I have been silent for the past five weeks, as I have been on an extended trip through central and eastern Africa to Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Congo, and Burundi. The purpose of this trip was to visit programs in these countries, meet with partners, perform assessments, and accompany colleagues on a learning and video/photography tour. Over the coming weeks, I will be describing some of what I did and what I learned, with some incredible photography by Benjamin Edwards. Subscribe to receive the Cauzal Connections blog by Email
by Dan Brose
18. March 2009 10:43
From The Economist: "Bartered Brides" The kidnapping has been going on for some time, and locals talk of a number of cases so far this year. The abductions follow a pattern: a Hmong girl is wooed by an out-of-towner—whether from Vietnam or China is not clear—who speaks her language. She is lured to a rendezvous to be drugged and smuggled into China, probably near Lao Cai, about an hour’s drive from Sapa. Tall, pretty girls are said to be particular targets. One 18-year-old recently managed to get back home to tell her tale after a four-day ordeal. Held captive in China, she escaped through a window and contacted the Chinese police, who returned her to Vietnam. Most do not escape. One of those kidnapped last month was a married woman with a son; friends fear her family may never see her again. There is some tradition of bride-kidnapping among the Hmong themselves, but this gangsterised, cross-border variety is especially cruel. Village girls with little knowledge of the outside world tend to be trusting. And the kidnappers seem to operate with impunity—even, according to one account, seeking a reward for returning two underage girls whom they had failed to sell in China. Within China itself, the abduction and sale of women has long been recognised as a prevalent social evil. Three decades of strict family-planning policies have exacerbated a traditional preference for boy children and contributed to a shortage of marriageable women. Relations between Vietnam and China along their 1,300km (800-mile) border have improved: last month officials from the two countries, which fought a brief but bloody border war in 1979, completed a seven-year effort to demarcate the frontier. This, they hope, will open the way for increased links of various sorts. Stepped-up police co-operation to stamp out an evil little trade in Hmong women would be a good start. Subscribe to receive the Cauzal Connections blog by Email
by Dan Brose
17. March 2009 10:03
The Burke Museum at the University of Washington (Seattle, WA) has recently opened an exhibit titled "Coffee: The World in Your Cup," which uses photos, maps, texts, selected artifacts, audiovisual presentations, and hands-on demonstrations to explore the fascinating world behind the coffee we drink. The exhibit examines the environmental and social impacts of the coffee industry, recommends ways for consumers to make socially and environmentally responsible coffee-purchasing decisions, and teaches about the impacts of caffeine on our bodies. The following video on "coffee cupping" was produced from one of the educational initiatives of this project. Watch the video in a pop-up window.
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by Dan Brose
16. March 2009 13:39
As I said in a post last week, I have been thinking about begging. This has been on my mind because I will soon be traveling to Africa with a group of people, some who have never before experienced the extreme poverty that we will see on this trip. They will experience begging and beggars, and I'd like to give them advice on how to wisely and graciously react to the inevitable requests for money. Early in my time living in Rwanda, I asked a Rwandan friend how he deals with begging and people asking for money. He said that he typically only gives to people that he knows, and only if he is aware of the problem that is causing them to seek financial help. He also said that when anyone asks for money, it is important to listen, acknowledge their situation, comfort them and give them encouragement. If you feel led to give money, go ahead ... but don't feel pressure to give money if you don't know the person. As I was thinking about this, I remembered the woman in the picture below -- someone I met on a walk in rural Rwanda a few years ago. My first impression of this woman was amazement at the incredible bundle of beans and beanstalks that she was carrying on her head. Next I noticed her cute little baby, tightly wrapped and bound to her back -- peering around to see the white man. And then it dawned on me that this woman's hand was out and she was asking me for money! My immediate and instinctive response was to greet her and say, "Oh, you've got such a beautiful baby ... what is his name?" After engaging her in conversation and showing genuine interest in her as a person, the question of money didn’t even come up. Time and time again, I have found it to be very helpful to acknowledge people who are in need, to take the time to get to know them, and to learn about their situation before responding to their begging or requests for money.  Subscribe to receive the Cauzal Connections blog by Email
by Dan Brose
13. March 2009 15:00
The Cascadia Kiwanis Club has recently become an authorized affiliate of Cauzal Coffee, using OurCauze to raise funds for Kiwanis -- a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time. To purchase Cauzal Coffee and send 33% of the purchase price to the Cascadia Kiwanis Club, click here.
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by Dan Brose
12. March 2009 15:39
 When I read the following article on BBC's website, I smiled and thought of all the people I have met in Africa who are amazing and resourceful entrepreneurs. It is important to be reminded of the positive and successful things going on around the world, not just the problems and Cauzes that cry out for our help. ____________________________________________________________________
What is the secret of success in business? During Africa Economy week, BBC News asked entrepreneurs across the continent to give us their "top tips". DINAH BINAH, FLORIST, TANZANIA  You have to think fast in business.
If someone asks - "Are you selling your blouse?" Sell it! You can always buy another one. The first day I opened my shop, I only had five bunches of roses. My first customer didn't see the flowers I had - all he saw was water. So he asked me: "Are you selling water?" I told him - "Yes!" That 20 cents he gave me was my first income. You have to be brave. You have to be aggressive. Don't be embarrassed.  SYLVIA BANDA, RESTAURANTEUR, ZAMBIA  Sylvia Banda's first restaurant had no tables. She now owns 16 eateries. | My advice - persevere. I remember very well the first day I opened my restaurant. I did not have any chairs. I did not have any tables. My customers had to eat in a standing position. I told them - you're going to have a "standing buffet". They laughed and continued eating, and that's how my catering business was born. Today, we have 16 eating places in Lusaka and we have opened a college training students in hospitality. It is important to say to yourself - I am as good as the other person. If that person can do it, then so can I. ELISE BATES-WILLIAMS, HAIR STYLIST, NIGERIA You don't need to save a huge amount before you start your business. You can begin working from your house, or even under a tree. We started with a small amount - buying two or three dryers, chairs and other equipment a customer might need. Anybody who came, we gave them good hair. Then, by managing well, we have grown bigger. GAULPHINE NYIRENDA, BOOKSELLER, MALAWI My secret is hard work. Being honest with my customers, telling them the truth, honoring my bills, and knowing what is the customer's need in the area. Now, I not only run a book shop, I also supply women's book clubs, and I'm an agent for major UK academic publishing houses. STANI MUKE, GRAPHIC DESIGNER & ANIMATOR, DR CONGO  Stani Muke set up a successful graphic animations company in DR Congo | You need lots of patience and nerves of steel. When you're setting up a business in virgin territory, you are on your own. Six years ago I set up a small company, producing TV, radio and graphic design for the local market.
We needed the help of the government and private sector.
It hasn't happened yet. There are no structures in place to support local productions.
I feel discouraged. But at the same time I understand the country is in transition. Maybe soon we will reach that point. DINAH BINAH, FLORIST, TANZANIA You have to network, network, network. Families, friends, classmates, schoolmates, the people you met in church, neighbors - they are all your prospective customers. SEBASTIEN NEGY, INSURANCE BROKER, TANZANIA Set goals and go after them. Value your customers - deliver what you promise. Have confidence and believe in yourself. I always go for what people think is not possible. Subscribe to receive the Cauzal Connections blog by Email
by Dan Brose
10. March 2009 13:23
I have been thinking about begging lately. We have all encountered beggars -- whether on the streets of Nairobi, Chicago, or Boise. In future blogs I will give some of my personal perspectives on begging, but I recently came across the following story about Brother Juniper (1210-1258), who was one of St. Francis of Assisi's original followers. He is known for being one of the most outrageous "holy fools" in the history of Christianity, and this painting of Brother Juniper and the Beggar is displayed in the Louvre in Paris.  "Brother Juniper was so full of pity and compassion for the poor, that when he saw anyone poor or naked he immediately took off his tunic, or the hood of his clock, and gave it to him. (His superiors therefore ordered that he not) give away his tunic or any part of his habit. A few days afterwards, a poor half-naked man asked an alms of Brother Juniper for the love of God, who answered him with great compassion: "I have nothing which I could give thee but my tunic, and my superior has (commanded me) not to give it, nor any part of my habit, to anyone. But if thou take it off my back I will not resist thee." ... The beggar forthwith stripped him of his tunic, and went off with it. When Brother Juniper returned home, and was asked what had become of his tunic, he replied: "A good man took it off my back, and went away with it." And as the virtue of compassion increased in him, he was not contented with giving his tunic, but would give books, or clocks, or whatever he could lay his hands on, to the poor. For this reason the brethren took care to leave nothing in the common rooms of the convent, because Brother Juniper gave away everything for the love of God and to the glory of his name." Subscribe to receive the Cauzal Connections blog by Email
by Dan Brose
9. March 2009 14:01
You can tell a lot about a person by what they throw away. Danny is an AIDS orphan that was thrown in the garbage the day he was born. This short video is a strong and emotional call to each of us to examine what we're throwing away ... and why. Watch the video in a pop-up window.
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