I also believe that there isn't anything wrong with rich Travellers
visiting poor Hosts. We can't afford to travel ourselves so these
Travellers give us a chance to meet and learn about other people from other
countries and continents. Last year we had a couple who came from America
to work here at Kaleya Smallholders as volunteers for three months. The
husband was a retired mechanic, the wife was a retired nurse. The husband
was attached to the workshop and the wife to the Clinic where I work. A
week before their departure, the wife told me, "You know, Annie, people out
there have a wrong picture of Africa. When we told our friends we were
coming to Africa, they told us we were out of our minds. They asked why we
should come to Africa of all places. They said Africa is full of diseases
and the food is not good and not nutritious. So when I go back I will tell
them what I have seen. There are big supermarkets where one can buy good
and nutritious foods, and that you have a programme of immunisation against
preventable diseases. She said she was going to tell them that Africa isn't
as dark as they think it is.
So I think these Travellers who visit us must
be commended because they have the interests of people at heart. If they
didn't, they would not have travelled in the first place. If they were only
interested in the lakes and animals of Africa, they wouldn't come to our
homes. They could stay in a hotel where they can expect at least good food,
though perhaps not up to their standards, and go to see the wonders of
Africa and go back home. These Travellers are interested in us coz despite
these stories, they come, willing to share our poor quality foods and learn
about us and give us a chance to learn about them ... surely nothing is
wrong with this.
Hosting travellers contributes to world peace in that a circle of friends
is made. Where there is friendship, love is born and where love is, there
is peace. I believe we have a lot of tribal wars in Africa coz people of
other tribes are looked upon as enemies and these wars will only end when
we all extend hands of friendship to people of different tribes.
Annie Kunda
Mazabuka
