ANSA International Program Blog

Yesterday I bought five extra copies of the post-election edition of the Washington Post; big, bold headlines blaring, "Obama Makes History."  I bought one copy for myself and one each for my neice and nephew who proudly voted in this presidential election for the first time in their lives.  The other two collector-item copies are going to friends in places where it seemed everyone, everywhere kept a close watch on the campaign and the votes: Namibia and South Africa. 

Just weeks before the election, two ANSA teams visited our partners Hope Initiatives in central Namibia and Ikamva Labantu in the Western Cape of South Africa.  Even though we were at the bottom stretch of countries far, far away, the ANSA teams couldn't escape the ubiquitous election chatter.  Hotel staff, taxi drivers, kids and seniors alike in the cities, settlements and townships - many without electricity, television and newspapers - all wanted to talk about the American presidential campaign.  In a tiny corrugated metal shack on a dusty hillside in central Namibia, a teenager wanted to know if most Americans thought "the beauty queen from Wasilla, Alaska" was smart.  At an upscale reception in Cape Town, a well-heeled woman said she had set her alarm for 3am so she could watch one of the presidential debates.  Everywhere we went excitement and nervousness were palpable.

The excitement was of course in large part due to the historic "first black, first woman or oldest" status of the potential winner.  The possibility of America voting for their first black presidential candidate had particular resonance in South Africa given the worldwide attention they received when Nelson Mandela became the first democratically elected black president after apartheid ended in 1994.

But it was more than that.  The impact of the American economic crisis was coming down hard on Africa right at the time of the ANSA teams' visits.  The South African rand and Namibian dollar had for years held steady at around 7.5 to 1 U.S. dollar.  Within days of our visit their currency went to 8.5, then to 9.25, then to 10 to 1, spiking as high as 12 to 1.   

The difference in the value of that rand would be felt immediately in the cost of gas, food and any other imported products or services Africans have to purchase.  The townships and settlements are not communities that can absorb this kind of sudden financial shift easily.  The ANSA teams watched in real time as two African countries felt the weight of our American economic crisis come down in their corner of the world. 

Economic stability goes hand in hand with a country's ability - and a community and individual's ability - to manage the spread and treatment of HIV and other diseases.  Desperation increases the chance of risky behaviors, increases the likelihood of poor adherence to medical therapies, and increases the number of competing priorities for dollars and human resources.  Our American president sends signals of either hope or worry to places like Africa where the ripple effect of our economic policies can feel more like tidal waves. 

Both Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu praised America for electing our first black president.  But no doubt along with that hooray-for-us cheer, they and the rest of Africa are holding tight to the signal of hope that President-elect Barack Obama will parlay his chance at the White house into positive change for the world.  The tone and scope of that change has nothing to do with the color of his skin and everything to do with the character of the man inside.  Our Africa partners have a lot riding on that character, and so do we.

Peace to all...Mary