I joined the Peace Corps blissfully
ignorant about the large world of development. Sure, I knew about the existence
of the World Bank, the history of colonization, and the disparities between
living standards worldwide. But I somehow never thought about my place in this
large puzzle or the implications of the existence of organizations such as the
Peace Corps. Selfishly, I was much too concerned with the prospect of living in
Cameroon for two years and leaving behind everyone I know to concern myself
with silly matters such as the role of the international community in shaping
development policy.
The first
few weeks of stage were tough enough emotionally and physically that these
larger issues continued to escape my attention. But I remember the first struggle
that I went through, which was when I learned that the Peace Corps has been
working in Cameroon for over 50 years. ‘How could our work here possibly be
valuable or substantial if we haven’t worked ourselves out of a job by now?’ I
remember wondering. Because as I saw it then as and I continue to see it now,
that should be the world of development agents on any level.
My
confusions over the concepts of development have continued the longer I’ve
lived here. First I watched a kid in my neighborhood answer his cell phone as
he pumped water at the local borehole. Then I realized that the aspects of life
in America that I consider to be our strongest signals of development:
consistent electricity, running water, and higher education, simply aren’t
valued here to the same degree that they are back home. Instead, many
Cameroonians have skipped right to the later, more status driven items such as
cell phones, personal cars, and soft drinks. It can be a little unsettling.
I visited
my friend Anna at her post in Tombel last week, and while I was there I had the
opportunity to co-facilitate an international development seminar that she has
been teaching. We started the class with a brief overview of international
development post-Marshall plan, and there were quite a few participants who
surprised us with their knowledge on the subject. But as soon as we moved from
the history of development to the actualities of living in a developing
country, things got even more interesting. We asked the class what they see as the
signs of development in Cameroon, and all of the responses were large-scale
projects in the major cities. Cameroon is rich in natural resources, and many
international corporations have invested in extracting them. There is oil off
the coast, lumber in the forests, and various minerals to be found throughout
the country. But Anna tried to steer the conversation back to development on an
individual and community level and discuss the Millennium Development Goals. We
talked about maternal health standards, clean water, and universal literacy. Side
note: the town of Tombel has the strangest water system I’ve ever seen here-the
residents have running water, but only between the hours of 6:30-7:30AM.
Luckily, Anna and her postmate Ben don’t find this to be a problem.
We went
around the room and all of the students introduced themselves and shared their
professions. There were quite a few “applicants” (i.e. job-seekers), but also
many farmers, which wasn’t surprising considering that farming is the majority
occupation on Cameroonians. Given that Anna and I are both Agribusiness
Volunteers, we asked the farmers in the class what their main obstacles to
success are. And across the board, they all said that their businesses require
injections of capital (preferably from the international community) in order to
be financially viable. It’s true that farming requires a number of relatively
expensive inputs right up front and involves a certain degree of risk. But this
conversation was one that was quite familiar and one that can be frustrating as
a foreigner here.
I’ve only recently gotten to the
point in my service where I’m able to have frank discussions with community
members about their goals and opinions regarding development. One of my
Cameroonian counterparts, Augustin, expressed his frustration to me today about
the way many people here spend their money and how this is delaying the growth
of Cameroon. This discussion began regarding the large amount of money spent on
funerals and the accompanying celebrations. It isn’t fair to tell others how to
spend their money, but the case of funerals seems particularly interesting, as
the financial burden falls primarily on the immediate family of the deceased.
Augustin went on to tell me that he expected nor wanted such a lavish
celebration upon his own death, and that he would prefer that his family save
their money for more pressing needs, such as school fees. People like Augustin
give me hope for the future of development in Cameroon, but his sentiments
directly counter the widespread culture that currently exists here.
Which
brings me back to my earlier struggles regarding the long-term status of Peace
Corps Cameroon and my evolving feelings on the way that international
development is currently structured. In my opinion, development projects that
are conducted by visible outsiders contribute to the widespread sentiment that
development is primarily the responsibility of these outsiders. I’ve attempted
to avoid this problem by viewing my role in the community as a resource
connector, not a resource obtainer. I’m lucky in that I live in a city with
many opportunities, markets, and resources, so this is easier than it would
likely be in a smaller village. But I’ve really struggled with the sense of
dependency towards the international community. I think it’s important to
recognize my privilege here, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities
that my status as an American has afforded me. But I do think it’s important to
be critical of the impacts of our nation’s actions abroad and try to shape my
service as to minimize the potential harms that come with sending a young,
inexperienced, white-skinned Volunteer as a “development agent”.
Luckily,
I’m finally getting to the point in my service where I’ve found work projects
and partners that I’m excited about. I’m optimistic about the way things are
going, but I’ve definitely shifted the way that I think about my time here. Two
of Peace Corps’ three goals are centered on cultural exchange, and I’ve really
come to see these as the most valuable part of my life here. The amount of
impact that two years of my work will have on the agricultural industry of
Cameroon will be negligible at best. But I’m already quite satisfied by the
impact that my presence is having on my friends and neighbors. I think it’s
valuable for them to see me as just another person to hang out with, just
another friend to gossip with, just another mouth to feed. My ordinary
existence in Upstation Bamenda is the near opposite of most experiences they’ve
had with Americans in that I’m not on television, not offering large sums of
money, and always make time to talk to them. So although I often have doubts
about the potential work that I can accomplish during my time here (and the
unintentional impacts that it will have) I never question whether or not my
presence here is without value. Just going from “white man!” to “Auntie Casey!”
is enough for me on that front, at least for now.
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