Friday, June 07, 2013


Having said that, I am the first to express that if Mali wants to progress there should be no favours given and merchandise should be of competitive quality with the other merchandise on sale to the West London ladies. But that is perhaps impossible at the moment- there is no high quality shoe factory in Mali. Most people seem not to bother to even try to make things here. Edun, the fashion company which is set up by Bono’s wife Ali Hewson to create work opportunities in the spirit of ‘Aid by Trade’ has quietly shifted their manufacture – it does not manufacture in West Africa. If you look at what they do in Mali you will find that they mention that a ‘lining’ in one of their ultra expensive garments comes from Mali!  OK. But  I say: this is what we have. This is what we have to work with, there is no other option but to try!

There is a MaliMali Fedex parcel story which is turning into a tragi-comedy- I really don’t know whether to laugh or cry, but since there are too many other things wrong, I tend to tip over in favour of the latter. This parcel was sent on the 14th of May from Bamako to New York. It is a gift from a father in Australia to his daughter in the U.S. on her birthday which was on the 23rd of May. There should have been plenty of time for the parcel to wing its way first to Paris and then straight on to New York. But no. The parcel was lost and then found and has been traced to Memphis Tennessee (!) and then to an obscure airport in UTAH! Finally it was supposed to be delivered two days ago. But again, no. I get a message from Fedex saying the address is wrong. I check the address:  it is correct. I have no strength to go on it is too boring. The parcel is still not delivered. The price of Fedex delivery from Bamako is extremely high. The price of the merchandise on the website is often half or even more simply in Fedex charges.

To continue this Jeremiad in the spirit it was begun let’s cast out eyes to the town of Djenne: there is an enormous cement building going up smack bang in the centre of Djenne where nothing but mud is allowed according to UNESCO rules.

Furthermore there is trouble rumbling at the Manuscript library regarding internet access to the manuscripts.

And Petit Bandit is only nibbling half heartedly at his millet and getting thinner and thinner. What is wrong?

Then there is…. And…and…and then….

7 Comments:

Blogger David said...

Oy vey, or Oh my godddd (said with Swedish inflection)! Rotten news about the shoes. But in my eyes, of course, nothing but good can come of a Jeremiad, my own little ray of sunshine. You need a bunch of empathisers around you hugging and stroking...wish we could.

4:53 PM  
Blogger toubab said...

You are already hugging and stoking through the ether. And yes, nothing but good from Jeremiah..ds!
xxxs

6:44 PM  
Blogger Susan Scheid said...

Now, in addition to what I've just written elsewhere, small consolation this, but you are not alone in dealing with the vagaries of package delivery. We have countless problems getting packages delivered in the mid-Hudson Valley! Not to burden you with "too much information," but the vendors like FedEx and UPS are now using a thing they call "smart mail." We call it "dumb mail," as the mail often doesn't arrive at all. May good things come your way soon.

10:45 PM  
Blogger David said...

Absolutely marvellous photo of the unhappy tot, by the way. I want one!

11:03 AM  
Blogger toubab said...

You want a tot or a pic? It is indeed a marvellous picture.
And Susan, the parcel, which the father had begun to believe had The Curse of The Islamists on it, was finally delivered this morning! more on this anon at FB!

7:45 PM  
Blogger David said...

A tot. Too old to adopt, alas.

11:49 AM  
Blogger toubab said...

Shame! You would make a great father I think!

1:49 PM  

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