The Light is Breaking Through
By Quintus Smit (Pointman Team Director, Africa)
© 2008
The darkness is subsiding and the giant is awakening. This is the
story of Africa. The driving force in Africa is the will by the people to address the
Continents’ many challenge. The inability in the past to develop the vast natural and
human resources caught up with the new generation of African leaders. So many
regional and civil wars had been raging for the last few decades, but slowly the African
people are rising up to change the face of their land.
In this process of awakening and rebuilding, Pointman Leadership
Institute plays a humble, but important part. Due to the sacrifices and diligence of
PLI instructors from across the world, and the unselfish heart of our donors, we are one
of the important agents in the revival process. The effectiveness of the focus of PLI
on the leaders and people in authority is starting to show in certain regions of
Africa.
In areas where there seemed to be little hope for change and growth,
leaders who see the importance of principle-based leadership, are emerging. In the past
year, interventions in the form of seminars and consulting took place in strategic regions
of the Continent. In the North–Eastern region in the country of Ethiopia,
PLI plays a vital
role in the stability and development of that part of Africa. Two missions took place where
the most senior officials of the judicial system were introduced to Principle
Based
Leadership and Anti-Corruption (Corruption Prevention) strategies. Our influence in that area begins to show in
the upcoming mission to Sudan, a country that is very much closed to outside involvement.
In the central region, the Central African Republic is slowly
starting to reflect the light that, for so long, has been absent. Follow-up work was done in
seminars that were held for the academics. More seminars are planned for next year.
The first mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
posed a few challenges, but the team did ground breaking work and opened the
doors op opportunity. This Country where a civil war raged for more than a decade is just
starting on a new road of democracy. The PLI team was one of the first organizations
that arrived there to provide a service to those in authority. Seminars were held for the
Top command structure of the Military. This contact may result in a more
long-term relationship between PLI and the Government.
West Africa is now opening up to possibilities for intervention by
PLI. Apart from Nigeria, where several seminars were held the past few years and
another is planned for the end of this year, Liberia is the rising star of this region.
After a brutal end very destructive civil war, this country elected the first female
President on the Continent of Africa. Four missions were conducted to this Country. Seminars were
first held for the interim government and after the Presidential elections to the new
Government.
President Elle Johnson Sirleaf was introduced was to the PLI by Mrs.
Christine Tolbert Norman and invited the Organization to present seminars for the top
leaders in her Government. During two personal meetings with the President, the PLI
team was invited to present seminars to the members of her Cabinet. The team also had
the privilege to do a presentation on our programs during their weekly Cabinet meeting,
an honour usually reserved for Heads of States only.
Our involvement in Liberia is forcing our Organization to think
outside the box and to seek for innovative ways to maintain a long-term involvement in that
Country. Because of the level of our involvement and the timing of our intervention,
PLI has here truly the opportunity to help restructure the destiny of a Country.
In the Southern region of Africa work is still going on at a great
pace. In South Africa a number of Basic seminars are conducted in the field of Education.
Apart from the ongoing work in the Criminal Justice environment, PLI opened up a
door to the school system in the Country. Seminars are presented to teachers and then
followed up with Character building programs in association with Character Solutions
International. The PLI seminars are also presented to the youth leaders in the schools.
The contents is distributed over a two day camp where the students are exposed to
the character qualities we teach through the process of experiential learning.
Seminars were finalized for February 2007 in the Kingdom of
Swaziland, a neighbor of South Africa. Seminars will be presented to the Senior Management
of the Police in that Country. Negotiations are currently taking place with
representatives from the Countries of Botswana and Zambia. The aim is to present seminars in
most of the Countries in the Southern African region, before the end of 2007.
The challenge for PLI in Africa, is the high cost of missions to
Countries on that Continent. Lack of infrastructure, limited flights in and out of
certain areas makes it difficult and expensive to work there. Because of a shortage of
direct flights, travel time is extended and long hours / nights in airports’ transit halls is
part of the sacrifice team members have to make.
The work in Africa is certainly the most rewarding because of the
lack of developmental support in most of the countries. There is an honest desire for
support by the leaders of Africa. There is a new drive towards the restructuring and
development of Africa by its leaders. Pointman Leadership Institute is strategically placed and
best equipped to provide the impetus for this regeneration.