​​Why Is It So Hard To Find Funding For Fighting Covid-19 In Africa?

Lost In Translation Between Two Shores.

Him: I don’t know who I am talking to when I deal with you, Ahmadou.

Me: I don’t understand. You are talking to me, Ahmadou, the guy you saw back in January 2020 in Dakar (Senegal).

Him: Yes, but I don’t know if I am talking to you, Ahmadou, the private person, Ahmadou, as a member of the Airbus Africa Community, or you, Ahmadou, the employee from Airbus.

Me: Well, I am all of them as one. I don’t see your problem.

Him: For me, it is not the same. I appreciate you trying to help. But I need to find out which position is yours. And what we need right now is a filament, 3D printers, and financial support.

Me: Yes, I know. I cannot provide that because I am just a guy trying to help. My time, energy, and network are the best I can give now.

Him: Yes, I know. But this is more than what we need now. And thank you for personally contributing to our fundraising. But we expected more from you when all of this started.

“Him” is one friend and comrade in Dakar, Senegal, who has set up a collective of makers trying to fight Covid-19 in Dakar, Senegal.

I am personally involved in 2 actions in the fight against COVID-19 in Africa as a member of the Airbus Africa Community.

Finding funding for these two initiatives has challenged me and the people involved.

The first initiative is the SN 3D COVID-19 initiative in Dakar, Senegal, which aims to print 20,000 face shields and distribute them for free to medical people all over Senegal.

As I write this article, their fundraising of “just” $ 5,000 US has been going on since April 11, 2020, and they still haven’t reached their target.

The second initiative is a collective called “MakersNordSudContreLeCoronavirus,” which aims at providing equipment, machinery and plastic recycling machines to the Reffao (Réseau Francophone des Fablabs de l’Afrique de l’Ouest) so that they can be resilient and autonomous to fight Covid-19 and beyond that, be able to locally manufacture and provide open source medical equipment to those who need it in West Africa.

Returning to the discussion, I will share my friend’s frustration about not knowing with whom he was dealing when talking to me.

The story goes back in March 2020. In Toulouse, France, the Covid-19 was hitting the country hard.

In Senegal, the first cases appear. The two initial cases are from 2 French citizens who live in Senegal. They decide to go to France for holidays. After their stay, they fly back to Dakar, bearing one gift: Covid-19. That is how it started in Senegal. The 3rd case was a community cluster in the holy city of Touba, Senegal.

A guy living in Italy is eager to attend this religious gathering every year in Touba. So he is in a city with thousands of people, shaking hands, kissing hands, hugging each other.

He forgot to mention that Italy was in the middle of the Covid-19 outbreak when he sneaked away.

I read an article from the New York Times about how Africa was missing ventilators. I automatically think about my parents, my family, and all the 16 million people living in Senegal, which at that time had only 20 ventilators for the whole country. Yet the country has 32 members in the government.

When I read this article, I panicked right away. I took my phone and contacted my friend on WhatsApp. Do you know people with 3D printers? At Airbus in Spain, we are working on a ventilator prototype. I asked. This is how the SN 3D COVID-19 started.

One month later, we argued about who I was: Ahmadou, Africa Community, or Airbus.

I made a mistake after he started assembling the collective.

We created a chat group with 15 to 20 people, ranging from people owning a 3D printer to Fablab managers and medical people.

I said: Hi, I am Ahmadou, a member of the Airbus Africa community, let’s fight against Covid-19.

A lot of people understood: “This guy is from Airbus. Airbus has a lot of money. He can bring us financial support. Let’s jump in.”

That mistake led to the argument about which Ahmadou I was.

Right at the beginning, I should have clarified that, even if I am an Airbus employee and a member of the African community within the company, I got zero mandate and zero money from Airbus to bring to the table.

Without knowing it, I created some expectations that I could not fulfill. The lesson here for me is the future, to clarify my intentions when I join an initiative as an Airbus Africa Community employee.

The Airbus Africa Community is an ERG (Employee Resource Group) of employees without any budget, as most ERGs in many companies. Within Airbus, I tried to see if there were some ways to get funding for this initiative.

Below are some samples of the answers I received:

Random Rerson 01 (RP 01): Yeah, you know, Covid-19, airlines crisis, no money coming in, …No!

RP 02: You know we don’t fund directly organizations like this, paperwork, maybe, …No!

…

And my favorite one so far:

RP 150: You, the AAC, are scattered and just a sum of individuals. Create a committee, a steering board, get some backing from VP (Very Powerful?) people, fill in those forms, bla bla bla, and then we might help you get some funding eventually, …, No!

There I am, between an unstoppable force of Covid 19 in Africa and an unmovable people within Airbus.

On the one hand, in Senegal, people expect me to be Airbus and all it represents in terms of financial success without considering the reality of the aerospace industry.

To them, I say: I am here to help, so take me as I am.

On the other hand, in Airbus, I am a guy who has no legitimacy because he is not a VP and has zero reason to get funding, or even if he wants to, he has to bow down first.

To them, I say: I am here to stay, so take me as I am.

I love Senegal, and I love Airbus, as both are part of my identity and provide me with amazing resources to impact this world.

The situation is similar for the “MakersNordSudContreLeCoronavirus” but in a different way. In this case, the hurdle comes from the fact that we are facing the French administration and organizations. Each time we present the project, people are very enthusiastic.

Yet it’s too late or too early on their funding timeline.

Or we have to fill in a template that will be submitted to a committee, and we might get an answer in 2 months.

Being in the middle of it, feeling the urgency of the actions to be taken, I feel disconnected from people hiding behind their organizations’ processes, forms, or policies as excuses not to take action.

In Africa, in Senegal in particular, the feedback I have received from my friend above is that they are furious and frustrated. They see European/American funds being poured into the country via the government. And in most African countries, corruption is the first national sport. While the people on the frontline use money from their pockets to build 3D objects to fight the COVID-19 crisis, they see how money from outside the country is embezzled for personnel use.

I am not saying that corruption is not present in France or elsewhere in the EU or the US. I believe that the impact of corruption is more visible, not challenged, and has a more negative effect in Africa.

I have been feeling angry, powerless, and exhausted while fighting to support people in saving lives in Senegal and in Africa.

I might not have the money; I might not have the power. Yet I have been gifted by my words and my voice. I am using this right now because this is all I can give.

I believe it can make a difference in someone’s life in a remote village in Senegal.

Because as long as I raise my voice, I have made my choice. I choose to use what I have to change the world and not complain about what others are doing wrong.

I chose action over reaction.

To answer my friend, I will say:

I am a “White” French guy from Airbus.

I am a “Black” Senegalese guy from Africa.

I am Airbus, I am Senegal.

I am Airbus Africa.

I am “Black”, I am “White”.

I am Ahmadou.

I am an Oreo.

And who doesn’t like Oreos?

Thank you to Hanan Bihi for your advice for sharing this story.

What kind of fundraising issues did you face for your cause?

What is your experience of being pulled apart while fighting for what’s important to you?

Do you have any tips on how to raise funds more efficiently?

Leave a comment below.

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