N’Djaména – In need of The Way to Happiness

November 26, 2006 0 By Tad Reeves

N'Djamena the capital city of Chad

I was just reading up on the news, and found a story on CNN about a rebel army storming the capital city of N’Djamena in Chad.  Unfortunately, even though I like to consider myself a geography buff, I have to confess I had no idea what sort of conditions were facing the people of Chad already.  I found the following on-line:

N’Djaména is the administrative and commercial capitalof Chad, is located on the banks of the Chari River in the Chari-Baguirmiprefecture just across the river from Cameroon. It has been described as anovergrown country town due to its lack of paved roads, large shops, sanitationsystem, and running water and electricity for most of its population. Itspopulation is estimated at some 800,000 with some suburbs being predominantlysouthern peoples speaking French and Sara and others predominantly northernpeoples speaking Arabic. Mosques and churches rub shoulders. The most commonform of construction for houses is still sun-dried mud brick with a sloping mudroof. Water is carried to houses and businesses in 20 litre containers from tapsby the roadside, although some houses have their own taps.
The new parliment buildings
Facilities include many government offices, the seat of government, thepresidential palace, an international airport, a museum, a covered market, anenormous central mosque, a Catholic cathedral, many high schools, a university,a brewery, a flour mill, three hospitals, embassies, banks, and the offices ofnon-government aid and development organizations.
Typical roadside scene
Traffic, on the mainly dirtroads, consists predominantly of taxis and pedestrians but with a sprinkling ofbicycles, motorbikes, cars, 4WDs, and trucks. Dogs, children, chickens, goats,and pot-holes need to be dodged by all forms of traffic. The city boasts twosets of traffic lights! Tables or mats by the roadside sell everything from fuelby the litre bottle to bread, cigarettes, fruit, footwear, books, amulets,condoms, antibiotics, grilled meat, and peanuts. Drainage ditches double aspublic toilets, particularly for men. Litter, largely plastic bags, is aneyesore. N’Djamena is built on what was a swamp and so life there becomes a realchallenge during the rainy season in particular with mud, mosquitoes, andmalaria in abundance.

For sure, these people need something, as what they have is not forwarding this culture too far.
 For one, The Way to Happiness, gotten broadly out in the area, would absolutely serve to calm down the tensions currently extant.  However, they also need an infrastrucure, organization, and other such skills to start building up that country.  Scientology Volunteer Ministers effectively provided such in the wake of the tsunamis in the Indian Ocean area  (Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia) and have a proven record at such.  Definitely I would want to see a team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers make their way to Chad to help this people.

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