It has been sort of a rough week without the internet. The one at the office is VERY slow and off and on, literally. At home we haven't had the internet for a week or so and as I trace the phone lines I suspect it has something to do with the neighbor moving and the phone line going to their house even though I pay the bill to our home. I have reported the problem, in person, as no one answers the phone. So I continue to learn patience until some breaking point somewhere down the line. Axe murders seem to happen more frequently here among this gentle people. I wonder why, but perhaps such self control has a breaking point. (?)
Below is a new sign that gives me real hope. Apparently, all of the African nations of southern Africa signed a pledge document to have addresses and street signs throughout their countries within the next ten years.
I cannot tell you how frustrating it is to not have street signs in a large city, let alone in the smaller neighborhoods. Occasionally, you can find one but they are hard to spot and inconsistent in design. The older ones from the British system are black and white and in the middle of a block parallel to the street it is advertising, a rare relic to discover. Businesses get their mail at the antiquated P.O. and have to describe their building if you are to visit them.
Below is a billboard announcing the coming of "addresses for everyone".
The current system is taken off of plot maps. Each plot is associated with a major street but the residence could be four streets over. The villages have grown up just hap-hazard so there never was a good survey as far as I can tell.
Having your own address will help the nation progress in so many areas. Commerce will streamline and emergency services will be able to respond. Currently, the best avenue is to meet an ambulance or police at a well known spot and then direct them.
Below is a sample of what has been appearing on the corners of little dirt roads and lanes in the area of Kalingalinga. How nice to be able to tell someone where your business is. I am surprised they don't start this in the more urban areas first. A map here is priceless.
We are not perfect in the U.S. with our addresses either. Try delivering a newspaper at 4 AM with no street signs or numbers. People like to be off the grid but then wonder why getting service of any sort to their home is so difficult. Don't complain if you can't read your house number in the dark.
Here they have never had a house number.
