Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. — Desmond Tutu

There is a commonly held belief in the West that providing food and monetary aid to Africa will alleviate the continent’s poverty. Aid provides relief; however, it does not create sustainability. The keys to solving the problem in Africa, just like the problems anywhere, are empowerment and knowledge.

A Kenyan woman, Su Kahumbu-Stephanou, understands the importance of information in fostering development. Her organic farm, Green Dreams Ltd., teaches local and rural farmers better and sustainable farming practices. Green Dreams utilizes the resources that farmers already have and empowers them by increasing their knowledge of their soil and farming techniques. This allows the farmers to improve their crop while using the tools they already possess. Green Dreams is a stellar example of using knowledge to empower.

In the capital city of Nigeria, Abuja, two men are working to transform a septic tank into a bio digester at an apartment complex. The bio digester will convert organic waste into bio fuels that will be used to produce electricity. This will reduce the complex’s environmental impact and increase its sustainability. Development requires sustainability and this project is an example of positive development that is happening all across the continent.

These are only two of the numerous newsworthy projects underway throughout Africa. Each project is providing a foundation toward sustainability and knowledge to empower people to better themselves, their lives, and their communities. Each one of these little bits of good is doing its part to overwhelm the world.