Jama, hivi mimi na wewe na Watanzania wengine tutakuwa lini mstari wa mbele katika kuchangamkia fursa mbalimbali humu duniani? Tukiwa na vyetu jirani wanavifaidi, sisi tunaishia kulalamika tu. Vikitoka sandakalawe, sisi tunajikunyata wakati wenzetu wanadaka nafasi. Ni lipi hasa tatizo letu lakini?

Nilkuwa naperuzi mtandao wa cnn.com kwenye tuzo alizozianzisha Anderson Cooper na kuziita, 'CNN Hero' ambazo hufanyika kila mwaka tangu mwaka 2007. Ukitizama katika kabrasha la miaka iliyopita hadi mwaka huu, jirani zetu wameshachukua nafasi kadhaa katika kinyang'anyiro hicho, hata kama hawakuibuka kidedea, bado wameonesha kuwa wamechangamkia fursa na wameweza kujitangaza.

YOUNG WONDER
Evans Wadongo, 23, invented a way for rural families in Kenya to replace smoky kerosene and firelight with solar power. Through his Use Solar, Save Lives program, he's distributed an estimated 10,000 solar lanterns, for free. Click the links below to learn more:
Evans Wadongo (story)
CNN Hero: Evans Wadong (profile)
Solar power from scrap metal
See Evans Wadongo's Web site

Pengine unaweza ukawa bado hujaelewa umuhimu wa tuzo.
Ni kwamba, tuzo inaposhindaniwa, wale wote wanaoshiriki wanapata fursa kubwa na ya kipekee ya kuonekana na kufahamika katika kadamnasi kubwa. Ndani ya kadamnasi hiyo wapo watu ambao huvutiwa na ubunifu au umahiri wa walioshindanishwa hadi kufikia ngazi za juu. Ni miongoni mwa watu hao ambapo hujitokeza watu wakawafadhili na hivyo kuweza kuendeleza karama au vipaji vyao na hivyo kutengeneza ile wazungu wanayosema, 'win-win situation', kwa maana kwamba, mwenye kipaji anawezeshwa kufikia lengo lake (attain your potential) na aliyemfadhili akawekeza na hivyo kufaidi matunda ya kipaji alichowekezea. Hii si sheria au maneno ya kutunga mimi bali ndiyo ilivyo, kwamba wewe unakuwa na hiki na yule anakuwa na kile kisha mnakutana au kukutanishwa na kuweza kutumia kila mmoja chake kwa faida ya wote.

Shime wananchi tuvumbue vipaji na tukiona mwenzetu anachipuka, tumpe ushirikano na kumwonyesha mwanga kwani faida yake ni msaada kwa wengine pia. Tuachane na roho za umimi, uchoyo, usengenyaji na kukatishana tamaa. Hayo yote hayatufikishi kokote bali kutusababisha tuendelee kuliliana shida kila kukicha.

Utaniuliza, 'wewe Subi unatupigia kelele hapa, kwani umefanya nini?' nami nakujibu sijafanya lolote, lakini nipo tayari kumsaidia yeyote yule anayejitahidi, kwa kadiri nitakayoweza kumsaidia.

Wewe nawe umefanya nini?

Ukitaka kupiga kura unaweza kufanya hivyo kupitia » www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/nom

DEFENDING THE PLANET
New York teacher Jude Ndambuki started the Help Kenya Project to provide refurbished computers to schools in need. His group has sent more than 2,000 discarded computers to Kenyan students, who have planted more than 150,000 trees in exchange. Click the links below to learn more:
Jude Ndambuki's story »
CNN Hero: Jude Ndambuki (profile)
Technology for trees
See Jude Ndambuki's Web site