This book is a research on development theories, practices, approaches, and strategies that bring some alternatives to the mainstream discourse on development in Africa. Africa, being the sole continent that is still draining behind all the other continents, has been a place where different strategies and theories of development were applied or tried. The apparent failure of moving ahead brings to critical minds a sense of questioning whether it is time to rethink these strategies. Knowing that Africa is a continent with various countries, with wide-ranging challenges, with different needs, with numerous potentials ranging from its abundant natural resources to the untapped human resources, it has been my quest to understand this complex continent and to give opportunity to the reader a grasp of whole array of possibilities in rethinking strategies of development for this continent. This entails broadening the development discourse and practices from economic approaches to all other areas such as human development, cultural situations, and sustainable development. It also involves blending scholarly works with local creative solutions. From the wide range of examples in the book, from all corners of the earth, one will discover how it presents a holistic understanding of development discourse and practice. This is where theories and local realities come together as an alternative contribution to the development field. I emphasize on the importance of combining academic theories to the local African incentives - such as creativity, sense of innovation, and problem-solving attitudes that some Africans hold -; the desirability of strengthening South-South cooperation (including the role of China) -, the huge impulse potential of civil society that can make to development, especially given the much needed growth of middle classes; the urgency of improving the poor and battered infrastructure, and special attention to global warming, to which Africa is particularly sensitive; and improve the institutions in place to continue betting on individual leadership, among other valuable suggestions. Research in development is a continuous commitment to discover different possibilities and creative innovation. It is with that approach that I seek a deeper understanding. The book still goes along with the improvement of economic, political and social issues related to Africa. By advocating for a holistic approach, I emphasize on the need to foster/boost the local creative people, to understand their issues, and to empower local entrepreneurs in order to address questions of particular contexts. At the same time, these local people need to collaborate and gain some other knowledge from development experts. I am fervently encouraging African leaders, academics, and the international community, to blend academia and creativity of the local people on the ground in order to deepen the sustainability of Africa's future. My recommendations are applicable not only in the development arena, but also in other spheres of human life. They are also relevant to both academics and laymen in the development field. I look forward to integrating my research in the daily life of Africans and the academic world.
About the Author: David Suze Manda is a co-founder and chairman of the Washington State based NGO called "Connecting Congo", a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization focused on improving the education system in rural areas of DRCongo, (www.connectingcongo.org). He holds a Ph.D. and a Master's in International Studies in Peace, Conflict, and Development from the UNESCO Chair of Philosophy for Peace at University Jaume I, Spain. He is a prospect candidate as a Member of the National Parliament of DRC in the next scheduled elections. He was born and raised in DRC, he has lived and worked or studied in Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia, Kenya, and Spain. He currently resides in the United States of America.