The "sermon" focused on his trips to Sudan and Kenya, because he wanted to give "fresh stories." Using these stories, Dallelew showed his concern about the policies of the United Nations policies and relief attempts by non-governmental organizations. He began with Sudan.
Since childhood, Dallelew has prayed for peace in Sudan. In May 2006 his prayers for peace were answered. Immediately he wanted to visit Sudan, curious to see the situation among those who lost their homes in the conflict, "Internally Displaced Persons" or IDPs.
Dallelew was shocked at the hostility that awaited him. When visiting the IDP camp near Juba, elders of the camp scolded him and his UN compatriots, demanding that the UN keep its promises to them. "You take our pictures and you disappear," they told him. He found that many adults did not even have shelter--they were sleeping under trees.
His frustration mounted when he saw the nearby UN camp packed with cars and SUVs. While the IDPs waited for help to move back to their land, the UN seemed to be more concerned with taking care of itself than the people it was supposed to help.
"By my presence I created some expectations," Dallelew said. Unfortunately those expectations came to nothing since he was able to offer nothing. Dallelew left Sudan happy about the peace, but frustrated both by the culture of dependency and the little the UN actually did.
In Kenya, however, Dallelew found hope. Sand dams were a community-owned project that truly improved lives. "I have read failed project after failed project after failed project," he said. The primary reason for these failings, in Dallelew's view, is that the "experts" find a need. Then, without involving the community, they implement a plan to "fix" the problem. Without community connection with the project dies out a few years later.
In this case, the people themselves supported the idea of sand dams and built them with their own hands. These dams--concrete barriers which purify and collect water in underground channels--literally change the lives of many Africans. Instead of walking for hours to find a spring of water the sand dams bring fresher water closer to the people, even in the dry months. Because the sand dams are community owned and cared for, they have been an enormous success.
Dallelew ended his talk with hope. There are many solutions to the problems Africa faces, if only those who want to help respect and listen to the needs of the African people themselves.