“‘Development’ doesn’t only entail the acquisition of material things, although everyone should have enough to live with dignity and without fear of starvation or becoming homeless. Instead, it is a means of achieving a quality of life that is sustainable, and of allowing the expression of the full range of creativity and humanity.

…I was reminded of the traditional African stool, which is comprised of three legs. The first leg represents democratic space, where rights- whether human, women’s, children’s, or environmental- are respected. The second leg symbolizes the sustainable and accountable management of natural resources both for those living today and for those in the future, in a manner that is just and fair, including for people on the margins of society. The third leg stands for what I term ‘cultures of peace.’ These take the form of fairness, respect, compassion, forgiveness, recompense, and justice.

Just as the African stool is made out of a single block of wood, each leg, or pillar, is reinforced by the others and formed from the same grain, so the issues must be addressed together and simultaneously…

The three legs of the stool support the seat, which in this conception represents the milieu in which development can take place. Citizens, feeling secure that the three legs are in place- that their country has robust democratic principles, equitable distribution of resources, and strong cultures of peace- can be educated, productive, and creative. In this situation, the spirit of citizenry not only welcomes development, but drives it itself, because individually and collectively the people feel they have an opportunity to contribute…

Whether we we work in development agencies, international institutions like the UN and the World Bank, or NGOs… it is critical to approach development from this perspective, in which an environment is created for citizens to engage productively.”

Taken from The Challenge for Africa by Wangari Maathai.