Pin the Paint on the Donkey

Progress has come to Namibia, with a unique downside. Located just above South Africa on the Atlantic coast, Namibia is -- comparatively speaking -- an African success story, with a GDP per capita of $7,300 (at purchasing power parity)--102nd best overall, trailing only South Africa in the region.

Transitioning from poverty and privation to a modern society, Namibia's concentrating on infrastructure, including building and improving roads and highways. For now, however, much internal transport and trade moves on the backs of Namibia's "over two hundred thousand donkeys":

Donkeys pull carts that carry children to school. They plough, carry water and firewood and take produce to market. They are vital to the livelihoods of many families in Namibia.

Unfortunately, according to the October 8th Economist (subscription only for now), the donkeys discovered the newly paved roads--and got the wrong idea:

When cruising along Namibia's long and empty roads, unsuspecting drivers face a no less dangerous hazard: sleeping donkeys. At night, the warm tarmac provides a much more comfortable bed than the vast expanses of land only a few yards away. Invisible in the dark, the dormant asses, which help plough Namibia's land and pull its carts, have become a cause of many a car crash, to the dismay of drivers and the police alike.

Supposedly, about 25 percent of vehicle accidents involving animals end with a dead ass.

Enter Russell Hay, a British businessman with extensive mining concessions in Namibia. Vowing "donkeys should be seen and not hurt," Hay and a friend:

set up Donkey Welfare of Namibia. With the Namibian government's blessing, the British outfit is planning to make donkeys glow in the dark by attaching reflective tags to their ears.

A pilot scheme is about to be started in two or three of Namibia's donkey hot spots. If it works, Donkey Welfare is thinking of enrolling local schools to tag the animals for a small fee.

Donkey Welfare, a U.K. non-profit, is accepting donations--they calculate costs at £3 per donkey. No PayPal -- at least yet -- but their website includes a London PO Box address.