Monkey butt in heat... thankfully humans are a bit more discreet.



Rains are here and things are slowly turning green. Strange transformation from sahelian browns to a lush green covering almost everything. When I was initially coming up here I was convinced that I really did miss the green of the south, but now that the green has creeped its way up north, there’s a price to pay. With the green comes the humidity, bugs, flooded streets, and harsh hot sun before a down pour. Think I prefer the dry heat…

Part of my job as ‘Leader’ is making contacts with associations/ngo’s/development organizations, talk about their project base, and brainstorm ways for PC to collaborate and/or seek out small project funding through them. It’s been a strange task in that I find myself touring around countless dispersed offices, some in the most inconvenient cache’d areas, introducing myself over and over and trying to find the head of each office, which believe me, is not an easy task.

Strange thing is that the more offices I go to, the more cookie cutter all of the organizations seem to me. Of course there are differences between structure, actual output and transparency, but this province is flooded with development groups who all seem to have the same raison d’etre. And most of the program bases are mirrors of PC’s. Health/AIDS education, Agroforestry, Education, Microfinance, and usually a small sector for gender issues and women’s empowerment. Why would these small ngo’s spread themselves out so thin with their 4 person staff and limited, sometimes nonexistent budget? I’m sure it makes it easier to find exterior funding, casting a wide net. Would possibly be more effective if someone just shuffles around the whole system, designates focus programs for specific development groups or areas of exterior funding, and pump all efforts and funding in one direction. Seems like everyone is so spread out, especially their technical staff. If they are required to know a little bit about everything, how can any sort of further project development occur? There will inevitably be a ceiling where technical advancement, time, energy and funding will all limit the project’s growth. So really, what is the point of starting all of these small projects without a comprehensive idea as to how it is actually supposed to be sustainable and continually evolve.

A big shuffle. Scoop up all the cards, throw out the ones that have too many divets and stains, arrange the aces at top and arrange according to hearts diamonds spades clubs.

Or, is this really the best way to go about things, at a very microcosmic level, where you don’t have to face as many general infrastructural or political barricades. Touch down where you can and hope that it will spark a greater movement..?

There are definitely some great organizations here. Just saying that this whole development approach needs a little work. I am still wet behind the ears but I’m taking from 2 years of sitting back and watching the big cogs turn and almost one year of trying to get in the machine. Developpement durable. Hm.


Anyway, I’m getting ready to go back to the states for an indeterminant period of time and have been constantly ruminating over what I’m going to do with myself when I hit American soil. Probably just want to come back to the red African soil I’ve gotten so used to.

A few steps before that can happen again though. Some school, some work, and some major networking.