Monday, October 24, 2005
So I wrote about the mundane problems and details of my trip to Dar. But I did go there for a reason, and it turned out to be an extremely successful and rewarding trip. Successful because I found where my passport is, and my India visa request should now proceed normally. Rewarding because of my meeting with Atiba at the TechnoServe office.
Atiba had invited me to come in to talk about the future plans for the entrepreneurship (Economic Empowerment) project. I’d been thinking that the teachers here would be pretty much on their own next year, with little hope of further assistance from the Peace Corps, so wanted to talk about the small steps the group could take based only on their current expertise and local resources. That would consist of increasing the number of classes, but otherwise a repeat of this year.
Atiba, however, was thinking in larger terms. Yes, increase the number of classes for seniors. But also, how about giving 4 or 5 of their Bizcamps – crash programs where the whole course is given in the space of a week – aimed at school leavers, dropouts and pushouts, during the breaks in the school year. To accomplish this, TechnoServe might provide a staff person to reside in Mwanza for the year to assist the base program and train the instructors to lead the Bizcamps. This would also provide the further training that the instructors themselves have been asking for. In addition, this person could also be a consultant to the new business that the teachers are establishing, and establish relationships within the community with the goal of developing local financial support for the future.
Wow. This project is taking off like a brush fire, based on the enthusiasm of the instructors and students and solid TechnoServe support. I’ve used the analogy that it has been an explosion, for which I have been lucky enough to be the person who held the match.
For the graduation ceremony, two people each are coming from TechnoServe, the USAID office from the embassy, and Peace Corps HQ. The school Headmasters have been invited, the bankers who have judged the Plans, and the Rotary Club. Now we need to be sure we have press coverage.
** *** **
There was also a going-away party for five teachers on Saturday evening, despite the lack of electricity all day and night. It was a pleasant affair with beer, snacks, music from a battery-powered CD player and light from a Coleman gas-powered lamp that appeared from somewhere. Speeches by everybody. Kind words and gifts for the departing. I received two African hand-carved wooden statues, a stone bowl, printed cloth, and a peasant’s hat. Quite a haul!
Atiba had invited me to come in to talk about the future plans for the entrepreneurship (Economic Empowerment) project. I’d been thinking that the teachers here would be pretty much on their own next year, with little hope of further assistance from the Peace Corps, so wanted to talk about the small steps the group could take based only on their current expertise and local resources. That would consist of increasing the number of classes, but otherwise a repeat of this year.
Atiba, however, was thinking in larger terms. Yes, increase the number of classes for seniors. But also, how about giving 4 or 5 of their Bizcamps – crash programs where the whole course is given in the space of a week – aimed at school leavers, dropouts and pushouts, during the breaks in the school year. To accomplish this, TechnoServe might provide a staff person to reside in Mwanza for the year to assist the base program and train the instructors to lead the Bizcamps. This would also provide the further training that the instructors themselves have been asking for. In addition, this person could also be a consultant to the new business that the teachers are establishing, and establish relationships within the community with the goal of developing local financial support for the future.
Wow. This project is taking off like a brush fire, based on the enthusiasm of the instructors and students and solid TechnoServe support. I’ve used the analogy that it has been an explosion, for which I have been lucky enough to be the person who held the match.
For the graduation ceremony, two people each are coming from TechnoServe, the USAID office from the embassy, and Peace Corps HQ. The school Headmasters have been invited, the bankers who have judged the Plans, and the Rotary Club. Now we need to be sure we have press coverage.
** *** **
There was also a going-away party for five teachers on Saturday evening, despite the lack of electricity all day and night. It was a pleasant affair with beer, snacks, music from a battery-powered CD player and light from a Coleman gas-powered lamp that appeared from somewhere. Speeches by everybody. Kind words and gifts for the departing. I received two African hand-carved wooden statues, a stone bowl, printed cloth, and a peasant’s hat. Quite a haul!
