Pole pole pole! Oops, sorry speaking kiswahili there. Sorry sorry sorry! For not updating this blog. It has been a whirlwind lately. Orientation, then workshops, workplans, grant-proposals, taking interns to the hospital for illnesses almost daily, visits to organizations and families, and another orientation, and more workshops. Whew! It's been a busy summer so far, but it's supposed to calm down in a few weeks time.
Since I've been in training mode I have sustainability on the brain constantly and thought I would take this time share what I've been preaching to the interns and that they are totally sick of hearing it by now I know.
So, if you find yourself hanging out in Kenya, in say a town called Kakamega, there will be many sites like- market after market of people selling second-hand clothes and items. Markets also selling a variety of vegetables... including giant avocados that cost about 12 cents! (don't be surprised if I have a greenish hue to my skin when I get back). You'll see matatus (14 seater van carrying 25+ people), pikipikis (motorbike), and boda bodas (2 seaters bikes) wizzing by. When you wander down one of the rocky and muddy roads you'll pass someone relaxing under a tree selling these small sweet banana bundles. Then you'll likely pass a small nonprofit with a logo like USAID on the building sign, you may also pass a tall and empty building which may be busseling or totally empty. Of course you'll see lots of farm animals in random places- like a lone goat walking aloof through traffic, a group of cows grazing on a soccer field, or maybe almost step on a chicken in your office kitchen like I did the other day!
Sustainable Development. I'm not an expert on it, and I know the conversation continues on what it means... but I've learned more and more about it over the years since my experience as an intern in 2007. And it sounds nice doesn't it?.It means long-term growth, lasting change, all that jazz. But actually putting it into action on the ground is so much harder than it sounds, I think all the interns will attest to that.
Among the sites around the town are examples of foreign aid. I thought of a concise way describe aid: aid creates long-term dependency on short-term solutions. One of the most prevalent sites is the second-hand markets. I used to frequently wonder where all the clothes were coming from. At first, I thought it was like a giant flea market with people selling their unwanted items to each other! My co-work laughed, exclaiming it's "from YOU people!" The good thing is that the items are the foundation of a vibrant businesses. The bad thing is that those businesses are completely dependent on other countries donating aid. These second-hand markets (while they have super cool jewelry and lovely vintage type jackets) weren't always there, as the hippo tour guide informed me... okay backing up. Yes, went on a hippo ride in Kisumu (3rd largest town in Kenya) during both orientations! Spotted some just a few feet from the boat bobbing up and down. Tour guide gave us some crazy stories of how they can jump completely out of water and how he has seen them bite a person in half - glad he didn't share that until we were on our way back to shore! He shared with us the second-hand markets weren't always there and he explained that they have totally destroyed the local textile industry. Though, a few are around and I plan to buy some local fabrics soon! I've also bought some jewelry from a girl who makes them herself.
With the sites around town, you can see aid much easier than you can see sustainable development. You can't SEE skills as easily as you can see money, or a hospital building, or books at a school. The skills are what are sustainable, but harder to say- "look what I did!" or "this affected "x" amount lives." Skills, capacity-building, systems and procedures, etc... those are things that empower grass-roots community-based organizations to become stronger. In fact, often the things you "see" are those that are not sustainable. A discouraged intern told me a while ago that all he could see was failed projects, such as an empty greenhouse or an abandoned briquette machine (alternative to coal that uses waste material). And I responded that while many "projects" with good intentions are introduced to an organization in an effort to make a quick solution, there are no long-term systems in place or community interest in maintaining it. A train the trainers workshop will provide skills to trainers who will then train others to spread information throughout a community. And you won't see that when walking along the road. You'll see the abandoned solar-cooker (uses the sun to boil water and heat food) before you see the women's group meeting to discuss their new table-banking system (everyone puts money on the table and someone borrows and pays back with interest to make it grow). That doesn't mean that tangible things can't work, but to be sustainable it needs to be supplemented with skills, community buy-in, ownership, existing resources, identified needs, etc.
Another challenge on the ground is that the interns are not the ones making lasting change themselves ... but rather they are facilitators in the process of lasting progress and growth within the organizations to achieve their missions in women's empowerment, micro-finance, youth, education, human rights, and community development. Someone from the U.S. who comes to a community, digs a well, brings the people to see it and the children all cheer for water in their community... is likely to be dried up on the next visit. But a well that is created by the people from the community themselves because they have identified that it is wanted and necessary is much more sustainable and they will have a vested interest in its success and understand how to maintain it.
Yet another difficulty in sustainable development, and particularly the internships, are that they must become part of the organization and daily activities, while integrating in the community before they can start contributing or talking about projects. That's a main reason why they live with host-families as well. It's so important because the change must come from the community to be sustainable. It is easy to be an outsider or an expert and tell people what to do in order to be effective. But it's the people who live in the community and work at the organization that will be carrying out the activites after the intern leaves, so they must feel like the intern is one of them and that way the intern will find what areas he/she can contribute to most effectively. During the first couple weeks are relationship-building, assessing the needs, recording the resources and assets, and just integrating. That can be difficult when you are still adjusting to a new culture and meeting new people and they are also adjusting to the interns.
So more about ME! I've been working long hours, but am still trying to stay active. I try to find ways to run and train for the half-marathon coming up in just a few weeks! I ran the other day with an intern, but my socks got wet from the grass and ended up with 5 blisters on each foot! I've been working on my cooking skills which is still a work in progress, especially since I failed twice trying to boil milk to make chai... third time's the charm! I am enjoying my own place and am always adding little things to make it more homey, sprinkling it with pictures of family and friends. I've done a lot of self-reflection and I enjoy learning from others- colleagues, interns, and the people I interact with throughout the day. Oh! For my b-day I had the interns over for pizza (though it wasn't the same as regular pizza) and they brought lots of goodies as well. I will have to say that 28 actually felt different.. perhaps because I'm edging toward 30 or maybe because I'm in Africa, or maybe because I'm the oldest one out of the people I interact with (other than Peter the Program Director). People older than me always make references to things I don't understand or don't get then say "Wow, you are so young!" or "Geeze, I must be old." And now it's my turn! I've found myself thinking that when talking about things like Saved by the Bell and people draw blanks, and when people don't know there was an original version of Parent Trap or Willy Wonka. Haha love it! Oooo... I wonder if they've ever owned or used a casette tape, I should ask!
Since I've been in training mode I have sustainability on the brain constantly and thought I would take this time share what I've been preaching to the interns and that they are totally sick of hearing it by now I know.
So, if you find yourself hanging out in Kenya, in say a town called Kakamega, there will be many sites like- market after market of people selling second-hand clothes and items. Markets also selling a variety of vegetables... including giant avocados that cost about 12 cents! (don't be surprised if I have a greenish hue to my skin when I get back). You'll see matatus (14 seater van carrying 25+ people), pikipikis (motorbike), and boda bodas (2 seaters bikes) wizzing by. When you wander down one of the rocky and muddy roads you'll pass someone relaxing under a tree selling these small sweet banana bundles. Then you'll likely pass a small nonprofit with a logo like USAID on the building sign, you may also pass a tall and empty building which may be busseling or totally empty. Of course you'll see lots of farm animals in random places- like a lone goat walking aloof through traffic, a group of cows grazing on a soccer field, or maybe almost step on a chicken in your office kitchen like I did the other day!
Sustainable Development. I'm not an expert on it, and I know the conversation continues on what it means... but I've learned more and more about it over the years since my experience as an intern in 2007. And it sounds nice doesn't it?.It means long-term growth, lasting change, all that jazz. But actually putting it into action on the ground is so much harder than it sounds, I think all the interns will attest to that.
Among the sites around the town are examples of foreign aid. I thought of a concise way describe aid: aid creates long-term dependency on short-term solutions. One of the most prevalent sites is the second-hand markets. I used to frequently wonder where all the clothes were coming from. At first, I thought it was like a giant flea market with people selling their unwanted items to each other! My co-work laughed, exclaiming it's "from YOU people!" The good thing is that the items are the foundation of a vibrant businesses. The bad thing is that those businesses are completely dependent on other countries donating aid. These second-hand markets (while they have super cool jewelry and lovely vintage type jackets) weren't always there, as the hippo tour guide informed me... okay backing up. Yes, went on a hippo ride in Kisumu (3rd largest town in Kenya) during both orientations! Spotted some just a few feet from the boat bobbing up and down. Tour guide gave us some crazy stories of how they can jump completely out of water and how he has seen them bite a person in half - glad he didn't share that until we were on our way back to shore! He shared with us the second-hand markets weren't always there and he explained that they have totally destroyed the local textile industry. Though, a few are around and I plan to buy some local fabrics soon! I've also bought some jewelry from a girl who makes them herself.
With the sites around town, you can see aid much easier than you can see sustainable development. You can't SEE skills as easily as you can see money, or a hospital building, or books at a school. The skills are what are sustainable, but harder to say- "look what I did!" or "this affected "x" amount lives." Skills, capacity-building, systems and procedures, etc... those are things that empower grass-roots community-based organizations to become stronger. In fact, often the things you "see" are those that are not sustainable. A discouraged intern told me a while ago that all he could see was failed projects, such as an empty greenhouse or an abandoned briquette machine (alternative to coal that uses waste material). And I responded that while many "projects" with good intentions are introduced to an organization in an effort to make a quick solution, there are no long-term systems in place or community interest in maintaining it. A train the trainers workshop will provide skills to trainers who will then train others to spread information throughout a community. And you won't see that when walking along the road. You'll see the abandoned solar-cooker (uses the sun to boil water and heat food) before you see the women's group meeting to discuss their new table-banking system (everyone puts money on the table and someone borrows and pays back with interest to make it grow). That doesn't mean that tangible things can't work, but to be sustainable it needs to be supplemented with skills, community buy-in, ownership, existing resources, identified needs, etc.
Another challenge on the ground is that the interns are not the ones making lasting change themselves ... but rather they are facilitators in the process of lasting progress and growth within the organizations to achieve their missions in women's empowerment, micro-finance, youth, education, human rights, and community development. Someone from the U.S. who comes to a community, digs a well, brings the people to see it and the children all cheer for water in their community... is likely to be dried up on the next visit. But a well that is created by the people from the community themselves because they have identified that it is wanted and necessary is much more sustainable and they will have a vested interest in its success and understand how to maintain it.
Yet another difficulty in sustainable development, and particularly the internships, are that they must become part of the organization and daily activities, while integrating in the community before they can start contributing or talking about projects. That's a main reason why they live with host-families as well. It's so important because the change must come from the community to be sustainable. It is easy to be an outsider or an expert and tell people what to do in order to be effective. But it's the people who live in the community and work at the organization that will be carrying out the activites after the intern leaves, so they must feel like the intern is one of them and that way the intern will find what areas he/she can contribute to most effectively. During the first couple weeks are relationship-building, assessing the needs, recording the resources and assets, and just integrating. That can be difficult when you are still adjusting to a new culture and meeting new people and they are also adjusting to the interns.
So more about ME! I've been working long hours, but am still trying to stay active. I try to find ways to run and train for the half-marathon coming up in just a few weeks! I ran the other day with an intern, but my socks got wet from the grass and ended up with 5 blisters on each foot! I've been working on my cooking skills which is still a work in progress, especially since I failed twice trying to boil milk to make chai... third time's the charm! I am enjoying my own place and am always adding little things to make it more homey, sprinkling it with pictures of family and friends. I've done a lot of self-reflection and I enjoy learning from others- colleagues, interns, and the people I interact with throughout the day. Oh! For my b-day I had the interns over for pizza (though it wasn't the same as regular pizza) and they brought lots of goodies as well. I will have to say that 28 actually felt different.. perhaps because I'm edging toward 30 or maybe because I'm in Africa, or maybe because I'm the oldest one out of the people I interact with (other than Peter the Program Director). People older than me always make references to things I don't understand or don't get then say "Wow, you are so young!" or "Geeze, I must be old." And now it's my turn! I've found myself thinking that when talking about things like Saved by the Bell and people draw blanks, and when people don't know there was an original version of Parent Trap or Willy Wonka. Haha love it! Oooo... I wonder if they've ever owned or used a casette tape, I should ask!
7 comments:
you're still young compared to me! My example of how young interns are is when they don't know how to use or what a can opener is!love reading your posts. hope you are well...Erica
Great blog! Thanks for the mini-course on sustainability. I agree the short-term solutions create dependency. Real change has to come from the people. It takes time and education.
Mom
So glad you updated your blog! I agree with your view on sustainability as well. When I was conducting my study on female gential cutting, I found that the most effective ways to end the problem were the methods used that empowered the community, let them decide for themselves that they wanted to end it. You can't come into a new place and demand change. It never works that way. You have to work together from within the community to make change.
Oh and the chai....when you get back, if you need chai tips, let me know...i've been making that stuff since I was little. (My parents taught me). =)
Julia, is so great to get some context for what you are "doing in Africa". While it does sound frustrating to a certain extent, I still see your smile and feel that gereat positive attitude of yours shining through. Keep soldiering on for the good cause's our world needs. Thank you for helping to make it a better place.
Thanks for the update! I can't wait to test you new Kenyan cooking skills in America! I'll teach you some more when you get here. <3
P.S. Ouch about the blisters, but go you for training!!
Big sis has learned so much and I'm learning from you! At PP, we also agree that you can't just go into a community and tell it what it needs and how to improve itself. You have to integrate, make real relationships and friendships, develop trust, support them, and follow through with your commitments! Hope your half went well today!!
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