Third week....

Hi all!

As usual my luck didn't work and the volunteer who was supposed to come this week...postponed two weeks!!!Now...that makes 1 month and 4 days of me alone here. You can't really say I'm not making the effort!!

So, after a day spent in a miserable mood because of the news...I pulled myself together and here I am...end of my 3rd week!

I got used to some things, but still struggling with others.

For example I can't help it but get upset when they pack you in a taxi meant to drive 14 people...but if you count you see 26 heads...26! A bit too much I think! It also looks that I'm not getting used to the tireless and endless request of money/sweets/balloons from children, everywhere you go. Yes I know...I do love children...and I still do. I don't dislike them...I dislike the attitude that they have been 'thought'.

Religion is another difficult issue...especially because I'm always speechless when I find myself in fornt of a poster about a crusade (I didn't know it, they are like collective moment of prayer and singing in the name of God)...and the poster reads: 'Bring along oppressed, sick and Demon possessed...God will heal them'....(a bit too much for me, but I carefully avoided to discuss about it).

Also, people here don't smile (exception made for children). If you go in a supermarket, office...you name it...people don't smile. Not just to me...they simply do not smile.  Tough!

The real positive note, which is also what is really pushing me to go ahead, is the work at the Baitambogwe SACCO. Slowly slowly we are putting together a business plan (can someone explain the manager that no, it's not ready yet because doing it properly it actually takes some time AND the fact that they have almost nothing saved as soft copy doesn't help?).

I also went for my first appraisal, which means going around the village on the boda-boda (motorbike) assessing whether the conditions are positive or not  for a loan.

The biggest issue at the moment is the repayment rate, between 49 and 51%. So this is what I'm working on: to find a way to improve the pay back percentage. However, changes happen slowly and the attitude is difficult to fight, amongst the community and the SACCO itself.

The common perception is that they ask a loan, they get it, and IF they can, they pay it back...if not...not a big issue. No further action had never been taken anyway until now....(of course they are not so worried to pay back...would you??). It's a bit like fighting against the windmills...but still, we must try.

At times I feel a bit stronger and more capable of coping with the whole situation....some other times I'd like just to be on a plane, heading back home.

Anyway, a lot depends on the other volunteer's arrivale. So I just wait and see...

In the meantime, I send you a lot of hugs.

And a special thanks to Arjuna. Your Christmas present is revealing itself as a real blessing :)

Love

Fede

'Freedom has a high price, as high as that of slavery; the only difference is that you pay with pleasure and a smile, even when that smile is dimmed by tears'

 (The Zahir: a Novel of Obsession-P.Coelho)