Mfangano Pics (nevermind) and the latest
So this week has been busy. The Kakamega FFS group has a decent chance of getting a grant towards the purchase of equipment for processing sweet potatoes, and I've been given the task of getting all the information together, making sure the grant application is written well, and laying out a quarterly budget of what we would do with the money. I've spent a lot of time in the office working on the grant application, which is due on the 25th. Next week I'll be traveling a lot to get additional info so I'll let everyone know how that goes.
Anyway, on Wednesday we had our monthly meeting of Network Officials (all Kenyan farmers), and what an experience that was. It was supposed to start at 9, and of course people start drifting in from 9:30 until 11:00. Then comes the mandatory 2 hours of small talk and handshakes before anything can actually happen. This consists of rapidly spoken Swahilli and Kiluyha, so I'm just sitting there going through text messages I've already read on my cell phone. Once things actually get started (around noon or so) everyone patiently waits their turn to get on their soap box and speak passionately about whatever issue is troubling them. Using metaphors, parables, repetition and any other means of prolonging the conversation they were able to make an issue that could have been resolved in just a few minutes last hours. So two o'clock rolls around and there's still no sign of things wrapping up, so I suggest a lunch break. After a quick lunch it was was back to the meeting which continued past 5:00, when I finally had to excuse myself for a dinner invitation I had extended to my Canadian volunteer friends.
At least dinner was nice. Most of the ingredients are readily available here for decent Mexican food and I made mango salsa, guacamole, bean dip, and tortillas. The power is only been working about half the time lately so we cooked and ate over candlelight but things turned out well.
I'll write more about what I'm doing in the office later. For now here's some pics of my weekend on the Island:
Ok, I'll try again later. The Internet is really really slow right so no luck on pics. I'll update again soon!
Anyway, on Wednesday we had our monthly meeting of Network Officials (all Kenyan farmers), and what an experience that was. It was supposed to start at 9, and of course people start drifting in from 9:30 until 11:00. Then comes the mandatory 2 hours of small talk and handshakes before anything can actually happen. This consists of rapidly spoken Swahilli and Kiluyha, so I'm just sitting there going through text messages I've already read on my cell phone. Once things actually get started (around noon or so) everyone patiently waits their turn to get on their soap box and speak passionately about whatever issue is troubling them. Using metaphors, parables, repetition and any other means of prolonging the conversation they were able to make an issue that could have been resolved in just a few minutes last hours. So two o'clock rolls around and there's still no sign of things wrapping up, so I suggest a lunch break. After a quick lunch it was was back to the meeting which continued past 5:00, when I finally had to excuse myself for a dinner invitation I had extended to my Canadian volunteer friends.
At least dinner was nice. Most of the ingredients are readily available here for decent Mexican food and I made mango salsa, guacamole, bean dip, and tortillas. The power is only been working about half the time lately so we cooked and ate over candlelight but things turned out well.
I'll write more about what I'm doing in the office later. For now here's some pics of my weekend on the Island:
Ok, I'll try again later. The Internet is really really slow right so no luck on pics. I'll update again soon!
posted by KenyaJoe at 5:17 AM
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