Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Burkina - Take 2
Though I’d give a little update of my time in Burkina =) Be ready for some out-loud thinking!
Lots of things have changed. The family I was staying with in Ouaga have a laptop with Internet at home, there’s even wireless at one of the associations in Bobo. Many more laptops around. A new juice company, Dafani, was created right after I left and is now distributing in the entire country! I was really impressed – Krystel and I used to complain so much about the lack of healthy drinks in this country! There is also many new water companies – it seems like Burkina is moving away from a monopolistic model. (Obviously something I would pay attention to!)
Being back is really nice, the work has been really rewarding. I am more or less making recommendations for the allocation of a 250 000$ fund for income generating activities for the World Food Program partners. It’s challenging, but it’s really exciting to see that a funder is paying attention to the social enterprise sector as a way to promote self-sufficiency and socio-economic reintegration of people living with HIV. This is what I was dreaming of last year, literally! The projects are really exciting, we’re moving away from the less innovative, low capital stuff into some really interesting business concepts (they’re coming up with cool ideas for employee motivation and benefits, distribution, etc.) that really integrate that whole idea of competitive advantage. I find it so cool that an association would be managing a 10t vehicule doing import-export of foods, one would manage a water fountain, another a gas station, many would go into the high-return pork and beef raising businesses, etc.
Things have changed a bit since last year in terms of work too, it seems like people listen to me more, they’re more efficient (despite the occasional missed appointment of course). There’s also that status thing kicking in (“I’m now a boss”, I’ve been told!). Oh la la. But yeah. Most of the 7 partners we’re working are dedicated in the market study part of this and are running around town to get information for their projects. I’m really proud of the 5 days training I gave too; 40 people were present (including some pretty big shots, i.e. the Queen of Fada N’Gourma, an Eastern town in Burkina) and it went really well. I do feel like I’ve gone a long way in my technical and practical understanding of social enterprise and business since last year, although I still have a long way to go and sometimes I do wonder if that’s the right way to go!
But whatever, lots of good things happening. Robbie and I were able to mobilize some funding for the association in Karangasso-Sambla, a small town dependent on cotton growing (where I shot my film last year). The women are will be training orphans and vulnerable children in cattle herding (small scale of course!), making soap for the local market and opening a small community restaurant in town. I am much looking forwards to seeing the outcomes of this when I return next time. Even in a year, I have noticed a big change in the income level in the village – people don’t eat to 3 times a day anymore, they have coffee and tea (luxuries) for breakfast, and the houses are looking great. It amazes me how things change; babies too have grown up so fast, it’s nuts =)
People around me are doing very well. Vice-pre, where I’m staying, is now the advisor to the Mayor and general inspector of Bobo and he’s really busy. I hardly saw him even though I stay at his house. Abou is doing well, he took a second job with youth groups and is barely at MAS anymore (same for Vice-pre). I think the Management Committee is pissed at him… Aziz moved out of his parents’ house and is now running his own videoclub. He also gained 10 kg! Oh well, I did too ah ah. Everyone else at MAS is good, they have a new accountant, Thiombiano is now in Ouaga (I saw him there, he’s doing well and has a new baby). Jean-Pierre is as dedicated and amazing as always, and everyone else in ASKS is doing fabulous. It was really nice to see Ibrahim again, I missed the boy tons. Isaac is doing well, he’s hosting some family members for the time being. I’m hanging out a lot with Benoit (Corinne – I’ll definitely add a chapter to our forthcoming Book of Love!!), we’re going for food and beer. Yes, I had lots of beer since I came to Bobo. On Sunday I went to the swimming pool with the Bobolese Power House (how I like to call Vice-Pre and his friends), Ti-Ben and Pare, one of the guys I work with with whom I get along well. The previous Sunday we went to Bama with ASKS to eat the famous riz soumbala under mango trees and visit the rice fields. I’m having lots of fun but am also working very long hours. Everybody is asking about Krystel, Catherine, Claude, Christina and Sara (Sara I can’t believe you got to know everybody, that’s making me so happy!) so you guys, if you’re reading, say hello!
I can’t believe it’s almost over… Today is Independence Day and it’s a bit chill, tomorrow is my goodbye party and on Thursday I’m already off for Ouaga to write my report, and on Saturday I’m going to Mali for a few days before taking off for Canada on the 14th. It’s all gone so fast… I can’t believe I didn’t want to come at first. It’s just so strange… I mean, I did want to come back, come back to Bobo. I’ve been even thinking of buying property here, like a time-share or something…=) But yeah, I’m still much caught up in my “development” debate (yessss, still), and I get uneasy when people suggest that I come and settle down here. Well that’s normal I know, but I guess it’s hard for me at the moment to figure out where life is gonna take me, I mean, now that I know it’s possible and realistic to come back and make a living here if I really want to (which is what I did want at some point), it’s making me wonder how I could manage it… Lots of questions!
I’m looking forwards to seeing what’s coming up, and to reflect on this journey some more. So far I can tell it’s been worth every second. Even though it may seem like I’m torturing myself with questions (which I am), I am enjoying the moment.
Looking forwards to seeing everyone again =)
Lots of things have changed. The family I was staying with in Ouaga have a laptop with Internet at home, there’s even wireless at one of the associations in Bobo. Many more laptops around. A new juice company, Dafani, was created right after I left and is now distributing in the entire country! I was really impressed – Krystel and I used to complain so much about the lack of healthy drinks in this country! There is also many new water companies – it seems like Burkina is moving away from a monopolistic model. (Obviously something I would pay attention to!)
Being back is really nice, the work has been really rewarding. I am more or less making recommendations for the allocation of a 250 000$ fund for income generating activities for the World Food Program partners. It’s challenging, but it’s really exciting to see that a funder is paying attention to the social enterprise sector as a way to promote self-sufficiency and socio-economic reintegration of people living with HIV. This is what I was dreaming of last year, literally! The projects are really exciting, we’re moving away from the less innovative, low capital stuff into some really interesting business concepts (they’re coming up with cool ideas for employee motivation and benefits, distribution, etc.) that really integrate that whole idea of competitive advantage. I find it so cool that an association would be managing a 10t vehicule doing import-export of foods, one would manage a water fountain, another a gas station, many would go into the high-return pork and beef raising businesses, etc.
Things have changed a bit since last year in terms of work too, it seems like people listen to me more, they’re more efficient (despite the occasional missed appointment of course). There’s also that status thing kicking in (“I’m now a boss”, I’ve been told!). Oh la la. But yeah. Most of the 7 partners we’re working are dedicated in the market study part of this and are running around town to get information for their projects. I’m really proud of the 5 days training I gave too; 40 people were present (including some pretty big shots, i.e. the Queen of Fada N’Gourma, an Eastern town in Burkina) and it went really well. I do feel like I’ve gone a long way in my technical and practical understanding of social enterprise and business since last year, although I still have a long way to go and sometimes I do wonder if that’s the right way to go!
But whatever, lots of good things happening. Robbie and I were able to mobilize some funding for the association in Karangasso-Sambla, a small town dependent on cotton growing (where I shot my film last year). The women are will be training orphans and vulnerable children in cattle herding (small scale of course!), making soap for the local market and opening a small community restaurant in town. I am much looking forwards to seeing the outcomes of this when I return next time. Even in a year, I have noticed a big change in the income level in the village – people don’t eat to 3 times a day anymore, they have coffee and tea (luxuries) for breakfast, and the houses are looking great. It amazes me how things change; babies too have grown up so fast, it’s nuts =)
People around me are doing very well. Vice-pre, where I’m staying, is now the advisor to the Mayor and general inspector of Bobo and he’s really busy. I hardly saw him even though I stay at his house. Abou is doing well, he took a second job with youth groups and is barely at MAS anymore (same for Vice-pre). I think the Management Committee is pissed at him… Aziz moved out of his parents’ house and is now running his own videoclub. He also gained 10 kg! Oh well, I did too ah ah. Everyone else at MAS is good, they have a new accountant, Thiombiano is now in Ouaga (I saw him there, he’s doing well and has a new baby). Jean-Pierre is as dedicated and amazing as always, and everyone else in ASKS is doing fabulous. It was really nice to see Ibrahim again, I missed the boy tons. Isaac is doing well, he’s hosting some family members for the time being. I’m hanging out a lot with Benoit (Corinne – I’ll definitely add a chapter to our forthcoming Book of Love!!), we’re going for food and beer. Yes, I had lots of beer since I came to Bobo. On Sunday I went to the swimming pool with the Bobolese Power House (how I like to call Vice-Pre and his friends), Ti-Ben and Pare, one of the guys I work with with whom I get along well. The previous Sunday we went to Bama with ASKS to eat the famous riz soumbala under mango trees and visit the rice fields. I’m having lots of fun but am also working very long hours. Everybody is asking about Krystel, Catherine, Claude, Christina and Sara (Sara I can’t believe you got to know everybody, that’s making me so happy!) so you guys, if you’re reading, say hello!
I can’t believe it’s almost over… Today is Independence Day and it’s a bit chill, tomorrow is my goodbye party and on Thursday I’m already off for Ouaga to write my report, and on Saturday I’m going to Mali for a few days before taking off for Canada on the 14th. It’s all gone so fast… I can’t believe I didn’t want to come at first. It’s just so strange… I mean, I did want to come back, come back to Bobo. I’ve been even thinking of buying property here, like a time-share or something…=) But yeah, I’m still much caught up in my “development” debate (yessss, still), and I get uneasy when people suggest that I come and settle down here. Well that’s normal I know, but I guess it’s hard for me at the moment to figure out where life is gonna take me, I mean, now that I know it’s possible and realistic to come back and make a living here if I really want to (which is what I did want at some point), it’s making me wonder how I could manage it… Lots of questions!
I’m looking forwards to seeing what’s coming up, and to reflect on this journey some more. So far I can tell it’s been worth every second. Even though it may seem like I’m torturing myself with questions (which I am), I am enjoying the moment.
Looking forwards to seeing everyone again =)
