



Sorry to sound so repetitious but I have to start this blog post the same way as some of the others. What a day today. I was up until about 1am last night getting started on the report of our assement and recommendations for the Kawaso SACCO. We had spent most of day 1 at the SACCO in the field (as you read about in the last post). During this time my coaching partner (Tammy Christopher) and I were able to gather a wealth of information about the SACCO while travelling and during lunch. However this time we were determined to stay inside the office for the day (no more showing off the visitors) and complete our report. The Manager had aranged for the SACCO Board to come to the office in order that we may present our final report to them and the Manager. They were scheduled to come in about 1pm so we had alot of work to do in order to be ready. The plan was for me to work with the Manager (I still had alot of questions that needed to be answered as well as he needed to provide with with a number of financial reports to review). My partner worked in the branch side on a special project with the accounting assistant. She created an Excel speradsheet for her to automate the transcation journal posting process (they do everything manually right now on a big peice of paper with lines drawn up and down and accross (honest). They have the Excel program on thier computers but have never used is for this function.
I was given the extra desk to work from which is in the Managers office. The entire SACCO occupies about 500 to 600 sq. ft I’m guessing. The Managers office is about 100 sq. ft. I asked the Manager where we’d be meeting with the Board (apparently 7 of the 9 Board members were coming in) - he replied that we’d be meeting in this office. His office. I did not say what I was thinking. We were told during mission prep training not to be openly shocked or surprised by what you may hear or be expected to do. So I kept a very straight face and said”that would be fine.” seven Board members, the Manager and me and my partner in a 10 by 10 room for a meeting “thats fine looking forward to it Emmanual”….
Speaking about not being shocked or suprised by anything I will share with you a couple of other things that are simply a way of life in these rural areas. There are two large windows in this office at the back of the branch. The building is surrounded (very closley) my the neihboring homes (its heart wrenching to refer to them as homes, but they are thier homes). As I typed away on my laptop the room is filled with the sound of cows mooing, goats doing whatever goats do, roosters doing their thing, babies crying and the thick smell of burning wood through the office …all day. I immediately thought of my son Steven who works as an Occupational Hygenist with a major environmental company in Waterloo. He’d freak here. Anyway thats just the way it is around here so (suck it up Princess as my freind and collegue Susan Tustin (a 2 time Ghana coaching mission veteran) likes to say.
Here’s an interesting story. I have met alot of great people in the last couple weeks who have been to Africa via the CCA. They all have a bathroom story. I now have a bathroom story. Today around 10am while at the SACCO working on my report it was time to unload the 3 cups of coffee I had at the hotel before I left. I kindly asked the loan officer Mr. Kasale where the mens room was. He looked indecisive, almost unsure of how to answer. He looked at the Manager who looked back at him and said something to him in Swahili - the loan officer then turned back to me and said - “is it a short one or a long one”. I said… politely… “excuse me” (knowing full well what he said I was just trying to buy some time to think about this and figure it out). He repeated - “long one or short one”…. So in the split second I had to think..I remembered my training about not to be shocked or surprised about anything…hmmm…..short one or long one? Oh jeez you’re talking about the - length of time - its going to take me to do what I need to do as it realtes to how the particular body function is done and where - ok I get it …its their way of saying number 1 or number 2? Right oh man I feel better. Short one - I said very quietly. He lead me through two sets of doors out to the back alley. There to the right was someones “home” where a few kids were playing and he pointed to the left where there was a concrete bunker shaped closet type structure. It had a heavy metal plate door with no lock latch…. I opened the door and there was nothing in there. Just the floor, ceiling and walls. I stepped in and noticed a hole was chipped through the bottom left hand corner of the bunker and quickly deduced that that was to be my target area. No TP and no wash basin or soap. Luckily through the whole day I did not have to ask where the long ones are done.
I make light of the experience I detailed above but the truth is this was another of the many ”we have no idea how good we have it and how much we take for granted” moments that I (we all) have experienced since we arrived in Uganda. Its sobering to say the least. I wish all of you could experience this sometime in your lives.
Oh by the way my partner had to do a “short one” too and she was escorted to the same bunker. I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination.
The report was completed at 1pm and, as arranged, the 7 Board members arrived. My partner and I were introduced to everyone individually and we began the meeting by listening to one of the Board members say a prayer (in Swahili) and then we were all asked by the Chair to stand for the singing of the Ugandan national anthem (which all the Board members sang in a volume that I’m sure was high enough for many of the neighboring people to hear) . A beautiful song by the way. The Chair stood up and gave the opening introductions and remarks. He spoke eloquently in English (most of the Board speaks English) for about 15 minutes. He remarked on a number of occasions about how honoured and blessed they were to have us there.
After mine and my partners opening remarks I proceeded to deliver the report which took about 30 minutes including Q and A. Tammy gave them a report on her work with the accoutning analyst and handled a number of the questions. They appeared to be very happy with the report overall. However I think I rattled them a bit on a couple of things but I did it in a “nice” kind of way namely..too much Board interference in day to day operations and not paying their staff enough…..both these things can be said in such a way as to not offend anyone but still make your point clear….just doin our job Mr. Chair. They applauded at the conclusion of the meeting. We presenetd them with small token gifts from Canada as well as a CCA Coaching Program Certificate of Partcipation which they just loved. We also took a few photos. The Board left, we wrapped up with the staff, left them with a few gifts said our goodbyes and jumped into the Jeep for the journey back to the hotel. Tommorrow we visit our 2nd credit union, the Zirobwe SACCO located about an hour from here. Here’s a few pics from today. Thanks for reading.
Bye for now.
Charlie
I was given the extra desk to work from which is in the Managers office. The entire SACCO occupies about 500 to 600 sq. ft I’m guessing. The Managers office is about 100 sq. ft. I asked the Manager where we’d be meeting with the Board (apparently 7 of the 9 Board members were coming in) - he replied that we’d be meeting in this office. His office. I did not say what I was thinking. We were told during mission prep training not to be openly shocked or surprised by what you may hear or be expected to do. So I kept a very straight face and said”that would be fine.” seven Board members, the Manager and me and my partner in a 10 by 10 room for a meeting “thats fine looking forward to it Emmanual”….
Speaking about not being shocked or suprised by anything I will share with you a couple of other things that are simply a way of life in these rural areas. There are two large windows in this office at the back of the branch. The building is surrounded (very closley) my the neihboring homes (its heart wrenching to refer to them as homes, but they are thier homes). As I typed away on my laptop the room is filled with the sound of cows mooing, goats doing whatever goats do, roosters doing their thing, babies crying and the thick smell of burning wood through the office …all day. I immediately thought of my son Steven who works as an Occupational Hygenist with a major environmental company in Waterloo. He’d freak here. Anyway thats just the way it is around here so (suck it up Princess as my freind and collegue Susan Tustin (a 2 time Ghana coaching mission veteran) likes to say.
Here’s an interesting story. I have met alot of great people in the last couple weeks who have been to Africa via the CCA. They all have a bathroom story. I now have a bathroom story. Today around 10am while at the SACCO working on my report it was time to unload the 3 cups of coffee I had at the hotel before I left. I kindly asked the loan officer Mr. Kasale where the mens room was. He looked indecisive, almost unsure of how to answer. He looked at the Manager who looked back at him and said something to him in Swahili - the loan officer then turned back to me and said - “is it a short one or a long one”. I said… politely… “excuse me” (knowing full well what he said I was just trying to buy some time to think about this and figure it out). He repeated - “long one or short one”…. So in the split second I had to think..I remembered my training about not to be shocked or surprised about anything…hmmm…..short one or long one? Oh jeez you’re talking about the - length of time - its going to take me to do what I need to do as it realtes to how the particular body function is done and where - ok I get it …its their way of saying number 1 or number 2? Right oh man I feel better. Short one - I said very quietly. He lead me through two sets of doors out to the back alley. There to the right was someones “home” where a few kids were playing and he pointed to the left where there was a concrete bunker shaped closet type structure. It had a heavy metal plate door with no lock latch…. I opened the door and there was nothing in there. Just the floor, ceiling and walls. I stepped in and noticed a hole was chipped through the bottom left hand corner of the bunker and quickly deduced that that was to be my target area. No TP and no wash basin or soap. Luckily through the whole day I did not have to ask where the long ones are done.
I make light of the experience I detailed above but the truth is this was another of the many ”we have no idea how good we have it and how much we take for granted” moments that I (we all) have experienced since we arrived in Uganda. Its sobering to say the least. I wish all of you could experience this sometime in your lives.
Oh by the way my partner had to do a “short one” too and she was escorted to the same bunker. I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination.
The report was completed at 1pm and, as arranged, the 7 Board members arrived. My partner and I were introduced to everyone individually and we began the meeting by listening to one of the Board members say a prayer (in Swahili) and then we were all asked by the Chair to stand for the singing of the Ugandan national anthem (which all the Board members sang in a volume that I’m sure was high enough for many of the neighboring people to hear) . A beautiful song by the way. The Chair stood up and gave the opening introductions and remarks. He spoke eloquently in English (most of the Board speaks English) for about 15 minutes. He remarked on a number of occasions about how honoured and blessed they were to have us there.
After mine and my partners opening remarks I proceeded to deliver the report which took about 30 minutes including Q and A. Tammy gave them a report on her work with the accoutning analyst and handled a number of the questions. They appeared to be very happy with the report overall. However I think I rattled them a bit on a couple of things but I did it in a “nice” kind of way namely..too much Board interference in day to day operations and not paying their staff enough…..both these things can be said in such a way as to not offend anyone but still make your point clear….just doin our job Mr. Chair. They applauded at the conclusion of the meeting. We presenetd them with small token gifts from Canada as well as a CCA Coaching Program Certificate of Partcipation which they just loved. We also took a few photos. The Board left, we wrapped up with the staff, left them with a few gifts said our goodbyes and jumped into the Jeep for the journey back to the hotel. Tommorrow we visit our 2nd credit union, the Zirobwe SACCO located about an hour from here. Here’s a few pics from today. Thanks for reading.
Bye for now.
Charlie
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