Ok, so my last blog really didn't give any information about life at site. I guess that's because I found myself away from my village a lot during the last few months of the year. Plus, things just don't seem very exciting. When you get into a routine life seems to become fairly mundane and not worth documenting.
I'm trying my level best to help my organization stand on it's own 2 feet. That's always a bit of a challenge considering the lack of technology in our village. But somehow we manage. Stephen (my spervisor) and I usually manage to check and send e-mail once a month so we're able to stay in touch with possible funders. Plus, we have a motivated chairperson on our Board of Directors who has helped us immensly by using his access to interne to investigate funding possiblities. I have a feeling, dim as it may be, that Stephen will have the ability to keep the doors to KCRC open and continue growing even after I leave!
Not only does a lack of technology leave me a bit disconnected, it also give me hand cramps. Not so much from typing but because I have to write everything on paper first then take my handwritten copy to Kampala where I can use a computer to digitize my thoughts! =) Now, there used to be a few places in my village with compters I could type on but viruses from those computers have caused me a lot of pain before and, as they say, "once bitten, twice shy"! (BTW: when I hand wrote this update in the village the place was open but just before coming to Kampala they closed the office! Bambi!)
Issues like that impede our development but not to the point where we're stagnant. (I have lots of notebooks to prove that!) I have to constantly remind myself that it takes time to develop an organization and I think ours' is on the right track. At least, we've taken the time to tap local resources and skills; which I've tried to stress is much better than immediately looking outside for help.
We have a great opportunity to begin 2008 with a bang. A German organization called LandsAid has agreed to support our village HIV Counseling and Testing project for 3 months. This means we can reach those who can't get to Karuguuza or Kibaale For HIV testing! I hope our luck continues with a proposal to develop the Post Test Club and for us to restart our radio program
While I try to stress the importance of capacity building (one of the three Peace Corps goals) to my organization members it's hard to make the theory meaningful when you have nothing to apply it to! So, while I'm not technically at my organization to find funding that's really the first step KCRC and I have to take to ensure it becomes a sustainable organization. We're all learning, together, what it takes to build an organization from the ground up! Let me tell you, it's not easy! While this is not exactly the work I expected to be doing in Peace Corps and I am really happy with all the things I am learning!
But for all of these challenges I do see myself growing everyday. I put things off less and spend more time planning. I used to get so annoyed when things didn't happen as I wanted and now I see it was a direct result of my aversion to making decent plans in advance! Teaching people about the benefit of planning has carried over into my own life. I can honestly say...do as I do!! Who wudda thunk that would be an outcome of my Peace Corps service?! It's all just one surprise after another!
In case any of you are worried about my diet I included a couple pictures of Christmas breakfast and dinner. Jackie made cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning breakfast and we had an excellent Christmas dinner! We had chicken, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy and vegetables. It was an incredible meal! If you're curious about how we do our baking take a look at the pictures on my flick account; I posted a picture of my jiko "oven" for all to see!
