The timeframe

After the completion of swearing in, we are sent off to our sites where we are expected to stay for 3 months.   I get the feeling this is a challenging prospect for many of us.  For myself,  I had developed a close support network and not seeing them for several months is really quite difficult.  In addition, immersion into the village life is a big challenge.  On occasion, a brief exit is quite necessary for mental well-being.  As such, I've made fairly regular "restocking" excursions, as well as informative "meetings" with long-standing volunteers. 


These three months, where we do not leave our sites, are intended as an opportunity to get to know our communities, assess their needs, relearn the language as might be necessary and settle in on the whole. I've spent a lot of time in my garden, a lot of time reading and a little time chatting with members of my community.  I feel really bad about this, as I know it isn't a practical way to "get things done," as my old corps motto used to be (oh, NCCC).

Next week, I will be presenting at the Bohi va Rara, or village meeting, about my project ideas.  There are a few things I have on my plate at the village level, and then a handful of projects I would like to undertake at the city level, with the various ministries located a stones throw away and just across the river. 

In the village,  I'd like to set up an isoqosoqo ni marama, or women's group that will meet weekly and undertake a number of income generating activities, in addition to a village clean-up.  I would also hope that this women's group would be an opportunity for these ladies to discuss issues relevant to just them- women's health, menopause, domestic abuse, etc.  There is currently a women's church group, but it is led by a man and they spend most of their time reading from the bible and practicing their singing.

I've been asked to build a bore hole.  From what I can gather, a bore hole is a well.  There are some issues with this project (which I can't publish on the internet, so feel free to ask me about these concerns next time you talk to me), which are why the project had not made much progress when the previous volunteer left the site.  My next big concern is that I have been asked to step out and find the funding and make the bore hole happen, which is not conducive to my program's philosophy of development.  The people I work with here should be capable of repeating any of our accomplishments after I leave.  So I have asked my Turaga ni koro (lit. lord of the village, essentially the village mayor) to put together a water committee with whom I will work and guide through the process of applying for funding.