Meanwhile, over here...
on Colm in Kenya (Kenya), 17/Dec/2009 10:57, 34 days ago
12 cents off a pint? Nah I stillaintcoming back. Budget 2010 is on the right path though. Throw a few more incentives like that my way and you never know…It’s hot here today, the sun is high in the all blue sky, a few birds chirp in the dancing trees, kids play on the street outside with home made wheels and sticks, locals talking under the shade,mamma’s frying hunks of potato over wood fires, bikes heading this way and that. I sitin frontof my fan, blowing cold air in my face drinking coffee and eatingvegetablesamosas. ItsSaturdaymorning so I am reading The Irish (My granny sends me a copy every week!) from a few weeks back and listening to Thursdays Today FMDrivetimepodcast. It could be HG Wells’s ‘The War of the Worlds’ I’m listening to it is so far removed from my small sitting room inMnarani. In Work, we are preparing a plan for 2010, what we want to achieve, what is missing for us to achieve it, what is our strategy to achieve it, what are our are objectives for the year, how will maintain ourrelevance, can we make money from our activities, how much? It’s a bit hit and miss to put together a functioning plan, some people go missing or get distracted or are just worn out from the heat. But it’s an important activity none the less.Worlds away from budget deficits and billion euro cuts.We continue to get more business groups and individuals coming to the office for business advice. A young women looking to open a cosmetics shop, a guy fromMalindiwho makes curios from coconut shells, a welder who makes gates andbbqsets, a man who has a painting and laundry business, a woman who wants to set up anInternetcafe, a group looking to set up a community Water Tank, another looking to set up a Camp Site/Drug Rehabilitation Centre (on the same plot of land, Drug addicts and Tourist, yep!) etc. How do I make my business generate more money, how do I develop a business plan and can you help me get finance? Worlds away from unions and strikes.We are arranging to meet up to 10 more groups in and around theKilifidistrict in the first quarter of 2010. The group we are longest with now are into their 6thsession with us. They have developed a constitution, voted on officers, selected whichMFIthey wish to approach for a loan and have been introduced the idea of business success. These sessions take place in a empty, windowless veranda like room where the communities women perform their daily tasks– washing, cooking and mothering. It doubles as a play ground for a busyshrillofchildren- wide-eyed, dirty, happy children. The women gather every Monday and Thursday at 3ishto talk shop, listen and hopefully, fingers crossed, learn (?).Worlds away from public/private sectorpettiness.It is only coincidence that I decided to go doVSOduring a period of huge uncertainty and gloom in Ireland. Some coincidences are more rewarding the others. From Ireland all I hear is less is less andinequitableand unfair. Here I see no equity and no fairness. Here I can see less can sometimes mean more.With 12c off a pint, maybe Ireland will start seeing this soon too.