Concerning My Job Mostly

My first week back, I mostly just sat at my computer twiddling my thumbs. I was waiting to meet with Dwight (country/regional director) and talk about my job and what initial steps I'd be taking. The meeting happened late in the week and mostly intimidated and confused me. I'm learning hard lessons in being self-initiating, because Dwight doesn't like to hold hands. He's more into casting a vision, throwing out a couple of extra thoughts about how to go about making it a reality, and then letting you loose to flesh it out. I'm not used to it. I'm being forced to brainstorm creatively. It reminds me a lot of FPS (Future Problem Solving) in 4th, 5th and 6th grade, only instead of trying to figure out how to prevent biological waste dumping in Antarctica (my grand idea was to attach bio-waste detectors to the back of Orca (aka killer) whales and have them capsize ships attempting to dump on the South Pole), I'm formulating a regional economic development strategy for Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, and DR Congo. Let's hope for the sake of central Africa that this round of brainstorming proves more logical and implementable.

The second week, though, was incredibly busy, and it was exactly what I needed to start seeing my niche and a bit of the process that this next few months will entail. I put together a presentation on ProCom (a local NGO started through FH; more on this later), and I did some cost-analysis for a business proposal bid that we submitted to the government and are now awaiting approval for. The proposal consists of managing a water treatment and distribution system that the World Bank built in the Southern Province of Rwanda. It seems like an incredible opportunity for us and for the Mayaga water district, as it will provide clean water to potentially 120,000 families for less than 3 cents/gallon, and it will provide a source of reliable funding for other development projects. This concept of using profits from business to fund development projects is referred to as "social entrepreneurship," and one that will be a central aspect of our economic development strategy. My job involves identifying and developing potential business opportunities in this region and helping to put in place a mechanism for securing investment funds for the startup of these businesses. The idea is to eventually have a considerable percentage of our project funding coming from the profits of these businesses, which will make our projects more independent and sustainable in the long run. As the means for moving forward, we've started ProCom, who will own these businesses (local NGOs can be the sole proprietor of a business whereas international NGOs cannot) and begin to implement new projects and vie for government contracts that FH-Rwanda would be doing and receiving. It is really a fascinating model for economic development, and I am extremely excited to be a part of the conceptualizing of this strategy. I think that provides a good basic outline of the things I'm involved with right now at work. If you have any questions, leave a comment and I'll try to answer them as best I can. I'll be posting more on this stuff throughout my time, I'm sure.

It is lunchtime now, and after I eat I'm going to RIEPA (Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency) to look into regional business registration. Should be a hoot.

We move into our new house tomorrow, which is a national holiday in Rwanda, Heroes Day. I think its similar to Memorial Day or Veteran's Day in the States. Maybe I'll put some pics up of the new house layout. Its pretty sweet. There is a gazebo in the backyard that sort of overlooks a nice valley.

Scanty Update

I didn't make the flight to Uganda. We purchased our tickets too late, so Becky (former fellow intern, current fellow regional coworker) and I were on standby. When the waiting list was called, there was only one seat available, so they pitted us against one another in some crazy youth group-esque games like walk-around-a-chair-blindfolded-holding-an-egg-on-a-spoon and blow-a-ping-pong-ball-off-your-opponent's-side-of-the-table. After an intense best-of-seven series of this, Becky emerged the winner. She got to board the plane, and I had to walk shamefully back through the metal detector to the outside world.

It was probably for the better. I was hoping to meet with a couple of government agencies in Kampala, but one of my contacts said that I would need at least a week to get anything worthwhile done, simply because of the traffic in the city. And if government agencies in Uganda are anything like in Rwanda, there is absolutely no guarantee of coming out with anything useful once you sit down with someone.

So here I am, still in Kigali, lessened in my productivity a bit, but still trudging along.

More to come...

Still Alive and Kicking

I think I may have just set a personal record for length of time without posting. For that, I apologize. Rest assured, it is not indicative of my indifference to my friends and family back home, but more a result of some really involved work and a lack of internet access outside of the office.

I am flying to Kampala, Uganda this evening to spend the next couple of days investigating potential business opportunities for the up-country.

My job is really interesting and intimidating at the same time, and its been keeping me very busy, which is quite welcome compared to spending the day looking through Facebook albums and perusing National Geographic magazines from the 80s.

More updates to come, but now, I must race to the airport and try to secure a seat on the plane to Kampala. If I miss it, expect a bountiful update in the next couple days, as my schedule will be freed up quite a bit.

Rwanda, Round Two

Last night, at around 8:30pm local time, my plane touched down at the Kigali International Airport. I have returned to Rwanda for a nine month stint as an Economic Development Officer with Food for the Hungry- International, Africa Great Lakes Region. This weekend will be very refreshing for my recovery from jet lag, then its back to the office on Monday.