Ok. So the PC has three goals the 1st helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. The 2nd is helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served. The 3rd is helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
The first is where the real work comes in and helping others.
While been here, I’ve been focused on the 3rd goal, learning about Senegal, its culture and its people. The last two goals are ongoing and can be simply achieved by meeting, talking to people and making new friends, however they cannot be quantify. The 1st goal is the one that can be quantified; it shows that the PC is helping the developing world and the people of these countries on a grassroots level.
I’m a Small Enterprise Development (SED) volunteer. This means I can work on anything that involves business with any sector of the community. However, nothing in the PC is what it seems and a good volunteer is one that works on what his/her community needs. A good volunteer is one the listens to the requests of his/her communities and try to help them with their various needs. This means by the end of my two years of services all I do may not be business related, or I might not even do anything with business but I’ll do what my community requests of me.
Anyways, NOW I’m back from training and ready to work. On the 1st goal that is. Because I have been working on the other two since been here.
So yesterday I went to a neighboring village to observe a class. One of my neighbor’s is a teacher of this class, which consists of about 30 girls. They come from surrounding villages and learn the basics of their local language, Pullar. So they are thought numbers, alphabets, basically reading and writing in their local language. Senegal was colonized by the French, so the official language of the country is French, kids are taught in French in schools but at home they speak their local languages. SO it gets confusing for them at times. They can speak their local language but can only write in French. (I kind of had this same problem too been brought up in Sierra Leone, thank God my local language is close to English.)
The age range of these girls differ from like 15-20, some with kids and some without, some that have been to school while others have not. I was just talking to my neighbor the day before and she was telling me what she does and I was like can I come with you to check it out, and OFFCOURSE she said sure. I love these people, they are so welcoming.
So I went and observed the class. It’s a center where there is also a class for little kids and the girls learn various skills, like sowing, cooking and they even have a huge garden. This center is sponsored by the government of Senegal.
So after observing the class and talking with the girls, by neighbor and the director of the center, I’m going to start working with them. This class is first stage, the next stage is getting them to start a business, and they are going to have a food transformation workshop. THIS IS MY ARENA. I’m thinking I can work on giving some business classes, helping the girls do accounting, marketing and the various other components of business, when they move to the next phase.
So for now I will me going with my neighbor to the school and observing and getting to know the girls a little more. In Senegal, relationships are everything, I have to build the trust of the center first, before then can let me in, and my work would be soo much easier. So while I’m just sitting around I’ll be working on the 2nd goal. You see I am getting things done here.
Okay so after that in the evening, I had a meeting with my supervisor and the various women’s groups. In this meeting I was supposed to be introduced to the women, so they could know the various things I can offer them. We never got to that point because they started fighting. It was about missing money, jealousy all the things that come about with having women around and them trying to achieve the same thing.
Needless to say, I already knew most of the women there as I did my walking around, introducing myself. So I would be working with these various groups, just to get them started on business or improve their current business practices. Some have gardens, others sell products. So I am going to work with these groups. AGAIN, no actually work will be off the ground yet, I will just be meeting with these women, telling them what I can offer, asking what they need, while working on the 2nd and 3rd goals. Because even this blog is fulfilling the 3rd goal, I don’t have to wait till I get back home to fill that goal. I’m sharing my experience and sharing the culture of these people.
I would also be working with this center for girls; it’s kind of an institute for girls that traditional school is just not working for. Again they are learning various business skills, like, sowing, catering. The director wants me to help them build a business component into the school curriculum and help the admin with computer lessons. My ENCN (predecessor) worked with them. Today I gave my first minicomputer lesson. I helped one of the admin do an excel document.
So guys although it does not seem like I’m doing much and at time I just say I’m talking and just chilling with people, that is a BIG part of this work. Gaining the trust of the people, teaching them about American culture, which in turn I can relate to you.
I’ll keep you posted on how these projects turn out.
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