Hey folks!
Whoa! The days are flying by. It seems that days at predep have followed an interesting pattern:
wake up -> coffee -> session-> uh.. many mores sessions -> cool conversations -> sleep (optional)
That's the way it goes. I've definitely been immersed in some wicked conversations!
Day 5 was a day with lots of excellent discussion. We explored cross-cultural communication and integration, a case study of a Sorghum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorghum) co-op in Zambia, and worked with a past overseas volunteer Enam Rabbani to understand the development structure of Watsan in Malawi.
When working with Enam, I realized that one of the biggest barriers to more effective aid is the demand for tangible results to secure funding from large donors. An NGO may be required to drill boreholes with the funding that they're given, with insufficient consideration of siting practices. So.. they spend the funding, they drill, they report to their donor, and they get more funding.
While it is true that their are regions of Malawi that require more boreholes, the water problem in Malawi is not one only of quantity, and we as Westerners should shift our thinking. Drilling wells is pretty damn sexy, but wouldn't it be great to invest in local capacity to maintain the functionality of these wells? Capacity - not so sexy, but certainly a part of the solution.
Tomorrow is Day 6, and is also the last day of predep!
Be well, and much love.
Kevin
"but wouldn't it be great to invest in local capacity to maintain the functionality of these wells?"
ReplyDeleteFreakin' right!