I am absolutely shattered. What a day, rather interesting. I left home at 8am today, a little earlier than yesterday. I think I am familiar with the route now. Eli, the Italian volunteer, collected me from home, as she did yesterday. I will be walking in on my own on Monday, as Eli will be away for a long weekend in Uganda. She’s a lovely girl. We talk a lot but it’s challenging keeping up with each other as my Italian is non-existent and her English is just OK. We find ourselves saying the same thing in five different ways to ensure we both understand each other.
We got into work at about 8.40am; Abu, one of the local staff, followed soon after. Julie was next to arrive. She did not look too happy. All the same, I engaged her in conversation. She apologised for being moody and explained she was not happy with some staff arriving much later than 8.30am. I’m slowly (on day 2!) beginning to get a sense of how things work around here. There isn’t much of a system for anything, so I make a mental note of this. I proceed to tell her what I have in mind for the day including discussing my workplan with her – one that has been developed and agreed between her and my agency in London, - developing an monthly workplan with the team (something one of the local staff, Mo, had requested on my first day there), and other matters on data protection, (or rather security of clients’ personal details), among others. I suggest that we have a team meeting to discuss these issues. Julie seems happy with it – she has already told the team that ‘for as long as Stella is here, she is in charge’. Somehow, I can’t help feeling though that it’s my second day only, and maybe I’m moving too quickly? Later at the team meeting, with this in mind, I remind the team that I’m here to share and learn, and that they should not feel obliged to accept any of my suggestions.
At 10am, Julie and I go into town, to the centre of Nairobi. As we travel in the bus, I ask Julie whereabouts in Nairobi we are, ie the name of the area, or what we call boroughs or councils in London. But she seems to describe where we are by using landmarks such as the names of office buildings, where it’s visible. I’m not sure if I’m communicating my question clearly to her, or if there really are no names for some parts of Nairobi – I’m a little puzzled but I think it’s best not to ask her anymore questions about the names of areas for the time being. Anyway, Julie takes me to National Volunteers Network (NAVNET), a volunteer organisation in Kenya. I wonder if there is a comparable organisation in Ghana?
On our way back to the office, I buy monthly wall planners on which to record meetings and conferences outside of the office. I also find some sticky tack, like blue tac, just not blue. As we head back to the office Julie and I talk about work etc. Like most people in her position who have a passion for what they do, and choose to do it, she has done a fantastic job with regards to supporting the community. But she is fully aware that organisational development and discipline within the organisation is lacking. We speak about volunteer / staff retention, time keeping by members of staff etc etc. My mind does the usual – thinking about how to address this – it’s full of baby steps, but who knows, I’m possibly off the mark.
Back in the office, I help rearrange the office I share with Julie – dusty, filthy, dusty! But that was great team work, or so I thought. Following this, we had lunch, during which time I explained to Julie (again) my plans for a team meeting and what I had in mind to discuss. I find as the days go on that I have to keep reminding and explaining various things to her. She admits she is very forgetful.
We hold the team meeting in the afternoon. I suggest a few things to help me keep on top of all the ongoing work, including field work / visits when the local staff go into the communities. My work over the first few weeks is to learn about the organisation but also to support the staff in their work, planning etc. This involves joining them on field work / visits to the community. My suggestions therefore includes getting staff into the habit of producing, in advance, weekly individual workplans, etc.
But that’s not all - it also includes making a contribution to lunch. I still don’t understand how lunch is organised and how it is paid for. Julie says that she is responsible for providing us, ie the international volunteers, with lunch in the office each day. This is the agreement she reached with our agencies. However, she also has five other local staff (plus an intern), who are currently not on allowances as the organisation has no funding at the moment. She finds it difficult to provide us with lunch and not provide her local staff with lunch. Her staff are all from the community in Kibera, and do not have much. So, for now, Julie provides lunch for everyone with contributions from the other international volunteers. They are not happy about this as their fee to their volunteer agency includes lunch. I suggest introducing a ‘kitty’ so that everyone makes a contribution towards lunch each week. Julie seems happy with it. Other staff have lots of questions about it.
One of the international volunteers is concerned for the local staff as they are not on allowances at the moment and may not be able to afford the contributions. I explain that it’s a contribution, minimum one shilling. The local staff depend on Julie for lunch and will depend on anyone who offers to cater for lunch. I understand that the previous volunteer (through my agency) paid for lunch for everyone all of the three months he was here. He chose to do that as his financial contribution / fundraising to the organisation. Personally, I don’t think it is right that they should get things for nothing all of the time. Julie has already made me aware that there is a dependent culture within this particular community given the vast numbers of NGOs in Kibera, who give lots of aid/freebies. I see this attitude not only here, but also among some communities and people in Ghana. There has been a lot of debating the world over and questions about ‘aid’ as a development approach. I think I may just be experiencing an example of this right here in the office, and in the weeks to come I expect that I will hear and see a lot more of how this approach, and other approaches, has affected community development.
The second issue with lunch is that staff take it in turns (sort off) to cook lunch (and yes, in the office kictchen). Julie occasionally asks the cleaner to cook lunch too and thinks it would be convenient for everyone if the cleaner took on cooking responsibilities fulltime for a monthly payment. I think it’s a good idea. But the problem is that the local volunteers are currently not on allowances so this would need to be handled carefully.
Still they agree that the cleaner doubles as the cook, and they understand she will be paid through the organisation's 'coffers'. Apart from one local staff who is happy to go home for his lunch, the others agree to make a contribution starting next Friday. Maybe I am wrong and should not be asking these guys to contribute to lunch as they may not be able to afford it. Still, it is only a suggestion though and will be scrapped if it does not work (I must admit I’m foolishly optimistic that everyone will contribute but the rest of the process may fall through). In my mind, I’m pretty sure that this is not the end of the lunch saga!
I walk back with Eli. Fiona, my host mom cooks for me, again. She cooks well. I’m stuffed on chapatti and beef stew, and terere (spinach / amaranth ). Two nights ago she made me a side dish of kachumbari – a simple side dish of onions and tomatoes and some amazing seasoning – yum!
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