Patience is a Virtue

Yesterday I was convinced that patience is the quality that most influences my work in Uganda. My first test of patience was not really my own – but our matatu driver. Traveling from the airport so long ago in May I looked out on the Kampala rush hour traffic and was amazed – and sort of frightened. Jonan explained that all it took to drive in the city was patience – which I did not recognize as one van cut in front of another and people weaved their way across the street. One man walking was “was not so patient” and was pushed into our van from the back by a boda boda.

Nearly seven weeks later I have been slapped by a big bowl of patience. Unfortunately for me, that bowl was empty and it has taken much strength this week to gather my patience. Plans made a month ago came back with he said she said’s and no financial support. Without going into detail, I was frustrated. Finally, I grabbed a colleague to sit down with me and a list of challenges that had arisen and the next logistical steps for our program and got down to business. I have not approached my colleagues with every problem, wanting to accomplish work by myself. That was not a good idea. The answer to poor communication is never less communication.

In the afternoon, I made my way to Marusacco for our second brand manager trainings. How they changed my day! We had a wonderful training despite one manager not showing up. These women have been very accepting of their trainings and as becoming a part of Marusaccos brand. (Thank goodness for free professional and academic resources online volunteering credible and valuable training materials!) Also their dedication was seen in their carefully developed slogans:

Alinyikira – Unity is Strength to fight ignorance

Mukamamwesigwa – Women Empowerment to Fight Poverty

Mwino Abenakyo – Patience Leads to Victory

These slogans will be represented on Marusacco polo shirts, each with the new Marusacco logo on the front and divided by group by the colors and slogans on the back. As I post this blog, I am waiting patiently for the program manager to return so we can order these shirts and keep planning for our August seminar! With the invitations being delivered and my renewed attitude –nothing can bring me down today!

Breathing a Sigh of Relief - The Last Savings Training

Yesterday was the final training in savings culture for my project. Along with some savings basics, like setting financial goals and budgeting, we also included a crash course in basic entrepreneural skills. Fred, a business lecturer from Busoga University, barked out concepts at our audience of mostly women. He even gave an example of a business being like a child - "If you take things from your business, it will be lame! What do you want with a lame child! You are embaressed of it! You even pray to God to take it away from you! Soon you will give birth to a child called business, and you must take care of it!"

You can't say he doesn't know how to get through to people! I'm relieved that the trainings are finally over - all the work that goes into visiting groups to mobilize, promoting the training, setting it up, and seeing that it all goes off without a hitch remind me of all the reasons why I'll never be an event planner. A couple of times throughout the day, my bubble burst - I had been up since 6 am, no one was listening to me, the venue hadn't cleaned out our presentation space, etc, etc, etc.

(Recording participants' box numbers)

At the end of the day, I was more than relieved to hand out the boxes to our members (about 40!) and declare the project all most done. The chairman and patron of our SACCO, George, must have sensed my tension because afterwards he brought me to a cool new nightclub in Bugembe and bought me a soda. He said, "Relaxing is so important! Sometimes you just work work work with no relief! You're lucky my leg is broken - otherwise we could go out dancing!"

The great thing about Uganda - when you're ready to throw in the towel and quit, there are always people there to bring you back up again. I can't believe I have only 3 weeks left!