From 19 Aug 13
Some thoughts on the matter of development. A subject worthy of many thoughts and scores of books already published and awaiting the digestion of the populous. A matter in which interestingly enough, those that are or see themselves as 'develeped' seem too eager it a duty to carry it out for others (much like myself, in a broad sense, you could say).
What's interesting about 'us' trying to help 'them' a concept that really doesn't sit well with me by the way, this notion of people divided, is that we know hardly a thing about it.
I feel as if we're always just barely scratching the surface and applying bandaids to wounds failing to have the time or means at identifying the root.
Much like an erosion issue we face here. It was my instinct to guide the village in amassing rock cages to slow the rate of water flow at the base of the hill where it seems damage is the worst. But in fact, one should venture further up the hill to attempt slowing the rate of water before it even has the chance to reach the deep gullies at the base.
But what one should maybe do more, is stop trying to 'fix' everything while hardly knowing anything.
Organizing leaders and elders of the village to have even a conversation is a good first step. After all, they are the ones that know the land, what and how it's used, and how it can best be manipulated if need be. Why hasn't anyone addressed the issue before or how have they tried? Other good guiding questions to ask before throwing out knowledgeable prescriptions as the 'doctor of all knowledge' you are seen as whether or not you wish to be viewed as such.
These are all lessons I'm learning the 'hard' way if you will, or am realizing after the fact. But so much pressure can be placed on us to do something. To spend grant money, to mitor and evaluate projects. But what if you just don't know the answer and are tired of blindly aiming at something you're not even quite sure of anymore?
Authors have written on this, at least somehow, I'm sure, and NGO's have pretended to apply the new way of thinking, capacity building vs. handouts. But it seems still now that no one is able to penetrate deep enough to offer a truly utilizable worthwhile project.
Sometimes I feel the best thing we can do is stop 'waisting their time,' which I don't think we're actually doing, by giving our ideas and encourage them to discuss issues and act on their ideas. That's the goal anyway and what they tell us to do. But then no one does or says anything, you get bored and tired of waiting and start planting your own seeds. A compromise I suppose but still frustrating.
To back up; What inspired me to write today was my bra. A cheap Chinese made number from the local market. It looked nice. It looked like it was trying to look like something from Victoria's Secret with little purple dogs on it. It did the job anyway. But in less than one weak of wear the under-wire started to poke thru into my sternum. And the left strap, always popped off so that as I would try to done on the garment, I would have to spend an extra minute or two trying to hook the strap back into the bra causing both annoyance and frustration. And it isn't just the bras or the underwears or garments that last for a what seems like a breath of a day before they are addled with snags and tears and imperfections from the lifestyle of living in a poor village in the middle of the bush in some small country in Sub-Saharan West Africa. It's the shoes. It's the cheap batteries that appear to be filled with black compressed ash as they decompose after maybe a months use.
Big breath. Big sigh. I was glad I bought the bra. To remember that even though I live in the village with everyone, I'm not necessarily walking in their shoes. I don't have all the same struggles they have. I have a nice bra from The Gap that has never given me any problems. I have Chako's that don't fall apart and if they do the nice people at Chako's will replace them most likely. I can drink tea in less than ten mins if I so feel the desire from a propane tank and stove top. Instead of having to collect firewood and starting an open fire, etc etc.
To truly master a place can take a lifetime. Many of us on the front lines of international work and development often hardly have more than maybe five years to give at a maximum. Where posts are often in a city or town and not village (with Peace Corps as the only exception that I know where the post is likely not a city or town but some remote village somewhere).
I've been in and out of my village for a little over one year now and still feel like I'm just scratching the surface. It doesn't mean that some projects we try to push aren't worth while. But I think the point I'm slowly understanding is that the most valuable resources in these poor, often resource depleted countries, are the people and that one oughtn't feel afraid to encourage them to utilize one another. I don't think even now, I would be given or even understand the full story of here if I were told it. I'm realizing it's not necessarily for me to master here. It's for them. And perhaps the best we can do is pester them to start these conversations. But even that's a challenge because when you ask them, they have rehearsed answers for you that eat at your very should because you just can't achieve everything on their simple wish list and even if you could, their requests are for yet more bandaids because thinking much beyond their isn't much done. Nor is it in the Western world to be fair. Our waste management system, still now, is but a series of expensive and perhaps inefficient bandaids. At least in most places.
So why rant on something that's likely been said often enough? Because, at least from what I've experienced and observed, those that are eager to help, for the most part, like me, don't know this until you've lived it. Maybe you can't..? But I must for the simple purpose of stating so only, that the ideas and solutions of the most weight, live in and lie within the people. If it's a problem for 'us' but not 'them' then obviously there is no known solution yet. But then let's ascertain why the dichotomy of perceptions.
To new and eager vol's, and anyone in the business of these affairs, it is in my opinion, truly, much more helpful to support the people in their solutions towards change and adaptation shall it be so wished by them. If you see for instance erosion, maybe instead of assuming they know not a thing about it or its devastating effects, assume all knowledgeable until proven otherwise. And don't let them fool you for in order to appease you and make you happy- they will try to make you seem and feel like the more knowledgeable higher being. They will purposefully reduce themselves for you without maybe even knowing it. This is why getting them to step into those roles of expertise is difficult in front of and around your. But don't let them fool you. They are well aware of much more than we give credit for. And we are much more out of our league that we might initially realize.
But I won't say its for naught. It is a beautiful most enlightening experience. But to make it really worth their while, get them to talk, if even just to each other. And give them the permission to be and do great things. Understand that standing out is culturally inappropriate and that work done is shared by the community. But not the whole community works. But they will all take the credit. They don't always trust each other. There's little reason to trust in the earnest efforts of foreigners anymore, and they don't always trust themselves.
Earning that trust takes time but requires nothing more than attempting to know them and live life with them. Side by side, as much as possible.
From a strictly grass rotts perspective, that's what I've got to say on the matter. Top down approach is an entirely different matter althought incredibly complimentary and important. But one I'll leave for a later time.
It's incredibly simple yet entirely challenging tasks. Don't discredit your effort and don't give up. Answer the call but just don't answer chalked full of solutions. Answer with a blank slate an open mind, heart, and sense of humilit and ability to laugh at yourself in the most trying of times. Have courage to cry when you feel you wish to. But do answer. They will love and forever know you, less for your efforts, and more how you made them feel.
One thought on the matter anyway.
Some thoughts on the matter of development. A subject worthy of many thoughts and scores of books already published and awaiting the digestion of the populous. A matter in which interestingly enough, those that are or see themselves as 'develeped' seem too eager it a duty to carry it out for others (much like myself, in a broad sense, you could say).
What's interesting about 'us' trying to help 'them' a concept that really doesn't sit well with me by the way, this notion of people divided, is that we know hardly a thing about it.
I feel as if we're always just barely scratching the surface and applying bandaids to wounds failing to have the time or means at identifying the root.
Much like an erosion issue we face here. It was my instinct to guide the village in amassing rock cages to slow the rate of water flow at the base of the hill where it seems damage is the worst. But in fact, one should venture further up the hill to attempt slowing the rate of water before it even has the chance to reach the deep gullies at the base.
But what one should maybe do more, is stop trying to 'fix' everything while hardly knowing anything.
Organizing leaders and elders of the village to have even a conversation is a good first step. After all, they are the ones that know the land, what and how it's used, and how it can best be manipulated if need be. Why hasn't anyone addressed the issue before or how have they tried? Other good guiding questions to ask before throwing out knowledgeable prescriptions as the 'doctor of all knowledge' you are seen as whether or not you wish to be viewed as such.
These are all lessons I'm learning the 'hard' way if you will, or am realizing after the fact. But so much pressure can be placed on us to do something. To spend grant money, to mitor and evaluate projects. But what if you just don't know the answer and are tired of blindly aiming at something you're not even quite sure of anymore?
Authors have written on this, at least somehow, I'm sure, and NGO's have pretended to apply the new way of thinking, capacity building vs. handouts. But it seems still now that no one is able to penetrate deep enough to offer a truly utilizable worthwhile project.
Sometimes I feel the best thing we can do is stop 'waisting their time,' which I don't think we're actually doing, by giving our ideas and encourage them to discuss issues and act on their ideas. That's the goal anyway and what they tell us to do. But then no one does or says anything, you get bored and tired of waiting and start planting your own seeds. A compromise I suppose but still frustrating.
To back up; What inspired me to write today was my bra. A cheap Chinese made number from the local market. It looked nice. It looked like it was trying to look like something from Victoria's Secret with little purple dogs on it. It did the job anyway. But in less than one weak of wear the under-wire started to poke thru into my sternum. And the left strap, always popped off so that as I would try to done on the garment, I would have to spend an extra minute or two trying to hook the strap back into the bra causing both annoyance and frustration. And it isn't just the bras or the underwears or garments that last for a what seems like a breath of a day before they are addled with snags and tears and imperfections from the lifestyle of living in a poor village in the middle of the bush in some small country in Sub-Saharan West Africa. It's the shoes. It's the cheap batteries that appear to be filled with black compressed ash as they decompose after maybe a months use.
Big breath. Big sigh. I was glad I bought the bra. To remember that even though I live in the village with everyone, I'm not necessarily walking in their shoes. I don't have all the same struggles they have. I have a nice bra from The Gap that has never given me any problems. I have Chako's that don't fall apart and if they do the nice people at Chako's will replace them most likely. I can drink tea in less than ten mins if I so feel the desire from a propane tank and stove top. Instead of having to collect firewood and starting an open fire, etc etc.
To truly master a place can take a lifetime. Many of us on the front lines of international work and development often hardly have more than maybe five years to give at a maximum. Where posts are often in a city or town and not village (with Peace Corps as the only exception that I know where the post is likely not a city or town but some remote village somewhere).
I've been in and out of my village for a little over one year now and still feel like I'm just scratching the surface. It doesn't mean that some projects we try to push aren't worth while. But I think the point I'm slowly understanding is that the most valuable resources in these poor, often resource depleted countries, are the people and that one oughtn't feel afraid to encourage them to utilize one another. I don't think even now, I would be given or even understand the full story of here if I were told it. I'm realizing it's not necessarily for me to master here. It's for them. And perhaps the best we can do is pester them to start these conversations. But even that's a challenge because when you ask them, they have rehearsed answers for you that eat at your very should because you just can't achieve everything on their simple wish list and even if you could, their requests are for yet more bandaids because thinking much beyond their isn't much done. Nor is it in the Western world to be fair. Our waste management system, still now, is but a series of expensive and perhaps inefficient bandaids. At least in most places.
So why rant on something that's likely been said often enough? Because, at least from what I've experienced and observed, those that are eager to help, for the most part, like me, don't know this until you've lived it. Maybe you can't..? But I must for the simple purpose of stating so only, that the ideas and solutions of the most weight, live in and lie within the people. If it's a problem for 'us' but not 'them' then obviously there is no known solution yet. But then let's ascertain why the dichotomy of perceptions.
To new and eager vol's, and anyone in the business of these affairs, it is in my opinion, truly, much more helpful to support the people in their solutions towards change and adaptation shall it be so wished by them. If you see for instance erosion, maybe instead of assuming they know not a thing about it or its devastating effects, assume all knowledgeable until proven otherwise. And don't let them fool you for in order to appease you and make you happy- they will try to make you seem and feel like the more knowledgeable higher being. They will purposefully reduce themselves for you without maybe even knowing it. This is why getting them to step into those roles of expertise is difficult in front of and around your. But don't let them fool you. They are well aware of much more than we give credit for. And we are much more out of our league that we might initially realize.
But I won't say its for naught. It is a beautiful most enlightening experience. But to make it really worth their while, get them to talk, if even just to each other. And give them the permission to be and do great things. Understand that standing out is culturally inappropriate and that work done is shared by the community. But not the whole community works. But they will all take the credit. They don't always trust each other. There's little reason to trust in the earnest efforts of foreigners anymore, and they don't always trust themselves.
Earning that trust takes time but requires nothing more than attempting to know them and live life with them. Side by side, as much as possible.
From a strictly grass rotts perspective, that's what I've got to say on the matter. Top down approach is an entirely different matter althought incredibly complimentary and important. But one I'll leave for a later time.
It's incredibly simple yet entirely challenging tasks. Don't discredit your effort and don't give up. Answer the call but just don't answer chalked full of solutions. Answer with a blank slate an open mind, heart, and sense of humilit and ability to laugh at yourself in the most trying of times. Have courage to cry when you feel you wish to. But do answer. They will love and forever know you, less for your efforts, and more how you made them feel.
One thought on the matter anyway.
