Monday, January 13, 2014

Chickens and Stuff

Our day was occupied with a few members of the Watafutagi Orphans Youth Group (WOYG).

But first we stopped by the play school.  The kids love the new IKEA dolls we brought along.  

The WOYG are mostly high school graduate children of the Watafutaji widows.  We first listened to how they are doing financially and then hiked around of Kasavai (Sandy says it was from Uganda to Mombasa and back) to see the fruits of their labor/business – chickens, sukuma (kale), cow peas, and a piglet.  Although they have legible written records of all their transactions in a single book, it is clear that we need to find them a person who can help them keep records that let them and others understand the status of their business.  We will help them find that person.

Aside from that, they now have 77 chickens distributed in four locations, 

a two month old piglet (David junior), 

and small plots of vegetables that they grow and sell for a profit.

They also participate in the life of the community by conducting seminars at local schools.  So far, in their first year, they have presented seminars on the prevention of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases at six local high schools.

You Say Potato, I Say Potato

We had a most interesting and disturbing conversation today while nine of us were seated over tea in Florence’s house.  Florence is a member of the WOYG.  We were touring the various sites where the group has its chickens.  Sandy asked Connie why the two low level government officials who were at our meeting with the widows and kids on Saturday were paid 500 shillings each to attend.  Things were tense as we attempted to respect the difference in cultures but still get straightforward answers and understand why something which seemed so wrong to us occurred without the bat of an eye.  It turns out that this is not the first time this has happened at these meetings, but it’s the first time we noticed it.

We heard lots of reasons from, “it’s a courtesy and a customary sign of respect” to “it is required that we “inform” these officials of meetings with foreign guests” (later strengthened to “invite” these officials).  Thrown in along the way was “they need it for transportation” (but both walked to the meeting).  But each of the reasons for paying the already paid officials came with absolute belief that the practice was correct and appropriate.  No amount of suggesting that it might not be appropriate got anywhere.  But we had to be careful not to call it what we believe it to be.  You say potato, I say …

In fact, officials who “serve” (and those are served) expect that the officials will be happy and feel respected if they get a little something extra from the served.  We wonder, did this practice start at the top and trickle down or did it start at the grass roots of society and boil up?  Whatever the case, it’s pervasive and something we must deal with at all levels and do our best to avoid.