Well it's Sat so we head to town!

I have some bad news as I've tried to upload some pics to this blog. But the computers and internet connection is so slow that I can't get it done. My other choice is to reduce the images but I can't do it on this computer as I'd have to download software to do it and I doubt if they'd let me here. Sorry but if u keep checking this blog, I'll ad some pics as soon as I get the images reduced. Anyway lets see what have we been doing. Well we've been checking out the construction of the new class rooms. They work hard but with pretty crude equipment. They spent a couple days digging out a tree root. Then they have to dig a trench for the foundation of the walls. We've helped them a bit but using a pick and shovel to dig a trench is back breaking work in 35 to 40 C (100 - 105F ) heat. Talk about ditch digging!! There aren't any labor rules as they are digging with bare feet and no hard hat. The school kids have packed in stones for the foundation. I want to make sure once they put in the rocks that they use some type of level to make sure the walls will be straight. I drew up a schedule for them to sign in and out and write what they had worked on. However when I talked to the Principal he said they would fill it out at the end of the week. So I'll get on their case next week! I don't want to be a gestapo but when they are using donations to build I think a few checks and balances are needed. I've already detected a bit of tension between the members of the executive committee. It seems the coordinator (older brother of John who set this all up back in Canada) is using his sibling relationship to influence the others to doing it his way. The Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary are nice people and not confrontational. So he wants more control then his position allows. He doesn't tell us this but I've been told and can notice it. Boy there's office politics everywhere, a person can't get away from it. Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not into that scene.
However I also don't like to see anyone being bullied or doing something that isn't correct. So stayed tune!!!
I think the biggest problem in Kenya - Corruption at all levels and charging fees for high school students so over 60 -70% of the kids can't attend school. They're having a national election here in a month or so. The opposition challenger promises to eliminate school fees for high school students. Hopefully that happens because there are too many young kids not going to school but working at real menial jobs. Corruption runs from the president down to the minor office manager. They all expect a bribe to get a job or get anything done. So the rich get richer and the poor, well they starve.
In Kanyawegi, a previous group had set up a Commuiity bank which is a start to set up micro finance in the community. The bank is open Wed and Fri. The people are encouraged to deposit at least a minium of 50 KS (about 80 cents CAD / USD assuming they are about equal now). A new account is opened by completing a form providing the usual information and beneficiary and reason for saying money. They want this added since for now they can get loans. They may want to save to start a business a little bit at a time (poly, poly in Swahilli). This money is tracked for each customer and all the money is taken to town and deposited in one account. The customers open accounts so they don't have to make a trip to town to go to the real bank as it costs 100KS round trip (about 67KS to a dollar) so this is about $1.50 (big money here). Also I've been told the bank charges customers for depositing and withdrawing money from accounts. So by having the community bank take the money to town and absorbing the costs this saves them money. This cost is taken from the KASOW account as Petty Cash plus one of the people who set this up let a bit of Petty Cash to cover these costs for a while. This is a slow growing bank as in 3 months they only have 27 accounts open. They plan to wait a year until the bank is stable before they will consider loans to customers. They don't have the government or anyone backing this Community Bank as it's basically just another account in the regular bank.
We've talked to a farmer who's wife is on the Executive Committee. He's a retired Finace instructor at a Community College. I asked him if he'd be interested in advising the bank in setting up loans, colateral, etc when the time comes. He is more than willing to offer any assistance. I spoke to the people working with the Community Bank and suggested using this guy as an advisor. However he only moved to the comminity recently after retiring so the community is still leery of him and treats him like an outsider. A person has to know the relationship of the players and how it all ties together. It seemed 2 weeks ago one of the people had deposited 1000 KS ($17) and then his wife got sick and passed away. He was able to use his savings to help offset the funeral costs. I suggested it's not nice to use someone bad luck to build business. However I suggested maybe waiting until the mourning period is over and then approach this man. They could check if he would be willing to act as a spokesman for the bank to relate his experience of how opening an account helped him in a time of need.
Starting next week the 2 girls are going to teach a couple of classes at an elementary school. Not my gig! I've been checking the desktop computers that are here. Unfortunately between you, me and the wall, the computers are a piece of junk! Looks like something picked up in a garage sale and brought here. The computers have a switch on the back to change from 110 V to 250 V which it is here. Unfortunately 3 of them have been plugged in and the power supply has been fried. I've got one desktop to work properly. Another needs a USB adpator to change the keyboard from PS2 to USB. I tried all the keyboards and when I connected them the keyboard wasn't recognized. I tried PS2 mouses and they didn't work either. However I found a mouse with a serial connection and got it to work. So my assumption is an USB keyboard would probably work. I could also reinstall the OS but am holding off as it seems a keyboard is one of the easier things to connect.I checked in town today and a PS2 to USB adaptor costs about 1500 KS (about $25). A USB keyboard costs 2000KS ($35). I want to check something else before buying either. We do have a laptop that works after I reinstalled MS Office. But the battery is shot on it so it needs to be plugged in to work. I was told that the prinicipal of the high school has another laptop and keyboard which was left there. This lady on the Executive committee went to speak to the prinicipal to see if we could use their school for a computer resource center. She had to do some talking as he wasn't too happy how the computers were left at his school. Apparently the staff of students weren't given any instructions on how to use them or anything.
I know from experience that people in higher positions like to know more than their subordinates. So I'll have to teach the principal, teachers and then the students. If we don't sell the principal on the use of computers the project won't fly. However with only 1 working desktop and possibly 2 laptops it's not going to be a class setting instruction. That's OK because I don't like to teach before a large audience like a classroom but more hands on environment.
The principal of the elementary school also wants to learn how to use a computer. When I find time on the computer I plan to write an User Guide to log on and basic stuff. We don't have the internet hooked up in the village so I may bring a couple of the teachers to town to show them the internet and it's usage. This past week I've been checking out the computers at John's house here in Kanyawegi. I had some spare time Fri so I showed one of guys here how to use a computer. It's hard to figure out how where to start showing a person who knows nothing. However this guy was very eager and seemed to catch on. His biggest problem was working the mouse and clicking on icons however that will just take practice. Most Kenyans I've talk to are eager to learn things, kind of refreshing! So hopefully I can wing it and get some of my brief knowledge to them.
Our Oxen and plow project is starting but getting the right people who are knowledgeable is required to proceed. We also have a Goat project to keep a Bak (Ram) who can be used to produce better milk producing goats. The government requires owners to build a pen to house the goats. It seems these goats are going to better housed then a lot of people. One of the girls is also checking out the possibility of a Seed Bank to keep seeds for the framers to start new crops that can survive in this climate.
I'd like to explain more about their huts, food, life in general but that's have to be another posting. Sorry about the lack of pics but it's really, really will take a long time to add. Later!