Welcome Back Internauts! Yes it has been a while and no we don't have a good excuse. A reason sure, but not an excuse.
See, the last two months at post have been consumed with a combination of righting a grant proposal, studying for the LSATs and waiting for local politics settling down.
So to make it up to our dear readers, below we've listed links to a few posts from other volunteers on all the stuff we would have written about if we had brought our A game:
Matt on the DVD Guy
Allison in a voodoo protection ceremony
David on the Cotonou jazz scene
John Mark on the end of Ramadan
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
One Card for a Better Future in Tchaourou
Appeals to help break the cycle of poverty in Africa are sadly nothing new – scenes of an malnourished child in the doorway of a scrap metal shack are all too common. However, the hungry child is not the only face of poverty in Africa, and breaking the poverty cycle involves programs to help those who don’t necessarily fit our set notions of what is a person in need.
Artisans play a major role in the Beninese economy by providing needed goods and services to their community. They are mostly small businesses that go unregistered with the government, and their growth potential is severely limited by an inability to access the types of business support services we consider common in the United States.
What is the program? Looking to break away from “business as usual”, funding from this program will help just over 100 artisans in the district of Tchaourou obtain the simple government-issued identification card (ID) needed to formalize and expand their respective businesses. Possession of an ID card opens up access to a variety of artisan support organizations and ministerial programs including equipment loan programs, export-import development opportunities, reasonably priced short and long-term credit options, and continuing technical education. Once card ownership among artisans in the district is near universal, representatives of the various support programs will be invited to participate in a trade fair- style exhibition and begin enrolling individuals in programs
Who is eligible? Focused on the district of Tchaourou, a town of 20,000 located in central Benin, the program targets informal members of the eight local trade associations listed below:
- Mechanics (Auto and Moto)
- Carpenters
- Welders and Blacksmiths
- Tailors and Seamstresses
- Electricians and Electrical Appliance Repair
- Masons- Hairdressers and Barbers
- Photographers and Videographers
What can you do to help? This program works best if it is businesses helping businesses, entrepreneurs who understand the struggles of trying to take a business to the next level. We are currently soliciting donations to meet our target $3,300 budget to cover the administrative costs of registration, and the community itself has pledged an additional $800 to cover the costs of the exhibition. To put these figures in context, based on the average small business loan given by partner programs, we estimate the formalization will allow the release of more than $20,000 in loans within the first year alone.
To make a tax-deductible donation, click here and follow the instructions.Are you in charge of corporate giving at work, or want to send something to the person who is? Use this link to get the easily emailed .pdf version of the project description and donation instructions.
Artisans play a major role in the Beninese economy by providing needed goods and services to their community. They are mostly small businesses that go unregistered with the government, and their growth potential is severely limited by an inability to access the types of business support services we consider common in the United States.
What is the program? Looking to break away from “business as usual”, funding from this program will help just over 100 artisans in the district of Tchaourou obtain the simple government-issued identification card (ID) needed to formalize and expand their respective businesses. Possession of an ID card opens up access to a variety of artisan support organizations and ministerial programs including equipment loan programs, export-import development opportunities, reasonably priced short and long-term credit options, and continuing technical education. Once card ownership among artisans in the district is near universal, representatives of the various support programs will be invited to participate in a trade fair- style exhibition and begin enrolling individuals in programs
Who is eligible? Focused on the district of Tchaourou, a town of 20,000 located in central Benin, the program targets informal members of the eight local trade associations listed below:
- Mechanics (Auto and Moto)
- Carpenters
- Welders and Blacksmiths
- Tailors and Seamstresses
- Electricians and Electrical Appliance Repair
- Masons- Hairdressers and Barbers
- Photographers and Videographers
What can you do to help? This program works best if it is businesses helping businesses, entrepreneurs who understand the struggles of trying to take a business to the next level. We are currently soliciting donations to meet our target $3,300 budget to cover the administrative costs of registration, and the community itself has pledged an additional $800 to cover the costs of the exhibition. To put these figures in context, based on the average small business loan given by partner programs, we estimate the formalization will allow the release of more than $20,000 in loans within the first year alone.
To make a tax-deductible donation, click here and follow the instructions.Are you in charge of corporate giving at work, or want to send something to the person who is? Use this link to get the easily emailed .pdf version of the project description and donation instructions.
Swear In
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Peace Corps in Benin (né Dahomey), and accordingly we had ourselves a nice little celebration/ exhibition to mark the occasion.
Events were spread over three days, starting with an art exhibition at the American Cultural Center. Of course, being a division of the State Department’s Public Diplomacy Section, the place was guarded as fortress and no cameras were allowed past the metal detectors (nothing, I mean nothing, says “welcome” to foreign nationals looking to learn about the United States like multiple layers of metal detectors and background checks, but I digress).
Day two’s event was an exhibition of service, showing off each of the sectors and the highlighting of a handful of key projects installed by volunteers. Here are the Small Enterprise Development and Rural Community Health boards:
Oh, and there was a standing dinner (probably the only party in the whole of the country that didn’t involve rented chairs). Want to see chaos? Host an open buffet for fresh-out-of-the-village Peace Corps volunteers.
Day three was the big one – swear in of the new volunteers. The highlight was the Steve Myers produced 10 minute video detailing the Peace Corps in Benin past and present. Hopefully I will be able to link the YouTube video soon.
Here's us instead listening to the speeches.
Here is the post-oath group photo with the Africa regional director Henry McCoy.
And there was a cake.
Odd moment though. At one point someone was giving a toast which included the phrase “to 40 great years and to 40 more,” a phrase which sent shivers down the spines of many volunteers. Evidently, we’re hoping for and expecting at least 40 more years of grinding poverty, inadequate health care and information, environmental degradation and technological ignorance that will necessitate the continued presence of the Peace Corps. Cheers?
Events were spread over three days, starting with an art exhibition at the American Cultural Center. Of course, being a division of the State Department’s Public Diplomacy Section, the place was guarded as fortress and no cameras were allowed past the metal detectors (nothing, I mean nothing, says “welcome” to foreign nationals looking to learn about the United States like multiple layers of metal detectors and background checks, but I digress).
Day two’s event was an exhibition of service, showing off each of the sectors and the highlighting of a handful of key projects installed by volunteers. Here are the Small Enterprise Development and Rural Community Health boards:
Oh, and there was a standing dinner (probably the only party in the whole of the country that didn’t involve rented chairs). Want to see chaos? Host an open buffet for fresh-out-of-the-village Peace Corps volunteers.
Day three was the big one – swear in of the new volunteers. The highlight was the Steve Myers produced 10 minute video detailing the Peace Corps in Benin past and present. Hopefully I will be able to link the YouTube video soon.
Here's us instead listening to the speeches.
Here is the post-oath group photo with the Africa regional director Henry McCoy.
And there was a cake.
Odd moment though. At one point someone was giving a toast which included the phrase “to 40 great years and to 40 more,” a phrase which sent shivers down the spines of many volunteers. Evidently, we’re hoping for and expecting at least 40 more years of grinding poverty, inadequate health care and information, environmental degradation and technological ignorance that will necessitate the continued presence of the Peace Corps. Cheers?
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Camp Afrique: Annie Goes To Tchaourou
So after Greg's departure, we loaded up onto the NTS bus and headed up to sweet home Tchaourou to show off some real Beninese living.
Arriving after dark and in a rainstorm, we luckily found a few kids who were willing to help us drag our luggage to the house and we were home. Mom did well with the setup - even the latrine at night didn't scare her too much. We slept well in anticipation of greeting dozens the next day.
And greet we did, up and down the main road, every shopkeeper and workshop had to welcome Mom to town and ask if she arrived well.
Ann in the market:
After many hours of this, we arrived at our destination - Steve's Sunday savings group/ Kasim's house for a dinner of AmiWo (pate rouge) and chicken
We were so warmly recieved and can't thank Kasim enough for the hospitality.
Sadly, the next day was Ann's last, but far be it from us to let it go out with anything less than a party. In celebration of our guest we teamed up with the neighbors for a big chicken dinner under the stars. The whole day was spent in preparation of the fest, and of course, here chicken dinner here involves a few extra steps:
Steve killed four chickens to honor his mother-in-law (and asks "what have you killed for your loved ones?") - two to be baked and two to be fried soul-food style (side note: Breaded and deep fried wasa new but VERY well received recipie).
Ann with the kids:
Giving cadeaux
Ann with Eric and Eric's card
Sadly, the next day we returned to Cotonou and said good bye to Ann, who as we assured everyone in town afterwords, arrived home safe and sound.
Good trip all around.
Arriving after dark and in a rainstorm, we luckily found a few kids who were willing to help us drag our luggage to the house and we were home. Mom did well with the setup - even the latrine at night didn't scare her too much. We slept well in anticipation of greeting dozens the next day.
And greet we did, up and down the main road, every shopkeeper and workshop had to welcome Mom to town and ask if she arrived well.
Ann in the market:
After many hours of this, we arrived at our destination - Steve's Sunday savings group/ Kasim's house for a dinner of AmiWo (pate rouge) and chicken
We were so warmly recieved and can't thank Kasim enough for the hospitality.Sadly, the next day was Ann's last, but far be it from us to let it go out with anything less than a party. In celebration of our guest we teamed up with the neighbors for a big chicken dinner under the stars. The whole day was spent in preparation of the fest, and of course, here chicken dinner here involves a few extra steps:
Steve killed four chickens to honor his mother-in-law (and asks "what have you killed for your loved ones?") - two to be baked and two to be fried soul-food style (side note: Breaded and deep fried wasa new but VERY well received recipie).
Ann with the kids:
Giving cadeaux
Ann with Eric and Eric's card
Sadly, the next day we returned to Cotonou and said good bye to Ann, who as we assured everyone in town afterwords, arrived home safe and sound.
Good trip all around.
Camp Afrique: The Wedding
In the Tichy family lore, there is a wonderful tradition of renewing vows every 5 years in an interesting way. Seeing as how both coasts -- land and sea -- were already covered, we decided to surprise the folks on this 35 anniversary year with an African wedding.
And first the invitation the day before the wedding, in French and tucked in a box made of a hollowed gourd.
Among the elements that made up the fete were matching traditional tissue outfits, on display below. And no wedding is complete without an officiant, so we turned to one of our dearest friends here, Mr. Steve Myers, who as fortune would have is ordained by the internet (or rather by one of its specific web sites). He was honored to be asked and we were lucky to have him as he prepared a wonderful elocution for the service.
The beachside ceremony saw the bride enter from around a palm tree to the sound of African drums and singing (group pictured below post-ceremony).
Steve elocuting:
After the ceremony, we retired to the patio for drinks and a bit of dancing with the drummers.
The assembled throng
And to top things off, the wedding fell on Greg's birthday and so following a mid-ceremony serenade of "Happy Birthday" (totally unprompted and apparently the only song the drummers knew in English), we too gave the day its proper due.
And first the invitation the day before the wedding, in French and tucked in a box made of a hollowed gourd.
Among the elements that made up the fete were matching traditional tissue outfits, on display below. And no wedding is complete without an officiant, so we turned to one of our dearest friends here, Mr. Steve Myers, who as fortune would have is ordained by the internet (or rather by one of its specific web sites). He was honored to be asked and we were lucky to have him as he prepared a wonderful elocution for the service.The beachside ceremony saw the bride enter from around a palm tree to the sound of African drums and singing (group pictured below post-ceremony).
Steve elocuting:
After the ceremony, we retired to the patio for drinks and a bit of dancing with the drummers.
The assembled throng
And to top things off, the wedding fell on Greg's birthday and so following a mid-ceremony serenade of "Happy Birthday" (totally unprompted and apparently the only song the drummers knew in English), we too gave the day its proper due.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
