July 7, 2009
Yesterday I spent my afternoon in Shianda. The Ilesi-Shianda rafiki program is up and going, which is very exciting. I brought the women lots of letters from their new friends in Ilesi, and it was really nice to see them happily read the letters. I also did a workshop on Health & Nutrition, which went pretty well. Before I did the workshop though, I asked the women to say one thing that they learned from the HIV/AIDS workshop that I gave the week before. To my dismay, most of the responses were very brief and one woman said that the only thing she learned was that AIDS is dangerous. So, after 2 hours of lecturing and discussion, and after receiving a 10-page packet on HIV/AIDS, that was apparently all she learned. I kind of though that was ridiculous.
So, I made a mini-speech, yet again, along these lines: The women were the ones that voted for these topics. I wasn’t forcing them. I spent lots of time and effort preparing the workshops, because they had said that they wanted to learn about these topics. For them to learn, they had to make an effort. And if they’re not willing or eager to learn, I am wasting my time.
I’ve spent time thinking about this and discussing it with other interns, but a large part of development is about giving opportunity. It’s up to the people to take that opportunity. I think for those working in development, it’s important to consider the culture, sustainability, community support, etc. But, development doesn’t lie in the hands of one person or party; I don’t believe it’s my responsibility to spoon-feed the women to make sure that they learn all the information I’m giving them. The women constantly ask for help or assistance, but it’s up to them to take opportunities that are given to them. Yes, sustainability should be considered. Yes, the culture should be considered. But it’s a partnership.
What is encouraging on the other hand is to see the change in the Ilesi group. Initially, I really preferred the Shianda group because they were friendlier and seemed more enthusiastic. The Ilesi group seemed more sullen and less enthusiastic. In addition, this was the group, in which the majority of the members asked me for assistance in the letters they wrote me (see earlier blog posts!). Over the past 7 weeks though, they have changed so much. They’re much friendlier and really eager learners. During the HIV/AIDS workshop, at least 5 hands shot up whenever I asked them if they had any questions. Today, when I asked them to say what they had learned from the HIV/AIDS workshop, I was really impressed by the variety and the preciseness of their responses. I’ve gotten to know so many of their faces and names, and I’m just impressed when I see them attending class twice a week, week after week, in poor conditions (see pics!), but so willing and motivated to learn. It’s really, really great, encouraging and inspiring.
