Dark days

February 22, 2010. Just came through a really hard two weeks, but I think it will all be fine. We knew that the Cadbury Foundation had approved funds for our grant, but didn’t have any details. And it would come to us through another NGO that seemed to be obfuscating. At home most, if not all, non-governmental organizations operate as non-profits. We know that it’s pretty easy to not make a profit…just fly all the execs first class, or buy a new limo, or whatever. But in Ghana the profit thing isn’t so clear, and I know of at least a couple of NGOs that are making money. It’s all very confusing.

Anyhow, it seemed that the priorities were shifting around, and that a big chunk of the grant will come off the top for management fees, or whatever, for the NGO and because of “budget constraints” there is nothing left for the electricity project. Then I was “disinvited” to the meeting where all would be explained. That whole scene actually felt like the time in Seventh Grade when you’re in a stall in the girls’ lavatory and you hear the other girls planning a party but trying to figure out how to do it without specifically inviting you. Remember that one? So I was in a pretty dark tunnel for a while there, but I think I’m past it now. And of course, it feels so good to be getting any money at all that nobody wants to make waves by questioning anything. And I get that, as well, it’s just so frustrating.

So I just started thinking about secondary projects I could be doing, and I’ll be so busy I won’t have time to think about the crummy stuff. I am starting an after-school English club, and am prepared to bribe kids with snacks and juice boxes to get them to show up. For one hour we will speak only English, but they can choose any topic. A movie, a TV show, a book, what somebody’s little sister did, etc. Just as long as it is English. The kids in my village need a lot of help with that, but it is the official national language and they will never make it out of the village without better skills.

And we are hosting a Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) conference here in August! I am really excited about it. Five days, girls ages 13 to 16, with some older girls as quasi-counselors. They have to be good English speakers, and be recommended by a teacher, but can come from anywhere in the Eastern Region. We will have workshops on everything from setting goals to five different ways to say no. And it will be the first time my village has been entirely on their own to host a conference. No NGO, just us. It will be great!