Let’s talk work – I’m in crunch time. Little projects and the day to day musings that take place in the life of a health volunteer, I’m not worried about. That kind of work I do every day, and will continue to do until I leave Fodé Bayo in May. What has my nerves on end is that big food security/gardening/fencing project I’ve been talking about since about a year or more ago - remember? (There are two (1 and 2) old blog posts about the beginning and re-beginning of this project.) If that one doesn’t get off the ground by the new year, it may not happen, and this situation is one of those where I really need to remind myself of my philosophy as a development worker.
I have until the end of the year to know if this project will happen or not, because I have to write a grant for the fencing/food security project, and you cannot submit grants without five months in which to complete them. Being that I will leaving my village in May… as I said, crunch time.
Seeing this project happen can play out in two situations: me giving my village something versus waiting for them put the effort into something that they want. While I could easily run around and talk to masons, getting prices to complete the grant, I would be doing most of the work and then one day appearing in village with fencing supplies – it would appear as a gift since the village never really put any work into it. Cue most aid groups that work in the developing world. This option though, especially under the time crunch I’m in, is extremely tempting. All Peace Corps volunteers like to talk about how tangible outcomes are not as important as the sustainable impact (intangible outcomes) we’ll have via things like teaching our village new ideas and methods, and working with them day-in, day-out… but in complete honestly, I know not one PCV that isn’t a tad self-conscious about leaving their two years in site without something physically standing for their time. Example, a well. (Ahh ha! I fall into this category as too.)
The other option then – the one I’ve been trying to follow – is to work with my counterpart and village as they drive the project: talking to brick-makers, organizing transportation, getting all of the numbers organized etc. But this method of approach is the reason why this is a project that started over a year ago and still has not gotten off of the ground. It is not necessarily the village’s fault either.
It’s actually an example of my biggest gripe with development in places like Africa; aid agencies and NGOs, being pressured by donors and the numbers game, rarely talk to village and towns when they move into do a project. They create some sort of “solution” algorithm in their offices to decide (for example) what villages need wells, what areas need schools, and so on, then swoop in one day with all the fixings to get the project done, leaving two weeks later, patting their backs for enriching the lives of the poor, ignorant, helpless villagers. Usually, they don’t even talk to a village beyond telling them what they’re doing. And why would they – villagers (or anyone who is approached by someone saying, “Hey! I want to build this big cool thing for you that you may not be your biggest need but I’ll do all the leg work, so…”) will always say “yes, welcome,” and be thankful. I’m not saying that schools and wells are not needed – indeed, massive uneducated populations and non-potable water are two of the most prevalent issues in developing countries. My dispute lies in the attitude that this kind of development method breeds among Africans; the belief that they cannot do things for themselves, that they need foreigners to rush in and do things for them, and that if they do need something – if they want something - to just sit tight because some white man will eventually come and empty his pockets and they won’t have to lift a finger beyond maybe doing some “tribal” drumming to give the foreigner his “African experience.”
This is an attitude that Peace Corps Volunteers confront and combat daily. “You’re white, you have money, give me this.” It is a mind-blowingly frustrating attitude to face, but we as a development community have helped to created it, so how much can I justify wanting to punch people in the face when they approach me that way?
I know, I’m on my soapbox, excuse me for getting carried away. This is something that I feel very passionately about, and frequently deliberate over during idle hours.
If you’re interested in the ideas and realities of development along this line of thought, the history of why it’s hasn’t been meeting it’s goals for so long, and so on, I recommend two books: The White Man’s Burden by William Easterly and The Bottom Billion by Paul Collier. These two books make up my development creed.
Anyway, I’ll keep you updated on how/if the project progresses. My fever is not 102.3 anymore, so resuming the position of the exasperating “let’s do this let’s do this let’s do this!” person should resume tomorrow.
