“Developing Capacity”

Before I undertook my volunteer assignment with ACCES, I thought I had a good understanding of the term “developing capacity.”  It’s a very important concept to ACCES Kenya, appearing as a key objective in both the CIDA application and the ACCES strategic plan. 

However,  in my time “on the ground,” I am acquiring a real appreciation and much deeper understanding of what it means and my role in it.  I venture to say that it is the most important work I’m doing here. 

It includes role modelling, inspiration, encouragement, ideas, coaching, explanation, suggestions  - and sometimes considerable perspiration and frustration.  The working scene in Kenya is different.  Time is understood differently,  organization and planning here are what I might call “organic,” and management is decidedly hierarchical versus collegial. 

 On Monday the 17th, for example, the entire office team with us two volunteers went to one of the community schools to kick off a “Dejiggering Campaign.”  Our Health and Gender Coordinator has spent the past weeks successfully establishing a partnership with public health officials. First, we arrived late because the taxi arrived late.  The ceremony wasn’t organized as I understand “organized,”  nor were the students, teachers and parents from the school invited to participate.  

In the end, there was a nice ceremony to a small audience that included short speeches from a much surprised Michael and Elaine, a demonstration of the new procedure for treating jiggers (soaking in dettol for 10 days versus the painful  manual extraction I witnessed 2 weeks ago), a method found for disposal of the soaking solution, and a plan made to include the school community in next Wednesday’s campaign conclusion.   Some of this was done by asking questions and offering help.  I think there’s lot of fodder here for a capacity building debrief, if there is the interest ot have one.

Which there likely is.  I have found the staff and the teachers willing and open to learning.  They are bright, capable, caring and committed.  That is why it is such a joy to be here with them.

Today my Kenyan partner and I  were at one of the ACCES Community Schools field testing a new evaluation tool.  The idea of a field test, of asking for input from the center managers instead of imposing it, is all quite new.  But my partner “on the ground,” while struggling with this collaboration, every day tells me how much he is learning and how pleased he is with the progress of our project.  

 More French beans were planted during our school visit this Wednesday.  One of the concepts behind this farming initiative is to “develop capacity” in the local school community – the parents and the learners.  If they can acquire a new cash crop, it will perhaps inspire them to keep learning new farming methods and make much needed income.  The rich, fertile lands of Kenya are, an economist last weekend postulated,  its most valuable physical resource.

 

And I, of course, have been developing a lot of capacity myself – to be less interested in time and more interested in process.