Dear Friends,
Today, September 8 is the International Literacy Day. The 43rd to be celebrated since it was initiated by UNESCO in 1965. Its aim is to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies. According to UNESCO, Some 776 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 75 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out. After this distressing statistics shouldn’t we count ourselves lucky to be among the privileged few that have acquired this fantastic skill? Back in secondary school, literature my best subject and oh, how I used to look forward to Mr. Hardy’s class. Mr. Hardy will come into class and give the students who were not ‘offering’ literature, popularly called the ‘illiterates’ one second to ‘disappear from view’ or else ‘face the hard consequences’. Mr. Hardy’s presence alone was enough to get my ‘illiterate’ classmates scampering for the nearest exit, be it a window or a door, at the risk receiving a hard knock on the head. Their offence being the ‘darkness’ refusing to leave when the ‘light’ came in!
Back then we would read volumes and volumes of the written word, yet we never seemed to get enough of it. As I was reminiscing this morning on the International Literacy day, I had to ask myself questions like ‘what happened to that passion for reading? When was the last time I read a book from cover to cover? How many women would have welcomed the opportunity I got, which I have been taking for granted? The last question that jolted me up from bed was ‘IF I CAN READ AND DON’T READ THEN WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND PEOPLE WHO CANNOT READ?
Literacy goes beyond just the ability to read and write. Reports have clearly shown a connection between illiteracy and countries in severe poverty, and between illiteracy and prejudice against women. There is something you can do to make a difference in the life of a child today and you really do not have to invest millions. Something as little as helping buy a child’s school uniform or books once in a while will go a long way. Using the literacy skills you have acquired will also help. Remember, if you don’t use it, you will lose it.
I had been informed that once upon a time at AWDF there was this club called a Book Club which is now comatose. As a tribute to the ILD perhaps we should revive it. Good thing the resource centre is in the process of restocking. Last week we added 26 volumes to what we already have and more are coming soon from CODESRIA. I would like to propose that we use the staff skills building meeting in October to re-activate the Club. Your thoughts are much appreciated.
Roselynn Musa
Showing posts with label women. Show all posts
Showing posts with label women. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Monitoring & Evaluation Visits in Ghana: Pictures from Ancilla Women's Centre
Currently AWDF is carrying out an extensive monitoring & evaluation visit with grantees in Ghana and last Friday I joined the Grants Manager on one of these visits. Here are some pictures from the Ancilla Women's Group which was founded by Catholic Sisters and recieved a grant of US$2,000 in 2006 for Economic Empowerment activities:
(Participants making tie & dye)
(handiwork of participants)
(A selection of clothing made by beneficiaries of the centre)
(Beneficiaries learning catering)
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
(Participants making tie & dye)
(handiwork of participants)
(A selection of clothing made by beneficiaries of the centre)
(Beneficiaries learning catering)
Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Happy International Women's Day from the International Colloquium
Greetings from the International Colloquium in Liberia!
Today I have met (okay seen, sometimes from a distance) many powerful women. President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, President Talya Halonen of Finland, the Governor-General of Canada (who is also black!), Baroness Amos, Mary Robinson the former President of Ireland...I could go on and on.It has been very inspiring to be in the presence of many of these women who are all affirming the same position. Women's leadership should be encouraged, nurtured and developed for the benefit of the whole world.
AWDF also held our grand debate on the motion "We have wasted our time getting women into decision-making positions. They have not made a difference". Aargh! you can imagine the liveliness of the debate. The conclusion reached by the moderator Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Executive Director of AWDF was that "We have not wasted our time getting women into decision making positions BUT some women have wasted our time".
What are your thoughts? Do women leaders make a difference? What kind of support do you think the women's movement need to provide women in politics?
Today I have met (okay seen, sometimes from a distance) many powerful women. President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, President Talya Halonen of Finland, the Governor-General of Canada (who is also black!), Baroness Amos, Mary Robinson the former President of Ireland...I could go on and on.It has been very inspiring to be in the presence of many of these women who are all affirming the same position. Women's leadership should be encouraged, nurtured and developed for the benefit of the whole world.
AWDF also held our grand debate on the motion "We have wasted our time getting women into decision-making positions. They have not made a difference". Aargh! you can imagine the liveliness of the debate. The conclusion reached by the moderator Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Executive Director of AWDF was that "We have not wasted our time getting women into decision making positions BUT some women have wasted our time".
What are your thoughts? Do women leaders make a difference? What kind of support do you think the women's movement need to provide women in politics?
Monday, March 2, 2009
Marriage is not a waste of time for Women
This is a follow up to Nana’s post on the 9th of February to the effect that marriage is a waste of time for women. As Nana’s opponents in the great debate, our team was to oppose the motion that “marriage is a waste of time for women”.
It was an interesting debate and as she rightly said, it seemed our opponents won the debate that day.
After the debate I asked myself why we were not convincing in our arguments in support of marriage not being a waste of time for women and I came to the conclusion that the reason we lost, is the same reason why our opponents won.
The good side of marriage is mostly so intangible that it is difficult to translate into words for others to appreciate, whereas the disadvantages are so glaring that we never forget them. Picture this; you meet two married women, one is happily married, the other is in an abusive relationship and they both tell you about their marriage, which narrative will stay with you for ever? Of course it will be that of the abused woman. Let me relate this to a short poem that used to hang at our dining area at home when I was a child. I didn’t really understand it then, but as an adult, I have come to appreciate it better. The title of the poem is “SUCH IS LIFE” and I quote;
SUCH IS LIFE
Man’s evil deeds are written on brass
The good ones on water
When I am right no one remembers
When I am wrong no one forgets
In fact as we were preparing for the debate, it was obvious that we were struggling to get points. Personally the most important reason why I got married was for companionship and so after I listed it; it was difficult for me to come up with other advantages. My team members added security, shared financial responsibilities, family environment with a mother and a father that the children can look up to as role models, status within the society among others as reasons why marriage is not a waste of time for women.
I have subsequently read from “ The Audacity of Bope’’ a book written by the current US President that statistics indicate that "children living with single mothers are five times more likely to be poor than children in two parent households".
It has also been said that married people have a faster recovery from illness compared to the unmarried. There is also research evidence that married people live relatively longer than those who are not married.
Our opponents were more passionate than we were during the debate. This passion, I will attribute to the way and manner with which we normally tell sad stories as opposed to great beautiful love stories. The emotion with which our opponents talked about marriage being a waste of time for women was more compelling and appealing than our beautiful love story about the companionship that marriage brings.
My favorite quote on marriage is from the movie “Shall we Dance”. In this movie a woman suspects her husband of having an affair and hires a private detective to investigate. In one of their conversations, the detective asked the woman; “why do you think people get married?” Her answer was;
“We marry because we need a witness to our lives. There are billions of people on our planet so what does any one life really mean. But in a marriage, you are promising to care about everything, the good things, bad things, terrible things and the mundane things; all of it, all the time, everyday. You are saying to your partner; your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness”.
At the end of this movie, the woman found out that the husband was not having an affair but was taking dance lessons.
There are some really terrible things that sometimes happen in a marriage and mostly it is the women who are the victims. That not withstanding, I do believe that marriage is not a waste of time for women because we are social beings and we mostly want to love and be loved and marriage creates that environment for us to share and experience love.
Marriage is the best foundation for personal intimacy, economic stability and child rearing.
What are your comments?
Gertrude Bibi Annoh-Quarshie
Finance Manager
It was an interesting debate and as she rightly said, it seemed our opponents won the debate that day.
After the debate I asked myself why we were not convincing in our arguments in support of marriage not being a waste of time for women and I came to the conclusion that the reason we lost, is the same reason why our opponents won.
The good side of marriage is mostly so intangible that it is difficult to translate into words for others to appreciate, whereas the disadvantages are so glaring that we never forget them. Picture this; you meet two married women, one is happily married, the other is in an abusive relationship and they both tell you about their marriage, which narrative will stay with you for ever? Of course it will be that of the abused woman. Let me relate this to a short poem that used to hang at our dining area at home when I was a child. I didn’t really understand it then, but as an adult, I have come to appreciate it better. The title of the poem is “SUCH IS LIFE” and I quote;
SUCH IS LIFE
Man’s evil deeds are written on brass
The good ones on water
When I am right no one remembers
When I am wrong no one forgets
In fact as we were preparing for the debate, it was obvious that we were struggling to get points. Personally the most important reason why I got married was for companionship and so after I listed it; it was difficult for me to come up with other advantages. My team members added security, shared financial responsibilities, family environment with a mother and a father that the children can look up to as role models, status within the society among others as reasons why marriage is not a waste of time for women.
I have subsequently read from “ The Audacity of Bope’’ a book written by the current US President that statistics indicate that "children living with single mothers are five times more likely to be poor than children in two parent households".
It has also been said that married people have a faster recovery from illness compared to the unmarried. There is also research evidence that married people live relatively longer than those who are not married.
Our opponents were more passionate than we were during the debate. This passion, I will attribute to the way and manner with which we normally tell sad stories as opposed to great beautiful love stories. The emotion with which our opponents talked about marriage being a waste of time for women was more compelling and appealing than our beautiful love story about the companionship that marriage brings.
My favorite quote on marriage is from the movie “Shall we Dance”. In this movie a woman suspects her husband of having an affair and hires a private detective to investigate. In one of their conversations, the detective asked the woman; “why do you think people get married?” Her answer was;
“We marry because we need a witness to our lives. There are billions of people on our planet so what does any one life really mean. But in a marriage, you are promising to care about everything, the good things, bad things, terrible things and the mundane things; all of it, all the time, everyday. You are saying to your partner; your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness”.
At the end of this movie, the woman found out that the husband was not having an affair but was taking dance lessons.
There are some really terrible things that sometimes happen in a marriage and mostly it is the women who are the victims. That not withstanding, I do believe that marriage is not a waste of time for women because we are social beings and we mostly want to love and be loved and marriage creates that environment for us to share and experience love.
Marriage is the best foundation for personal intimacy, economic stability and child rearing.
What are your comments?
Gertrude Bibi Annoh-Quarshie
Finance Manager
Friday, December 19, 2008
WHAT’S THE MEANING OF CHANGE IF IT WILL NOT IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE?
I listen to discussions on politics and read about politics with keen interest at every level. I am always amazed at the passion, knowledge and ignorance with which people speak. Indeed Ghana has advanced in deepening democracy in the country and l feel very proud as a Ghanaian.
In just about 10 days Ghana will go for a presidential run-off; this time the race is between the two main political parties; National Democratic Congress (NDC) with the ‘change’ slogan and The National Patriotic Party (NPP) with the ‘moving forward slogan’. I am raising some questions about Grace’s blog. As a gender activist with a critical mind l like to ask the same questions in every situation. I hear and see people calling for change, change, change. But have you actually critically analysed issues and situations? Have you compared events before, now and after? Have you analysed the risk factors and looked at anticipated results of the change that you are calling for? Are you calling for change just because NPP has stayed two years in office and some government officials have become arrogant? Please let us not confuse assertiveness with arrogance! Have you dispassionately and using non-partisan and non-tribal lens analysed progress of development and women’s welfare in the country? What has been the record of both par ties when it comes to women and children. Which party has institutionalised a school feeding programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme? A word to the wise is enough!
My dearest sister, until you pause and do that and concretely establish reasons for change in a convincingly manner lets stop promoting change. What is the point in change if it is not going to improve the quality of lives of Ghanaians; women and children particularly but rather going to send us back to the dark days in Ghana. Stop comparing oranges with mangos and putting square pegs in round holes. Ghana can never be Zimbabwe nor vice versa.
AFTER ALL FORWARD EVER; LONG LIVE GHANA, LONG LIVE THE AFRICAN WOMEN’S MOVEMENT
Nafi Chinery
Programme Officer
Capacity Building
In just about 10 days Ghana will go for a presidential run-off; this time the race is between the two main political parties; National Democratic Congress (NDC) with the ‘change’ slogan and The National Patriotic Party (NPP) with the ‘moving forward slogan’. I am raising some questions about Grace’s blog. As a gender activist with a critical mind l like to ask the same questions in every situation. I hear and see people calling for change, change, change. But have you actually critically analysed issues and situations? Have you compared events before, now and after? Have you analysed the risk factors and looked at anticipated results of the change that you are calling for? Are you calling for change just because NPP has stayed two years in office and some government officials have become arrogant? Please let us not confuse assertiveness with arrogance! Have you dispassionately and using non-partisan and non-tribal lens analysed progress of development and women’s welfare in the country? What has been the record of both par ties when it comes to women and children. Which party has institutionalised a school feeding programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme? A word to the wise is enough!
My dearest sister, until you pause and do that and concretely establish reasons for change in a convincingly manner lets stop promoting change. What is the point in change if it is not going to improve the quality of lives of Ghanaians; women and children particularly but rather going to send us back to the dark days in Ghana. Stop comparing oranges with mangos and putting square pegs in round holes. Ghana can never be Zimbabwe nor vice versa.
AFTER ALL FORWARD EVER; LONG LIVE GHANA, LONG LIVE THE AFRICAN WOMEN’S MOVEMENT
Nafi Chinery
Programme Officer
Capacity Building
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Letter from Mozambique
Oi, (As we say in Mozambique).
I get the singular privilege of changing my identity every week for the next few weeks so this week I am Mozambican. Remember Samora Machel? Yes this is the beloved land of Samora Machel. Maputo is the capital of Mozambique and as Ghana is to the cedi and pesewa so is Mozambique to the meticais and centavos . I arrived in Maputo on the night of October 30th, 2008, expecting to have some communication difficulties but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that just about everybody speaks some amount of English. Do you know that Mozambicans are Portuguese speaking? Anyway, I go through immigration and customs with no incidence and was met on arrival by a host I had met over the net (He happens to be a man who speaks English better than the partner who I had asked to kindly coordinate the visit). Pedro my host is a very cordial and meticulous person and has done a good job of arranging all logistics, including translators, convenings, meetings with local authority officials and grantees.
My first point of call the next morning as early as 8.15am was the office of the Provincial Directorate of Women and Social Affairs, Angelina P. Lubrino, a very affable lady who warmly welcomes us and holds a long chat with us (I mean myself and my translator) on the situation of women organizing in Maputo. I then rush off to the convening, I had unfortunately kept the very busy women of Mozambique waiting for 15 minutes, because I spent too much time at the Provincial directorate for women’s office, well you can’t cut a “big” woman off you know. The meeting went very well and I was very fascinated about these three young articulate activists for sexual minority rights. Their message was simple, in their own words “we have come to the meeting to inform our mothers and grandmothers that we are” and had to be listened to.
After a one on one chat with a few organizations after the meeting (Remember organizations are always looking for exclusive scoops or contacts after such convenings), I rushed off again to visit the first grantee on my itinerary. The project had gone well and everything was in place. I was happy with myself, my only regret was my inability to visit some of the beneficiaries because the project was implemented up North about 8 hours ride away. I then proceeded to visit LAMBDA, an LGBT group, one of the groups I had volunteered to visit and had such an eye opening chat with these two young ladies who gladly gave me a tour of their offices and shared with me the plans they had for the place. I finally get to retire to my hotel room around 6.30pm. I did a lot of stairs climbing that day, I have noticed that most offices are in high rise buildings, and the pain in my tendons the day after made me resolve to stop being elusive with John our wellbeing consultant. Wearing slit (a traditional long Ghanaian skirt) and climbing stairs is not a past time for an ‘old school’ member you know. Anyway, thank God I had a good night sleep, I wished I could have slept the whole day but that was not to be. I had already agreed to visit a women’s HIV&AIDS network. I set off the next day thinking it was going to be a quick one, being a weekend. Apparently this group had something else in mind. After a lengthy chat in their offices with the aid of an interpreter (It prolongs the chat you know) they led the way to the field to visit some beneficiaries of their home based care project.
This project actually kept me thinking? Why are networks entangling themselves in direct service? I though networks were suppose to be coordinating and providing institutional and programmatic support to its members? As well as focusing on critical advocacy issues? Anyway, here we were after about 30 minutes drive to this community in Maputo with a very small driveway that we quickly navigated in order to park the car. Well we really did not have a choice, there was no way we could have driven around all the points of call. It was such a long winding walk through the sandy community. We entered the first house and my first shock, there were about 7 elderly women sitting on mats in the compound of the house eating their lunch. Wondering what is cooking for lunch? Salad and bread, very healthy, no wonder at their age they look so strong. We enter the common room, I guess, and I and the interpreter were offered a chair, all others had to sit on a mat on the floor of the room. So now I got the catch, it is their culture, they sit on mats with one or both legs of women bent to the side, and with the legs of men bent in a kind of squatting position in front of them. Unfortunately, the beneficiary had passed away the week before leaving behind 4 children in the care of their grand auntie who pleaded passionately with us to help her support the children through school, meanwhile all the children are boys. This sets me thinking again, can the AWDF funds be used to support the care giver to support the children who are all boys? I need some clarifications from my Director of Programmes. Well, the network will not let me be, till we had visited three families, it can be emotionally tiring and the expectations of those visitors are raised so that one wonders how one can personally be of help. Well it was another eye opener. At about 3.30pm I get a view of the city of Maputo, It is a very nice city with good road networks and some good cars, a beautiful coast line and they use platoons as well to get to other parts of the city. A few noticeable issues are the number of cars that have detachable trailers (you can easily hire them for use) which carry their goods and the way they carry their babies in the man made traditional kangaroo pooches. The way the women tie their wrappers is also worth noting.
The next day saw me (and my translator of course) on a long ride (About 4 hours) to the city of Xai Xai (it is pronounce Shaishai). The ride to the district of Xai Xai in the Gaza Province was a smooth and awesome one. The scenery was simply breathtaking especially on entering the district of Xai Xai which has an amazing well developed beach, very good road networks, a lot of greeneries and fascinating developments. One cannot miss the presence of beach goers every where in the town and I had the privilege of staying in one of the lodges by the beach. The coast line is incredibly well developed with camp houses on stilts, cabins they are called l think, guest houses, hotels, restaurants, etc. Despite all these developments it is so obvious that great care had been taken to preserve the flora and fauna in the area. Later upon enquiry I was told that it was one of the conditions that go with being granted a license for development in the area. Maybe some of our cities and towns should learn a lesson or two from the city of Xai Xai. Another noticeable scene was the presence of families. A good number of the beach patrons were there with their families, another lesson to be learnt there. After a tour of the coast line which had considerable motor able roads I managed to have my dinner after some miss-communications had cost me some serious hard earned cash.
Monday is another day, an 8.30 am meeting with the Xai Xai Provincial Director of Women Affairs. Can you imagine? The provincial Director for Women’s Affairs was a man, (Well we have a similar case in our back door). A very pleasant man though who offered us the use of the District’s social centre for the convening without charge. The meeting with him went well and I proceed to the convening afterwards. Meeting community women can be so invigorating, clearly articulating their views, needs and solutions. Another great convening there raising issues of violence against women, HIV&AIDS and neglect by partners coupled with the perennial drought in that part of the country. Afterwards I visit a new grantee that has just been awarded a grant. ACTIVA is implementing a huge home based care project but appeared unprepared for our visit despite the fact that they were our key contacts to Mozambique. Come to think of it, this could have been as a result of communication problems.
Anyway we return to Maputo that night only for me to learn that my booking for my last night in Maputo has mysteriously disappeared on their system even though I had left my luggage in their storage and categorically asked for a reservation, but I had no papers to confirm this so had no case. The staff were however concerned enough to get me another hotel which was just excellent. I collected my luggage and headed for my new place of abode. The icing on the cake was, it was a very good hotel with very fast internet service in the rooms free of charge, just plug and surf. So here I sit at 12.00 midnight just hitting away at my lap top, I really do not want to sleep, such luxuries in the field is very rare you know. But as nature will have it I have to obey so this is to say bye and hope to link up again.
Ciao
Beatrice from Mozambique
(Acting Grants Manager)
I get the singular privilege of changing my identity every week for the next few weeks so this week I am Mozambican. Remember Samora Machel? Yes this is the beloved land of Samora Machel. Maputo is the capital of Mozambique and as Ghana is to the cedi and pesewa so is Mozambique to the meticais and centavos . I arrived in Maputo on the night of October 30th, 2008, expecting to have some communication difficulties but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that just about everybody speaks some amount of English. Do you know that Mozambicans are Portuguese speaking? Anyway, I go through immigration and customs with no incidence and was met on arrival by a host I had met over the net (He happens to be a man who speaks English better than the partner who I had asked to kindly coordinate the visit). Pedro my host is a very cordial and meticulous person and has done a good job of arranging all logistics, including translators, convenings, meetings with local authority officials and grantees.
My first point of call the next morning as early as 8.15am was the office of the Provincial Directorate of Women and Social Affairs, Angelina P. Lubrino, a very affable lady who warmly welcomes us and holds a long chat with us (I mean myself and my translator) on the situation of women organizing in Maputo. I then rush off to the convening, I had unfortunately kept the very busy women of Mozambique waiting for 15 minutes, because I spent too much time at the Provincial directorate for women’s office, well you can’t cut a “big” woman off you know. The meeting went very well and I was very fascinated about these three young articulate activists for sexual minority rights. Their message was simple, in their own words “we have come to the meeting to inform our mothers and grandmothers that we are” and had to be listened to.
After a one on one chat with a few organizations after the meeting (Remember organizations are always looking for exclusive scoops or contacts after such convenings), I rushed off again to visit the first grantee on my itinerary. The project had gone well and everything was in place. I was happy with myself, my only regret was my inability to visit some of the beneficiaries because the project was implemented up North about 8 hours ride away. I then proceeded to visit LAMBDA, an LGBT group, one of the groups I had volunteered to visit and had such an eye opening chat with these two young ladies who gladly gave me a tour of their offices and shared with me the plans they had for the place. I finally get to retire to my hotel room around 6.30pm. I did a lot of stairs climbing that day, I have noticed that most offices are in high rise buildings, and the pain in my tendons the day after made me resolve to stop being elusive with John our wellbeing consultant. Wearing slit (a traditional long Ghanaian skirt) and climbing stairs is not a past time for an ‘old school’ member you know. Anyway, thank God I had a good night sleep, I wished I could have slept the whole day but that was not to be. I had already agreed to visit a women’s HIV&AIDS network. I set off the next day thinking it was going to be a quick one, being a weekend. Apparently this group had something else in mind. After a lengthy chat in their offices with the aid of an interpreter (It prolongs the chat you know) they led the way to the field to visit some beneficiaries of their home based care project.
This project actually kept me thinking? Why are networks entangling themselves in direct service? I though networks were suppose to be coordinating and providing institutional and programmatic support to its members? As well as focusing on critical advocacy issues? Anyway, here we were after about 30 minutes drive to this community in Maputo with a very small driveway that we quickly navigated in order to park the car. Well we really did not have a choice, there was no way we could have driven around all the points of call. It was such a long winding walk through the sandy community. We entered the first house and my first shock, there were about 7 elderly women sitting on mats in the compound of the house eating their lunch. Wondering what is cooking for lunch? Salad and bread, very healthy, no wonder at their age they look so strong. We enter the common room, I guess, and I and the interpreter were offered a chair, all others had to sit on a mat on the floor of the room. So now I got the catch, it is their culture, they sit on mats with one or both legs of women bent to the side, and with the legs of men bent in a kind of squatting position in front of them. Unfortunately, the beneficiary had passed away the week before leaving behind 4 children in the care of their grand auntie who pleaded passionately with us to help her support the children through school, meanwhile all the children are boys. This sets me thinking again, can the AWDF funds be used to support the care giver to support the children who are all boys? I need some clarifications from my Director of Programmes. Well, the network will not let me be, till we had visited three families, it can be emotionally tiring and the expectations of those visitors are raised so that one wonders how one can personally be of help. Well it was another eye opener. At about 3.30pm I get a view of the city of Maputo, It is a very nice city with good road networks and some good cars, a beautiful coast line and they use platoons as well to get to other parts of the city. A few noticeable issues are the number of cars that have detachable trailers (you can easily hire them for use) which carry their goods and the way they carry their babies in the man made traditional kangaroo pooches. The way the women tie their wrappers is also worth noting.
The next day saw me (and my translator of course) on a long ride (About 4 hours) to the city of Xai Xai (it is pronounce Shaishai). The ride to the district of Xai Xai in the Gaza Province was a smooth and awesome one. The scenery was simply breathtaking especially on entering the district of Xai Xai which has an amazing well developed beach, very good road networks, a lot of greeneries and fascinating developments. One cannot miss the presence of beach goers every where in the town and I had the privilege of staying in one of the lodges by the beach. The coast line is incredibly well developed with camp houses on stilts, cabins they are called l think, guest houses, hotels, restaurants, etc. Despite all these developments it is so obvious that great care had been taken to preserve the flora and fauna in the area. Later upon enquiry I was told that it was one of the conditions that go with being granted a license for development in the area. Maybe some of our cities and towns should learn a lesson or two from the city of Xai Xai. Another noticeable scene was the presence of families. A good number of the beach patrons were there with their families, another lesson to be learnt there. After a tour of the coast line which had considerable motor able roads I managed to have my dinner after some miss-communications had cost me some serious hard earned cash.
Monday is another day, an 8.30 am meeting with the Xai Xai Provincial Director of Women Affairs. Can you imagine? The provincial Director for Women’s Affairs was a man, (Well we have a similar case in our back door). A very pleasant man though who offered us the use of the District’s social centre for the convening without charge. The meeting with him went well and I proceed to the convening afterwards. Meeting community women can be so invigorating, clearly articulating their views, needs and solutions. Another great convening there raising issues of violence against women, HIV&AIDS and neglect by partners coupled with the perennial drought in that part of the country. Afterwards I visit a new grantee that has just been awarded a grant. ACTIVA is implementing a huge home based care project but appeared unprepared for our visit despite the fact that they were our key contacts to Mozambique. Come to think of it, this could have been as a result of communication problems.
Anyway we return to Maputo that night only for me to learn that my booking for my last night in Maputo has mysteriously disappeared on their system even though I had left my luggage in their storage and categorically asked for a reservation, but I had no papers to confirm this so had no case. The staff were however concerned enough to get me another hotel which was just excellent. I collected my luggage and headed for my new place of abode. The icing on the cake was, it was a very good hotel with very fast internet service in the rooms free of charge, just plug and surf. So here I sit at 12.00 midnight just hitting away at my lap top, I really do not want to sleep, such luxuries in the field is very rare you know. But as nature will have it I have to obey so this is to say bye and hope to link up again.
Ciao
Beatrice from Mozambique
(Acting Grants Manager)
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