Africa - January, 2015 (Day 6)

January 16, 2015

This turned out to be a busy and long day made more difficult by my having awakened at 4:30 a.m. and been unable to get back to sleep.  Most frustrating.

All 10 of us volunteers went to the GUW office where we then divided into two groups.  One went to Ngaio Ber to paint the interior of two houses along with the homeowners and group volunteers and one which was devoted to working with several groups on the grinders, developed by Compatible Technologies Inc. (CTI) in St. Paul.  Four years ago we had delivered one, and two years ago delivered a second, newer, model to two different groups.  We wanted to see how those were working and talk about the three new ones we had brought with us.  Not being a painter and having been involved in grinder meetings in both of my previous visits, I elected to join that group.

In order to do the demonstration some hardware was necessary which required driving into town and going to two different stores in different parts of Tororo.  While we didn’t shop at the store pictured, we parked in front of it, and I was intrigued by the name.

Our first visit was to a combination of the Katonda Mberra and Diochuny groups.  These groups required a formal meeting in which introductions of everyone had to be made as well as speeches from the chairperson of each group, the GUW business specialist, and Jennifer and David, in charge of grinders on this trip.  Because of the delay in searching for hardware (oh, for an Ace Hardware or Menard’s), we were late in arriving and only became more so as the formalities went on. 

Although I had not attended the grinder training in this location two years ago, I had heard that it went well and that the groups were enthusiastic about the possibilities.  However, when David and Jennifer examined the grinder we left two years ago, it was apparent it was largely unused.  When the groups were pushed for an explanation, it appeared two things had happened.  First, they did not produce the table on which the grinder needed to be affixed to work properly and which they had said they could handle, and second, they did not remember exactly how it worked.

David and Jennifer had devised a technique for affixing the grinder to a board which could then be clamped to a table or, in this case, a chair.  When this was done and the grinder demonstrated,  both groups were excited and wanted a second one so each group would have control of its own equipment.  Since we had brought three new ones, that was something that could be done. 

While this was going on, Mary, another volunteer member of our group, was entertaining children who inevitably gather around when muzungas (white people) appear in their area.

  

By the time we left Katonda Mbeera and Dio Chuny it was 1 p.m.  We were supposed to have started the meeting with the Dio Ichi at noon so we were already well behind schedule.  This group was given a grinder four years ago so it is the older model, bigger and heavier.  In 2011 they had promptly affixed the grinder to a table and, as reported in 2013, used it constantly – mostly for grinding of grains for home use.  Something had happened between Jan., 2013, and now to create problems/decrease its use.  The complaint was that it was extremely difficult to move the handle, meaning that a tremendous amount of energy was required to grind millet as finely as they wanted to.  Jennifer tried it out and agreed that it was extremely difficult to turn the handle.

I don’t know if perhaps a part is malfunctioning; Dave thought there might be a loose part.  In any event they are not using the grinder anywhere near as much as they did in the first two years.  One of the newer models might be better, but this is the group which has not repaid loans from GUW so at this point is ineligible for new programs.  We left shortly after 1:30 and returned to the office for lunch, finishing that and leaving the office at 2:30.

Two meetings had been added to the initial schedule since two groups in discussing business development earlier had expressed interest in using the grinder for commercial purposes.  One of the meetings was for 2 p.m., one for 4 p.m.  Although already late for the first meeting, it was decided that we needed to order tables to be constructed for all four of the new grinders in order to have them work correctly.  The search for someone to build the tables to David’s design took awhile – and seemed longer in the heat and sunshine.  Finally a deal was struck, and we headed for the Umbrella Group, arriving at 4 for a 2 p.m. meeting.  This group would like to produce peanut butter for sale.

Unlike the other groups involved with the grinders, interested folk in this group were primarily male – although the chair of the group is a woman, and she was the leader in learning about the grinder operation.  They made peanut butter and seemed delighted with the product, passing the bowl amongst the group for taste tests.  Christine, the GUW Business Development specialist, definitely enjoyed it.

I expected that when clean-up needed to be done, the men who had been grinding would “let” a woman do that work.  I was wrong.  The men did all the washing and clean-up of the machine to test grinding grains.

By the time we reached the place to meet with the Makimuth group, we were two hours late.  I was ready to call it a day, but Jennifer noted that one member was standing there with his peanuts and coffee to test the grinder and felt that we should go ahead with the demonstration.  I was too worn out to even get out of the van (the sun and head had done me in), but Jennifer and Dave began the demonstration.  Several other community members came up while they were testing.  There was great enthusiasm, and it was determined Makimuth should get the last of the three grinders we brought.  They, as the other groups, were promised delivery of the tables and grinders on Monday.

At 6:40 we headed back to the hotel.  It had been a LONG day.  But we were rewarded with a lovely sunset.

We returned to the hotel to find there was no electricity.  The generator was sufficient to cook food for the restaurant, but the building was dark.  The four of us decided to eat outside on the patio – in the dark.  The waitress brought a light strip, we drank some wine, and all was well.  Just as we were finishing our meal, the electricity came on so we returned to our rooms.

Lea Anne was gone on her overnight staying with a community member in her home for the night so I had the room to myself for quiet and relaxation – which I needed after the somewhat frenetic day.  Always being behind schedule is wearing, and the heat and sun had gotten to me.