Making Progress

Things moving along quite well. Got the gamechangers proposal in today. Finally got on the internet. 3 hours to do 30 mins worth of work.. So we just decided to put it in and role with it.

Otherwise, we have been doing a lot of opportunity hunting. Yesterday we went to an old war-time looted jam factory. we will be looking into the viability of getting it up and running again.. Not holding breath!! Then today was about bricks and building materials, sounder footing as reconstruction requires construction, requires materials.

Othewrwise, local custom scenario is going well, but food has bothered stomach last couple days. Got a little frustrated at speed of movement today, but think it was more of a spillover from connectivity issues and trying - and not succeeding - to be connected with friend/architect. Then some other issues involving land rights that seemed concrete as well.

But anyway, moving forward. My idea for a corporate structure based on for-profit efficiency and not for profit revenue usage for the biz and community benefit are going over well. Most people talking investment are looking at profit for their pockets, not jobs and local development.

otherwise, all is good, i should start walking Thursday, with a head start Wednesday.. Let the adventure begin...

Oh, yes, and i should have you all know that i killed my first mosquito today. I know i know, i don't kill anything... Except for usage (such as food) for self defense.. Mosquitos here kill. :-/ but i did at least not take it lightly... obviously still thinking about it!!

Gamechangers Extended Deadline

So I must say that this is lucky for us.  I have not heard back from Kaps yet regarding the costing or the areas of emphasis that he would want to put into the proposal.  They are of course in the beginning of their school year there and I'm sure he is quite busy - not to mention with sporadic internet access. 

The deadline has now been extended to October 31st.  This is actually fabulous for us as for two reasons.  One I will be able to go to Makeni, see the specific site where the project will be, and go through a proper planning/proposal process.  It also fits well into my initial itinerary.  I can spend a couple days in Freetown, then walk to Makeni.  This should put me there around the 25th.  We'll have a few days to work on the project and then get it submitted properly.  The second thing is that the two days before I leave there is a conference in NYC put on by Architecture for Humanity (the co-sponsor of gamechangers) that I will be attending.  Therefore, I will be able to do some networking with decision makers as well as benchmarking with others in the field.  It can only make the project's planning, proposal, and chances of success that much better.  Big development, and well received...

Changing the game

So yesterday I finally got my part of things back to Kaps regarding the Gamechangers proposal. Its been a bit tricky with visas, vaccines, and car accidents.  I went through the other proposals and the requirements and pulled out the relevant concepts that we need to discuss in our proposal, and sent this to Kaps.  It was also accompanied by a checklist that we'll need to hit on, a really bad sketch of the facility concept so he would have an idea of what I meant, and then the proposal itself (one blank, and one with my thoughts in it).  The big thing that we will need is a very rough costing for it and his organization's information as they would be the key applicant.  The rest can go from there.  Not much left to do.

No jokes please...  ;)

I also wanted to take the time right now to discuss what exactly this project means, and why to do it.  Many people may be looking at this and saying, "why build a track in Sierra Leone, don't they have more pressing needs?"  When we look at things through our eyes, in industrialized society, we think of sports as "fun and games".  But sometimes we lose sight of what sport can be in terms of a tool for bettering the community.  Of course a lot of people have heard of the rationale that sports will keep kids off the streets and focused, but it is still easy to lose site of this.  This concept however is a huge part of this project's appeal.  But that is not the only part.
















In less developed countries such as Sierra Leone there are completely different concepts of many different aspects of life - sanitation, hygiene, personal dedication, motivation, goal setting, etc.  The education system there is entirely lacking, and many children need to work instead of going to school.  An athletics facility and program can go a long way towards providing a FUN way for children to learn many aspects of life. This facility can do many things:

• Teach goal setting
• Teach "hard work"
• Teach a regimental approach to goals through specified and disciplined training programs.
• Provide rewarding outcomes to generate self-esteem
• Teach teamwork through relay activities and other team sports on the main field.
• Promote avenues for both boys and girls, children larger or smaller, faster or stronger.  
• Teach basic hygiene through shower and changing facilities (rare in the area)
• Promote healthy lifestyles
• Provide a sports/recreational facility for local schools
• Offer clubs for local youth and adults
• To give people something to do...

The bottom line is that there are virtually no opportunities for young people in the area.  A facility and club environment like this - through sport - can teach a great deal of things about how to find success in life.  Sports are a tremendous teaching method.  They are fun. Sitting in a classroom is not generally fun for a kid, running around tends to be more so...

Team work, a little self-esteem... from a developing country.

So no this is not a leisure enterprise or a fun thing to do.  This is a specific and well intentioned project to help develop an area of the third poorest country in the world, that has very specific and well documented intents, and is based on a major reason why I am what I am today.  I was a undiagnosed dyslexic who couldn't really read even into the second grade.  But despite continual educational struggles, my athletic abilities gave me a personal source of confidence that allowed my other capabilities to find themselves.  Now I have a masters degree, have dabbled with doctoral studies, and have had success in the business world.  I never would have gotten anywhere without athletics nudging me out the door.  I assure you, I am not alone or special in any way, I just had the right opportunities and support.  Just as we would like to provide for these children. 

Sure, I know, some people think that efforts and money could be used in "better" ways.  As an academic minded person trying to map out the most ideal pathway to development in a place like Sierra Leone, can empathize with this line of thought.  An athletics facility would not be my first academic thought for developing "the community" there given its dire lack of general education and jobs.  But the bottom line is that if the funding is out there, if Nike and Architecture for Humanity want to put up some money for the project, I see no reason not to go for it...   

Another Day

(This post was written on Thursday the 23^rd).

Malaria in Africa

Got the rest of my vaccinations done. Second time around for Hepatitis A/B, and then Yellow Fever and Typhoid. Simple as can be, except of course again for the nurse's complete and total disbelief in my view on Malaria. Wait!! You mean drugs aren't always the greatest thing ever?!!? Nope, I am not going to knock down my immune system with chemicals and synthetics just so that I don't get a disease that the drug doesn't even really completely negate. Oh, yeah and then there's the side effects as well... Bottom line, if I don't take drugs, pills, antibiotics, or anything else of the sort because they always bother me or make me sick, then why on earth would I start doing so on this trip!?!? Logic to me, but not to a lot of western medicinal practitioners. I will be eating well, getting exercise, doing chi gung an other preventative energy/medical exercises, trying to get decent sleep, and working to minimize stresses. This is the best way of PREVENTING disease and fighting it off if it does come to you in my opinion.  I usually get sick when I start listening to what other people think is best an stop listening to my own body... Plus I have insurance for an emergency.  If I do get sick, which I figure may very well happen, then I will be covered.

Malaria in the world

Ok, so enough preaching!! Vaccinations went well, a decent amount of soreness, but otherwise all good.  Then it was on to the Gamechangers proposal and getting my visa situation set up. I also got a good “putting in my place” by my stepfather. You know one of those conversations where you've been going, going, and going, and some one just sort of verbally slaps you back to reality? I needed to hear it. I'd been trying to do way to much, and needed to let some things go and focus on the things that were directly important to what I had going on right here and now for this trip/project. Many thanks...

As for the Gamechangers proposal, I have been through a number of other proposals and have a pretty good feel for what they are trying to do. I have pulled out key points that we will need to address in our proposal and the project itself. I will send these points to Kaps for his evaluation on what they think could be done there, and how best to structure the project. Lots of work to be done, but not so much that it is insurmountable. Two weeks, and all we really need is the theoretical side of the project for the proposal. So I'll finish up a report on it with some key points worth hitting on for the proposal and we will go from there.

Off and Running!!!

So on Friday I got an email from Kaps in response to my questions regarding the athletics/track facility for Sierra Leone.  This is a really busy time of year for them as school is starting so it is greatly appreciated!!  They're doing good work down there...  :)

His answers really put the project into perspective and were exciting!!  They have land to build on.  They had to pay a small amount for it so the family there could live, but they have it... and they sent pictures (check them out below).  This just made it all real for me.  I must admit that through my whole upbringing and a lifetime of learning, you can't help but hear apologetic rumors of ineffectiveness in regards to Africa.  I always think of them as ways to make 'us' feel like there is little we can do - things said or read in countless academic and journalistic articles claiming Africans say and promise all sorts of things that they can't deliver..  things said that make it easier for 'us' to ignore things the less fortunate.  I try SO hard not to listen, in fact make it a point to ignore them.  But even within me there was a part deep inside of me wouldn't let go and allow myself to get too excited about the possibilities here without more concrete information.  Once I saw the pics, it became real.  I knew that not having property was an automatic disqualifier.  But we do!!  So time to get off and running!!

Just picture it.. leveled off, a smooth dirt track running around it..

So here is the information that Kaps passed on to me:

• There are small playgrounds in the Makeni area where kids can play football/soccer, and there are three "mini-fields" for sporting events which are owned by Catholics (I am not sure the relevance of this ownership statement yet though, as nothing more was said, but it may be that it is tough for non-Catholics to use, we'll see)
• There are Physical Education teachers with the ability to train people in athletics, but there is no encouragement, no precedence for kids to see success through, and not facilities to impress with.
• They started a girls sport team and got many people to come out, but funding was a problem, and the government does not have much to offer in terms of support. 
• All of the clubs are part of schools and they are not for sports, only entertainment, etc, and over once school is finishes. There are not usually costs associated with these clubs.
• He says Child Help has the personnel to do this project but they are not really equipped to build a facility like this due to not being "financially equipped".
• Kaps believes that they could hire the expertise for designing such a facility (this also could be assisted by Gamechangers if I have read their guidelines properly.)
• His answer regarding the track surface was all about cost, lets do whatever we can at low cost and do the best job possible to be sustainable in inclement weather (Gamechangers may be able to help).
• And finally, they feel they could put together this plan even given this short time frame.  

...a small set of bleachers on the far side between the trees...

Given Kaps' response, I started looking further at the Gamechangers funding guidelines and also pulled out some other proposals that had been submitted.  I haven't gotten too far into the other proposals, but I sketched in the basics for the proposal.  They ask for:

• A Projeect Description to start with that should be 300 words or less.
• A total project cost
• They also allow space for a project video
• They want to know about the organization, a description of it (Child Help SL), and their website (300 words).
• Information about the project location right  down to latitude and longitude.
• Contact info for the organization.
• Project information such as the location/neighborhood and details of it (150 words)
• They then ask three very key questions, yes or no:
• "do facilities need to be constructed or upgraded at the project site?", if yes, then how (150 words)
• "Does the project require further architectural/design assistance?" How? (150 words). 
• and "Would this project benefit from the assistance of construction professionals?" How? (150 words)?

...competitors getting ready for their race...  ;)

That's all they wanted, short and to the point, with very little space for details.  This is a very good thing that lends well to our situation.  These last three questions are key, basically given that one of the two main entities sponsoring this project is Architecture for Humanity (who deal with building and design of sustainable structures) these questions could be seen as a way of asking if you need help with the design.  Given the types of organizations that are applying for these grants (they stipulate that only non-profits from within the specific country can apply - no foreign firms) they must understand that many of these organizations will not have very good access to the latest design and building practices/professionals.  This, to me, in addition to the brevity of the proposal they require means that they are not expecting completely finished project plans that are ready to be built.  It would seem that they are expecting, or at least anticipating some interest, in additional help from them to finalize a project.  This is exactly what we need.  They want a local organization to have an idea and organizational infrastructure put together so that a project like this could be done.  Then they can come in and assist in making the project happen both financially and practically.  Sounds good to me. 

There are quite a few other proposals from all over the world there though and for many different types of things.  It was always a long shot, but I will be very happy to put together a proposal for this and submit it.  At minimum it is the foundation for a project like this that could either stay as is with other funding or add additional components to garner more financial attention.  There is still a great deal of work to be done, this post just addresses Kaps' thoughts and the funding proposal guidelines.  Next time I will get into "what they are looking for" and what other proposals are trying to do to address Gamechangers' needs.  They leave you such little space though that the proposal will have to be exact and succinctly address the social wants, the competition, and our capabilities all in one little space... ;)  It is due October 6th.   

 

Chilling... but productive

So I decided to spend the night outside in the hammock last night.  What I was thinking I am not sure.  The temperature was 50F (10C) when I went out there at about midnight.  After jostling around trying to get it all situated I pretty much wide awake so it took a while to get to sleep.  I slept pretty soundly until about 3am when I woke up and was freezing.  I had taken a down comforter that was a possibility to go with me to SL, and had clothes on, but it just wasn't enough.  Once I got inside I realized it was 46F (8C) out, the coldest it apparently ever gets in Sierra Leone is about 60F (15.5C) at night.  Not the best test environment, but what choice do I have?

Anyway, I learned a few things.  Sleeping in a hammock is not difficult, but sleeping in something in a hammock is a different story.  Everything slouches down towards the middle.  So you end up with your feet and head sticking out of whatever your in.  Not a bad thing if it isn't too cold.  Sleeping bags come back to mind as you can just simply get in them before you even get in to the hammock and your in!  But who wants to be in a sleeping bag rated for 40F (4.5C) when its 80F (26.5C) outside when you get in it?  This sleeping scenario seems so simple... but it is HAUNTING ME!!!  lol..  ;)

How can I sleep?!?

Changing more than the game

So we are making progress with the concept of building an athletics (track) program in northern Sierra Leone.  Since my original post on it I've sent some questions to Kaps, and a lot has transpired.  An email was quickly sent from Stefan (who I cced), and as it turns out, most of what he has been doing over the last two years has been writing proposals for this type of work.  He also seems to know his way around funding circles in Germany which could certainly benefit any proposal.  The addition of multiple possible funding sources could broaden the scope of any project.  Building a track can be expensive, and an all-weather surface would be ideal in a country where they get as much as 580 cm (230 in) of rain a year in some places and averages 315 cm (125 in).  The possibility could exist that for much of the rainy season the facility might basically be unusable without the right surface.  More funding could make all-weather a more viable option (though still unlikely).

The first thing to discuss really though should be the email that Kaps sent me.  He was very positive on the idea and is going to work on the questions I asked about.  He also recommended that we do it in Mathinka community as there are no sports facilities there, and the government is not willing to sponsor any either.  He also said that in the whole of the northern province there is really no "standard sporting field" even though there are plenty of "young stars" that would be interested.

Bombali District, Northern Province

I unfortunately can't find Mathinka on a map for the Northern Provinces though.  I did find a quote that located it in the Bombali district that said it was a village.  However, I also saw that Child Help already has a project there and the map label related to Child Help's project (not on their website) that shows it as being right next to Freetown.  There is a town named Matinka (without the "h") just north of Port Loko, but while in the Northern Province, this is not in Bombali and not near Child Help's possible project site.   So I can not be certain at all where or what size this place is.

The location and the relative size of the location would be of importance to the planning of a project.  Obviously if it does not have much reach in terms of population then a cinder track would be of best use.  If this community is however an area within the city of Makena (100,000 pop) then it would certainly be well worth looking to get a facility that can handle more children and young adults.  I don't know if this makes sense, but building a track facility can be very simple just as it can be very complicated.  With a flat area, several volunteers could go out and cordon off a track area and distances, put up a fence and bleachers, and start running.  At the same time the project could also be a professional facility with an all weather surface.  With the more complex and expansive the facility though, the more 'capital' it takes to build - and I am not just talking about financial, but negotiating, political, good-will, entrepreneurial capital, etc.  If you work really hard to build a great track facility in a village of 5000 people, it is great for those people living there, but you are not getting a good cost-benefit scenario for your effort and/or dollar/euro.  The next time you try to build a facility, perhaps in a more populated location, you may end up with less help and/or money due to donor fatigue or lack of continued interest.  Capital is unfortunately not infinite thus efficiency must be thought of.      

But we shall see, if Child Help already has a project in this community, they must have a good understanding of the area itself.  I just hope that it is a place that would benefit the most amount of children for the cost.

On the whole though, this is a great turn of events as I see it.  I'd love to help them put together a proposal, and with Stefan in Germany as well, it really broadens our capabilities and possibilities.  So we shall see what Kaps comes back with regarding those questions.  I am going to send him another round of them now as well in an effort to address some of the concerns raised here.

Alterations...??

Should the path of some of the trip be altered?  I know that most everyone reading this regularly will think of it as a good idea.  My original plan has been to pretty much step off the plane, spend maybe a week in Freetown, and then head off on my trek about the countryside.  Given a wealth of advice that I have been receiving from many people, Kaps' genuine insistence on taking care of me, and the project that he and I have been discussing, I have been more readily contemplating the possibly spending as much as the first month settling in, working on the local language, and getting to the point where I would be better prepared to go on my trek.

Today...

So I've sent off a good introductory email to Kaps about the gamechangers idea and copied Stefan Ernst from Germany.  Stefan has been to visit Child Help and may be able to give some perspective on capacities there.  We'll see what feedback comes of it.  Lots of questions at this point...

I've gotten my Hammock now as well.  But I'm in Rhode Island and don't have two trees that work here in the back yard!!  doh!!  gotta travel...  But I'm headed to REI today.  They have a big sale and well... I need sales!!!  So planning on both purchasing things and populating my registry with the rest.  But there may be some financial scenarios to help with things, we shall see...  Ok, I'm off to shop!! Yuck.

Opportunities and Considerations

So a while ago, my chief sustainable living and building advisor (my cousin Rachel) sent me a project funding notification that had come across her desk at Solar Energy International (SEI).  It was a really good concept and one that would certainly work well with my experience: "Gamechangers".  It is a sports micro-venture fund jointly sponsored by Architecture for Humanity and Nike which is "seeking proposals for the final round of funding to support the construction of sports facilities offering programs that tackle social issues in the community."  They have $500,000 of money to be allocated in $25,000 and smaller allotments, for projects that should address one or more of the following key areas:

• Improved access to opportunities to participate in sport
• Removal of physical, economic, social and gender barriers to participation in sport
• Improved social cohesion
• Improved physical activity
• Provides innovative alternatives to play spaces for communities that lack resources
• Positively affects the environment or reduces negative environmental impact of sport-related initiatives
• Generates opportunities for social and economic empowerment