Article 13 Initiative - Blog

Who knows how many blogs remain, but here sit Wojciech and I, printing newsletters for our big launch party with SHOFCO today.  Together with Cara’s Capacity Building and Sustainability class, we will celebrate the culmination of a long journey together, with songs, skits, soda, and fruit!

Yesterday, we (I hope) averted a crisis.  In the name of sustainability of our workshops and SHOFCO’s newsletter production, Wojciech and I assigned each member of the class a leadership position in one of six groups; typing, writing, editing, public speaking, layout, and photography.  Our intentions were well-meaning: to empower the group by identifying their strengths and using these to raise the rest of the team.  Unfortunately, we could not foresee that the division of individuals into departments might lead to some misunderstandings and thus conflict between what began as a united entity.  SHOFCO already has several departments: among them, information/communication, sanitation, sports, theatre, crafts, and women’s empowerment.  Therefore, we did not see how creating additional departments might cause conflict, and since much of what was causing disagreement was taking place in Kiswahili, it took us longer than expected to notice the problem.  That being said, once identified, we held an immediate conflict resolution session, using the Maasai blanket that I had bought as our talking stick (I spoke to them about Canadian indigenous culture and the wisdom and respect that is symbolized through this open and non-violent communication).  The discussion brought a lot of sore feelings out into the open, but I feel it also began to heal the wounds. 

SHOFCO’s strength is it’s community, and if I had felt that I had done anything to disrupt that, I would have a very hard time coming home feeling fulfilled.  Fortunately, Wojciech and I were assured by several members that our creation of teams did not lead to the problem, but rather that personal actions were the main cause of grievance.   David put it aptly when he said, “I’m afraid that we’ve grown old, but we haven’t grown up.”  Speaking in proverbs is a sign of wisdom here, and many lessons have been reinforced for me in this way.  Some of my favourites follow:

No man is an island.

Pride comes before a fall.

It takes months to build a house, but seconds for it to come crumbling down.

A good visitor knows when to leave.

You are not a failure until you blame others for your mistakes.

The only good reason for giving up is death.

Two kings cannot rule one empire.

A happy family is one who understands one another.

We are all not ok.  As soon as you think you are ok, that is when you start having problems.

Water that has been begged for doesn’t quench thirst.

A challenge to a wise man is like breakfast.

A toad does not appear in daylight for no reason.

Not until someone’s absence will you realize the importance of their presence.

Where there is smoke, there must also be fire.

If you refuse to be wise, you will be otherwise.

A problem shared is a problem half-solved.

Through the sharing of our problem, we have come to a happier place as a group, since as Eric said, we managed to catch is while it was still green. To continue our community-building, we played “Darling, if you love me, will you please please smile?” which got everyone laughing and the hilarity did wonders to ease the tensions. Erick Maiko was immensely amusing to watch, as if anyone even so much as approached him (forget about asking him the question!) he would scrunch up his face and start howling with laughter. The afternoon was light-hearted, and Wojciech received his ultimate lesson in cross-cultural communication; having watched John spill some of his drink on his lap, he said, “did you spill tea on your pants?” John gave him a look of utter confusion and so Wojciech self-corrected; “I mean, chai on your trousers?”

Last night we spent the evening in Kibera, where Kennedy graciously took care of us. We cooked together, talked, enjoyed the time spent that was non-workshop related, and made promises that our work together will continue. I think that our staying the night in Kibera broke down any last hint (if there was any such remaining) of concern or nervousness that we may have had. At one point, sometime in the middle of the night, we left Kennedy’s house to find the washroom, and I had a wonderful vantage point of Kibera in the moonlight. It is beautiful and peaceful. All through the night, I could hear murmurs of voices, soft music, the call to prayer, chanting going on for a funeral, dogs talking to each other, a baby’s whimper, and the heavy breathing of my two sleeping friends. Sometimes, in the most unlikely of places, all is right with the world.