So things here have been going pretty slow these past few weeks and I really haven't had much work for myself... hence the start of the trash project.
So.....I got to talking to one of my counterparts about money and honduran culture. I didn't realize that they spend $8000 lemps on a single support group meeting... that is about $430 dollars and is absolutly ridiculous to me. For one thing, they pay these peoples transport from their community to santa rosa, give them a snack, give them lunch, give them $ for dinner and then pay for their over night stay if it is necessary and to top it off give them $ for breakfast. Talk about over-kill....all those unneccessary expenses! I couldn't believe it. And now we are going to run out of money come november and there is no funding for the next year. My counterpart is all worried about the group and what will happen, but to me it is just an example of how un-sustainable this group really is.
For me and most of everyone else in development work the goal is sustainable development. To work and function so that if one day your organization was not there or there was a lack of funds that the whole world didn't come crashing down. I am currently working with another volunteer- Leah- from San Juan to write for some PEPFAR funds for the next 6 months of meetings so maybe we can have more meetings..... however i don't know what is going to happen because since the NGO started the habit of paying all this the people are all used to it and when we can no longer pay for it all I fear they aren't going to come to the meeting. The PC certainly isn't going to pay for all of that seeing as it is so unsustainable and I have personal issues with paying all that so I am not including it in the grant.
I think this is also a good thing for the group though... because it will show that those who are truly interested in the group will come to the meetings for their own personal good and not what they are getting out of it. We for people to come to SRC from all over.. san pedro, san marcos.. places really far away. Sure some are coming for the meeting and to get meds... but i also fear that some are just coming because it is a free trip to Santa Rosa and food (hell why not!) But hopefully we can get through this hiccup and be a stronger group because of it.
This custom of paying for everything is completely out of hand! Every meeting you go to has a snack and lunch provided and people only go cuz they are getting fed and they won't show up if you aren't providing food. It drives me crazy at how much $ is wasted on silly little things like that when the $ could be spent in such a better way. I think the people here really just need a lesson on better management of funds... not just the people I am working with but everyone!
I have no idea how to approach this topic with my work partners.... the wasting of $ and the fact that we don't need to be spending so much money on the events we do. Dios mio... hopefully I can talk to some volunteers and get suggestions because if this keeps up we are not going to have $ for anything. I wonder if their funders have any idea how all this $ is being spent... because if they did I am sure they wouldn't fund them nearly as much as they do.
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2 comments:
Hello Sis, Sounds like you have your hands full with trying to some sense knocked in them about money spending. Your are right if the people of Honduras want to learn how to live a better life, they would show up even if they did not get money for this and that and food. All you can do is try to make the best of what you have to work with. I know you can do it. At work we just brought in a HS grad that is going to OSU for biology and not sure what she wants to do with it. I brought to her attention what you have done with Ecuadore what you are doing. I let her read your blog and she found it interesting. You might have inspired someone. I love you very much and miss you. Your Sis.
Tell them girl!
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