Donor funding not always great

I hosted 10 countries (Botswana, Norway, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe) last week. It was a good network meeting, nurses in the SADC region sharing and exchanging ideas on issues complex to them as nurses' trade unions.

What this network meeting taught me,  is the power and danger of donor funding. It is quite sad that funders flaunt their money and use it to their advantage - poor nations must just get on with the program whether they like it or not. I learnt that when you are poor you do not set your own agenda. Others decide for you, you are told what to do, what is important for you and how it should be done. Funny part is, they're constantly reminded "  you can do things that suit your needs, change things around to suit your objectives" but when they actually try to do that, the donor doesn't allow it because of this and that.

It really saddens me to see Africa in the situation she is in. Will my continent ever  be truly free? Will it ever set its own agenda without any interference?

ALUTA CONTINUA.......

Breakfast meeting and some dose of inspiration

This morning I had to wake up at 05:00 AM so that I could be at my breakfast meeting by 06:30 AM. The breakfast meeting was at the Sheraton hotel hosted by the Rotary Club of Hatfield – my club. Today we didn’t really discuss any activity except for fellow Rotarian Gerrit who shared with us a project he is initiating, where an Index with information/centers that assist disabled individuals will be developed. This of course will assist people with disabilities find their way around, whether it is skills development, work opportunities, business opportunities etc. etc.  This is why I am in Rotary – being surrounded by inspiring people.

A young club member, Daniel, is going to Russia (only 18 people globally were chosen for Russia by Microsoft) and then wait for it… travel between Africa, Eastern Europe and the US for two years. This guy is an IT guru, he develops Apps *as they are called* for Microsoft. Another young club member, Tracy, she was in France for a month to explore business opportunities. I haven’t really had time the time to ask her about it but I can guess it was a fruitful trip. When I say young I mean less than 30 years. Inspired yet? I know I am.

With Daniel and Sune - at my induction last month.

It was a great night for me, I was inducted at the Cocktail dinner during the International Peace Forum at UNISA. Among the dignitaries present at my induction was UNISA Principal and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mandla Makhanya and he personally congratulated me. Yes I was flattered.

 

Why blog

So I figured, blogging works well when it comes to compiling information on one's life. I want to create a file on my life without really doing it. How so? by sharing my life on this blog. My dreams, hopes, successes, failures, happiest moments and sad moments.