On to week 2 ! (Wiki mbili?)

Nothing much to tell right now! 

The meeting with the GET team went well on Saturday - we planned out who would go to which NGOs for the needs assessment on which days, in which pairs, for the next 3 and a half weekends.  We were going to try and get it all done this week, but because the people who work in the NGOs that have partnered with ZANGOC (an umbrella organization), also have full-time jobs in addition to working for their NGO, so they are not reachable during most days.  

That leaves nights and weekends.

Nights are not ideal, so we went with weekends.  Two groups of two people will go out each Saturday and Sunday this month and visit two NGOs each - we will also use Saturday, June 2.  Meanwhile, I will gather up results and write a preliminary document.  Hopefully we will have time to conduct a validation and findings meeting with these NGOs, but I will be crunched for time that last week, so I may not be able to get it done.  If that is the case, the next Innovator, Ben, or the next Ambassadors to come in (that's what I was last year), can read my report and hold a dissemination meeting.  It's more of a curtesy to present what we found then anything else - but because the needs assessment questionnaire is pretty easy for me to translate and then collect the results as we go, the report can be written in the meantime, with the last session just being an add-in or confirmation.  

Because we have had to spread out the needs assessment, this means we can move up the women's leadership training.  I have to meet with some of the GET members, hopefully this week, to confirm this and get the ball rolling, but it makes more sense to do this.  Leave this week for planning (which I've started to do), and next week, and then start holding sessions the week after.

This weekend was a breather more then anything.  The three days of travel, and then right into work and meeting people had finally caught up with me and I was tired - I slept in both days, which is something I do not usually do - and just hung out.  Other then the meeting on Saturday, I did not do much of anything.  I was colouring with Ishaka, Neema, and Aisha for a bit on Sunday, and Mama painted my fingernails in henna, along with a little design on my hand.  She owns a Salooni (salon - hair, nails, etc) just three spots down from our house.  Painting finger and toe nails in henna is something that most women do here instead of nailpolish. They also paint the henna around your finger nails, so from after it looks like your nails are longer I guess, but it sort of looks silly on the white girl that I am.  But I like the henna on my actual fingernails.  I guess the last Innovator in Zanzibar (March, I think), stayed in my homestay as well and Mama painted piko (black henna, it's substance is a little different) on her hands, arms, and feet.  It didn't go so well.  It started to swell and get itchy - she had to go to the hospital and get injections for the reaction - she vowed to have no henna after that!  Poor girl!  But so far, so good for me (plus I've had henna and piko before, phew).

This week is mostly planning and getting some stuff ready for the first needs assessment this weekend.  The GET members doing the needs assessment have a meeting on Thursday at 4, and Cheryl (country project manager for YCI) is coming to Zanzibar Thursday to meet with me, and Ben, see how things are going.  Last year she arrived and starting working just before my group arrived - I haven't seen her yet since she was on holidays when I arrived last week.  

Other then that, I'm just at the YCI office in the mornings, and hanging around ZANGOC in the afternoon.  And hydrating adequately!! 

View from a restaurant/cafe Ben and I went to for some wireless internet Friday

Morning jolt of AfriCafe!

Lots of love from Tan.zan.ee.ah!

J