I had a good time in Nairobi visiting the national archives, national museum, and various other tourist sites. It's quite an easy place to get around on foot but you do get approached by all sorts of people. In the evening I met up with a another volunteer who was teaching in a Masai village in some remote place in the bush. It was then an early night before a whole day's travelling on Saturday. Got back last night pretty exhausted but full of great memories from the past three weeks.
Suranya Wo!
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Back in Nairobi
My meeting with the trustees (chairman, vice chair and treasurer) was very constructive and they were keen to take forward my recommendations. I later had my last supper at the Wafula household before sadly saying good bye to Jack, Peter, Jackline and Joseph at the coach station this morning. It has been a great 3 weeks. Jack, Everlyn, Peter and all the boys have been most welcoming at the house,keeping me fed, providing transport and showing me some of Western Kenya. Thank you.
I have just spent 9 hours in a coach and am pretty exhausted from the journey. It was a bumpy ride on the way and very slow coming into Nairobi. Now off on a search for Nyama Choma.
I have just spent 9 hours in a coach and am pretty exhausted from the journey. It was a bumpy ride on the way and very slow coming into Nairobi. Now off on a search for Nyama Choma.
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Last day in Kitale
It's my last day in Kitale and I shall be sad to go. I have had a preliminary meeting with the Programme Director to discuss my findings and a further meeting with some of the trustees this afternoon.
It's gone so quickly but I feel a lot has been achieved in the short time I have been here - management letter, draft business plan, risk mangement framework, funding strategy, standardised reports that should be submitted to the Board of Trustees, provided advice on the day to day and monthly financial procedures and controls, and any other ad hoc requests.
I am catching a coach tomorrow to Nairobi to spend a couple of days exploring the city before I return to the UK.
It's gone so quickly but I feel a lot has been achieved in the short time I have been here - management letter, draft business plan, risk mangement framework, funding strategy, standardised reports that should be submitted to the Board of Trustees, provided advice on the day to day and monthly financial procedures and controls, and any other ad hoc requests.
I am catching a coach tomorrow to Nairobi to spend a couple of days exploring the city before I return to the UK.
A bit more about SMART....
For those who want a bit more information about SMART and what it does more specifically I have tried to summarise its operations below.
The SMART initiative is committed to discover, live and communicate what is needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the district’s communities and global living system through appropriate agricultural resource technologies utilization.This covers the following:
• To train community groups in sustainable intensive agricultural methods
• Establish demo plots on effective methods of soil conservation and soil fertility management
• Train farmers in small business management and skills on collective marketing for their produce
• Encourage crop diversity to meet both food security and income needs
• Introduce and promote locally high yielding dry land drought resistant crop
The training also covers group dynamics where farmer groups are taught about team work and participation; value addition - examples include making chapatis out of millet and wheat flour, chapatis from pumpkin and wheat flour, and making candles from bee keeping; micro finance - basic skills of managing funds which will provide a platform for any future micro finance obtained.
The SMART initiative is committed to discover, live and communicate what is needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the district’s communities and global living system through appropriate agricultural resource technologies utilization.This covers the following:
• To train community groups in sustainable intensive agricultural methods
• Establish demo plots on effective methods of soil conservation and soil fertility management
• Train farmers in small business management and skills on collective marketing for their produce
• Encourage crop diversity to meet both food security and income needs
• Introduce and promote locally high yielding dry land drought resistant crop
The training also covers group dynamics where farmer groups are taught about team work and participation; value addition - examples include making chapatis out of millet and wheat flour, chapatis from pumpkin and wheat flour, and making candles from bee keeping; micro finance - basic skills of managing funds which will provide a platform for any future micro finance obtained.
Monday, 6 September 2010
Weekend Wanderings
It’s been another good weekend in and around Kitale. We went to Jack’s uncle’s game sanctuary on Saturday about an hour’s drive away towards Mount Elgon and the Ugandan border. The road was quite challenging in parts but it was worth the trip out. It’s a beautiful place, an oasis in the Kenyan bush. You can also camp in your own tent, rent a pre-erected tent or stay in one of the bandas or spacious bungalows situated in the grounds. I would definitely recommend it to anyone coming up to Kitale and using it as a base to explore this part of Kenya. The grounds are beautifully kept with lush grass and bordering shrubbery.
We put on our boots and were led out to the game sanctuary on the other side of the campsite. Our first stop was to see Mike and Selina, the two rhinos wallowing in a mud bath in the afternoon heat. We were led past the electric fence and into the field where the rhinos were lying – I wasn’t so sure to begin with as we approached ever closer to the rhinos but was assured that they were quite friendly. We got to within 20 metres or soand was pretty special to see them so close up. However, as the rhinos got up from their mud bath we retreated to the perimeter fence and had a chance to get really close and give them a friendly pat.
Our next stop was to see the zebras, elands and gazelles in the adjacent field. We managed to get reasonably close to a group of gazelles and watch them run and jump through the long grass. The zebras were being a bit more elusive while we got a good sighting of the two elands – one of them was called John.
We were then taken to the “ostrich ring” where you have the chance of riding an ostrich. As we got close I saw two of them prancing around this ring about 5 metres in diameter. One of them had a saddle attached to its back and it was this one that was meant to be our ride. Unfortunately, he was new to the game (the usual and more tame ostrich had called in sick) and was not really keen on taking part, so it decided to sit on the ground in protest. He was a bit jumpy in any case so the ride would have been interesting.
Instead we mounted horses and took a ride around the grounds and passed by the field where Tom the giraffe had made his home - he came over to say hello as we rode by.
After our ride we were then shown the sustainable vegetable garden that supplied those staying at the game sanctury. We were told how they grew certain crops next to each other to ward of insects such as aphids – onions were always a good bet in these situations. She also explained that they planted Kales next to flowering plants – the latter attracted ladybirds, which would in turn lunch on the aphids,who in turn were more partial to the Kales. Fascinating stuff.
All this talk of food was making me hungry and by late afternoon we sat down for a delicious chicken stew with rice, kales and chapattis. The restaurant and seating area were on an elevated wooden platform, a bit like being in a tree house, where you could look out through wire meshing on either side. If you were lucky you could see Tom. After lunch we had a few games of pool and then said our goodbyes to the staff before heading back to Kitale.
Sunday was a nice relaxing day back at Jack’s house. The weather had been really kind to us over the weekend with the sun out most of the time compared to the frequent downpours we had had during the week. There is a nice seating area in the outside yard where you can eat breakfast while soaking up the early rays and pass the morning talking to the boys or catching up on a bit of reading.
In the evening we had an excellent barbecue – goat nyama choma (the last bit means roast meat in Swahili). Apparently the best bit of goat to roast are the ribs and they were delicious - expertly cooked by Kesito and Paul. We sat out talking until late before turning in for the new week ahead.
We put on our boots and were led out to the game sanctuary on the other side of the campsite. Our first stop was to see Mike and Selina, the two rhinos wallowing in a mud bath in the afternoon heat. We were led past the electric fence and into the field where the rhinos were lying – I wasn’t so sure to begin with as we approached ever closer to the rhinos but was assured that they were quite friendly. We got to within 20 metres or soand was pretty special to see them so close up. However, as the rhinos got up from their mud bath we retreated to the perimeter fence and had a chance to get really close and give them a friendly pat.
Our next stop was to see the zebras, elands and gazelles in the adjacent field. We managed to get reasonably close to a group of gazelles and watch them run and jump through the long grass. The zebras were being a bit more elusive while we got a good sighting of the two elands – one of them was called John.
We were then taken to the “ostrich ring” where you have the chance of riding an ostrich. As we got close I saw two of them prancing around this ring about 5 metres in diameter. One of them had a saddle attached to its back and it was this one that was meant to be our ride. Unfortunately, he was new to the game (the usual and more tame ostrich had called in sick) and was not really keen on taking part, so it decided to sit on the ground in protest. He was a bit jumpy in any case so the ride would have been interesting.
Instead we mounted horses and took a ride around the grounds and passed by the field where Tom the giraffe had made his home - he came over to say hello as we rode by.
After our ride we were then shown the sustainable vegetable garden that supplied those staying at the game sanctury. We were told how they grew certain crops next to each other to ward of insects such as aphids – onions were always a good bet in these situations. She also explained that they planted Kales next to flowering plants – the latter attracted ladybirds, which would in turn lunch on the aphids,who in turn were more partial to the Kales. Fascinating stuff.
All this talk of food was making me hungry and by late afternoon we sat down for a delicious chicken stew with rice, kales and chapattis. The restaurant and seating area were on an elevated wooden platform, a bit like being in a tree house, where you could look out through wire meshing on either side. If you were lucky you could see Tom. After lunch we had a few games of pool and then said our goodbyes to the staff before heading back to Kitale.
Sunday was a nice relaxing day back at Jack’s house. The weather had been really kind to us over the weekend with the sun out most of the time compared to the frequent downpours we had had during the week. There is a nice seating area in the outside yard where you can eat breakfast while soaking up the early rays and pass the morning talking to the boys or catching up on a bit of reading.
In the evening we had an excellent barbecue – goat nyama choma (the last bit means roast meat in Swahili). Apparently the best bit of goat to roast are the ribs and they were delicious - expertly cooked by Kesito and Paul. We sat out talking until late before turning in for the new week ahead.
Thursday, 2 September 2010
A Day at the Office
Now I have been here a week I can give you a quick overview of my day at work.
I get up around 7am for the usual morning routine before sitting down for breakfast. This varies and can range from boiled potatoes, boiled cassava, boiled green bananas, boiled arrow root with sesame seeds and roasted ground nuts, thick pancakes the size of your palm, boiled eggs, and bread which are all accompanied by a mug of chai. I’ve also managed to sneak in a tub of marmite – there are some things that are hard to restrain from.
We then drive into town to start work at around 9am. I meet with Jack (programme director) and/or Jackline (accountant) to discuss any issues and continue the work agreed at the start of the assignment. I am looking at number of areas including:
•Review of the Mango spread sheet accounting system recently adopted
•Review of the cash flow forecast and how this is monitored
•Board governance – especially how financial information is reported to the board including management accounts and the cash flow forecast
•Risk management – I am helping devise a risk management framework
•Operational plan – drafting an operational 3 year plan (a bit like a business plan)
•Draft a planning, monitoring, learning and evaluation (PMLE) policy document (basically an overview of their governance structure from the board down to the farmer group level)
•Generate ideas for future fundraising initiatives
There is quite a lot to do but it’s been really interesting looking more at the strategic side of SMART’s operations and how financial capacity can be built with the board of trustees.
The mornings are quite long and we do not have lunch until about 2-3pm. It takes a bit of time to get used to but we do not eat until 9-10pm in the evening so a late lunch seems to work. After lunch it’s a trip to the internet café to catch up with e mails, post my blog and do any research for my work. We then work until about 7pm before heading home, have a cup of chai and catch up with the family. Cuka, the youngest at 4, is an avid artist so likes to show me his pictures. His favourite activity is to get me to draw around his hand – his scrap book is now full of hand drawings.
If there is time I like to watch the worst soap I’veever seen called “Hidden Passion”. The acting and dubbing (I think it’s either a Brazilian or other South American soap) is so bad it is hilarious. This is followed by supper between 9-10pm and comes as a type of African tapas. It can be anything from rice, ugali (ground maize – a bit like polenta), sometimes goat, chicken or beef (the goat has come as nyama choma or barbecued) green grams (lentils),kales, night shade and/or spider plant (types of greens) a type of spinach, potatoes, matoke (boiled green bananas which have been mashed)and chapatis. Desert is usually one of oranges, mango or pineapple. So overall an extremely healthy diet.
I get up around 7am for the usual morning routine before sitting down for breakfast. This varies and can range from boiled potatoes, boiled cassava, boiled green bananas, boiled arrow root with sesame seeds and roasted ground nuts, thick pancakes the size of your palm, boiled eggs, and bread which are all accompanied by a mug of chai. I’ve also managed to sneak in a tub of marmite – there are some things that are hard to restrain from.
We then drive into town to start work at around 9am. I meet with Jack (programme director) and/or Jackline (accountant) to discuss any issues and continue the work agreed at the start of the assignment. I am looking at number of areas including:
•Review of the Mango spread sheet accounting system recently adopted
•Review of the cash flow forecast and how this is monitored
•Board governance – especially how financial information is reported to the board including management accounts and the cash flow forecast
•Risk management – I am helping devise a risk management framework
•Operational plan – drafting an operational 3 year plan (a bit like a business plan)
•Draft a planning, monitoring, learning and evaluation (PMLE) policy document (basically an overview of their governance structure from the board down to the farmer group level)
•Generate ideas for future fundraising initiatives
There is quite a lot to do but it’s been really interesting looking more at the strategic side of SMART’s operations and how financial capacity can be built with the board of trustees.
The mornings are quite long and we do not have lunch until about 2-3pm. It takes a bit of time to get used to but we do not eat until 9-10pm in the evening so a late lunch seems to work. After lunch it’s a trip to the internet café to catch up with e mails, post my blog and do any research for my work. We then work until about 7pm before heading home, have a cup of chai and catch up with the family. Cuka, the youngest at 4, is an avid artist so likes to show me his pictures. His favourite activity is to get me to draw around his hand – his scrap book is now full of hand drawings.
If there is time I like to watch the worst soap I’veever seen called “Hidden Passion”. The acting and dubbing (I think it’s either a Brazilian or other South American soap) is so bad it is hilarious. This is followed by supper between 9-10pm and comes as a type of African tapas. It can be anything from rice, ugali (ground maize – a bit like polenta), sometimes goat, chicken or beef (the goat has come as nyama choma or barbecued) green grams (lentils),kales, night shade and/or spider plant (types of greens) a type of spinach, potatoes, matoke (boiled green bananas which have been mashed)and chapatis. Desert is usually one of oranges, mango or pineapple. So overall an extremely healthy diet.
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Habari Gani?
Habari? Nizuri sana sana.
I been trying to learn Swahili in my spare time and can practice on all the family which is great. It does not seem to be too tricky but like with all things needs a bit of time and effort to make any progress. The verb conjugations seem relatively straight forward so it just a matter of practice (I hope!).
Over the weekend I visited the Kitale museum which had indigenous mock huts representing some of the local tribes, a bio fuel demonstration plant, and a good collection of tribal artefacts and stuffed animals. I also went to the Kitale nature reserve outside town which housed a number of malformed animals which had been abandoned by their owners - there is a cow with 3 eyes and 4 horns which is a bit disturbing.
I been trying to learn Swahili in my spare time and can practice on all the family which is great. It does not seem to be too tricky but like with all things needs a bit of time and effort to make any progress. The verb conjugations seem relatively straight forward so it just a matter of practice (I hope!).
Over the weekend I visited the Kitale museum which had indigenous mock huts representing some of the local tribes, a bio fuel demonstration plant, and a good collection of tribal artefacts and stuffed animals. I also went to the Kitale nature reserve outside town which housed a number of malformed animals which had been abandoned by their owners - there is a cow with 3 eyes and 4 horns which is a bit disturbing.
New Constitution
Today was a public holiday as President signed the new constitution which is seen as a rebirth after independence in 1963. It’s been a long time coming but all Kenyans are hopeful that this will signal a new start. We all huddled in the sitting room and watched the TV all morning, drinking ugi (ground millet with yoghurt and lemon juice) and seeing the events unfold in Uhuru park.
Friday, 27 August 2010
Visit to the Field
I have just spent the last two days visiting SMART’s operations out on the field. It has been a most interesting and rewarding experience meeting a number of farmer groups in the Central and West Pokot regions who have adopted SMART’s sustainable agricultural techniques.The farmers have been so welcoming and very positive about what SMART has been helping them with.
The initial encounters I have had when going to some groups have been very special. They have greeted us with singing and dancing which we all join in with - a great ice breaker if there ever was one.
Our meetings usually opened up with a prayer before we all made our introductions and explained why we were there. The group leaders would then make a short presentation before the floor was open to any questions from myself. Once I had been shown their plots we then closed with a prayer before being given a vibrant send off with more dancing and singing.
You can see that the farmers are very happy with what SMART have done and are very positive about the future. The farmer’s work very much as a team benefitting not only from the suatainable approach but also from the high nutritional content of the crops they produce (apparently people have a greater life expectancy from eating these local foods) as well as the positive environmental impact using sustainable techniques - this negates the need to use fertilsers and pesticides.
They also help train other farmers in the nearby area spreading SMART’s initiative. It seems that it is catching on as more and more people want to be part of SMART’s programme. However, SMART is restricted by its available funding so can not help as many people as it would like.
The sustainable farming introduced covers a number of techniques including crop rotation as well as using indigenous crops that are more suited to the local environment. They also use natural techniques to keep the soil fertile and pests at bay. For the latter they use indigenous flowers which they mix with chillies and soak in water overnight. They then spray this on their crops and it seems to be a very effective technique. Rotating their crops also reduces the risk of pests settling. They also use old tape from cassettes which are tied between two sticks to scare away the birds. However, they still have issues with other animals such as porcupines and need more funding so they can buy wire meshing to enclose their plots.
One of my first visits was to the Cheptikit woman’s group who wore fabulously bright clothes and greeted me with welcoming song, clapping and dancing. They presented me with a mango tree to plant which was a great honour before we carried on singing and dancing to and around their plot.
One of my final visits was to the Stayan group, west of Makutano. I was given a very lively welcome by a group of women who were singing and dancing as I arrived. We joined in while we were led up a grassy track only to be met half way by three men with spears and shields snaking their way towards us. As we met they gave me a spear and we continued dancing and singing to an opening gathering where they formally met their guests. Our dancing evolved into jumping on the spot – the men facing the women as the sound got louder and dancing more animated. It was a wonderful welcome although I had to catch my breath before we sat down for some chai. They gave me the name Stayan before I left so I felt very much part of the group!
I must have seen over 10 farming groups in the last two days. They have been quite intensive days but it has really given me a good understanding what SMART does and how I can use this in helping them build their financial capacity. They have a real focus and the benefits can be seen through the people I have met. Sustainable agriculture has contributed to better health and a cleaner environment. It is only through the hard work and vision of those working at SMART that they have managed to achieve this. However,there is still a long way to go.
The initial encounters I have had when going to some groups have been very special. They have greeted us with singing and dancing which we all join in with - a great ice breaker if there ever was one.
Our meetings usually opened up with a prayer before we all made our introductions and explained why we were there. The group leaders would then make a short presentation before the floor was open to any questions from myself. Once I had been shown their plots we then closed with a prayer before being given a vibrant send off with more dancing and singing.
You can see that the farmers are very happy with what SMART have done and are very positive about the future. The farmer’s work very much as a team benefitting not only from the suatainable approach but also from the high nutritional content of the crops they produce (apparently people have a greater life expectancy from eating these local foods) as well as the positive environmental impact using sustainable techniques - this negates the need to use fertilsers and pesticides.
They also help train other farmers in the nearby area spreading SMART’s initiative. It seems that it is catching on as more and more people want to be part of SMART’s programme. However, SMART is restricted by its available funding so can not help as many people as it would like.
The sustainable farming introduced covers a number of techniques including crop rotation as well as using indigenous crops that are more suited to the local environment. They also use natural techniques to keep the soil fertile and pests at bay. For the latter they use indigenous flowers which they mix with chillies and soak in water overnight. They then spray this on their crops and it seems to be a very effective technique. Rotating their crops also reduces the risk of pests settling. They also use old tape from cassettes which are tied between two sticks to scare away the birds. However, they still have issues with other animals such as porcupines and need more funding so they can buy wire meshing to enclose their plots.
One of my first visits was to the Cheptikit woman’s group who wore fabulously bright clothes and greeted me with welcoming song, clapping and dancing. They presented me with a mango tree to plant which was a great honour before we carried on singing and dancing to and around their plot.
One of my final visits was to the Stayan group, west of Makutano. I was given a very lively welcome by a group of women who were singing and dancing as I arrived. We joined in while we were led up a grassy track only to be met half way by three men with spears and shields snaking their way towards us. As we met they gave me a spear and we continued dancing and singing to an opening gathering where they formally met their guests. Our dancing evolved into jumping on the spot – the men facing the women as the sound got louder and dancing more animated. It was a wonderful welcome although I had to catch my breath before we sat down for some chai. They gave me the name Stayan before I left so I felt very much part of the group!
I must have seen over 10 farming groups in the last two days. They have been quite intensive days but it has really given me a good understanding what SMART does and how I can use this in helping them build their financial capacity. They have a real focus and the benefits can be seen through the people I have met. Sustainable agriculture has contributed to better health and a cleaner environment. It is only through the hard work and vision of those working at SMART that they have managed to achieve this. However,there is still a long way to go.
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Arrived in Kitale
After a 2am start on Saturday morning I finally arrived in Nairobi. My luggage was already waiting for me so no dramas on that front. However, the taxi drive to my hotel was an interesting experience. There is no roundabout etiquette, driving through red lights seems to be quite normal, and undertaking was also the standard. I had my seatbelt firmly on as we ventured further into the city centre past mutatus (minibuses) pounding out their afro beats. My hotel looked slightly suspect from the outside but once upstairs the place seemed to take on a character of its own with friendly staff and a lively bar. Saturday night was getting going.
The next morning I arrived at the Akamba bus station in good time to get my ticket for the bus ride up to Kitale only to find that the 8.30 service was no longer working. I had to grab a nearby taxi and haul my luggage to another coach station and just managed to get a seat before the bus left. I had unwisely booked the front row seat next to the driver so was in full view of his overtaking moves on hills and around blind corners. Beyond Eldoret the road was full of potholes so the going was pretty tough.
After 8 hours on the road I finally arrived in Kitale and met up with Jack, the SMART programme director. He took me to his house on the outskirts of the town where I met up with his wife Evelyn and their 6 sons. The location was fairly remote and quite a contrast to the fast pace of London life.
The food is an interesting mix of ugali (ground maize), chapatis, roast potatoes, chicken stew, goat, boiled bananas, green pulses, and ugi (ground millet mixed with yoghurt witha touch of lemon juice). This tends to get washed down with a cup of really sweet milky tea or chai - not good for the teeth but easy to get used to.
On Monday I had a meeting with the programme director, field officer and accountant to agree my objectives for the next 3 weeks. It was a useful start to my assignment so we all knew what needed to be done. For the first couple of days I have been getting to grips with how the organisation runs and how all things finance work. I am going to visit one of their field stations tomorrow to get a better understanding what training they provide to the local farmers.
The next morning I arrived at the Akamba bus station in good time to get my ticket for the bus ride up to Kitale only to find that the 8.30 service was no longer working. I had to grab a nearby taxi and haul my luggage to another coach station and just managed to get a seat before the bus left. I had unwisely booked the front row seat next to the driver so was in full view of his overtaking moves on hills and around blind corners. Beyond Eldoret the road was full of potholes so the going was pretty tough.
After 8 hours on the road I finally arrived in Kitale and met up with Jack, the SMART programme director. He took me to his house on the outskirts of the town where I met up with his wife Evelyn and their 6 sons. The location was fairly remote and quite a contrast to the fast pace of London life.
The food is an interesting mix of ugali (ground maize), chapatis, roast potatoes, chicken stew, goat, boiled bananas, green pulses, and ugi (ground millet mixed with yoghurt witha touch of lemon juice). This tends to get washed down with a cup of really sweet milky tea or chai - not good for the teeth but easy to get used to.
On Monday I had a meeting with the programme director, field officer and accountant to agree my objectives for the next 3 weeks. It was a useful start to my assignment so we all knew what needed to be done. For the first couple of days I have been getting to grips with how the organisation runs and how all things finance work. I am going to visit one of their field stations tomorrow to get a better understanding what training they provide to the local farmers.
Friday, 20 August 2010
Pre Departure Thoughts
Here goes - for those of you wondering why I am off to Kenya during the rainy season its certainly not a matter of catching a few sun rays. About a year ago I came across an organisation called Accounting for International Development (AFID) who were offering to place accountants like myself with NGOs across Africa and Asia. The great thing about AFID is that you can do it from 2 weeks upwards which is attractive for those who want help out but have other commitments that restrict them from going for longer (for more info go to www.afid.org.uk) . That was the easy bit. The difficult part was which NGO to be placed with. There was a wide range of organisations operating in enterprise, education and healthcare and in over 16 different countries. I chose enterprise - I liked the idea of working with an organisation that would eventually be able to generate some of its own income.
I finally decided on a placement with SMART, an agricultural NGO based in West Pokot, Western Kenya. West Pokot is traditionally a pastoralists' area - over the years over grazing has made parts of the district unable to sustain agricultural practices. With the increase in population and poor farming techniques the semi-arid zones are slowly turning arid. The SMART initiative is committed to the long-term sustainability of the area through using appropriate agricultural resource technologies.
You may be asking what my input is. With my experience as a chartered accountant I thought I could provide some valuable input by helping SMART improve its financial capacity (in short financial systems and management) to support its objectives. This is also key for any NGO and vital if it wishes to attract future funding - donors are more likely to provide funding if they know its being spent by a well run organisation.
I have a very early start tomorrow but am looking forward to the trip. My only concerns at the moment are waking up on time to get to the airport and hoping my luggage turns up at Nairobi - a previous volunteer was not so fortunate and had to wait a few days before his luggage (some of which had been pilfered) turned up. Fingers crossed.
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