tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14344975218962489252024-03-08T08:29:52.755-08:00Six Degrees NorthAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-40731048022699238072008-05-17T02:59:00.000-07:002008-05-18T09:59:03.061-07:00April 2008In the month or so that I've neglected my blog, Liberia has been a busy place - full of celebrity visits (Akon and Ban Ki-Moon, George Bush and Jeff Sachs), rice price hikes, jet skiing around Marshall islands, a trip to Robertsport, etc. Below, is a pictorial review of a few highlights/observations from April... here's hoping May is a more consistent, blogging month!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Robertsport</span> - A few from the Clinton Foundation took a day and drove to Robertsport, the seaside city on the Northwestern coast of Liberia.<br /><br />The road to Robertsport:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SC67feoDsaI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/xgaSFRRMh0Q/s1600-h/Road+to+Robertsport.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SC67feoDsaI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/xgaSFRRMh0Q/s200/Road+to+Robertsport.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201300769130918306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The view from atop a hill in Robertsport, next to St Timothy's Hospital:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SC8VouoDscI/AAAAAAAAAHg/w1KMHhJP2WI/s1600-h/From+the+Hilltop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SC8VouoDscI/AAAAAAAAAHg/w1KMHhJP2WI/s200/From+the+Hilltop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201399884091208130" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Gorgeous beaches (though this picture is deceptive - there were a number of parties along the beach):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SC8XteoDsdI/AAAAAAAAAHo/-4_8ScjD-q4/s1600-h/Gorgeous+Beach.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SC8XteoDsdI/AAAAAAAAAHo/-4_8ScjD-q4/s200/Gorgeous+Beach.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201402164718842322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The telecom concert showdown</span> - Cellcom and rival telecom company, Lonestar, held dueling concerts on the 15th: Lonestar's was a free concert featuring Liberian musicians and preceded by a parade, while Cellcom paid 200,000 USD for international pop star, Akon. Music by senegalese-native, international pop-star plays like a constant soundtrack in Monrovia, so his visit was a much-anticipated event. The Akon concert, held on the 15th at the Samuel K. Doe stadium, was disrupted when the singer called fans onto the field - people tripped over wires and the speakers were blown for the night. But, on whole, the event was entertaining. I didn't bring a camera to SKD, but did catch Akon at the Mamba Point hotel a few hours before show time. Below, are pictures of Akon and his entourage, as well as two of Lonestar's parade preparation at the National AIDS Control Program.<br /><br />Akon waving to fans at the Mamba Point hotel:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SDBMWOoDsgI/AAAAAAAAAH8/7klkdcY2RoI/s1600-h/Akon+Waving.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SDBMWOoDsgI/AAAAAAAAAH8/7klkdcY2RoI/s200/Akon+Waving.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201741514379866626" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Parade preparations:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SDBe4OoDslI/AAAAAAAAAIk/2POLnPKtfpY/s1600-h/Parade+Float.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SDBe4OoDslI/AAAAAAAAAIk/2POLnPKtfpY/s200/Parade+Float.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201761889704718930" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Martial Arts on Monrovia's Rooftops</span> - I caught a glimpse of this character working out on a rooftop across from the Ministry of Health and the National Malaria Control Program.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SDBdPOoDskI/AAAAAAAAAIc/sccBM6hemrk/s1600-h/martial+arts.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SDBdPOoDskI/AAAAAAAAAIc/sccBM6hemrk/s200/martial+arts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201760085818454594" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jet skiing around Marshall </span>-<br />Our base for the day:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SDBYuOoDsjI/AAAAAAAAAIU/fZf-g-oaXtE/s1600-h/The+base.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SDBYuOoDsjI/AAAAAAAAAIU/fZf-g-oaXtE/s200/The+base.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201755120836260402" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Two Marshall sailors:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SDBPH-oDshI/AAAAAAAAAIE/pPyRzmyNn58/s1600-h/Two+Sailors.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SDBPH-oDshI/AAAAAAAAAIE/pPyRzmyNn58/s200/Two+Sailors.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201744568101614098" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />One of the boys we paid to watch our stuff as we jet-skied:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SDBTa-oDsiI/AAAAAAAAAIM/ZpSqIWWPSig/s1600-h/Boy+on+Jetski.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/SDBTa-oDsiI/AAAAAAAAAIM/ZpSqIWWPSig/s200/Boy+on+Jetski.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201749292565639714" border="0" /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-85593883247010539292008-03-22T10:01:00.000-07:002008-03-22T10:18:40.698-07:00Iron Ladies of LiberiaOn April 9th, 2008 PBS will re-air <a href="http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/ironladies/">Iron Ladies of Liberia</a> an insightful, behind-the-scenes look at the first year of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's administration. Narrated by filmaker Siatta Scott Johnson of Monrovia, the 75 minute documentary illustrates for viewers the challenges faced and tactics used by the Iron Lady herself, as well introduces us to other leading ladies in Liberia's public sector such as Beatrice Munah Sieh, the national police chief, and Minister of Finance, Dr. Antoinette Sayeh. <br /><br />In addition to profiling Liberia's movers and shakers, the movie is an excellent glimpse into Monrovia's recent past. Check it out - <a href="http://www.ironladiesofliberia.org/">or buy it!</a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-78416383109440240102008-03-22T09:24:00.000-07:002008-03-22T09:59:17.825-07:00National Census DayOn March 21, 2008 Liberians were told to stay in their residences - shops were closed, government building were empty, and the streets, for the most part, were clear. This day marked the kick-off of a three day national census - the first in over 24 years. <br /><br />Census counters have chalked houses, huts, and property through each of Liberia's 15 counties and crafted a unique list of questions to collect demographic and socio-economic information. A recent Washington Post article numbers but a few of the challenges the national census takers will face. ("<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR2008032001972.html">Liberia Readies 1st Census in 24 Years</a>")<br /><br />The Liberians I know have different plans for the day. While some see the process as part of their civic duty and plan to stay home, recognizing that government funds and public services will likely be influenced by the results, others welcome the Friday as just another day off of work to do errands. Many left homes in Monrovia to repatriate to their counties of origin, leaving some skeptical of results and everyone anxious to see results. Others still, are puzzled by the timing of the event. <br /><br />Good Friday, coincidentally the first day of census, is the biggest church-going day of the year - Easter, this Sunday, is not far behind. It seems strange, then, to schedule a national event that requires citizens to stay in their residence on a weekend when many were planning to travel, or least spend a majority of their time in church. The executive branch explained that the census was scheduled early last year around other events. The Liberia Institute of Statistics & Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), the implementing body does not anticipate skewed results due to Easter weekend. <br /><br />Most organizations estimate Liberia's current population to hover around the 3.6 million mark, a number based on assumptions about population growth and migration, among others. While the process will most likely encounter minor challenges and setbacks, the National Census will provide valuable data where there has been a shortage of concrete statistics for over two decades.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-59873263693607238212008-03-15T05:50:00.000-07:002008-03-15T06:08:54.393-07:00Eggs from India, Ground Pea from GuinneaIt’s difficult to take many more than 15 steps in Monrovia without passing someone selling ground pea. “Ground pea” is the local name for Arachis hypogaea - the legume known in much of the Western world as a “peanut”, but elsewhere as earthnuts, goobers, goober peas, pindas, jack nuts, pinders, manila nuts and monkey nuts. Ground pea are roasted and wrapped in small pieces of plastic on the side of the road. A pack of roughly 20 grams costs 5 Liberty Dollars (LD), about 12 cents, US.<br /><br />Eggs, though slightly less ubiquitous, are sold on many street corners for equally marginal cost. Hard-boiled, at a registered grocery store, a half dozen eggs may cost 60 LD, or $1 US. Hardboiled, on the side of the road, two eggs costs about XX LD.<br /><br />It seems logical to assume that products such as ground pea and eggs are sourced locally. Logistics in Liberia are complex enough, that I assumed sourcing products from any distance would make such cheap prices impossible. Perhaps neighboring countries have a comparative advantage in growing ground pea, or producing eggs, but wouldn't the transportation costs render local production more economical? Moreover, there are enough chickens in the streets of Monrovia, and there is arable enough soil throughout Liberia, to imagine an abundant, local supply of ground pea and eggs.<br /><br />I held this assumption for months, until a recent stock out of eggs in the local grocery stores. What in the world would cause an egg shortage? I posed this very question to Roger, the owner of our local Stop and Shop (yes, there is a Stop & Shop in Monrovia, and no the discount cards to not work).<br /><br />“Many people lost entire consignments this past month,” replied Roger.<br />“They were mishandled and cracked during shipment,” explained an attendant at Monoprix Grocers as he weeded out the cracked from whole eggs.<br /><br />Monrovia’s eggs, as it turns out, are not grown locally. Nor are they sourced from within West Africa, or even elsewhere in Africa, for that matter.<br /><br />Monrovia’s eggs are shipped from India. How, precisely, is a question for a later day. But, if the eggs are from India, what is the origin of other basic, cheap, core products? Like the ground pea?<br /><br />The ground peas sold on Monrovia’s streets are a somewhat more local flavor than the Indian eggs. While ground pea does grow in Liberia, the majority of those that we pack in 5 LD packs come from Guinea, Liberia’s neighbor to the North.<br /><br />The ground pea is harvested in Guinea, wrapped in plastic bags or stored in barrels, and trafficked through Nimba or Lofa counties down to Monrovia’s “Red Light” District. Red Light is a major intersection between Roberts International Airfield and downtown Monrovia; before the war it was home to the largest market in Montserrado, a title held in recent years by Waterside market. At Red Light, market women purchase ground pea by the can before packaging the small snack in plastic purchased at local Monrovian stores. The market women are expert bargain shoppers and purchase the ground pea in such bulk that they can turn a profit on 5 LD per pack.<br /><br />Nutritional staples, cheap products, surprisingly complex supply chains.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-31384298144406234262008-02-15T14:33:00.000-08:002008-02-16T00:20:31.393-08:00Bi-elections in Margibi County, District 4Margibi County held bi-elections (elections held mid term, in this case, due to the death of an incumbant) in District 4 on Tuesday, 13 February 2008.<br /><br />On whole, the elections were quiet, voter turnout was moderate, and results were formally endorsed by all candidates. Minor exceptions to these high marks include a charge of "a lack of transparency, unfairness, and cheating" by the Liberty Party chairman Israel Akinsaya against the National Election Committee (NEC) (detailed in the Analyst's "<a href="http://www.analystliberia.com/">Liberty Party Cries Fowl</a>") and low voter turnout during morning and mid-day hours. As a volunteer election observer, I witnessed Akinsaya's confrontation with the NEC Chairman, the slow turn-out at polling stations with dense populations (as well as surprisingly high turnout at polling stations such as Marshall City and Smell-No-Taste) and other election occurrences, both standard and exceptional.<br /><br />We began the day at 7:30 a.m. at the regional NEC office in Smell-No-Taste (reference previous blog for name description). Upon arrival, lines were already forming at polling stations and local election observers and workers were preparing for voters.<br /><br />Voter registration occurred prior to election day, during which each voter received a voter ID number and a voter registration card with photo. ID numbers were consistent with those issued for the 2005 elections, which raised some skepticism amongst election parties. In 2005, Liberia, and Margibi in particular, had a large population of IDPs, or Internally Displaced People; these IDPs were eligible to vote for national, but not county-level positions. Today, some IDPs have relocated while others have taken permanent residency in their new county. Many Margibi natives were concerned that these IDPs would now be casting their vote for Margibi representatives.<br /><br />The physical process of casting a vote is quite simple. Registered voters check into a polling station where an attendant cross references the photo ID with both the voter and a list of eligible voters in the district. The voter then proceeds to a voting attendant to receive a ballot (with pictures of each candidate); the ballot is folded to facilitate the voter's refolding of the ballot after they've made their selection, and then stamped with an official NEC seal. Next, the voter "carries" (if you will, in Liberia we say "carry" rather than take/bring :)) the ballot to a voting box, checks-off the candidate of choice and then drops the re-folded ballot into a large, transparent box in the center of the room. Lastly, the voter continues to one last station where they receive an ink blot on their thumbnail to deter people from trying to vote twice.<br /><br />The process is straightforward, but visuals always help:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YeWNB85DI/AAAAAAAAAEg/5CnMQ_tI-Bc/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YeWNB85DI/AAAAAAAAAEg/5CnMQ_tI-Bc/s200/1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167350989258023986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Checking into the polling station.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YfgtB85EI/AAAAAAAAAEo/tF7276SwxtA/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YfgtB85EI/AAAAAAAAAEo/tF7276SwxtA/s200/2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167352269158278210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Receiving a ballot - with a NEC stamp.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7Yj59B85FI/AAAAAAAAAEw/YCwmGRx9Db4/s1600-h/5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7Yj59B85FI/AAAAAAAAAEw/YCwmGRx9Db4/s200/5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167357100996486226" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Photo-Ballot<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7Yl4dB85GI/AAAAAAAAAE4/TuRKne8bRNU/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7Yl4dB85GI/AAAAAAAAAE4/TuRKne8bRNU/s200/3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167359274249938018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Casting the vote<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YmoNB85HI/AAAAAAAAAFA/1VGN8nJDKAc/s1600-h/4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YmoNB85HI/AAAAAAAAAFA/1VGN8nJDKAc/s200/4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167360094588691570" border="0" /></a><br />Receiving the ink-blot, after voting.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />There were two things that impressed me about the voting process itself: first, the picture-ballots enabled illiterate citizens to vote and, second, the ink-blotting safe-guarded against double-voting. Apparently, ink blotting is standard practice in African elections. The practice was introduced in Namibia in 1989 by UNTAG (the UN Transitional Authority Group) for elections that followed more than two decades of civil war. In theory, it seems effective. In all honesty, I feel that ink blotting acts more as a deterant than a monitoring tool. I'm certain that voters received ink blots after voting; I'm less sure that those registering voters checked to see if people already had ink blots. This raises the concern about election transparency in Liberia; while the proper processes may be in place, the execution of these measures is questionable.<br /><br />By mid-day, we reached the Dolo Town polling station on the Firestone Campus. This polling station, as all polling stations, was open from 8:00 to 18:00, but there was hardly a crowd, even by 11:00. On speaking with voters about the turnout, I found that some believed employees were hesitant to leave work to vote while others maintained that people were simply not engaged in these elections. "In 2005, these lines were out the door," noted multiple election observers. While at Dolo Town, our party listened as political party candidates prodded NEC officials about "tally cards" - the sheets used to total the votes at the close of the election. Political party candidates demanded the opportunity to participate in completing the tally cards while NEC officials maintained that NO candidate or party representative would be permitted to touch the voter ballots or tally cards.<br /><br />As the closing hour neared, debate over tally cards had snow-balled. The Liberty Party National Chairman, Mr. Israel Akinsanya met NEC officials at the NEC Margibi headquarters around 16:00 for a shouting match about the issue. Mr. Akinsanya approached NEC about the issue, at which time he was informed he need to file a report to NEC in order for the complaint to be processed. Mr Akinsanya found this unacceptable and began a rant on "foul play" on behalf of NEC. He and the NEC Chairman (a highly respected human rights attorney) exchanged ... words. Akinsanya was escorted away, after which time I had the chance to ask the Chairman about Akinsanya's charges.<br /><br />"What claims did he make?" I asked.<br /><br />"I don't even know, he just wouldn't stop complaining about having to file a report... he just goes on about how he should be able to voice his complaint now," the Chairman replied. Note: only 9 of 13 parties attended the pre-election debates on the Saturday preceding election day - and Akinsanya was not among them.<br /><br />"I will be that thorn in your side!" ... was just about all I understood from Akinsanya. Here's a glimpse of the scene:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YoRNB85II/AAAAAAAAAFI/MgSdgX05d4s/s1600-h/Liberty.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YoRNB85II/AAAAAAAAAFI/MgSdgX05d4s/s200/Liberty.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167361898474955906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />(would have taken a better shot, but this UMIL soldier was not enthusiastic about having cameras around)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />From my understanding, the process of tabulating the votes onto tally sheets was hardly cause for concern. Our team watched a closing of the polls at the Rock Institute. I was amazed by the transparency. The magistrate at Rock Institue was composed and clear throughout the entire counting process - which was no small feat. By the end of this day, I'll admit, I was exhausted. Keeping vigilant watch over voters is a taxing job in the heat of Liberia's dry season. And, counting votes into the night is a challenge when the electricity goes out and the only source of light is camping lamps.<br /><br />The magistrate emptied the voting boxes, unfolded the ballots, counted all the ballots - then, one by one, lifted each ballot for all the political party observers to see and placed the ballot under the name tag for the respective candidate.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YrqdB85KI/AAAAAAAAAFY/mUB0RkeOIyc/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YrqdB85KI/AAAAAAAAAFY/mUB0RkeOIyc/s200/1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167365630801536162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Emptying the voting box,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YsZdB85LI/AAAAAAAAAFg/c-ayIXvgsVE/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YsZdB85LI/AAAAAAAAAFg/c-ayIXvgsVE/s200/2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167366438255387826" border="0" /></a><br />Counting the ballots,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YtV9B85MI/AAAAAAAAAFo/QkdwZsO1Tcc/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YtV9B85MI/AAAAAAAAAFo/QkdwZsO1Tcc/s200/3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167367477637473474" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Presenting the ballots to the political party observers,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YuUtB85NI/AAAAAAAAAFw/ExTR7d7ksa4/s1600-h/4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7YuUtB85NI/AAAAAAAAAFw/ExTR7d7ksa4/s200/4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167368555674264786" border="0" /></a><br />Amassing the ballots behind the name tags of each selected candidate.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7Yu9tB85OI/AAAAAAAAAF4/MsOY2K0RdKA/s1600-h/5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R7Yu9tB85OI/AAAAAAAAAF4/MsOY2K0RdKA/s200/5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167369260048901346" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Political Party Observers - taking notes and recording votes as the magistrates call off names.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />At the end of the day, it appeared that the CDC Party had a clear lead. While there were 13 candidates in total, the clear leaders were CDC and Unity party candidates Mr Ballah ZayZay and Mr Roland Cooper respectively. Unity Party is that of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and the CDC (Congress for Democratic Change) is the party of George Weah, football start and Sirleaf's primary opposition in the 2005 elections.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-24201987966731169922008-02-11T12:15:00.000-08:002008-02-11T12:54:01.127-08:00"Smell-No-Taste""Smell-no-taste" is a small Liberian town sandwiched between Roberts Field International Airport and Harbel. The name dates back more than a half century.<br /><br />During WWII (and the years following), the US intensified relations with Liberia. The currency was switched from the British pound sterling to the US dollar, Pan Am and the US government collaborated to open Liberia's first airport (Roberts International), US Lead Lease fund were availed to facilitate the construction of Freeport, and American military began clearing major roads to the interior.<br /><br />With this new infrastructure, came a wave of domestic migration. Liberians native to inland regions flocked to the coast seeking jobs. Some succeeded, others were less fortunate. The majority were met by the growing international presence with less-than-welcoming sentiments and greater hardship than anticipated. While locals struggled to feed their families, ex-pats and military lived comfortably in compounds and with goods imported from home. Liberians grew accustomed to SMELLING the dishes cooking on the opposite side of the compound... and never getting a TASTE. Thus, the name:<br /><br />Smell-no-taste.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-3657624738702453682008-01-16T16:35:00.000-08:002008-01-16T16:39:28.434-08:00"Americans Follow Their Money"The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) is a commitment made on the part of President George Bush to increase funding for the prevention and treatment of malaria worldwide by over 1.2 billion dollars over a five year period.<br /><br />I thought this was a generous use of our national resources, but was hardly surprised to hear more than a hint of resentment regarding the appropriation of these funds from those working in the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP).<br /><br />It was a slight ironic situation, sitting at the NMCP across the desk from a Database Manager, listening to his impression of the PMI.<br /><br />“Americans always follow their money. That is how your country works. You make promises, but then you send consultants and there are strings attached; we purchase primarily American products. Of the 12 million dollars a year that Liberia receives from the PMI, 3/4s of that goes right back to the US – buying supplies, paying for salaries, things like that.”<br /><br />I felt like I had walked into the pages of “Confessions of an Economic Hitman” – without the glitz and glamour. I’d been working with a man from NMCP to pull together the PSM Plan for Round 7 of the Global Fund Grant. I’d waited an hour for our meeting to start (due, in large part, to burgeoning traffic in the downtown area) and my patience was relatively thin.<br /><br />“Well, even three million is start. Let’s look through this budget and see what we’re missing for the grant.”Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-70114291124264076222008-01-16T16:30:00.000-08:002008-01-16T16:34:12.102-08:00Botched DemilitarizationIn Spring of 2003, an ECOMOG peacekeeping mission composed of S’Leonian troops landed at Roberts International Airfield; the task of demilitarizing ex-combatants was among their chief priorities. Street fighting in Monrovia had subsided over the past few months, and many citizens felt that Liberia, in fact, was demilitarized. <br /><br />“That is what surprised so many people,” a friend of mine recounted, as we sat at a beach in Sincor, Monrovia.<br /><br />“People thought the war was over, until ECOMOG and UNMIL troops began offering money for remaining weapons. One of the largest collection points was on Randall Street at Stop and Shop [one of three major grocery stores in downtown Monrovia]. Troops offered up to 100 dollars (USD) for a rifle, and 50 dollars for three shots… I remember standing on the street and watching children and old ladies come with reels of ammunition.<br /><br />“This did not have the desired effect, however, because during the war, Taylor and his opponents armed their soldiers. People were given weapons to go to the front lines – so even those who already owned arms received guns. Many people had two or three AK 47s.<br /><br />“The system of purchasing weapons was also just dangerous. One time, UNMIL ran out of money and had to tell a crowd of people bearing guns and ammunition that they would not receive the money they expected.”<br /><br />The demilitarization of Liberia, according to many, is a job left undone. Particularly in the outer counties, communities possess stockpiles of weapons; further still, many Monrovians believe they would require little persuasion to put them to use. Ex-combatants, and armed civilians for that matter, are know to have sunk weapons in nearby using sealed containers filled with oil; the lakes make ideal hiding grounds and the oil lubricates the guns and artillery such that they may be surfaced and used years later. <br /><br />What would be the most effective way to route a county of such weapons? Today, UN peacekeeping missions continue to offer money for arms in southern Sudan (among other places, I would imagine). Money for guns is standard operating procedure. Though clearly this process was not fully successful in Liberia, the practice is still used and the implementers are still thought to be vital to the peace in Liberia.<br /><br />“UNMIL cannot pull out of Liberia yet. Though we all agree they cannot be permanent, they must stay until people have faith in the new army [the Armed Forces of Liberia]. For now, it’s just too soon.”Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-64491927233385610752008-01-10T09:11:00.000-08:002008-01-10T09:16:25.910-08:00Strangers At the DoorAmerican Airlines neglected to get one of my suitcases (incidentally, the one with the electronics I was carrying for our office) onto my flight departing Boston; I realized this at Heathrow’s baggage claim, when I was racing to get to Gatwick for my flight to Monrovia. Luckily for me, AA connected my suitcase to an SN Brussels flight. That flight arrived today - and after a speedy unpacking job, I confirmed that everything arrived.<br /><br />I was at my apartment early this afternoon to finish this task and decided to show our landlord a broken screen in one of our windows while I was home. Mohammed inspected the window and said he would send someone up to fix it later.<br /><br />I quickly made lunch, and no sooner had I sat down than I heard someone knock on the door, then saw a face peering through the window. Assuming this was the man to fix my window, I unlocked the door … and found no one. I walked onto the porch in time to see a man leaving the compound – the garage door was open, unattended of course.<br /><br />This is at least the third time that I’ve been home, midday (previous times were Sundays), and someone has knocked and disappeared. Based on my apartment’s earlier experience with someone finding the door open, and subsequently cleaning out a purse sitting in a living room, I can only imagine that people have success with just trying to open various doors.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-70048479864423010512008-01-10T08:49:00.000-08:002008-01-29T05:52:40.965-08:002008 in LiberiaFor a NH native so engrossed by American politics it takes quite a bit of motivation to leave the state two days before US primary elections. But, on Sunday evening, I pulled myself away from campaign-hysteria and slid down to Logan International to catch a flight back to Monrovia – hoping to find the unpredictable, ever-entertaining scene I’d left on Dec 17th.<br /><br />Monrovia did not disappoint. In fact, random, bizarre hilarity began with the flight we took to Monrovia. As Gatwick’s moving sidewalk accelerated my walk towards the departure gate, my peripheral vision caught the glimpse of a Nordic-looking figure on the tail of a plane. At a full stare, the plane read “Iron Maiden: the 2008 Tour”. Check it out:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R4svyoKrQ8I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/5gCbmE8QsqE/s1600-h/Iron+Maiden.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R4svyoKrQ8I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/5gCbmE8QsqE/s200/Iron+Maiden.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155266745277825986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Of course, this was our plane from Gatwick to Monrovia. Iron Maiden, we learned, was going on tour the following month (not in Liberia, incidentally). The lead singer, furthermore, is a certified pilot. Who knows.<br /><br />We landed on time – in stark contrast to our flight departing Monrovia, which was 7 hours late. We stalled on the runway for about 15 minutes, before the flight attendants informed us that the rolling staircase was not attaching to the plane, and we should subsequently mind the gap.<br /><br />Heeding the stewardess's warning, I stepped onto the platform (the “gap” couldn’t have been six inches wide) to the immediate stench of burning rubber. I hadn’t forgotten how heavily the air in Liberia sits in the lungs, but I wasn’t really prepared for the smell. Quite honestly, I didn’t recognize the new odor; my roommate identified it later that evening.<br /><br />I’d had a long vacation – but Monrovia appeared to have made more progress that I’d expected. Blocks and blocks of Tubman Boulevard had been repaved and dumpsters had been distributed throughout the city. Where piles of rubbish used to steam, there now sat enormous, yellow dumpsters. I was thrilled to see (and smell) this improvement. Every morning I jog by a pile of trash, which at least, now is elevated above nose level.<br /><br />Ironically enough, while jogging this morning I noticed two teenage girls emptying the trash. It looked like they were sorting – for what, exactly, I’m unsure. It was early morning, though, so they’d have all day to sell their findings. The image seemed to capture both that Liberia the speed at which Liberia is changing and raise the question as how the changes will effect the lives of average citizens.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-60705325753167123772007-11-26T13:11:00.000-08:002008-01-02T06:47:30.666-08:00SusuSusu is a traditional form of banking in Liberia. The goal is financial management, and the investors act more as a support staff than as investors. That is to say, money changes hand, but no profit is generated. The benefit, still, is huge. Just ask Jonathon.<br /><br />Jonathon is a self-made business man. Just three years ago, he took a loan from a Lebanese man to buy a car. At the time he had neither prospective clients, nor the expectation that he would be able to pay his loan any time soon.<br /><br />Today Jonathon is the sole proprietor of Jonathon’s Internet Café. His facility dons three computers with high speed internet (high speed, as in 128 kbps … enough to make a skype call) and a Vonage phone (a phone with a US number to that allows callers to pay US long distance rather than international roaming fees).<br /><br />Equally impressive, is the booming taxi business Jonathon has built for himself. He is one of only a handful of drivers whom internationals call for transportation throughout Monrovia. His reputation has grown through word of mouth – as has his social capital. His clients routinely send him to the Roberts International Airport (RIA) where he is often the first face that new arrivals to Liberia meet.<br /><br />Though Jonathon’s story is a success by any “up from your boot-straps” standard, he is faced with a challenge. Word of mouth and client-by-client growth is important, but how can he elevate his business to the next level? Taking a loan from a local bank is ill-advised; even keeping money in a bank account is considered risky (most people have a safe at home, or an alternate storage system).<br /><br />This is where Susu plays a turn.<br /><br />The “susu” is a group of like-minded business folk (men, most often) who enter into financial partnership. They agree to each devote a decided amount of money per day (maybe 200 Liberian Dollar, about 3.25 USD) to a Susu manager who holds the money for safe-keeping. At an agreed upon time interval (maybe once a week), that lump sum is given to a member of the Susu to use in a way that will promote his business. The cycle repeats until each member of the Susu has received his due.<br /><br />“So you don’t actually make a profit,” I asked.<br /><br />“Noooo, you put in as much as you get,” he says with a smile of understanding. Jonathon has infectious good humor – the kind that seems almost impervious to hard times, though I know he’s seen many.<br /><br />“The advantage is that you make progress in a big way, like you couldn’t on your own.”<br /><br />With Jonathon’s next Susu receipt, he plans to upgrade his car – an achievement that seemed wholly untenable only three years ago.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R3ujsIKrQ7I/AAAAAAAAAEI/-N7OCt3yv0o/s1600-h/100_7306.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R3ujsIKrQ7I/AAAAAAAAAEI/-N7OCt3yv0o/s200/100_7306.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150890577330127794" border="0" /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-9344473998789735052007-11-26T12:25:00.000-08:002007-11-26T13:10:28.926-08:00Giving Thanks in LiberiaOn Thursday evening at the 16th Street apartments, I had the pleasure of sharing (and preparing) perhaps the most delicious and bountiful Thanksgiving meals ever to be enjoyed by 30+ internationals in Monrovia, Liberia.<br /><br />The meal capped off a glorious day-and-a-half marathon of cooking and working (mostly emailing while bread baked and turkeys roasted). Preparing for the meal had been most unconventional, but everyone’s efforts (and the good fortune of snagging the last three turkeys that the Grand Prix Grocery store had to offer) resulted in what felt like an evening in the States for one of the greatest holidays.<br /><br />In fact, our Thanksgiving table was complete with turkeys and gravy, potatoes of all kinds, cornbread stuffing (both veggie, and turkey filled), grilled veggies, cranberry sauce (usually the hardest thing to find over seas) and a slew of desserts.<br /><br />As we hunkered down for round two, one of my roommates made a valiant efforr to start the “I am thankful for…” game – you know, when everyone goes around the table and lists one thing for which they’re inspired to give thanks.<br /><br />The table was long, and mouths were full, so the game didn’t make it very far. But, looking through pictures of this night, and the past few months, I felt it appropriate to devote a post to the “I am thankful game.”<br /><br />Note: Many are Turkey-Day related, some are most random, a few are cliché, and all are sincere<br /><br />1: I am thankful for a city where many of the cars that pass have steering wheels on the right side of the car… and others are just as likely have them on the left. (Random, I know, but endlessly amusing)<br /><br />2: I am thankful that IS the bread I baked on Wed night FINALLY dried enough to be used in stuffing the next evening. Note: the air is so humid that it took 36 hours, and to keep the bugs away I dangled the bread, hanging from a colander, from our kitchen (picture below)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0stzAfk_iI/AAAAAAAAADA/12QT41xEoos/s1600-h/Liberia+-+Thanksgiving+003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0stzAfk_iI/AAAAAAAAADA/12QT41xEoos/s200/Liberia+-+Thanksgiving+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137250154275208738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />3: I am thankful for turkey roasters in Liberia<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0svFgfk_jI/AAAAAAAAADI/AujRv2MEM6w/s1600-h/Liberia+-+Thanksgiving+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0svFgfk_jI/AAAAAAAAADI/AujRv2MEM6w/s200/Liberia+-+Thanksgiving+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137251571614416434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />4: … and for pizza amuse bouche.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0svmwfk_kI/AAAAAAAAADQ/JwtJGHAu3t8/s1600-h/Liberia+-+Thanksgiving+012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0svmwfk_kI/AAAAAAAAADQ/JwtJGHAu3t8/s200/Liberia+-+Thanksgiving+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137252142845066818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />5: The comfort of spacious apartments, in a city so congested, where so many have so little for themselves….<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0swqAfk_lI/AAAAAAAAADY/igwvAtNsN3Q/s1600-h/Liberia+-+Thanksgiving+014.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0swqAfk_lI/AAAAAAAAADY/igwvAtNsN3Q/s200/Liberia+-+Thanksgiving+014.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137253298191269458" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />6: …. and for friends to fill the room and share the table.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0sxpQfk_mI/AAAAAAAAADg/flSViM44OaA/s1600-h/Liberia+-+Thanksgiving+017.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0sxpQfk_mI/AAAAAAAAADg/flSViM44OaA/s200/Liberia+-+Thanksgiving+017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137254384817995362" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />7: The chance to learn so much from such talented and generous minds.<br />(this is a picture from one of the many days of training that Clinton Foundation has facilitated)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0sztgfk_oI/AAAAAAAAADw/QiWQeQzYOr0/s1600-h/Liberia+013.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0sztgfk_oI/AAAAAAAAADw/QiWQeQzYOr0/s200/Liberia+013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137256656855694978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />8: And, for talented, guitar-playing roommates.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0syjgfk_nI/AAAAAAAAADo/1JWM58_YeVc/s1600-h/IMG_0172.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0syjgfk_nI/AAAAAAAAADo/1JWM58_YeVc/s200/IMG_0172.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137255385545375346" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />9: The chance to see the sun set over the Atlantic….<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0s0Vgfk_pI/AAAAAAAAAD4/CbBu_EsZwL4/s1600-h/Liberia+065.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0s0Vgfk_pI/AAAAAAAAAD4/CbBu_EsZwL4/s200/Liberia+065.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137257344050462354" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />10: And, for those reading at home, having seen the sun rise over those same waters.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0s1AAfk_qI/AAAAAAAAAEA/Zpg03bw5KoM/s1600-h/Vacation+057.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/R0s1AAfk_qI/AAAAAAAAAEA/Zpg03bw5KoM/s200/Vacation+057.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137258074194902690" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-88553801464056780242007-11-26T09:07:00.000-08:002007-11-26T09:12:09.883-08:00BlueTaxing home today, I looked out the window to see a bright blue puppy toddle across the road. While I think, at this point, very little in Liberia surprises me, I found this peculiar.<br /><br />When I inquired of the driver as to the source of these puppy blues, he explained to me that there is a substance called “blue,” is available in most grocery stores, which is used for “shining” fabrics. Many people couple it with laundry detergent or soap to add a sheer finish to their clothing or materials.<br /><br />Blue also doubles as a flee-repellent – so they say. It’s commonly believed that dousing an animal in the liquid will rid them of the pesky bugs. <br /><br />I’ve no reason to think one way r the other about how successful an anti-flee treatment this may be – but it seems as good a reason as any to be blue.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-6156116652934402232007-11-11T04:58:00.000-08:002007-11-11T05:08:55.797-08:00On IceWalking next to the Barclay Training Center this morning, I saw a young girl approaching at a fast jog. She was holding her arms out and fiercely gripping a boxed shaped object in her palms.<br /><br />As she got closer, I read her desperate, yet amused, expression and noticed a stream of tears pouring down her face. Completely confused, I couldn't understand what was happening until she passed by and I realized she was running with a block of ice the size of a standard shoe box.<br /><br />It's about <a href="http://www.onlineconversion.com/temperature.htm">28 degrees</a> in Monrovia - who knows how far she was carrying this icicle.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-22620341598058147502007-11-11T00:46:00.000-08:002007-11-11T05:20:16.438-08:00Suppy Chain Troubles<span class="on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif" alt="Link" border="0" /></span><br />... seem to be a hot topic these days.<br /><br />This Sunday <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/world/middleeast/11weapons.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp">NYTimes</a> article profiles a case of mismanagement in Iraq. I don't know much about artillery supply chains, but I wonder if they have the cold chain issues we experience.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-27104434358319080912007-11-10T17:54:00.000-08:002007-11-11T05:11:41.707-08:00African lightening through African rainI spent this evening's thunderstorms dancing to Cuban music with friends Carlos and Victor (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">de</span> Peru), Milan i <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Vladan</span> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">iz</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Bosna</span>), and a happy assortment of others at an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ICRC</span> (International Committee of the Red Cross) party in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Sinkor, Monrovia</span>.<br /><br />The rains have been "heavy" in the evenings for the past few weeks - but it was hot enough tonight that the showers were welcome. What never ceases to amaze me about these Liberian storms, is the intensity of the lightening. Twice in three months I've awoken in the "small, small" hours of the night to booming thunderstorms - but not because of the thunder. Rather, the lightening flash has shown so brightly in my room that I've thought the lights were switched on (which, incidentally, is entirely impossible because we don't have power between 2-7 in the morning).<br /><br />I've always loved lightening storms.<br /><br />Perhaps I was acutely appreciative of a gorgeous Saturday night because the day, 'til that point, had been a long one. Morning began at six with a run round the Embassy, up Benson street and back through Mamba Point on UN Drive; I met my friend Joe (student at University of Liberia studying business management) for a jog. Per usual, the smog/humidity ensured that breathing/ gasping was a challenge.<br /><br />The rest of the morning and most of afternoon was spent at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">NACP</span> for the final day of the training on the new "Integrated Guidelines for Prevention, Care and Treatment of HIV/AIDS." The training, overall, was a success; representatives from hospitals throughout the country seemed enthused about the material and likely to share the material in their home institutions. We'll see.<br /><br />Participating in this training was particularly useful for me because it offered insight into workshop "dos and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">don'ts</span>" that I can hopefully apply during the December trainings for the Procurement and Supply Chain Standard Operating Procedure (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">PSM</span> SOP). The workday was a preview of the magnitude of the preparations required in the coming weeks...Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-37283018889983330882007-10-28T06:52:00.000-07:002007-10-28T08:22:30.890-07:00Handshakes and ApplaudingFirst, let me preface this entry with the disclaimer that anyone living in (or who has ever lived in) West Africa will find this a bit ridiculous.<br /><br />Second, I feel perfectly comfortable saying that, unequivocally, the Liberian adaptation of the everyday handshake and a round of applause ... just plain rocks, and it needs to be shared with those who haven't yet experienced it.<br /><br />The Liberian handshake is one of the cultural goodies you find right as you step off the plane. It's a full arm process that involves the following:<br /><br />1 - grasp the hand of your counterpart:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/RySjwwzfJ8I/AAAAAAAAACQ/8t8ZYb-t5Mc/s1600-h/Liberia+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/RySjwwzfJ8I/AAAAAAAAACQ/8t8ZYb-t5Mc/s200/Liberia+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126402333984368578" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />2 - slide into a thumb-to-thumb grip:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/RySlMQzfJ9I/AAAAAAAAACY/FwF7ivN9sPc/s1600-h/Liberia+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/RySlMQzfJ9I/AAAAAAAAACY/FwF7ivN9sPc/s200/Liberia+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126403905942398930" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />3 - pull back to clutch the finger tips of your counterpart:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/RySmcwzfJ-I/AAAAAAAAACg/ow2sOrFUW7U/s1600-h/Liberia+003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/RySmcwzfJ-I/AAAAAAAAACg/ow2sOrFUW7U/s200/Liberia+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126405288921868258" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />4 - release with a loud snap of the middle fingers:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/RySoyAzfJ_I/AAAAAAAAACo/5Nq51agd8FA/s1600-h/Liberia+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CwDqMIYtrEw/RySoyAzfJ_I/AAAAAAAAACo/5Nq51agd8FA/s200/Liberia+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126407853017343986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Note that the handshake can be abbreviated by jumping straight from the quick hand shake to the snap.<br /><br />Perhaps the best thing about this handshake, and the fact that I found most surprising, is that it is uniformly universal, throughout much of West Africa, at least. Just as you would snap fingers with your neighbor, or doorman, or local "ground pea" (peanuts are called ground peas) vendor... you would also snap fingers with a County Superintendent (the equivalent of a state governor), a Senator, Minister, or... well, I'm unsure as to whether you would initiate a snap after a handshake with President Ellen.... But you would definitely be exceedingly flattered if she did so with you.<br /><br />The Liberian applause is equally awesome - and it, too, is a bit of a production (notice the pattern of dramatic performances).<br /><br />As I've seen it observed, among the crowd there is typically an applause leader. This person takes it upon him or herself to call everyone's attention. Then, slowly, and quietly at first, he or she rubs his/her hands together. As the energy builds the leader calls out the person for whom the commendation is intended, thanks them for whatever it is they did, counts out a series of claps which the crowd follows - then "pushes" or "tosses" the good energy to the person receiving the applause. This you have to see to fully appreciate. The below clip is from a recent employee appreciation outing to Barnes Beach (just southeast of Monrovia).<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzHofuq5UX7QR5eitUbgGvPMyKYuijUglDDO2NNJcjRiFR4TPhYUuz-wIZHAkbVgrujNU4xNpP429u26adj8w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-22568887488491438012007-10-16T10:00:00.000-07:002007-10-16T10:01:30.986-07:00Bochalo“Hey missy, what’s your name?” This, from a boy of maybe seven years old. I was walking past the American Embassy, returning from a lunch meeting at the Crystal Ocean View Hotel. He was carrying a very big jug of water.<br /><br />“My name’s Amanda, what’s yours?”<br /><br />“Me? My name’s Bochalo [at least that’s what I heard, I could be wrong]. I like your form, missy.”<br /><br />“You’re too little to like my form.” How else do you respond to a seven year old?<br /><br />“I could be good for you missy.”<br /><br />No comment.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-41997911213033155292007-10-16T09:59:00.000-07:002007-10-16T10:00:37.414-07:00WAWAI’ve developed this very awkward way of lighting my oven. I have a gas stove, but the lighter doesn’t work and the knob to control the amount of gas that comes from beneath the burner is broken… so inevitably the gas comes out full blast. My technique, therefore, has been to have a match ready, turn the gas on, duck beneath the level of the stove and toss the match towards the gas... hoping not to singe my hair/eyebrows/self. <br /><br />One of my flat mates, an UNMIL military observer, laughed to no end as he witnessed me doing this.<br /><br />After showing me a slightly safer stove top strategy (of placing the match on the burner, then starting the gas), he also taught me my new favorite phrase:<br /><br />WAWA. WAWA stands for West Africa Wins Again - not the football frat, for all us Hopkins alums, or the chain convenience store for all those in living in the mid-Atlantic.<br /><br />WAWA should be used to express the frustration that comes with the common inconveniences of life in Liberia (and neighboring states). <br /><br />“For example,” he explained, “If, after the end of a long day working outside in the heat and humidity, you come home for a shower and the water’s been turned off, that’s a WAWA situation.”<br /><br />Or, you come home all excited that you found fresh apples at the grocery store… but then you find a worm in three out of four of them.<br /><br />Or, you pay 10 USD for a sandwich at a hotel restaurant (which would cost 3 USD anywhere else) just so you can use their Internet… but the moment you turn the computer on the power goes out. <br /><br />Ah, WAWA.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-60791232506549643712007-10-16T09:58:00.000-07:002007-10-16T09:59:14.043-07:00Malaria, and the curative powers of cornflakesYup, cornflakes. Well, maybe it was less the cornflakes and more the 1250 mg of Larium and 30+ hours of sleep that actually did the trick. Regardless, only four days after testing positive for Malaria (of which strain, I'm unsure) I felt almost 100%.<br /><br />Leading up to Wednesday of that week, my work schedule had been pretty busy and sleep schedule a bit erratic. When I lay down Wednesday night at about 8, I assumed I just needed a few extra hours of rest. But, after a sleepless night of a 101 temp, chills, body aches, and a very upset stomach, I had an inkling I'd received an unfortunate mosquito bite.<br /><br />At roughly 8 am the next morning, I dragged myself to the car and our driver "carried" (the operative term in Liberia for "drive" or "bring" is "carry," and variations thereof) me directly to a local hospital. There I met an American doctor I knew working at the facility who helped me hobble towards the lab in the in the maternity ward to get a malaria smear. I remember taking a seat in the lab next to smiling, older lady who eyed me quite curiously.<br /><br />I vaguely remember hearing the positive results and wobbling my way to the car, and eventually the spare bedroom in a friends apartment just a couple blocks away. I slept from about 9:30 Thursday morning to maybe 3:30 Friday afternoon, at which time I made my way back to my apartment and slept some more.<br /><br />All in all, it was draining, but short-lived – definitely not the drawn out discomfort of getting shingles in Bosnia. However, I can’t imagine malaria being a routine concern. I have a friend here who said he gets “the malaria” about three times a year. It comes in different strains (and varying degrees of intensity) and can cause long-term liver damage if contracted multiple times. Not good news.<br /><br />While the side effects of the prophylaxis are a bit intimidating, I think from here on out I’ll risk it with Malarone…Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-48110088052855455672007-09-24T14:37:00.000-07:002007-10-16T09:58:16.167-07:00RiversideOn Saturday morning I bought a pair of Fila basketball shoes along Riverside market for 22 USD. The vendor wanted 26, but a friend of mine persuasively bargained him down. Just northwest of downtown, Riverside market is a hubbub of activity on Saturdays. It had been the largest market in Monrovia before the war, and has just recently been outpaced by Red Light.<br /><br />Local commerce in Liberia is somewhat of a wonder to me - mostly because the national infrastructure is prohibitively underdeveloped. Where there are roads, it is conceivable that goods and services will follow. The goods may be well worn - at least several points removed from their point of origin and, mostly likely, destination - but if there’s a near by road then patience will eventually yield profit.<br /><br />At Monrovia's Riverside, there is an endless stream of pedestrian traffic and international contractors to provide a market. What’s puzzling, however, is where the goods came from in the first place. There’s an endless variety of American throw backs: from squeaky clean Air Jordans, college football jerseys, Tupperware, dishware, Singer sewing machines, etc. Equally represented are Middle Eastern and German goods – though these nationalities have a stronger hold in grocery and convenience stores than street side markets. The goods themselves are seemingly new. Granted the dress shoes may need a polish, but on whole, merchandise appears to be stream into the country on a regular basis.<br /><br />To my knowledge, however, the road to Riverside isn’t any less mogul-ish than those in the rest of the city. There are two traversable roads that run the length of Liberia, and they are often impassable during rainy season, so commercial vehicles are rare. Roberts Field International (the airport) is the end (or beginning) of every flight that passes through Monrovia – and I can’t speak to ever having heard of a rail system. Further still (and largely by consequence), Liberia completely lacks manufacturing capability. Though resource rich, Liberia’s raw materials are shipped abroad for processing and manufacturing. Not even Firestone (as I understand it) has a manufacturing plant in country. What’s left, then, as the commercial portico to the country, but its seaports? My guess (which I’ve had confirmed by just two acquaintances) is that certain “rights of passage” are understood between merchants and those working the docks. A small offering of incoming merchandise may ensure the safety of the rest of the shipment.<br /><br />The coast is hub for various spokes of commercial exchange - legal and extralegal. In the earliest morning hours, young men push wheelbarrows of sand from the shore towards inland neighborhoods, where they reinforce structures and walls with sand bags. Smaller boys carry buckets of snails to the markets, and fisherman frequent the waters from dawn to dusk. So, I suppose, it’s reasonable to image goods of all kinds, from all countries, making their way to Riverside.<br /><br />The shoes fit, that’s for sure – but I’m withholding further judgment until I see how well they wear.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-30158874203945758242007-09-22T13:31:00.000-07:002007-09-22T13:32:11.974-07:00Work in TransitI’m sitting in the Nissan pick up on Benson Street just East of downtown Monrovia; we’ve been motionless for 30 minutes. Our driver, visibly flustered, is trying to coordinate with the office manager to see how to get the rest of the staff to a three o’clock meeting on the other side of town. <br /><br />Resigned to passing the afternoon in the car, I decided to pop my laptop and get some work done. As I’m opening Excel files full of distribution plans, our driver exhales, disgusted, and gets out of the car to go encourage a taxi driver to move through the intersection.<br /><br />So, I’ve found myself sitting in a Nissan pick up, typing on my MacBook… motionless in the middle of a street that is overrun with vendors and students on their way home from school. An atypical, though not unprecedented, day at the office.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-57962325534558624382007-09-22T13:25:00.000-07:002007-09-22T13:26:13.586-07:00Banking on Broad Street<span class="ppt" id="_user_ndsliberia@yahoo.com"><span class="lg">There are two, relatively convenient ways to withdraw US Dollars from a bank in Monrovia: writing a check to yourself or wiring money to a local account from a bank in the US. This afternoon, I chose the former of the two and found myself carrying an uncomfortable amount of cash as I exited International Bank onto Broad Street.<br /><br />One of four commercial banks in Liberia, IB was located within an UNMIL held area during the war, and has been active throughout the past 15 years of turmoil. This was also the case with the other four, commercial banks in Liberia, as well as the state owned Central Bank. International Bank sits across from the Executive Compound and Palm Hotel (and Chinese Restaurant). It is an American owned bank that acts as an intermediary for those wiring funds from abroad and cashes personal checks. At the teller wind charged me $18 for an “import tax,” which he explained was necessary because International Bank must import American Dollars. Though I hesitated at this explanation, the local accountant I was with assured me this was commonplace – and, more importantly, a lesser fee than I would have paid to wire the money. <br /><br />My experience, on whole, was perfectly smooth. For most locals, however, this is generally not the case. In a recent conversation I learned that applying for a loan is a prohibitively complicated process. Take for instance, the process of property appraisal at the Liberian Bank of Development and Investment.<br /><br />The Liberian Bank of Development and Investment (LBDI) is the largest Liberian run bank in the country. According to one Liberian friend, to have his property valued as leverage to take out a loan, the speculation process would take (“easily”) over a year. Furthermore, the bank would take the property at face value – meaning they would value an acre at the current price of an acre, rather than granting the owner a loan that would enable them to build on that acre. I am, admittedly, unfamiliar with the speculation process, and therefore unsure as to how common of a practice this is. I’ll do a bit of research on the topic, but I’m more than interested to hear any comments on this subject from anyone reading. Regardless, my friend attested to the fact that the process would be far easier and more lucrative for a Lebanese businessman or other international.<br /><br />It will be interesting to follow LBDI transactions over the course of the year – or perhaps open an account to get a more intimate perspective.<br /><br /></span></span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-36882486369953028742007-09-16T11:32:00.000-07:002007-09-16T12:01:47.325-07:00Merit and PeaceThis past weekend I moved from the apartment in Sincor where I had stayed for two weeks to a new residence in the Mamba Point district of Monrovia. Before leaving the the Sincor neighborhood, I went for a stroll through the streets surrounding the JFK Hospital.<br /><br />As I wandered from the compound gates towards the seaside, I met a young UNMIL soldier sitting under a palm tree shining his shoes. He was on duty for the morning, he remarked, but it had been a quiet day thus far. He asked about the work I was doing and where I was moving. This banter led to his description of his own home in Nigeria and the tours in which he had served as a UN peacekeeper. He also volunteered a comparison of his time spent in West Africa, which didn't fare favourably for Liberia:<br /><br />"Ooh, it's so heavy here," referring, I presumed, to the humidity of the rainy season.<br /><br />"And it gets so hot," I found this comment surprising, given he'd lived all his life within the region.<br /><br />"But, most of all, the city is so sad. Freetown, in Freetown, there is much to do." I'd heard this observation made many times before. The capital of Sierra Leone is rumored to be much more developed (better roads, more reliable utilities) and recreation-friendly (the options for R&R in Monrovia are limited, with fewer local/international hang outs that other capital cities).<br /><br />"But, I found him here, and that makes me happy." With this, the solider nodded to a small german shepard which, to this point, had been lounging in the shade nearby. I don't typically use names in this blog, but in this case, I asked special permission of this new friend to share this detail.<br /><br />"His name is Peace, because that's what I bring."<br /><br />"That's an excellent name," I responded, offering the solidier my own name, "and what is yours?"<br /><br />"Merit. M-e-r-i-t."<br /><br />Maybe Merit was being poetic, or maybe he just enjoyed injecting irony into conversation.<br /><br />Or, maybe, Merit really did find Peace in Monrovia, and they're keeping careful watch over a compound in Sincor.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434497521896248925.post-27394232390743601112007-09-15T08:37:00.000-07:002007-09-15T08:38:45.162-07:00A Monkey Named Soup… And, Lessons in ManagementTonight, at a dinner party in a house overlooking UN Drive, I met a monkey named “Soup.” The owner, our most generous host for the evening, had adopted the small female monkey in Madagascar to save it from an alternate fate as dinner course. While native Liberian monkeys hail from the Northern Lofa County, I’ve seen a number of pet monkeys over the past few weeks; most are kept on leashes, though I’ve seen a couple tied to trees. My first impression of this particular chimp was that her cage was far to small – but I suppose it beats a soup bowl any day.<br /><br />CHAI Liberia welcomed three new staff members today; two doctors and a nurse, all Yale Fellows. The event was occasion for convening a number of the Deputy Ministers, inviting a slew of introductions and ad hoc speeches, and reviewing the CHAI development model and mission in Liberia. There were two key themes for the day, both came in the form of toasts: first, this is a time of reform in Liberia, rather than reconstruction; and two, the role of the “trusted adviser” hinges on keeping one’s distance from party politics.<br /><br />On this latter point, Liberia today offers great opportunity to build and employ a-typical management skills. There is a vacuum of experience for many mid-to-upper level ministry positions and, subsequently, a high demand for consultants. Because internationals, those “without a dog in the fight,” are perceived as offering objective advice, they have the ability to positively impact policy on many levels. While it is tempting, at times, to take a more aggressive approach to meeting goals and deadlines, it is vital to the long-term success of development initiative here (and elsewhere, for that matter) to achieve success through local implementers. The Clinton Foundation places a great deal of emphasis on the practice of “reform through government.” In fact, CHAI programs are established exclusively at the bequest of host governments. CHAI employees work as government employees, offering technical support and promoting the institutions they advise. My impression, thus far, is that this model has achieved impressive results in the field public health and hold great potential in other sectors.<br /><br />In short, lessons in management (or development negotiation) thus far include:<br /><br /> 1. Never enter a meeting without knowing the outcome<br /> 2. Reform through local government, rather than acting as an implementing partner<br /> 3. Treat every draft as a final draft - I've already had one instance where a questionnaire I "drafted" was implemented as a final copy<br /> 4. Know your customer(s)<br /> 5. Publicizing objectives only limits the scope of your work<br /> 6. Aspire to remain under the radar; anonymity offers leverage<br /><br />and more to follow...Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551105092366898663noreply@blogger.com0