(II)
People working here are awesome. I admit that I enjoyed being with a group of nice girl friends and gossip around :-PPP The girls are very hard working and they love working here. Everyone get along really well. I have to say female staff is INDECOS’ asset: think about WEP or house visits to parents, these girls are from the local area and can easily approach village families, especially Mums working at home. They are good listeners and advisors. The WEP Manager, a 36-year-old young lady (we think she’s 18), said women would think of them when they have problems. They think the WEP team is reliable. Building up trust is important.
Photos 38&39: Girls girls girls:)
Needless to say males are of equal importance :-P INDECOS director Conrad is a great person, experienced and kind. We shared and exchanged a lot of ideas, he did teach me what I’d value for life. He wants to save the poor through “empowerment” – a word that has always being mentioned by him. Given education, they can help themselves out. We need to guide them to realize their potential and the community’s resources, e.g. help students realize their dreams, housewives realize their ability to earn a living rather than totally depend on their husbands, teenagers realize they can choose a healthy sex life… and facilitate them to achieve the potential, e.g. through micro-credit, or a little scholarship funds. He wants the projects to be transparent, people to be motivated by their own intention. Even when the worst come, they don’t give up the people they care for (they have been facing shortage of funds in HIV/AIDS projects; year after year they carry it on as vulnerable teenagers need the education, esp. in rural areas). The reason I trusted INDECOS to make a difference is Conrad’s mind has every influence here, they believe in creating a change deep inside. Dr. Ekanayaka with nutrition project and Chathuranga with Star for Life are two other gentlemen with the same great heart.
Photos 40&41: Conrad and Pearl; Chathu.
Time to say goodbye and I wish more time could be spent with them. The good news is I’m spreading this and hopefully soon, we are re-connecting through giving and learning:)
Photo 42: Again, GIRLS:)