Impending genocide in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cholera in Zimbabwe. HIV/AIDS. Collapse of the auto industry in the US. Global economic crisis! Are we having fun yet? If you are a VSO volunteer in Tanzania, the answer is yes! Because we just finished AVC! (Annual Volunteer Conference), a 3 day conference in Dar Es Salaam for all of the volunteers in Tanzania, Zanzibar and on the island of Pemba to discuss our issues. Those issues being - the work that we are doing, the strengths, challenges, the issues surrounding our respective sectors - "HIV/AIDS", "Secure Livelihoods", and "Education". We listened to individual and group presentations on "conflict management", "gender and HIV mainstreaming", received information from DFID (Department for International Development), watched an emotional and inspiring documentary on HIV/AIDS, and played the "Africa Game" during which time I found myself running around a pool with a bucket of water on my head. I came away soaked (but victorious)...
Getting back to the point, AVC was a very positive meeting. For me I came away with a better understanding of where VSO is, what volunteers are doing, and where we would like to be in 2009. The VSO Tanzania country director has said that despite the challenges (including the global credit crunch), that 2009 is promised to be a very good year for VSO - because next year a new CSP (Country Strategic Plan) will be developed. The CSP is important because VSO will hopefully make changes that will bring about better, more succesful placements to improve its development efforts.
I'm traveling back to Lindi tomorrow. 8 hours on the bus (6 hours on paved road and 2 hours on unpaved dirt :). I should be back in Lindi by 2pm, barring any flat tires and that we leave on time!
What's the message? I don't know. But despite the multitude of crises around the world, the seventy-plus VSO volunteers in Tanzania had a good and safe time in Dar at the AVC:) The picture was taken during lunch on day 2. The rest of the pictures will be uploaded onto Facebook.
Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!
Getting back to the point, AVC was a very positive meeting. For me I came away with a better understanding of where VSO is, what volunteers are doing, and where we would like to be in 2009. The VSO Tanzania country director has said that despite the challenges (including the global credit crunch), that 2009 is promised to be a very good year for VSO - because next year a new CSP (Country Strategic Plan) will be developed. The CSP is important because VSO will hopefully make changes that will bring about better, more succesful placements to improve its development efforts.
I'm traveling back to Lindi tomorrow. 8 hours on the bus (6 hours on paved road and 2 hours on unpaved dirt :). I should be back in Lindi by 2pm, barring any flat tires and that we leave on time!
What's the message? I don't know. But despite the multitude of crises around the world, the seventy-plus VSO volunteers in Tanzania had a good and safe time in Dar at the AVC:) The picture was taken during lunch on day 2. The rest of the pictures will be uploaded onto Facebook.
Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!
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