The New Year is a time when many people reflect on the year gone by and make resolutions to rectify the mistakes of the past in the year to come. At the start of this new year, I’ve been doing more than my fair share of each.
The year 2009 proved to be among the most challenging years of my life. While I’ve always been one prone to moments of introspection on the direction my life is taking, never before has soul-searching been a daily ritual. Being isolated from family and friends, living where even the few who understand your language differ so much in terms of life experiences and culture as to make empathy a near-impossibility (in either direction), means that one is often alone even in a room full of people.
For someone accustomed to succeeding, to at least some degree, in virtually every major academic and professional undertaking, repeated failure will almost unfailingly trigger thoughts of self-doubt and questions about whether one has chosen the right path. To say that I’ve failed on numerous occasions as a Peace Corps Volunteer is not to say that I have not accomplished anything of worth. I am quite proud of having helped my organization to obtain new books and computers for the library, to have introduced new productive farming techniques to dozens of people, and to have led a rock climbing and abseiling trip that, for many of the sixteen participating orphans and vulnerable youth, was one of the most exciting experiences of their young lives. Yet in the areas I’ve invested the most effort—conducting a community-wide needs survey, setting up a comprehensive data collection and evaluation system, launching a major agricultural income-generating project, scaling up the small community library into a well-connected information resource center—I’ve seen the least progress.
And while I would love to say that I’ve diagnosed the reasons underlying the disappointments from the past year and have pinpointed a fail-proof strategy to make 2010 a productive year, I’d be lying. I certainly have some ideas regarding how to become a more effective Volunteer in the months to come, but I cannot be assured that they’ll be much better than the dozens of other ideas I’ve already tried. If I’ve learned anything during my 11 months of Peace Corps service in South Africa, it’s to not confuse hope with expectations of success. Thus, while there are signs of more promising things to come, including some major organizational changes at Fanang Diatla and evidence of enthusiasm for new projects, I know that finding an appropriate role for my involvement will be neither straightforward nor effortless. All I can do is try, and hope.
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In addition to trying to improve my efforts for Goal 1 of the Peace Corps (building the capacity of host country nationals to meet development goals), I’ve also pledged as one of my New Year’s resolutions to post more frequently on my blog (part of Peace Corps’ Goal 3: to share our experiences in foreign lands with those back home).
So expect to see more frequent posts in the near future. You can also follow my regular updates on facebook if you're so inclined.
And, of course, Happy New Year!
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3 comments:
Ed:
I am COO of Water Charity, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that does water, sanitation, and public health projects worldwide. In July, 2009, we started our Appropriate Projects initiative to fund small water and sanitation projects very quickly. Applicants are limited to Peace Corps Volunteers, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and Peace Corps Response Volunteers.
I am a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Bolivia ’66-’68), and am well aware of the difficulties Volunteers face in the field. Appropriate Projects is an addition to our regular Water Charity model that is allowing us to provide project resources to PCVs in the field immediately.
Often there is that little project that must be done now (before the rains start, before school begins, or in response to a critical need), but there are no funds available. Traditional funding sources are cumbersome, and there are long forms, detailed requirements, limited resources, and long delays.
PCVs working in water and sanitation usually have potential projects lined up. For those working in other program areas, there may be water components to their projects, or improvements needed where they work or teach.
Sample projects may be: rainwater or spring catchments, handwashing stations, water systems, piping, tanks, pumps, latrines, wells, etc.
We like to do the water and sanitation parts of projects for schools, clinics, and community centers. So, if you can get funding for the building and other stuff, we can help with things like the water supply, filters, sinks, plumbing, and drainage.
We like to finish projects that have been started, and fix things that have ceased to function.
We encourage follow-up projects that expand upon the successful completion of the first small project.
If you have a project in mind, please fill out the application form. We want this to be easy for you, so we have developed a simple form that you can fill out in one sitting.
If you have any questions about the appropriateness of your project, or you need some time to get it together, just let us know.
We pre-fund projects, so you don’t have to wait around for donations to roll in.
If you do not have a project that qualifies, please pass this message on to your fellow Volunteers who may have an interest. Finally, if this initiative resonates with you, please let others know what we are doing through your social networks, websites, and blogs.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Averill
Averill Strasser
Appropriate Projects
http://appropriateprojects.com
Water Charity
http://watercharity.org
Ed,
It's encouraging to read this post. Like you I've always been hard on myself in terms of "succeeding" academically and professionally. I also find myself thinking about my previous "success" in Africa and wondering if I will have that in SA.
To hear that you had failures and yet still feel you're making a difference is comforting. At least I know I won't be the only one to have a few of my expectations of myself knocked down to size.
Thanks for the information Averill. I'll be sure to follow up via email.
Thanks for your comments, Jesse. I've not heard of any volunteers who have not encountered at least some major failures, especially in their first years. The successful ones are the ones who are able to persist and learn (easier said than done, of course). I wish your group all the best of luck in meeting failure with grace and with the willingness to adapt to your circumstances instead of expecting your circumstances to adapt to you.
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