a good week.

Just a quick post to say that things are looking up – I have some money and Turay has been providing decent food. I’ve decided to put the sketchy money situation behind me, because I’m convinced that Turay didn’t intentionally do anything wrong – he just doesn’t have a good financial mind. He also withdrew some money from the SDI savings, as I asked, and there is additional financing coming in from some external sources. I can now use SDI money for SDI activities and my own money for everything else. Turay is easy to work with, but it’s not an equal partnership: I’m pretty much running this organization at this point. I really wanted to work with other people to accomplish something, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.

I’ve talked with a couple groups of people to learn what are their problems, and will soon be working up some proposals to share with them to see which is best. The most interesting idea right now is buying surplus produce at a low cost that would otherwise go bad and opening a restaurant. It would provide free food to people that would otherwise go hungry, while later in the day selling the same meals for a moderate fee to people that can afford it. Not sure if I have the knowledge to start a futures market here in Cameroon though!

Tomorrow I have meetings planned with two local NGOs that provide microfinance services to the poor. This is another area which is crucial for bringing people out of poverty, but these orgs are already working in that space. I originally thought that I could start my own microfinance institution, but have decided against it because of these other orgs … and anyway, it would require a significant amount of cash up front.

I also have a new phone number – this is my phone, not one from Turay. The number is +237 7656 2434.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! I am very jealous of you all.

shawn.