:Title: Sept/Oct 2007: Ned Uganda :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:07:04 PDT :URL: http://www.ned.com/group/neduganda/news/6/ Can someone share more about the new Gulu location that's currently being renovated, what the community is already planning for that space? When will the space be ready? Beyond an internet café (downstairs?) what other business models would the Ned Uganda team like to explore in the same space? It would be great if any new business model for a product or service each had a team of 3-5 people working to make it profitable and sustainable. Does that make sense? What can be learned from the other internet cafes in Gulu? What would make more people want to visit the Ned/Uganda/Gulu internet café? Can someone start to spec out the startup costs for the café: computers, electricity, connectivity, gas generator, etc. Would Ned/Uganda t-shirts sell well? Ice cold Rwenzori bottled water? Dried fruit or meats? Microfinance loans. Paper beaded bracelets. Liquid soap is one, I know. What other products or services would the Ned/Uganda/Gulu coop community like to sell that could be profitable in a short period of time? I can help guide, offer ideas, share online, but members on the ground in Gulu need to unleash the entrepreneurial spirits. How soon is the retail space going to be open for business? Can we see some picture soon? That'd be great. Can each business unit/model being considered be budgeted for cost of goods, marketing, expected sales, and team members in the unit? We don't necessarily *have* to have the physical space open to explore some of the models. If three people think selling t-shirts is worthwhile, and there would be a need for 100 to start, that could be something possibly started without the retail space. Each business unit should have enough potential revenue so each worker would earn 2,000 to 6,000 shillings a day, cover expenses, and have excess profit that goes back into the coop for other models (and coop wide profit sharing). Assuming 2,000 shillings per person a day, at three team members, at 90 days, loosely figure $279 in labor/pay for three months. Assuming startup costs for WIDGET/PRODUCT/SERVICE is $250, that's $529 combined...round it up to $600 USD...for giggles (ok, miscellaneous expenses really). If a business unit could be profitable in 90 days, paying expenses, earning a living for that units members, putting some funds back into the coop (first to recoup investment funding (for reinvestment, not return on investment), then to startup other models)...that'd be a great thing. Ned/Portland has the capacity to fund a minimum of 3-4 of these business units as soon as they are ready to go (If we get some Ned.com Chip-in, Facebook, Razoo matching funds, we might be able to finance twice as much). ---- **Comments** :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:16:22 PDT Kampala has also moved to a new center, by the way. We need to remember that we have two locations. perhaps Gulu sounds much *poorer* (needier?) than Kampala, but the majority of ned Uganda members in Kampala are displaced people really hoping to leave the IDP camp. Ideally - as I understand from the communities - they would like to mirror each other as much as possible. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:41:17 PDT You bet. To the degree we can mirror products and services between Gulu and Kampala, we should. 100% agree. Was not meaning to overlook Kampala. ---- :Author: Munnu Morrish :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 06:40:03 PDT The new site is beautiful and promising.Its compound can do lots of good things and I believe all that Mark as stated above is really interesting. Internet cafe in Gulu are not all that very performing, We have nearly three to four with poor internet connection and when the power is off, the nearly all this cafe are shut down,So I believe if we could advance our cafe include some, printer ,photocopier, and coffee or tea for the cliants this would be interesting and a quick it could attract lots of this University students and others around. If we could get a standby generator and have to a good service provider I believe this could be of advantage over other cafe in the district and in addition to that I believe if we could set up a restaurant with varieties of international food this could attract lots of the white and others working for this NGO's in Gulu and the hostels around could provide us some income. A well stock gallery with variaties of fahions could be of a source of attraction to to our site and making it known to many. Funny i may call it.How about getting a mini bus which carries 16-17 people to provide transport in the name of ned Uganda from campus to town and town to campus,it can be staff van but in the real sense it could help in transporting university students to and fro.on a subsidized fair.this could provide employment to some of our members who are drivers with no cars as well as bringing income to the organisation.here I mean having each of amember do something which could bring income to other members too.this students uses boda boda cycles which are pretty much expensive when you compare to no van or mini bus. my thoughts and suggestions So I believe that when all this team up it could really work out. ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 07:24:06 PDT The lower portion of the building is available to the community, and includes a webcafe space, an office, a gallery space, and a large group meeting/production space, as well as 3 extra rooms whose purpose has not yet been defined, and a large outdoor space. The landlord plans to be opening a restaurant on top, and a volunteer hostel in the back. While this is likely to provide some employment and attract a wider audience to the community activities, those portions of the building will be under separate management. ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 07:24:21 PDT In Gulu - the lower portion of the building is available to the community, and includes a webcafe space, an office, a gallery space, and a large group meeting/production space, as well as 3 extra rooms whose purpose has not yet been defined, and a large outdoor space. The landlord plans to be opening a restaurant on top, and a volunteer hostel in the back. While this is likely to provide some employment and attract a wider audience to the community activities, those portions of the building will be under separate management. ---- :Author: Grace Ayaa :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 08:12:29 PDT Thanks Mark for starting this thread and Munnu for the detailed explanation of what can be done at the new center in Gulu.Here in Kampala, we are also situated at a location which is very close to the University which also gives an opportunity for a good cafe which has good connectivity meaning maybe a dish and changing the line from MTN to UTL which is accepted as faster and maybe a photocopier and a new printer as the old one is no longer working , because most students always have they work printed from wherever they work from, so a printer would also earn extra money.We may also need four new computers to accommodate as many as possible. As for the other projects, we have also have the soap project as one , though we have agreed that we shall have Gulu begin with that as we look at other things to begin with , Like the most immediate one will be the candles. e also have Jezi (a cleansing liquid detergent),making tie and die , making and packing fruit powder,and milk powder , bar soap , school chalks and confectioneries ( biscuits), fruit juice making and packing, cakes . These are the selection of things that we have come out with from among very many others. these are easy to make items and with not so mu7ch capital . Once the members get themselves into the different groups, they will be coming out with the kind of budget that each will need to start up with. However , I don't think I have quite understood the 4-5 model well. Members of 4-5 come together , start up the business and will this then permanently be theirs or other people can then take over and operate it ? Otherwise the model really sounds great and manageable. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 08:24:49 PDT :Modified: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 08:34:49 PDT I think you are well on track, and it's great to see everyone is thinking about such a variety of products within Ned/Uganda/Gulu & Ned/Uganda/Kampala. All very local based things, very nice indeed. Will it be theirs to permanently or could others take it over to operate it? Depends on that the members want in each case I guess. From looking at this some *business units* of 3-5 people may do a combination of things. For instance, fuit powder, milk powder, fruit juice and biscuits may be done by the same business unit (group of people) as it appears to be all food related and working with similar materials. Once the working business units are selected, members in each, and budgets started we'll have a pretty clear idea about getting funding in place. Once there is a genereal agreement between Ned/Uganda members that buiness unit is ready to operate and would "likely" be cash flow positive in 90 days or less...then can get it funded. *edit: spelling* ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 08:35:51 PDT as we left our planning in July/August, there were 4 lifeinafrica program areas that the members wanted to continue: microfinance, group production, internet4change and children's programs. Does the 4-5 person business unit idea supplant the idea of the community working together in all of those areas, or are we only talking about the group production part so far. In other words, would you have different "business units" when it comes to the childrens programs or internet training? ---- :Author: Evvy Bryning :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 08:37:30 PDT Would the Gulu community soap project fall under this plan? ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 08:47:41 PDT Here are a couple one page flow charts that may be helpful when seeing how it all fits together. I would print these out, though still need explanations and answers, they give a good albeit brief overview of the big picture. `Ned.com Flowchart V8`_ `Ned Coop Flowchart V5`_ >>program areas that the members wanted to continue: microfinance, group production, internet4change and children's programs. Does the 4-5 person business unit idea supplant the idea of the community working together in all of those areas, or are we only talking about the group production part so far. In other words, would you have different "business units" when it comes to the childrens programs or internet training?<< I think all of those areas should definitely be kept going and are a part of Ned Uganda for certain. Now looking at the Coop Flowchart it seems to me that microfinance and group product fall on the right side of the chart, and maybe internet4change, and children's programs falls on the right side of the chart. The left side being revenue generating business units all under the umbrella of the local coop, and the left side being the social services side where members decide important local issues to focus on and are not intended to be revenue generating but financing help comes from overall finances from the revenue generating units on the other side. >>Would the Gulu community soap project fall under this plan?<< Absolutely yes. .. _`Ned.com Flowchart V8` : http://www.ned.com/group/ned/file/9.40.11881412409/get/Ned.com%20Flowchart%20V8.pdf .. _`Ned Coop Flowchart V5` : http://www.ned.com/group/ned/file/4.83.11881411834/get/Ned%20Coop%20Flowchart%20V5.pdf ---- :Author: Evvy Bryning :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 09:00:04 PDT Where do you see an organization like Life in Africa -USA fitting into the big picture? ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 09:17:17 PDT Great question. If you look at the ned.com flowchart you will see LiA, and TEN, and Atlas in circles in the upper left. They operate as wholly separate orgs fitting in the over structure as they want to operate. Scott is bringing all his Atlas Fellows to ned.com to participate...I hope there will cross pollination between them and Ned Uganda. LiA-USA could be a fundraising arm. It could be an eco-tourism partner. It could as a loose or as tight of a connection as the LiA board and staff want it to be. I think the deeper collaborations and cross pollination is going to afford the most interesting opportunities. At the end of the day, both orgs and people must do what they are good at, and what they really enjoy, to stay engaged, excited and moving forward. People by nature tend to over-project what they can do in the short term, and under-project what can be accomplished in the long term. Many very interesting people are very excited by those two goofy little flowcharts. I see the puzzle pieces (kind of) and I see the overall picture (kind of), but I know that we all need to work together as we piece it together. I do think this is **we** not **me**, **us** not **I.** We are all in this together. At the same time, I think each holds an accountability and responsibility to take ownership for ideas into action and the roles we each play within that. Each of us holds a piece of the answer, and yet no one has the whole thing. ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:04:41 PDT >>Would the Gulu community soap project fall under this plan?<< Absolutely yes. There are a couple of issues here that I would like us to please consider in very practical terms. 1. ned Uganda does not yet officially exist anywhere but in spoken words and here online. At this point in time, the community members are still members of Life in Africa, which is registered to operate and trade in Gulu District. If we do not start the soap project until ned Uganda is registered to operate, that means waiting until December. 2. The LiA community members in Gulu have already been involved in discussions about the soap project. Expectations have been established through some form of group consensus that will now be changed (by an externally imposed model). Not only will it change, but it changes in a way that adds yet another delay, and involves and rewards only a few. In my experience with the community in Gulu, they ALWAYS push for an equal spread of participation and benefits - mainly because they detest the politics that arise when some are chosen to participate and others aren't. Letting them know now that the long awaited soap project is only going to involve 3-5 members after all will wreak predictable havoc on the community spirit there. For the sake of community building I think it's a bad decision to change the community's involvement in the soap plan *now*, and another bad decision to delay it any further. 3. As ned Uganda continues to take shape as a plan and *eventually* a real life operational organization, Life in Africa is also morphing into a new format/brand for providing support to communities *like* the communities we've built, that are now becoming part of this global ned brand. In the context of developing the kind of support that LiA would like to provide to communities like these, one of our plans is to offer fundraising for projects *like* the soap project that we've been actively guiding the development of this year. Significant effort has gone into this already that I would sincerely *appreciate* the opportunity for Life in Africa to see through as long as the community is still registered as Life in Africa. The soap project idea was conceived and grew to this point with the community as Life in Africa, and we still have the time to see it through to the next step without endangering the successful transition to nedUganda in any way, in my view. In fact, if we can get going on this sooner rather than later, I think we'll have a lot more members at both centers sticking around to see this transition period through. 4. We are ready to go with a fundraising plan today or tomorrow, and if all goes well this Life in Africa project could actually be off the ground *and benefiting our members who really need the income* by the time the transition to nedUganda is complete in December. At that time, all Life in Africa community assets and programs will be transferred to the nedUganda entity anyway. By then we'll have been operating the soap project for a couple of months and started candlemaking. nedUganda will inherit all that and can reorganize it however you all want according to the new systems you're just starting to actively plan for nedUganda right now. By the time NedUganda inherits these products, there will also be some real life market experience to grow on. Sorry for all the words, but basically Life in Africa is not dead yet... Nor are we ned yet :) I just don't see that it would be good for the communities to wait on diversifying their group production activities until neduganda begins, when we've now come far enough that we *can* get it going as the LiA community right away. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:13:50 PDT I'm *easy like a Sunday morning* as they say. All this is great news, a wonderful update, and all 100% fine. Didn't mean to get too far ahead of the curve and do anything premature where LiA is concerned. Please let me know where Ned.com, Ned members, and well all can best help between now and the December transition time...and beyond. As they also say... It's *all* good. ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:18:46 PDT I think it would be horrible to throttle the activity in Kampala and Gulu back BUT that said, I think that it is important to see how it is going to fit into the overall picture come January. I am concerned that there has been no talk here of cash flows and how ned is funded and how the group AS A WHOLE benefits from each of the projects not just the one that they are involved in. ---- :Author: robert oketa :Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:05:04 PDT Thanks for dicussing in this space , I surgest candle making as one of the income generating act in the new center for Lia. Here you can see a welder at Lias` new center being very busy with his work to make sure he finished it within few days. .. image:: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1339/1401166806_67c33598e0.jpg?v=0 Lia s` new center will be self contain building. This is a part of flash toilet system , it is about to be finished. You can view .. image:: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1134/1400342189_45324e219e.jpg?v=0 ---- :Author: Ndelo Peter :Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:25:18 PDT **WOULD THIS SOLVE THE CONNECTION PROBLEM?** **WE CENTER KAMPALA INTERNET CONNECTION PLAN** The computers and Internet have been the best and probably the cheapest means of communication tool to link the world together. People learn what is in the next world Just by mere computer and Internet! There has been reading, writing, seeing and even hearing because of this Internet and computer technology, this every body needs it but it is expensive to own, though it is the best way to communicate. Among the activities at WE Center Kampala, members are to be trained how to use the computers and the internet which has been contacted but not fully perhaps few members were interested and computers are not enough and at the same time poor connection! The few people who took interest much as there are few computers and Poor connections, have managed to gain some skills and have ploughed back to the community through online loan applications to ” Kiva” and other correspondences. With the growing interests of members in the computers and Internet, there is need for Our community to acquire more computers and get good connection so that we can run our programs smoothly. What we shall emphasize on is community Internet for change training and setting up a web café that shall supplement community’s income. And at one point may breed customers for the community’s art and craft activities. The idea of web café has been sleeping in my mind for over two years and indeed at one point we started but there was no proper arrangement and was limited to only members. But much as we could publish to the public, the connection has never been good and computers have never been enough, this would mean disappointing the customers. What if we had good connection and enough computers? Our location was not so strategic for the web café users and other activities like crafts. At the new location in Acholi quarters – Kireka – Kampala, if we put up a web café and a secretarial bureau, we shall have customers for these activities including crafts because two secondary schools, three primary schools, a university and hostels surround us! What do we have to make this happen? There is enough space in our office, five computers, tables, chairs and a standby generator. This leaves us with needs of more ten computers, a printer, photocopier and good Internet connection. Views, comments, questions, additions, subtractions are the only way to make this a reality. ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:34:51 PDT How about a workspace with a business plan, Peter? ---- :Author: Ndelo Peter :Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 05:05:57 PDT Is it okay is if I do business plan here or need a workspace? I would appraciate any help on workspace. ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 05:15:13 PDT A workspace will be much easier for a business plan...have you ever made a workspace? ---- :Author: Ndelo Peter :Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2007 08:16:25 PDT Yes I do know and have ever created. so let me creat and move every thing there. thanks ---- :Author: Grace Ayaa :Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:28:18 PDT Thanks so much Peter for the detailed explanation of how our upgraded connections will work. It has brought light to the real situations here. We are now left with the practcal part of it to see it move forward. Thanks for such beautiful language that you used for framing all these. ---- :Author: Ezra obiga :Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 02:12:19 PDT Oh wow,this is real.i personally believe 100% that this will work very very well.The connection using the dish here in Kampala's a few people have internet cafes with the dish connection.it is very fast and if working on it,you are sure that you will have your work done.I really believe that in case the we center Kampala gets this kind of connection,many people around the new location will come to use the net and of course they will pay for using the net and if so ,this means that,then the we center Kampala will be able to earn some money from it to even create or fund other projects within.We have the craft shop/gallery set up but where we are there are no people to buy just like at list it was at the old place we were in,so i believe that if the connection is done(of the dish)people will come many and then they will even get to the craft shop to get something like a gift for themselves and here i mean them buying. WHY WILL THE PEOPLE COME WHEN THE DISH INTERNET CONNECTION IS PUT IN PLACE? in the area we are in,the connection is very poor in all the internet cafes around there.They use either the MTN or the UTL dail up connection.With this type of connection,you have to take something like 2 to 4 or even 5 minutes to open the page so if people get to know about the new internet connection some where which is very fast they will just run over there and for since the new location is near the university and many student live just near it,lia will earn income from the internet cafe more than the craft shop/gallery if put in place.peter,thanks for that good idea.With me i can see it work.wow what a good idea,man keep it up ---- :Author: Jeff Mowatt :Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 03:18:33 PDT Ezra, some background information on this type of technology here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_small_aperture_terminal For the past 4 years I've been researching what you describe, revenue earning community VSAT for a project plan in Eastern Europe and from that, I know that the potential is there as a profit-for-purpose approach. I've got advice from Cisco with regard to linking this up as a community wireless service using Mesh or Wimax technology for greater distance and a network of 10 concurrent workstations is well within the capability of this equipment With the addition of what's know as back channel streaming, essentially off peak traffic, it will also be possible to download and store educational and entertainment content on a local server for community sharing at no additional bandwidth costs. ---- :Author: Ezra obiga :Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 03:47:13 PDT Oh wow,this is real.i personally believe 100% that this will work very very well.The connection using the dish here in Kampala's a few people have internet cafes with the dish connection.it is very fast and if working on it,you are sure that you will have your work done.I really believe that in case the we center Kampala gets this kind of connection,many people around the new location will come to use the net and of course they will pay for using the net and if so ,this means that,then the we center Kampala will be able to earn some money from it to even create or fund other projects within.We have the craft shop/gallery set up but where we are there are no people to buy just like at list it was at the old place we were in,so i believe that if the connection is done(of the dish)people will come many and then they will even get to the craft shop to get something like a gift for themselves and here i mean them buying. WHY WILL THE PEOPLE COME WHEN THE DISH INTERNET CONNECTION IS PUT IN PLACE? in the area we are in,the connection is very poor in all the internet cafes around there.They use either the MTN or the UTL dail up connection.With this type of connection,you have to take something like 2 to 4 or even 5 minutes to open the page so if people get to know about the new internet connection some where which is very fast they will just run over there and for since the new location is near the university and many student live just near it,lia will earn income from the internet cafe more than the craft shop/gallery if put in place.peter,thanks for that good idea.With me i can see it work.wow what a good idea,man keep it up ---- :Author: Ndelo Peter :Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 02:20:22 PDT for the comments about internet connection plan, clik on the link below http://www.ned.com/group/neduganda/ws/we_center_kampala_internet_connection_plan/?e=editpage ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 04:45:38 PDT You are doing great with the plan, Peter! I have asked a few questions for clarification. They are in *italics*. ---- :Author: Jeff Mowatt :Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 09:37:28 PDT :Modified: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 09:40:08 PDT Here is something which may be of use. it came from my discussion with Cisco technical support regarding a village Vsat+Wimax infrastucture serving a community and commercial objects within, with a target of 100 users per VSAT terminal. It's nearly 2 years since this exchange, so Wimax has no doubt moved forward since.... INFRASTRUCTURE FOR VILLAGE Wireless Mesh connection would be best suited for application described below. Assuming 100 or less inhabitants we make also an assumption of size of village (in km/miles) which is small of course. We can position there two solutions 1/ Traditional 802.11 solution which may be sufficient for now but may represent limitations which will be visible in a future and may increase installation costs now 2/ Wireless mesh which have a lot automated functions and is better choice (self configuring backhoul links, auto reconfiguration in case of lost connection to one of neighbor Access Points) In a scenario on a drawing we will also need a router to connect village to external networks (internet), to perform address translation (to fit all IP addressing regulations). Same router can be a firewall protecting users from attacks from outside, same router can also control wireless mesh network (one point of management). So as You see a technical solution of village is relatively simple. CONNECTION TO EXTERNAL NETWORKS I also agree that for so small local comunities VSAT would be the best choice (I'm sure that "the best" could be replaced with "the only" in many cases). Wimax may be a choice when vendors will have a products which will comply with Wimax standard (established in Nov 2005), and Service Providers will build an infrastructure to offer appropriate service. Assuming 6+ months of product development and another 6+ months for Wimax project deployment (SP) we can expect Wimax offer available in Q4CY05 (maybe late Q3). So we have to ask ourselves what's timeframe of discussed project then decide if we can consider Wimax as an option or not. COMMENTS Please feel free to comment on proposal given above. Rgds Michal ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Mon, 01 Oct 2007 06:26:08 PDT I've put some new thoughts on how life in africa and ned might come together as nedUganda over in this thread http://www.ned.com/group/neduganda/news/8/ They are evolving thoughts - discussion is requested! ---- :Author: Ndelo Peter :Date: Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:40:25 PDT well Linda, am answering them and today i will finish them, Thanks alot ---- :Author: Ndelo Peter :Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:34:09 PDT :Modified: Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:42:33 PDT MICROFINANCE FIRST DRAFT: These are what my committee came up with as they wish for the loan to run. * There is need for members to be in groups of 4 to five inorder to acquire loan so that they are, in that group, there is leader who makes sure that all the people brings in money and that leader takes to the office. * They recommended that the 24% is good to proceed with . * They raised concern that the microfinance unit should acqure transport either by acquiring loan to buy a motorcycle or an other means possible to effect the running of this loan. * They disccussed that there sholud be a person responsible for the loan so that there is effective management. * There should be a group business loan. say five people finds a project that needs 2.000,000/= or 1,000,000/=, they ask for that loan starts that project then repay as a group. * we sholud involve other communities but the conditioni is, should be a community with responsible leader to stand for it's people to acquire loan. * Non indvidual members who wish to acquire loan must be rocommended by a member with good borrowing records or may be required to provide security or letter of recommendation from his/her work place. * They disccused that one may upgrade to higher loan by margin of 250,000/= per every round depending on ones budget and capability to repay. * They also disccused that a mimum of 20 loans and a maximum of 40 loans be disbursed per month depending on how people are repaying back and shall be reversed from time to time. * They expressed their concerns about the internet connection. there shlould be a very fast internet connection to make the loan program run first and also the incharge loan to train other members of the community how the tools for uploading loans work on the internet so that other members of the community may also take up the responsiblity as others may resort to do other community thing. * Airtime: the incharge loan should be equiped with a monthly airtime for communication with the borrowers where needs may be. * There sholud be a fast and seroius action taken against the defaulters or delaying to repay the loan on a scheduled time if the borrowers do not report his/her problem. NB. This is not a decission, its a the community's views ---- :Author: Munnu Morrish :Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2007 01:04:27 PDT :Modified: Wed, 03 Oct 2007 01:06:46 PDT I saw little about the collection policy but with the some expirience down here i have noticed that the use of airtime as a reminer is really very useful. An effective collections policy requires some kind of formal system that ensures overdue accounts get paid. Letting late payments languish can disrupt cash flow and harm organisation's chances of success. To keep receivables flowing smoothly, studies shows that many businesses use a series of letters and phone calls to encourage customers to pay. These communications start out friendly and progressively become more serious and insistent as payments become overdue. How you structure your collections system is an individual matter - you may be more comfortable calling up clients than sending letters, for instance. The important thing is to have a system to create yours. The group thing will still be a failure if the collection policy is not advanced and some strict measures carried out. ---- :Author: Jesca Wassa :Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2007 05:28:20 PDT CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS FIRST DRAFT. What my group members came up wiht for childrens programs. 1-The spornsoring of the children: Its going to start with the orphons for both Gulu and kampala. There are number of children who are arphans and dependants who realy need assistance vai school fees. 2-Reaching out to other childrens: Here we know that by doing so our children will have more things to learn about out there and children out there will also have things to learn from our children. For example when kampala children visited the remand home in Naguru. They both learned alot from both side. The kids from the remand home had to get the filling of going back to school, to behave good again. 3-Hoilday visitations: They should continue, because here they learn new things from both centers . And know each other. 4- Trainig on hygiene and sanitation: Most of these childrens passed through a lot where by some know little or nothing about it. so this will help them. 5- Childrens interprenuship (savings): This is to teach them how to save in samll amounts. They can start samll and end up big. When they grow up they will have known why savig is good. 6-Peace tile: Making the peace tiles is some thing very good for the children in that it makes them think beyound thier imagnation. It also creats opportunities for people of all ages to share fun and education art activity. 7- To have children's equipments for their talents: For example games and sports, music,dance and dram, crafts. We beleave that in this world every child has a talent. So we want to help them in these areas .in order to do this we need to have all the facilities. 9- Free internet for change: Here they will have chance to know how to use the computer,how to communicate to one onther through yahoo, to brain stom them too. May be have them start childrens thread on NED. 10- Concelig and guidence: Our children need the conceling and guidence, Which will help them grow while knowing what is good and bad for them And to be good citizens. ---- :Author: robert oketa :Date: Fri, 05 Oct 2007 02:23:25 PDT SCHOOL FEES COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 12/08/2007 The discussion inclided the followings: 1. Giving a programme discription for this scheme . 2. Criteria of salecting the children for the fund. 3.How will the reports be generated to document how the funds are being used. 4. The requirements to be meet for the children to continue with the programme. 5 .Should it be a full funding or pertial funding as well.? 6 How long will the children be funded? Solution for no.1:(Programmediscription for this scheme) BREAKFAST CLUB THE PROPOSED CHILDREN SPONSORSHIP FROM THE YEAR 2008 . Breakfast club is a name given to children that belong to the members of Lia and are working very hard to promote and maintain Lia community. The name break fast club was derieved from the word breakfast which refers to the breakfast that children are taking at we center Gulu.How ever this will also include the children of members at we center kampala as well. We center Gulu is in Gulu district which is found in the northern part of Uganda(East Africa). Gulu district has been affected by the civil strife war that has taken over 21 years. This is between the government of Uganda and the LRA rebels ( Lords Registant Arm).The war has created alot of negative impacts to the local people in the district moreso to the children who inturns does not know why the war is. The programme will need 4 social workers to keep making follow up for this children both at school and home. IMPACTS OF THIS WAR ON PARENTS: Due to land mine acts , many parents has lost their lives while working in the garden and moving along the road. Some of the parents has been arhputated by the LRA rebels mostly i the ears, arms , Lips and legs. Many parents has left their original home landswhom they used to grow crops in for home consumption and partly for commercial activities. It has also made many of the parent to become traumatised and confused in the minn. It has made so many parents poor to the extend of not affording to pay the fees for their children. The war has made some of the parents to run away to distance places like kampala for safety and the king of life they are taking there is miserable. Thereis starvation in the home since people can not move freely to farm (Cultivate) their land to feed the children . (Internally Displace Peoples Camp) Violation of Human right through abduction and tourture. There is poor health conditionds. Etc All the above have the repacation on the live of children. So many children are left orphant, Homeless ,Some of them are traumatised and a good number of them dropt out of school due to financial constrain. There is now hope that the sponsorship scheme will help the children study and have better feature. The committees of child sponsorship sat down and found that , there are over 150 children who should benefit from this scheme both in Kampala and Gulu. This children belongs to members of Lia community and the programme is to kick of from the year 2008 january. The programme will need 4 social workers to keep making follow up on this children both at school and home. Solution no.2:(Criteria for salecting children for the fund /this scheme) Aleast two children to be paid permember. Only chouldren who are not being sponsored by any Non government organistion (NGOs). Memers who do only one child shouldn't add. If you have one, that should should only be achildto be paid. Children should be paid up to University level. The sponsorship scheme should pay the school fees and provide other scholarsitic materials. Children of members should be equally treated since all members are below the poverty line. The school fees programme should take up children from the current level to any level ie the level where the child is. Solution for no 3: (how will the report be generated to documents, how the the fund are spent): It will be the work of the mentors to keep on reciept and report forms or cany other form of incident on aparticular child/student for documentation. Solution no 4 : ( what requirements will be needed to meet for the children to continue with the prgramme): school fees. transport Scholarstic requirements like: -Mathematical seth.-Text books -Box(Suit case) -School Uniforms -Dictioary -Medical fees -Ream of papers -Soaps and etc -Tooth pest -Calculater Solution no 5: (Should it be a full funding or a pertial as well.) Members proposed that, it should be a full funding . They said,this will give time for the beneficiaries to start and complet their studies but not to start and stop on the way ,And when sending the fees, it should be sent for one complet year so that , the delay of sending fees termly is avoided to give full time for the students or pupils to oncentrae fully. Solution no 6: (For how long will the children or the scheme be funded?) Members proposed that, as long as the children and still schooling and the s funding. NB: Members agreed that, it should includ the members children who are even in nursary ,Primary and secondry depening on the funding capacity. The school fees amount for primary pupils are 18,000/=( Maximum amount) For secondary students are 87,000/= uganda shillings.(Day) View this and try to comment before i post.Any addition , minus are highly welcome. top ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Fri, 05 Oct 2007 04:30:12 PDT Robert - what about Breakfast club children who do not have parents that are members at the center? ---- :Author: Grace Ayaa :Date: Fri, 05 Oct 2007 22:46:37 PDT Thanks Robert and Jessica for the detailed post on what both of your teams came up with. I think what we are still left with is consolidating the two so that whatever has not been discussed in Gulu , can be incorporated and vice versa for the kampala one. So let's begin working towards that, let's try and see how we can have everything put together and as per one of our volunteer advice, let's work towards some kind of figure and a target to help us have a better plan and Robert, I also think the outreach should really be part of our plan. I dont see it at all in any of the idea that the Gulu committee came up with, but anyway so far so good, we already have something to start with. Peter this was really a very good start we are surely moving towards the right direction. My main concern though is that I have not seen any figures associated with a budget, or maybe there are no costs attached to this.I am sure that when we see the microfinance committe discission for Gulu we shall have where to start from after putting the two ideas together. ---- :Author: Ezra obiga :Date: Sat, 06 Oct 2007 07:14:30 PDT thanks gays for that great work that you have done over here,for me for as far as production is,the group is soon coming up with the draft other wise it is a great work and please keep the fire barning ---- :Author: Ndelo Peter :Date: Tue, 09 Oct 2007 23:30:03 PDT Well am coming with a figure! ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2007 07:54:09 PDT In Kampala we've been trying to build a plan that includes issuing 1000 *profit points* (like bananas but a little different) as a start-up "budget" to each business unit - separate from whatever start up capital they need - as well as a starting balance of +/- 10 profit points to each member. Every business is now working on defining ways for the Biz Unit to earn profit points each month - either from members or other bizunits in exchange for goods/services/training. Every biz unit will pay their trained workers in profit points. To start with, every bizunit will receive 400 profit points in month 1, 300 profit points in month 2 and so on until month 5, when the bizunit is 100% responsible for earning the profit points they need to pay their people. Every worker earning profit points must belong to at least two bizunits; no person can be on the 3-5 member management team for more than 2 bizunits. All of the bizunit cash incomes flow through the ned management unit. A single profit point value is determined at the end of each month, after the ned management expenses are deducted. Every bizunit plan should show a positive profit point balance after month 6, and (possibly) contribute a minimum amount (to be determined) of profit to the pool in order to be included in that month's calculations. In all cases, the 3-5 person mgmt team will receive a base number of profit points for organizing the work to be done. Additional points can be earned by these 3-5 and by at least 10 other (trained) members through accomplishing specific tasks or working x number of hours - to be determined at each bizunit level and approved within a group of bizunit representatives that keep the profit point per task values in line. I am suggesting that we divide the existing computers (on the current internet connection) up between the bizunits that need them and have them pay something to ned mgmt for using them. I also think it will be a LOT cheaper for each bizunit that needs connectivity to budget for a little bit of outside webcafe time as a back-up rather than absorbing a much more expensive connectivity option right now. I am working on another post with a brief intro to all of the Kampala bizunits under discussion right now. Will post it soon. ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2007 14:58:10 PDT If we think about BizUnits as groups of 3-5 people who are responsible for organizing the work to be done to make each BizUnit successful, then here are my ideas for the roles needed within the BizUnits we have been discussing in Kampala. I will continue to elaborate on job descriptions for the other biz units but have already provided some more detailed thoughts on the ned management unit. Ned Management Unit --------- 1. **Ned Member Services Manager** – maintains member files online & offline. Coordinates member surveys, connects members with information about rules governing member access to household poverty eradication services through the ned coop. o Trains and employs a qualified team of other coop members to do data entry, survey members and update online profiles o Responsible for the recruitment of new members and membership policies o Oversees member disciplinary committee 2. **Ned Business Services Manager** – coordinates office equipment maintenance and use; sells photocopies, typing, photo & scanning services etc. for cash to non-members and for profit points to nedbizunits. o Trains other members to use and maintain all office equipment, and employs qualified members in shifts to provide an uninterrupted presence that controls use of the office equipment. o Manages ned compound maintenance & security staff 3. **Ned Coop Community Manager** – develops paid membership services packages for other communities. Negotiates/coordinates deals & connections between and on behalf of bizunits working together and/or with other community groups (offline and online). Coordinates all bizunit training activities with member services manager o Trains leaders and motivates members & bizunits to participate in community outreach activities and collaborations o Oversees weekly coop meetings where core staff of all bizunits attend 4. **Ned Financial Controller** – accountant to whom all bizunit level managers are accountable, and who is in turn accountable for the generation of accurate, consolidated monthly financial reports and profit point values, to be made publicly available online and offline. 5. **Ned Cashier** – handles, records and reconciles all daily bizunit cash and profit point exchanges. Reports to the financial controller. Employs others in data entry and in preparing monthly member payments. Micro-Finance BizUnit ----------- 1. Loan Review Manager 2. Loans Processing Officer 3. Loan Accounts Manager 4. Loans Performance Manager Child Services BizUnit ------------ 1. Club activities director (Breakfast Club, entrepreneurship & savings, internet4change, etc. – including special programs) 2. Child welfare & community orphan care monitor 3. School fees program administrator 4. Program finance manager Community Crafts BizUnit (special order fulfillment) --------------- 1. Sales manager 2. Gallery manager 3. Production Manager 4. Supplies & logistics manager 5. Production finance & profit point manager Household Products BizUnit (Candles, soap, etc) --------------- 1. Sales/production planning manager 2. Production operations manager 3. Supplies & logistics manager 4. Production finance & profit point manager Internet4Change --------- 1. BizUnit/community information manager 2. Online community relations coordinator 3. Local webbed services sales manager 4. Training & certification manager ---- :Author: Evvy Bryning :Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:04:01 PDT Just a question. Would all these manager positions be paid in profit points? ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:27:40 PDT I suspect you are building too many manager positions. I am not sure why you need a separate manager to over ride the other separate Biz Units....like the household products biz unit. If I had set up the candles biz unit I think I would find that intrusive. ---- :Author: robert oketa :Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 05:12:09 PDT Well , this sponsorship will involve the children of members at Kampala we center and Gulu as well inregardless of being in the breakfast club. ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 05:43:10 PDT Just a question. Would all these manager positions be paid in profit points? Managers would receive a fixed number of profit points for organizing the work, plus they can also earn more through actually doing the work. For example, in child services you have an administrator who organizes point earning members to get all of the school verification visits done. S/he can also earns points for school visits in addition to the amount s/he receives for maintaining the master list of visits that need to be done. I suspect you are building too many manager positions. possibly, but these are really just ideas. The community is coming up with their ideas too. the household products biz unit. If I had set up the candles biz unit I think I would find that intrusive. I don't think of a business unit and a product line as the same thing. I was thinking more in terms of household products being a business unit that can grow from producing candles only (which is what's planned first) to producing other household products like soap. In practical terms, it's the same people who want to do both projects. Well , this sponsorship will involve the children of members at Kampala we center and Gulu as well inregardless of being in the breakfast club. Robert, your proposal assumes that there is enough money to send 2 children from every member household to school. If that includes the breakfast club orphan households, then I understand that. However, what your committee really needs to plan for is the case that not enough money is raised to provide for as many as you want. In the (very likely) case that there is not enough money to achieve this plan and *choices* must be made between children, how will those choices be made? ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 07:46:57 PDT ok we've pared it down some more. Of note is that the community is really rejecting the notion of many business units and would like - conceptually speaking - to stick with organizing the activities in the 4 areas defined at the July conference. We're still having trouble with the banana/profit point concept Also, Kampala members unanimously agree they would like to eliminate a central nedUganda management structure. The two centers can collaborate but each must be accountable for their own partner relationships, online reporting and finances. After another marathon session with Peter & Grace, we've come up with the following structure: Ned Mgmt Unit ------------- Administrator – maintains member files online & offline. Coordinates member surveys, connects members with information about rules governing member services and opportunities through the ned coop. coordinates office equipment maintenance and use; sells photocopies, typing, photo & scanning services etc. for cash to non-members and to nedbizunits thru an internal billing system that is reconciled weekly. Responsible for new member processing and implementing membership policies Oversees member disciplinary committee Ensures timely payment of all operations related bills Serves as a signatory on the Ned Bank account and does the organization’s operational banking Oversees the following member/staff roles: - Trains and employs a qualified team of other coop members to do data entry, survey members and update online profiles - Trains other members to use and maintain all office equipment, and employs qualified members in shifts to provide an uninterrupted presence that controls use of the office equipment. - Hires and manages ned compound maintenance & security staff Community Coordinator – Oversees weekly coop strategy meetings where core staff of all bizunits attend Develops & promotes membership services packages for other communities and new members. Negotiates/coordinates orders, deals & connections between and on behalf of bizunits working together and/or with other community groups (offline and online). Coordinates and schedules all bizunit training activities Trains leaders and motivates members & bizunits to participate in community outreach activities and collaborations Coordinates host family tourism promotion and placement Handles all incoming overseas orders and manages online sales relationships. Quality control/fulfillment officer Coordinates quality control team work that serves all bizUnits Maintains weekly updated record of product inventory Checks all loans reviewed against member performance/participation policies Prepares all paper documentation on loans to be disbursed Oversees Ned Gallery displays, pricing, sales strategies and promotion Handles logistics & shipping for fulfillment of orders in cooperation with the community coordinator Check all formalities regarding children’s sponsorships Verify and rate host family lodgings Check online reports for accuracy and comment accordingly Financial Controller – Oversees/consolidates monthly accounts for all bizunits Cashier – Handles daily cash Community Production Unit ----------- Supplies, stores & logistics – Candles project coordinator – Jewelry projects coordinator – Product development coordinator – Microfinance --------- Micro-capital management officer – - partner relationships - sourcing funds - recovery - guarantee & funds management Loan Review Coordinator – Loan tracking officer – handles loan tracking Member family services ------- Sponsorship programs officer – Children’s activities leader – Adult activities leader – Internet4Change ----- Training group coordinator – I4c services development leader – Online accounts & reporting coordinator – **Our next step** is working through budgets to see how much we are likely to have available within each unit to pay for staff and contribute to the coop profit. Then we'll look at that with the points system again to see if there's any clearer way to fit them all together. **GULU** your committees should also be thinking in detail now about job descriptions, revenue sources and known expenses within the 4 units as well as the management unit. ---- :Author: Evvy Bryning :Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 08:16:37 PDT I am glad you pared down a bit. This is looking a little more managable. I do have a couple of questions. First, what is the objection to the banana/point system? Is it that they don't want it or don't understand it? If they do not want it, what do they suggest instead? What were the objections to having many biz units? Just trying to understand the thinking. Would the finacial controler be a full time position? I am happy to see some progress being made. I would really like to hear something coming from Gulu. Is anyone working on a plan there at all? ---- :Author: Chris Cook :Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:32:13 PDT Hi Christina Just a few thoughts. Christina Jordan said: We're still having trouble with the banana/profit point concept Imagine a "Gulu Community Partnership". It has no legal existence: it merely exists through the consent of those in it to go along with the "rules" whether they are written or unwritten. A bit like a family. Everyone is a Member, and has a Member account - essentially a partnership account, and records are kept formally or informally. Everyone who works there is paid in "Time Units" (aka banana's?) which are credited to their account. These are "shares" in the "Gulu Community Equity" or "Commonwealth". Some people may be paid more Time Units than others - and each BizUnit will decide within itself (as a mini partnership) how Time Units are to be allocated. Each BizUnit may also have an account collectively, and a proportion of Time Units created and paid to each Member will be allocated to the BizUnit account. The BizUnit accounts may then be used to pay for the use of Community owned assets, such as the computers and for interBizUnit transactions. All incoming cash will go into a "Gulu Community Account". At any given time each "Time Unit" in the Pool is theoretically worth a proportional share or "partnership interest" in the community assets (an n'th"). So if the Pool has 10,000 units, of which X has 100 (ie 1%), he may be able to ask to redeem units against cash from the Community account. More likely, he may exchange Time Units for Community production. Now there is no reason why these Time Units should not in future be used as a local medium of exchange. How this works is simply that customers - who become "Customer Members" of the Gulu Community Partnership - may be given credit=time to pay (subject to a limit). While this credit is technically "interest-free" (after all, it "costs" nothing to create) Customers must pay a provision for the use of the Gulu Community Guarantee and for admin costs, and this goes into a "Default Fund" within the Community Account. In the event a Customer is unable to pay on the due day in cash, then possibly he/she may be given more time, may pay in kind, if he/she has something needed, or in the absence of cash or kind may (payment may be waived in extenuating circumstances) be required to work for the Community and pay his debt in Time Units earned. Naturally, this requires careful "risk management": it is, after all, banking, albeit a non-toxic and "not for loss" mutualised version!. Hopefully that makes some sense. You see, WITHIN an "Open Corporate" partnership like this (where there is a consensually agreed collective responsibility but no individual responsibility) there is no "profit" and no "loss", but there is a creation, exchange and accumulation of " Value" within a "Commonwealth". Best Regards Chris ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 02:14:00 PDT Chris, you have described essentially what we've been trying to get the community to understand. The part they reject is this: At any given time each "Time Unit" in the Pool is theoretically worth a proportional share or "partnership interest" in the community assets (an n'th"). Members simply want to be paid in cash, and they want to be able to know how much cash their time will be worth in advance. Not knowing the value of the bananas or time dollars or whatever you want to call them in advance is the number 1 issue that is keeping this from becoming real. Nobody wants to commit to a job unless they know how much they are going to get paid for it. People have obligations, and they can't afford to wait til the end of each month to find out how much they are going to be paid for time spent. ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 04:26:02 PDT hey everybody, here's a head check: from what i understand, gulu is a) both home to hundreds of ngos and b) growing fast - perhaps developing faster than any other part of uganda. does this open any possibility of unique services? i am thinking of things like messenger/courier service, business printing, etc servicing the growing professions and small business community. cheers, hope everyone is well. ---- :Author: Evvy Bryning :Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:43:59 PDT Christina Jordan said: Members simply want to be paid in cash, and they want to be able to know how much cash their time will be worth in advance. Not knowing the value of the bananas or time dollars or whatever you want to call them in advance is the number 1 issue that is keeping this from becoming real. Nobody wants to commit to a job unless they know how much they are going to get paid for it. People have obligations, and they can't afford to wait til the end of each month to find out how much they are going to be paid for time spent. I do understand their feelings about wanting to know exactly how much they will make each month but I am wondering where exactly they think the money will come from to guarantee wages. If they are working for instance in the candle project and expect a salary of 50,000/= and very few candle are actually sold, where would the money come from for their guaranteed salary? I am just curious as to what the member's thoughts are on this and how they see the plan working. Are there any who understand and agree with the profit sharing plan or are all members opposed to it? ---- :Author: Evvy Bryning :Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:55:41 PDT Thats a good suggestion Lars. It might be a good idea to think about what services the NGOs might be needing and look to developing some business ventures around those needs. Perhaps one or more of the Gulu members could do a little research on that and come up with some ideas. A couple of things that come to my mind are; Messenger/courier service Postal pick up and delivery service that would save them the time of having to stand in line at the post office Lunch service that is delivered to their office Lars Hasselblad Torres said: hey everybody, here's a head check: from what i understand, gulu is a) both home to hundreds of ngos and b) growing fast - perhaps developing faster than any other part of uganda. does this open any possibility of unique services? i am thinking of things like messenger/courier service, business printing, etc servicing the growing professions and small business community. cheers, hope everyone is well. ---- :Author: Chris Cook :Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 07:12:55 PDT Christina No reason why a "Time Unit" couldn't be given an equivalence in local currency (aka cash) at an agreed "exchange rate". It's purely an issue of managing the pool, and maintaining liquidity. A Guarantee Society such as is possible here is essentially "mutualised" banking without the bank as intermediary, but with individuals in a BizUnit providing the quasi banking function of agreeing "guarantee"/ credit limits, managing defaults etc etc. If BizUnits are prepared to accept Time Units as well as, or as an alternative to, "official" currency in settlement of supplies made on "Trade credit" - ie exactly the same way that shops often give credit - then you have the makings of a local currency. They will accept Time Units in lieu of cash if they can understand the relationship between Time Units and Central Bank currency (ie the "Value" of Time Units) and understand that there is a Community Guarantee backed by a pool of value and backing this relationship. Chris Christina Jordan said: Chris, you have described essentially what we've been trying to get the community to understand. The part they reject is this: At any given time each "Time Unit" in the Pool is theoretically worth a proportional share or "partnership interest" in the community assets (an n'th"). Members simply want to be paid in cash, and they want to be able to know how much cash their time will be worth in advance. Not knowing the value of the bananas or time dollars or whatever you want to call them in advance is the number 1 issue that is keeping this from becoming real. Nobody wants to commit to a job unless they know how much they are going to get paid for it. People have obligations, and they can't afford to wait til the end of each month to find out how much they are going to be paid for time spent. ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 16:28:20 PDT ok - here's the basic thing that we really need to remember here. The people we are trying to sell these cutting edge economic concepts to are semi-literate at best. Basic numeracy is an issue for many. They literally do not understand how to conceptualize the unknown values. They don't know how currencies work. Most do not have bank accounts, much less have any inkling about how a Central Bank works. Our members lives and educations have been severely disrupted by war - it is not of their own doing that they are stuck up there in the IDP camp with the rock quarry as their best source of income. At least in the quarry they can count on how much they can get per bucket of stones they manage to dig up. We're asking them to commit to dedicating their time to something else that has value which is likely to be as uncertain as they are of their own capacity to make this very hard to understand thing work. Having beat my head against this wall for more than 5 years now, I admit I am out of ideas for the moment on how to make this system attractive to them. I've had the opportunity to try over the past couple of years - and indeed we've tried many ways of using points systems. I have not been in the meetings where they've been hammering this out as a community, but have had smaller focus meetings with Peter/Grace and the transition committee secretaries. What I am hearing back from peter and Grace is that the community seems ok to use some kind of points system for valuing how much of the orders they help produce will be worth at the end of the month. From experience with an experiment we once tried, however, they are not willing to have all of the bizunits pool profit, for fear that the point value will become too diluted. There is a lot of resistance to the idea that managers would not be able to count on a salary. It's felt the commitment is too big and puts those people's families at risk. Too many bizunits is undesirable *mainly* because there are not enough members with managerial skills. As it is, it's looking like a good many of the folks we'd like to specifically invite to consider managerial positions will be asked to take on jobs in 2 different bizunits. So. We can preach to each other here online about the value of introducing a currency system that sticks. I am already convinced though. What I need is to figure out how to make it stick against the extreme poverty level realities we've got to deal with here. We need simpler language. It's not yet intuitive enough, and I don't know how to keep pushing it at them without making them feel alienated. IMO if NedUganda is going to fly, then the physical community has to feel like they own it. To own it, they need to understand it. So either we need to make the points thing way more understandable, find a way to keep it in *some* form that we can build on later, or let it go for the moment and see what evolves. Here in Kampala we'll be shifting focus for a while next week to look at money and budgets - keeping bananas for managers out of the equation for the moment, we plan to run some numbers to see how much each bizunit is likely to have available for salaries against various sales targets. I'm hoping that perhaps once we've looked more closely at the money part (which extensive discussions about bananas have delayed!), a way *might* become clear for making the banana thing more understandable/appealing to the group at large. Until that happens, though, my gut tells me it's not going to be very useful or easy for us to keep trying to push it hard from here. Those of us who are *here* are not the ones who need the most convincing. Would really love some feedback on this. How important to the ned community at large is this issue? can you help us with some out of the box ways of helping our semi-literate community members conceptualize it? How can we and/or *why should we* encourage the Ned Uganda communities down this seemingly complex path? ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 16:32:21 PDT GULU - we would really like to hear from you! ---------- ---- :Author: Evvy Bryning :Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 20:44:17 PDT Believe me, I totally understand what you are saying. It has taken me, and I do consider myself to be a fairly intelligent person, 4 years to wrap my head around this idea of an alternative currency. So, I understand what they are going through in trying to understand it. My suggestion, quite frankly, would be to table it for now. I honestly don't think it is worth jeapardizing the community during this very fragile transition time. Better to build something fairly solid and then introduce it slowly. Just my oppinion. My only real concern is this. Lets say that the candle business has a manager who is making a salary of 50,000/= and 5 participating members who are expecting say to recieve 25,000/= each. Thats 175,000/= needed to pay people. Now what if the biz unit only makes 100,000/= profit. What then? Plus, will there be a way for the community itself to get the money it needs to keep the doors open. Rent, utilities, internet, etc. Where does that money come from. If the biz units have to contribute that may cause problems if the profit is not there to even pay the expected salaries. Maybe I worry too much but I just want to make sure that the members at least understand that the salaries they expect will be decided by the profit. Is that fact clear already, maybe I am worrying about nothing. I totally plan that LiA-USA will be able to assist but I don't think in the beginning we will have the finances to make really big contibutions even though I would be willing. And I am very very concerned that even though several requests have been made, we are hearing nothing from Gulu. Has everyone just disappeared? Are you having meetings? What are your ideas, suggestions, or questions? ---- :Author: Grace Ayaa :Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 21:37:17 PDT Well I also do agree to some extent that for the moment lets try and get ways of making the community understand what exactly is in what they are going to do. The main concern that I saw them expressing is that from experience they feel that with their large number , they may at the end of the month end up getting very little compared to the time they would have spent. As Christina stated before, these are people who might not have worked even beyond their community of mainly quarry works as the main economic activity, and the only thing that they know is if I work a whole day,I can crack 10 jerricans of stones and this can earn me about 2000/= a day so they just understand it that simple way, so maybe there could be some similar way of doing this to make them understand.I know the most difficult part on our side is assuming how much profit will be made in a month because if we are to attach any money to the managerial posts and should we fail to raise that much , shall we have made everybody aware that that amount however is not a garauntee? and this is the part that worries me most, all the potential people may begin thinking of looking for greener pastures and this may take us back to plan afresh with maybe very different people. Maybe we started differently that's why many do not seem to understand it the way it's being explained now. And I think maybe this is still a new concept in the whole country and nobody has ever come across it that's why it looks new to them. Anyway all in all, we need to find a way round it. ---- :Author: David Braden :Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2007 11:29:55 PDT It sounds like bananas as a way to account for the interest in profits for each business unit - and not trying to make them trade across bizunits - is the way to start. Perhaps once those biz units are functioning we can look at ways to build shared resources. To do that people will need to understand that there are really two different things. One is working to make something to be sold in the market. The other is doing things to help each other. Everyone can do some of both - but the helping each other is about producing food, clothing, shelter, education and health care for yourself - without having to make and sell something first. For example, everyone has to buy food. How much cheaper would it be if we joined together and bought a lot of food at once? What would it be worth to you if someone cooked for you every day? What favor would you be willing to do for the person who did the cooking. So perhaps we can talk about it that way once the bizunits are running? ---- :Author: Jesca Wassa :Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 06:47:11 PST This is a report from life in Africa kampala on what took place on childerns program during the third term holiday. It took place for three days. Our grand ma Evvy was also around. The children where very happy to see her. Evvy gave them her word and alot of good promises. In these three days the children had fun and alot of games, gifts which they won from some of the games and answering questions. They also had teaching from one of the students from mukono university called Eric Ojobile. He taught them about" commitement leads to Exclence". We hope to have more next holiday. Have a look at some of the pictures we took when having games and shading. Jesca wassa From LiA kampala. Be blessed. ----