Mission week 2 ! I forgot to call Numerien last night to ask him what time we would start today. I woke up before 8 and decided to call him at 8 on the dot. The phone rings no one picks up. Aha, I have the opportunity to eat breakfast ! I order myself a cheese omelette with ham and a glass of warm fresh milk. I don’t like that powered milk that they love to serve in Africa. While eating my breakfast, Numerien calls. I asked him if I could come alone to the office. He finally agreed that I no longer need a chaperone. I finish breakfast and head out. It feels hot today. Puffing I climb on the mountain and get in a taxibus. My body is aching from the excessive exercise this weekend. The tube of flexigel that I had brought with me will definitely come in handy. The taxibus was pretty empty today. Numerien keeps calling wanting to know where I am. My taxibus was slow and the driver waited everywhere. Doesn’t Numerien know that anything can happen while on the taxibus? He send the bookkeeper to wait for me at the end stop. I walked in the office and Numerien wanted to know everything about my weekend. My iPhone is his iPhone. He scrolled down the pictures. He couldn’t believe my adventure. He really wants to visit the gorillas but can’t afford the entrance fee. $50 dollars I think for locals and 750$ for international tourists entry fee. It’s sad but most locals can’t afford to visit the exciting places. I told him this weekend everything was free and he should go.
After discussing our weekends, we go to the meeting with FXB Gisenyi which I am dying to have a partnership with. We met with Berthilde, the manager. She is a beautiful and tall Rwandan woman (as you can see in the picture). She had light brown eyes and naturally long hair. Berthilde looked very intelligent. I knew this was going to be an interesting meeting. Berthilde explains what FXB does exactly in Gisenyi. I help Numerien explain our cause. Numerien is the type of person that you would like to kick underneath the table during a meeting. Occasionally he discussed the problems of the tea Union putting a foot in his mouth. The problems of the union is something I am solving at the moment. Berthilde was clever enough to not mind his comments and look at the win win situation. FXB has a lot of young unemployed people and we need people in the tea sector. After discussing a possible partnership, it is clear a tea program can be created with FXB. Berthilde had the same thoughts and remarks as I. Women in management position is always best. Berthilde and Numerien informed her colleague in Kinyarwanda. This is when I got sleepy and didn’t understand a word but the information needed to be translated for everyone to understand. The next steps are discussed and a trial program FXB * UCTCCN will soon be launched. Step 1 of the strategic plan is ongoing. If Numerien follows my plan, he will have a powerful union by 2020. Across the street of FXB office, I saw a woman cooperative that made local arts and crafts. I had to go inside.
The store was fantastic. Lovely African dolls for little girls, headbands, bags and clothing. I saw some cute little shorts and tried them on. They were my size! I didn’t want to haggle on the price because this a cooperative supporting women but Numerien did it anyway. I got a reduction of 1000 Rwandan Francs on 2 shorts and a wrap skirt. I took pictures as usual because I loved the place. They had a crocodile that I wanted to buy for my son but that was 30,000 Rwandan Francs. Numerien said he knows a place where I might find it cheaper. I doubt that so I might go back and get it. I will definitely buy him three mini paniers for his room. At 11:00, we were back in the office and I asked Jean de dieu to work on the financial projections 2016-2020 with me. We worked the entire day. When the bell went for the pause, I told Numerien we would continue working. He didn’t like that idea and went out to break. When he came back he brought us grilled peanuts and coca cola. If I didn’t want to eat and pause; the food would come to me. I was grateful though! The peanuts gave me lot of energy. The bookkeeper and I kept on number crunching. Numerien insisted on an afternoon break. I said no. I have a lot of work to do and have no time to break. The financials are important and in Rwanda because of the valuta, you are easily calculating in the billions. At 17:00 o'clock, Numerien was stressed out of his face. I had worked enough, the rain was coming. He couldn’t handle it anymore. I asked him for 10 minutes. My time that’s 30 min. After 10 minutes he said ok enough, this it. You don’t have an umbrella and it’s going to rain. I pulled out my rain poncho, put it on and told him I was fine. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He said you are like a Rwandan and was granted 10 more minutes. Just enough to finish the finances of the financial plan :) He put me on the taxibus and I got home before the rain. I know in Rwanda there is a long gap between the sky darkening and it actually pouring down raining. I am going to sleep early today as tomorrow Numerien and I are going on a two day trip to visit another tea cooperative.