From Singapore to Burkina Faso 4 the Belgian Liberal Trade Union

I have done quite some fun events but now less play again and more work.  After making an analysis of the Ghanian microfinance market I realise that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done and at the same time there are a lot of new opportunities. 

After a short break in Singapore having an incredible amount of fun (see pictures) I found myself back in Belgium to further my business and spend time with my son. At the same time another opportunity arose to become Project Manager for the Belgian Liberal Trade Union helping to  build, expand, coach unions with a focus on informal workers in Congo, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Burundi. It is funny how life goes; everything happens for a reason.

Exactly a year ago in Rwanda I was helping the Union Théicole de la Crète Congo Nil for Exchangevzw and Benevolab. While I was there, I was thinking union matters aren’t my expertise but I am going to make the best of it. I was searching for a division of a Belgian Union that supported unions in Africa but even through google I didn’t find it. The same when I was googling microfinance agencies in Belgium 5 years ago I couldn’t even find the name of microStart till I started working there 3 years ago. Now that I have passed the exams, etc at the Belgian Liberal Trade Union abbreviated ACLVB/GSCLB Department for International & European Affairs =Movement for International Solidarity supported by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce & Development Aid  I continue the mission I left of a year ago in Rwanda. (I am actually in a better position to further guide them in their union matters today.) 

My main focus is gender and environment while supporting these unions and my microfinance consultancy will remain open. I am making an attempt now to shifting the business into online consultancy for financial inclusion. For more information visit www.francinecarron.com and for more information about Movement International Solidarity of the Belgian Liberal Trade Union. Visit http://www.aclvb.be/nl/homepage-bis 

My first mission in this function is going for a union partner reunion to Burkina Faso ! 

Next week I will be blogging for Ouagadougou ! (I can barely pronounce it.)

Francine 

With love from Singapore 

A little update about UCTCCN

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My mission in Rwanda for l’Union Cooperative Théicole de la Crete Congo Nil didn’t only stop by leaving. I had engaged myself to coach and follow them up for another year. Numerien has followed my advice and is taking the action plan very serious. I was thrilled to receive his email! He has had numerous meetings with FXB Village in Gisenyi and they have launched the first step in the tea project. Numerien was able to talk to the youth inside the FXB areas and promote work in the tea region. He also made it clear that he was able to sensibilise the youth in respect to the importance of tea in the region. The next step was for me to create a logo for the tea union. I gave him 2 options but off course he preferred the option with the tea leaf. (The option I wasn’t really fond of.) So below is what their new logo will look like. They will print a logo on their office door to begin with. Now I am developing a new free website for them and ordering business cards for their meetings in Kigali. Jean de Dieu, the bookkeeper is also mailing me which is pretty fun… he writes YES MANAGER WE WILL DO ALL YOU SAY! haha, I had to laugh but they are well on their way… I hope they will receive the holidays I requested for them in December because they really deserve it. More to come later… 

BNP Paribas x Incofin

Benevolab, the volunteer organisation of BNP organised a walking dinner presenting ‘Investing in Microfinance’ by Fadoua Boudiba, invest manager MENA at Incofin. This presentation was very interesting laying out the key aspects on why an investment management firm would invest in a Microfinance agency. She took us through the entire due diligence process. This gives me ideas that should use her due diligence process on our own microStart Antwerp agency. Fadoua Boudiba, presented us the case of Faten, a Palestian Microfinance institution. She also presented the tools that can be used and checked in a MFI. A few are listed below:
PiiF principles for investors in inclusive finance ( principles for responsible investment )
Social performance task force (sptf)
Smart Campaign.
Mftransparency
Responsible lending
(AML check)
Echos tool
Mixmarket.com
Planet finance

The event continued by BNP Paribas Benevolab presenting a few volunteers that have completed missions abroad. These were Jan Populaire whom completed a mission at ADSJ in Lome, Togo and Magali Henry who completed a mission in Rwanda, Gitarama. There was a large turn up of potential volunteers for Benevolab and funny enough these volunteers are also microStart volunteers. The microStart x BNP volunteers are also Exchange volunteers! Well everyone contributes and gives back. Every good event should always come with a free goodie so we received a book 'La course de Microfinance’. An eventing can never go wrong with s free book!!

1 op 8 Vlamingen vrijwilligt

microStart werkt met veel vrijwilligers die de organisatie ondersteunen. Onwe vrijwilligers coachen onze micro ondernemers na opstart. Sommige van onze vrijwilligers zetelen in de raad van bestuur van onze vzw, vertegenwoordigen het krediet comité, geven zakelijk advies aan ondernemers alvorens zij opstarten. Vrijwilligerswerk en terug geven aan de gemeenschap speelt een belangrijke rol in onze samenleving. Daarom verschieten we ook niet van de nieuwe resultaten over vrijwilligerswerk van de Koning Boudewijnstichting. 

Het rapport over het Vrijwilligerswerk in België van de Koning Boudewijnstichting  werd eergisteren 19 Oktober voorgesteld.  Het rapport is een kwantitatieve analyse – dat de resultaten weergeeft na een bevraging van 10.000 Belgen over hun engagement als vrijwilliger. Hiermee is België het zesde land (na Polen, Hongarije, Portugal, Italië, Ierland) in de Europese Unie dat de studie uitvoert, gebaseerd op een min of meer gelijkaardige vragenlijst (gebaseerd op het Handboek van de IAO).

Enkele algemeenheden

Uit het rapport blijkt dat 13,9 % van de Vlamingen vrijwilligt, of ongeveer één op acht, opmerkelijk lager dan de 1 op 5 die vaak door allerlei bronnen werd geciteerd. We geven het toe, we hadden op een iets hoger percentage gehoopt maar uiteindelijk mogen we niet vergeten dat meer dan 750.000 Vlamingen zich toch dagelijks inzetten in allerlei activiteiten en sectoren. Het vrijwilligerswerk laat economische sectoren zoals de landbouw en de financiële sector achter zich als je het aantal werkuren vergelijkt.

Vanzelfsprekend levert het vrijwilligerswerk een aanzienlijk sociaal kapitaal op; maar even duidelijk is de economische meerwaarde van al dat vrijwilligen: in heel het land verrichten vrijwilligers over 6000 activiteiten per dag, wat ongeveer overeenstemt met 130.000 Fte.

De toppers blijken de sportsector en de socioculturele sector te zijn, en ook heel de dienstverlenende sector zet heel wat vrijwilligerswerk in beweging.

Enkele bijzonderheden

De studie bevat niet enkel interessante lectuur voor de liefhebber. Ze geeft de opportuniteit enkele pijnpunten bloot te leggen.

Zo was er een algemene verwachting dat er meer gevrijwilligd zou worden in België, en in Vlaanderen. Niet dus. In vergelijking met de andere EU-landen waar het vrijwilligerswerk werd gemeten, scoren we niet ondermaats, maar we wisten al eerder dat we eerder middelmatig waren op dit vlak. Een verklaring is te vinden in culturele verschillen, in verschillen op sociaal en politiek vlak, maar misschien ook in het al dan niet comfortabel zijn van het algemeen klimaat? Vrijwilligers hebben het immers niet altijd gemakkelijk om te vrijwilligen en vandaar dat we ook uitkijken naar de ontwikkeling en realisatie van een Vlaams gecoördineerd vrijwilligersbeleid, dat wellicht maatregelen zal voorstellen om effectief een vrijwilligersvriendelijk klimaat te ontwikkelen: waar de vrijwilliger zich gewaardeerd, ondersteund, beschermd weet en niet te vaak botst op regelgeving die hem/haar de lust ontnemen te blijven vrijwilligen.

Er schort iets aan de toegankelijkheid van het vrijwilligerswerk. Mensen met een lagere opleiding en met een lagere socio-economische status vrijwilligen immers minder dan wie hoger opgeleid is en een ‘gemakkelijker’ leven leidt. Zoeken naar tactieken om het vrijwilligerswerk (vermits het de deur opent naar sociale netwerken, competentie-ontwikkeling,…) aantrekkelijker te maken voor mensen die er thans de weg niet of moeilijk naar vinden; is essentieel. Op voorwaarde natuurlijk dat vrijwilligen een keuze is en blijft waarbij de wilsautonomie van het individu centraal staat.

Een derde interessant punt is de inzet van de jeugd. Jongeren vrijwilligen vaak, engageren zich veel uren en zijn, in tegenstelling tot wat soms beweerd wordt, goed vertegenwoordigd in het vrijwilligerswerk. Het rapport nuanceert het idee dat het ouderen zijn die zo veelvuldig vrijwilligen. Dat beeld klopt niet met de realiteit: het is net een ondervertegenwoordigde groep, en bevat dus groeipotentieel.

Enkele besluiten

Het dikke rapport bevat een schat aan informatie, die de komende weken en maanden verder uitgespit kan worden. Vanuit het Vlaams Steunpunt Vrijwilligerswerk vzw zullen we de elementen die uit het rapport gepuurd kunnen worden, verder uitgediept en geanalyseerd worden om er relevante beleidsaanbevelingen uit te puren.

Source: https://href.li/?http://www.vrijwilligersweb.be/1-op-8-vlamingen-vrijwilligt/

A new mission in Gitarama is awaiting me! This time I will be working for CPS Ineza, a microfinance agency in need of a business plan. Organised by BNP Paribas Benevolab & Exchange. My holiday has come to an end. Our last stop was in Gisenyi, where I went to Pfunda to see Numerien and Jean de Dieu of the tea farmers Union in Rwanda. Numerien was excited to meet my mom. We discussed his work, last week and prepared for my next meeting in Kigali with the Rwandan Board of Development. This meeting went excellent I was able to present BNP and Exhange plus inform them about the field issues of the poor tea pluckers. I really wanted my mom to see Gisenyi, as I loved the place. I was told to stay at the sisters of Gisenyi. I had already stayed in Serena. So why not try the sisters. People supposedly go on honeymoon there. We got to the sisters and saw that it was another basic room. Oh No, I thought to myself, I have had enough of that during mission time. My mom said she could only stay in such a place if it was for God. In the name of the spirit she didn’t dare to cancel so we took the room. My mom was complaining about the smell and insects. All of a sudden I got bitten everywhere. This is not a honeymoon place! We requested another room. As soon as we got in, we took the blankets off and threw them in a closet. My mom poured Holy water everywhere. I told her we should leave. She said for God, I can stay. The sisters prepared us a lovely dinner and Frederique came over for dinner. All of a sudden a cat appeared underneath the table. My mom went crazy. She doesn’t believe of having pets in the house. She is also convinced cats can carry negative spirits. She ran into the room to pray. While  Frederique was leaving the sisters had locked us in. Finally straw for my mom! She had decided that this place was haunted and we needed to go. We woke up the sisters, insisted we had to leave for an early flight and paid. They didn’t believe us. They had overheard my mom complaining about having pets in the house. God had revealed a secret to her. At 10:30 pm, we arrive in Serena Hotel. 5star hotel, she will be able to sleep now. The sisters wasn’t a Holy Place so mom couldn’t stay in basic accommodation. I am starting to wonder who the African is. Definitely not her because like she says: this is rubbish. In Gisenyi, we shopped at a lady cooperative and I bought lots of African fabric bags and gifts to take to Belgian. I had told to my mom to break the price as I hadn’t haggled in Rwanda. She fought for the price but then we converted in dollars, we realised we were fighting over 2 dollars. My God when mom realised that we both felt bad. She was thinking in Nairas and I was thinking in Rwandan Francs. 

Later that day, we found a worm in my new pants in my suitcase and you don’t want to know what she thought of that. First page in the Bible, subdue the Animal and be aware of evil spirits. Mother always has a crazy story to tell. People can’t be trusted, you have to lock all doors and always sleep with underwear because intruders are everywhere. She tells me all the time: You don’t know Africa my daughter. Well having spend a lot of time in West Africa, I agree with her statement. However, we are in East Africa, where the culture is totally different. Safety and security is the number one priority of Rwanda. Second is eradicating poverty and advancement. There is no corruption here and crooks and thieves are as good as none. She will have to learn the new Africa. This time when I brought her to the airport, I didn’t cry. As I am sure, we will see each other soon again. We won’t let four years pass. Through circumstances we have been apart for a long time. On this trip, she had a chance to Skype with my son (seeing his face for the first time) and with my brother after ten years. Through Skype we were all in 1 room for the very first time. Initially, I had planned to travel alone throughout Rwanda but I was very glad, she came along on this journey. It was a lot of laughter this time and less tears.

2 day trip Rutsiro - Day 2

At 5:15 in the morning, Numerien knocked on my door. Here we go again ! Madame Francine we have to leave at 6 AM, will you be ready ? You want hot water ?Numerien ! Go Away! I was planning to get up 5:50 to be ready at 6! I don’t want water!!!! Ok Madame Francine. 6:00 o'clock Francine are you ready ? Shit! I forgot to get up! Numerien give me 5 minutes I will be readyyyyy! We were heading for a long walk to the town. Rutsiro looks like the Flemish country side. It is a very charming landscape and the buildings are very religiously Flemish. The school in town was also called Stella Maris. Go figure. We arrive in town, ready to take the taxibus but the driver wasn’t there yet. I thought to myself, Numerien you are in Africa; why did you expect him to be on time?? If it was up to me, we would have arrived late and been technically on time. I don’t know how he survives. Numerien must be waiting all the time and going loco. He got pissed off the wait so he wanted to go eat an omelette. We enter a very basic place and I didn’t want to risk eating anything. Numerien promised me it would be safe. Go ahead, I say. He had been talking about this omelette lady for 2 days. He craves her omelette all the time. The lady asked me omelette with chapatti? Chapatti  Yes go ahead, for me a chapatti omelette. Numerien didn’t lie; the omelette was good but the chapatti wasn’t all that. In the meanwhile the taxi driver had arrived and we had to go. Numerien said no keep eating. He is the one late, he can’t leave without us. It’s our only way out of town. Taxibus started his engine, we ran outside. He wasn’t going to wait. Again, Numerien TIA. Numerien wanted me to have the best seat, right next to the driver. It was the worst seat ever. I fell asleep on the driver, my foot fell on his gas and my sleeping bag on the break. This was just the beginning of the ride. I was going to sit there for 7 hours. From 7 AM to 2 PM in a matatu. This was for me a hard limit. The road is impossible and with an overly packed taxibus, my mood began to change. It wasn’t until someone got on with chickens that I was getting really pissed off. My limit had been reached! I was tired, uncomfortable, suffocating and the stank of the chickens was becoming unbearable. Two chickens got lose and were acting a fool underneath the seats. A baby was crying and an old woman was sick. I gave her strepsils as I couldn’t handle the throat scraping and spitting through the window anymore. There was no end to this ride. I told Numerien that I wasn’t going to get off at Pfunda but go straight home. This was too much and it has broken me. I still have a plan to finish and right now I am beyond tired. Numerien wanted me to cash my DSA check but I couldn’t care anymore. I needed a shower and food. I arrived in the Centre in Gisenyi at 3pm. I entered the shower but the water was off. The day was getting worse and worse. After being in the shower for an hours trying to get the drops out, while handwashing my clothes. ( tip from the Dutch girls.) I went for late lunch. All of a sudden I feel a hand on my back. Numerien ! No ! Seriously! We have to go cash your check. FML! Fine! But first Francine, I noticed you got a little uncomfortable so I am giving you your going away present early. Go open it in your room, Numerien says. I go to my room and open the gift. I got so happy, it’s a Rwandan panier ! I really wanted one and he knew that. Considering the last taxibus experience, that was his way to soothe the misery. I thanked him gratefully but then he said take off the African shorts and change into long pants. There we go again ! Ugh! Obedient as I am on this mission, I change my shorts and head out to the bank. It was a 2 hour wait to cash my check. My head kept bopping as I was so sleepy. I didn’t even want the check ! Ugghhhh…. Back at the lodgement, he said we have to hide our money. No one may see it! Aghghh, Numerien this is Rwanda. No one steals here! It’s safer than freaking Dubai. Goodbye I see you tomorrow at 7AM. No blogging for me. The tiredness was too much.

2 day trip to Rutsiro - Day 1

As every working day in Rwanda starts incredibly early I had to rise and shine for Rutsiro. The green bus was another adventure. It is way too big for the bumpy hilly road. The view was amazing but I fell asleep. Numerien woke me up to let me know we had arrived. We were both starving. We left at 7 AM and it’s noon time now. We went to have lunch which was a dish I call ‘everything on a plate’. Basically a small volcano on your plate of potatoes, rice, bananas, manioc, meat, carrots, peas, cabbage and red kidney beans. Awful ! Most veggies grown here are the Belgian winter veggies. I am not fan. Numerien said : 'On va bouffer’ ! I thought to myself, you are going to bouffer; this chick is going to munch a little. I asked him to finish my plate but he was too full. The bookkeeper from Cotrago came to get us and again we were in for quite the walk. In the office, I interview everyone and made a big effort trying to stay awake. Narcolepsy was hitting me again, but the days are so long !  If Rwandans wanted to advance, they had to work for it themselves. No need to wait for help. It is clear that the people have understood. I have never in my life seen such hard working people. Rwandans all mutually agree that they are here to advance and put a stop to poverty. Numerien said the same thing. He said: 'we can not slack off or we die’. Poverty is an ugly battle and hard to get out. That’s why I brought you out here, you have to help us with an action plan and I will follow it religiously. He continued: 'We are copying Europe and we will excel’. I totally loved it ! & laughed hard. Dude is a character. Dressed like a clown. Now with the skirt wrapped over the jeans I went to meet the plant manager. The plant manager looked Indian mixed with African. He spoke Kinyarwanda, understood French but replied in English with an Indian accent. I couldn’t figure him out. He must like me a mix of everything. I asked Numerien whether the man was Rwandan or Mohindi. Numerien said he is Rwandan but his behavior is different like Mohindi. I said isn’t he mixed ? Numerien said oh that’s maybe what it is. LOL Then I asked him whether the cooperative manager was Chinese and African. Numerien asked if I was feeling ok ? The cooperative manager was black but looked completely Chinese. I am sure the cooperative manager as well was intermixed somewhere in his family line. At the end of the factory visit, I got to taste the fresh finished black tea. OMG! It was delicious. In the factory I found out that all tea is made from the green leaves. I thought black tea was from black leaves. No the process to create white tea, black tea or green tea is in the factory. It has nothing to do with the leaves. Dummy ! The sun was setting and we were heading back to the cooperative office. There a random man starts talking to me and asked if I was Canadian. Canada? Out of all the countries I have been labeled, Canada is new on the list. He asked me if I wanted to have a drink in his house. Then Numerien shows up and says: Oh you have met my best friend, he is the owner of the house in which the tea cooperative resides. Hence, all the questions. I had no choice but to say yes to the house visit. Tired and packed with my backpack, sleeping bag and overloaded Salvatore Ferregamo purse, I drag myself to his house. He pulls out a pink juice, I felt my stomach turning. He pours the pink juice in wine glasses for a special occasion. His Canadian guest. I just let him call me Canada as being of Belgian origin isn’t something to be proud of in Rwanda. The awful things the Belgian colonials and Catholic missionaries did out here is horrifying. So Canada it is ! I quickly drink the pink juice which was by far the sweetest drink I ever had in my life. I think if you mix Hawain Punch with every soda pop on the planet, you’ll get the level of sweetness. Well I wasn’t going to get sick from that. After a bit of chit chat and Numerien telling him that since he has an international consultant; he had become a big man. ( A grand homme ) I had to laugh. Having an Exchange BNP Paribas Benevolab expert can elevate your status in life. Well done Numerien! We had a budget for lodging but incredibly stingy Numerien wanted to check out the cheapest lodging in town. I was sleepy and tagged along. He decided upon a church with guest rooms. The town had no electricity since a day. The convenant was dark and dirty but I was prepared. Fitted insect sheet over the bed, pop up net and sleeping bag, towels and soap. The toilet I won’t even mention but I did kill the worms on the floor. I thought the day was over and then Numerien came knocking on the door. The manager wants us all to go out for dinner and drinks. With the flashlight on my head, we hit the darkness. (Thanks Guy Callebout for the tip.) Even with the flashlight, I didn’t see anything and almost twisted my foot. Numerien knew a shortcut. A steep mini rocky path down. Seriously ? We arrived in the darkness in the town and people are swarming around me. They heard that the Canadian was in town. There I was looking like a clown, with a flashlight on my head. The head of district said they never have visitors and was sad he wasn’t informed of my arrival. He would have done a parade. Thank God that didn’t happen! I would have been completely embarrassed. We head to the bar and the guys turnt it up! They chucked down the 65 cal of beer too easily. As usual I order water. They didn’t like that, party pooper. Is it so difficult for people to comprehend that I barely drink. Well, I still hold it down though with my jokes. We had a good time and I ordered the brochettes and grilled banana. I love the grilled banana. When I was eating my second brochette, I had a strange taste in my mouth. I asked them why does the second one taste different ? They replied: oh it must be a different organ. ORGAN !? I spontaneously shouted ? Yes intestine, they replied. What ? No my lovely brochettes I had been eating was intestine? FML! I couldn’t eat anymore. #screwd After dinner we headed back in the darkness to our logement. I had asked the Church acolytes, if I could have hot water. They knocked on the door and left me a dirty plastic jerry can with hot water. With the flashlight on my head a green bucket and the dirty jerry can I make an attempt at washing myself. I treated the water as liquid gold because I would only get one. I was so grateful for the hot water that it turned out to be a pleasurable bathing experience but no way I would repeat this in the morning. Exhausted I fall asleep, not touching anything. 

Second day at work: Visiting Coopthega.

After a 1,5 hour drive (with taxi bus ;) we arrive in Nyabhu. Coopthega is another tea cooperative that is part of the union. Numerien introduces me to the agronomist and accountant. I am free to ask whatever I want and so the list begins. It took me about 2 hours to ask everything and I am starting to understand more and more the problems facing the union and why they brought me here. More and more ideas are rising to my head in order to help the union. It’s actually not a strategic plan they want but someone who thinks outside the box and can help them to become a reputable union.

Coopthega is part of the brand Rwandan Mountain Tea supported by the Belgian Development Cooperation.

After the immersion I get the opportunity to climb into the mountains and try to cut some tea leaves myself. Goodbye sedentary life this is going to be a lot of climbing and walking today. My physical therapist is Belgium must have a ball when she reads this because ‘Francine’ never walks.

It was worth the climb, these tea cutters conduct amazing work and an incredible speed. The average tea cutting is 50 kg a day. There is a story of a girl who could hand cut tea leaves 90 kg a day. She was sent to India to teach others how to manually cut so fast. Handcut leaves have superior quality. Machine cutting destroys the quality. In the tea factory boiling room section it smells like amazing tea. I still haven’t tasted the Rwandan premium quality tea!

Second day at work: Visiting Coopthega.

After a 1,5 hour drive (with taxi bus ;) we arrive in Nyabhu. Coopthega is another tea cooperative that is part of the union. Numerien introduces me to the agronomist and accountant. I am free to ask whatever I want and so the list begins. It took me about 2 hours to ask everything and I am starting to understand more and more the problems facing the union and why they brought me here. More and more ideas are rising to my head in order to help the union. It’s actually not a strategic plan they want but someone who thinks outside the box and can help them to become a reputable union.

Coopthega is part of the brand Rwandan Mountain Tea supported by the Belgian Development Cooperation.

After the immersion I get the opportunity to climb into the mountains and try to cut some tea leaves myself. Goodbye sedentary life this is going to be a lot of climbing and walking today. My physical therapist is Belgium must have a ball when she reads this because ‘Francine’ never walks.

It was worth the climb, these tea cutters conduct amazing work and an incredible speed. The average tea cutting is 50 kg a day. There is a story of a girl who could hand cut tea leaves 90 kg a day. She was sent to India to teach others how to manually cut so fast. Handcut leaves have superior quality. Machine cutting destroys the quality. In the tea factory boiling room section it smells like amazing tea. I still haven’t tasted the Rwandan premium quality tea!