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…
FXB in New York
In October when I was flying to Kigali, I had written about Karina Weinstein who was sitting on the flight next to me to Rwanda. We had talked the entire way both professionally and private. It was through Karina that I got to know FXB and gave the tea Union (UCTCCN) the idea to work with FXB Village in Gisenyi. The project is currently being worked on in Rwanda. I had told Karina that I would be in New York for Thanksgiving and would come say hi. So we met up this afternoon in the city. It was great seeing her again, catching up on her experience and my experience in Rwanda. Work at FXB seems to be going pretty well and hopefully I get to meet her soon in a different country! This is the reason why you need to talk on flights, a project was started and new friendships were made. Oh her son is the cutest! In the photo: Karina and I in NYC! It all started by meeting on a flight… Sounds almost like a love story doesn’t it ;)