Yeah, I live

Apologies for being a horrible friend who doesn't keep in touch. Seriously.

Wow. I haven't updated here in about a couple million years. I think I need to write something, just to prove that I'm still able to. Seriously. I just haven't been keeping up with Facebook, or my own blog for a bit. Call it a thinking hiatus.

I realize that I didn’t write anything since my European trip - mostly, I got absorbed in the offline world and in Madrid - in Paris - in Luxembourg - in England. It was fantastic, and I moved on just in time to go to Aceh for my next assignment.

Aceh was alright - there were some pleasant moments with my team - I did manage to blog some then, thankfully so.

And then there was the summer leave during which I went to a family bash in France and got in trouble in England for being a bad packer. (Not a backpacker, though it could have been that too.) People, that swiss knife? Just leave it at home.

Then there was Haiti, again, otherwise known as Hell. I spent weeks and weeks locked up at work or in my room, waiting for it to be over - and still sort of traumatized by my English experience. I didn't update - I honestly had little to say or to tell. It was just a waiting time. Jachere. It was a good thing I had a long leave of absence planned after that.

So I had a long vaca - it wasn't lost, though. I made some decisions - mostly about ending my current gig, and going on to uni. I need to be in the world of Academia again. When I see those dorky professors and musty classrooms, I get all emo. So. Instead of going on like an idiot about how I need to change my life, I did.

I quit. I'm going back to school in January. One last gig, and I'm done with this slave trader of a boss. I admit, I'm going to miss my friends at work, though it's only a matter of time before they move on too - it always is in this business.

It's a big deal - it's my second degree, I know. I just need to be intellectually stimulated again. I want to think of Edgar Allan Poe's translations of Baudelaire. I want to reflect on the contruction of Finwean linguistics. I want to take time to write essays about how Jane Austen was repressed and how she is just like Madame de Cleves.

I'm going to be a lit professor.

Fuck joining the corporate world. It was never a life for me. It doesn't work for me, it never did.

And I also say, blah to trying to change the world. It's impossible - even the best intentions get twarped by politics. It's time to face the fact : I want to do things I feel like doing - not things that I have to do because I should fit in a mold.

I don't want a white picket fence.

I don't want 2.5 kids.

I don't want to give up my freedom just because it's a condition of being like everyone else.

I don't want to be like everyone. I want to be me.

In the meantime, I’m in Rwanda for another month and a half. I’ll live.

The Beaver

My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

A heart-felt apology...

2...to all the readers who are awaiting anxiously my feedback about Burkina, and the changes I find as I rediscover Ouagadougou, 16 years later.

I am swamped in work, so it will have to wait for details... but here goes....

My stay here in Ouaga is shortened because I have to head off to Mali. Juliana, FYI I am going to Mopti and since it's not too far from San - I will come for you ! The team includes 5 people - 2 are still too green to work on their own and I had the Lesotho experience, so our boss asked me to go and work alone in Mali for 3 weeks. I'm sad that I don't get to stay longer, but, heh, the job needs to get done.... I'll be back in Ouaga for the last few weeks, at least. And if I finish Mali early, I can come "home" earlier, so that's additionnal incentive...

Ouaga looks fantastic on the outside. When I arrived I could not beleive what I saw. My first thought was "Ma foi ils ont trop arrose - Ouaga a pousse en mon absence!" - the place did grow in the last 16 years ! My friends had prepared me but it was still a schock...

(click on pic for full set)

On Saturday I rented a taxi and tried to locate the places I used to know. I went to the Centre Culturel Francais where I had played the piano on stage (still occupied by the Fespaco til the next day), had coffee at La Bonbonniere with the Burkinabe Lebanese lady used to teach French at ISO and had me in her class in 8th grade.... I tried to locate the house in Koulouba but of course Koulouba is no more - and I tried to locate the house in Gounghin but ended up driving past Pissy (I swear, I couldn't find the turn!!!) Now that we are going to the office I know where my turn is so I'll have to go back there.

I also went to the Silmande where I used to hang out by the pool - it was also an excuse to drive across town and take stock of the changes. I had some long conversations with the locals, they all tell me the same thing, that the spending is outrageous and it will soon "peter" (explode). The security guard at the Silmande told me that he regularly sees the ministers' sons spend hundreds of thousands in one night on champain that they dont even drink. The use of HIV/AIDS funds for buildings, Ouaga 2000 itself, are outrageous and worrisome. I would not be surprised if something happened soon, although it seems the military have been paid since last fall and keep quiet now.

I had lunch with an old friend from Pakistan yesterday, it was great to see both of him again, particularly since I hadn't seen him in a year. An old friend of our family whom I had refound in Haiti showed up at the hotel last night and we had a drink together (water, as you can imagine, he is ever the simple one) and some long conversations. We reminisced about friends and family a lot. It was nice.

I am feeling very close to my father and mother these days. Many staff at the office are shaking my hand and telling me "you are So&So's daughter, how great it is to meet you." Secretaries remember the blond kid who came to work with her mum. One of the senior managers actually knew my Dad - he used to be with an other NGO before.

Other friends and colleagues of my parents have yet to make contact, so it's only a beginning.

It's a strange feeling, both heartwarming and exhilarating. The new girl said it looks like I have a household name here in Burkina. I'll admit it feels a bit that way, and I am realizing how loved my parents were and what impact they had here. It gives me pride to be their daughter.

The Beaver


Thanks to Ammo in DC, to Garris in Providence and to Baudouine in the UK for posting on my guestmap ! Baudouine, I'm really sorry, that's all that came out from the fashion show.... I was having camera problems that night....

My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

Invited to a wedding next week !!!

Dear Colleagues, Friends, team members,

Here is a time for some good news and some celebrations. I am getting married on 22^nd of February, 07.

I cordially invite you and your family to come and grace the occasion.

Venue is in Ahmedabad.

Wedding time 1 pm - Lunch 1 pm onwards

You are not just invited but most expected at the function. Looking forward to see you all.

I CAN'T WAIT !

The Beaver

My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

Introspective Post and Season's wishes

It’s a Tuesday afternoon, and I am not working. I just made eggs and toast for myself, jazz is playing in the kitchen, and the sun room where I am sitting is filled with the Toronto grey skies. It’s the first time I have in about a month to really sit down and reflect. It’s a scary thing. Last time it happened, I wrote a post called Cul-de-sac – and it was so very depressing and somewhat tragic.

This time – I am at peace. So much has happened between Cul de Sac and now. Last time I took the time to write an introspective post, I was in Haiti, sequestered, lonely, bored and depressed. This time, I am in Toronto, in one of my homes away from home, Pgwrox’s lovely townhouse where I have now been enough times to know my way around and feel at home. I am rested, sated, and somewhat content.

Christmas is coming round and I feel no fear, for the first time in a long time. Dad won’t be there, of course. CQFD will not be there either. My mum, PG and I will be celebrating the family thing together, as the tightly knit family that we are, despite distances.

My mum and I will be the 2 widows that we are, her in her own right, me…. in my own way. Last year, at this time, we were decorating the Christmas tree, CQFD and I, at his parents’ house. I was at peace, happy, in love. I felt like it was a day of days. I felt like that moment was immortal.

But all moments are immortal. And so while my 4 years with CQFD are suspended in time, so are my memories of my Yankee lover immortal, his warmth, and how I felt happy and at home in his arms, though I may never see him again.

And so timeless are the memories of my friend Naya, grilling red peppers while chatting with her sister at the other end of the world, and so are those of the Peacekeepers of Haiti, whom I may never see again but carry forever in my heart.

The Belgian crew in Bujumbura and the Philippinos in Aceh, and of course the orphans in Sierra Leone, the staff in Liberia and CMR & Princess, whom I met in Pakistan, now scattered in Zambia and Australia, my family in France and Canada, all of you will stay in my heart for ever.

All of my fellow officers are immortal. They are all unique and special and beautiful in their own way. And I love them all, in a way that is unique to them. I will miss them during this month of rest, and I will miss some of them more until I work with them again, sometimes 6 or 7 months from now.

This year has been a busy and eventful year. I have been ill. I have had my heart broken. I have also learned much and grown in wisdom and confidence through it all. Friends have died, and babies were conceived. Love was lost and friendships were found, built and nourished. Decisions were made, lessons were learned and through it all, the wheel of life kept turning, inexorably and timelessly.





So on the eve of Christmas 2006, may your time with your loved ones be rich, filled with love and may it remain suspended in time, shimmering and bright for you to remember, should hardship befall you. We are all immortal, timeless, evanescent. And all of you readers, may you find in this holiday season the power to love, forgive and to remember.

The Beaver

Back to Beaver Land

I left Baltimore yesterdau (much baking is going on here with my cousin/uncle/father figure - so it's not yesterday - it's yesterdough). I am now in Toronto where I am enjoying some heartwarming family time.

I have SO MANY updates to put up - it's frightening. But I'm not sure I'll have time just now. I'll just tell you that many things happened over the last 3 weeks - and that I have much to say.

Stay posted !

The Beaver

My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

The Thanks Giving Update

So I went home for thanksgiving. It was great to see Mum again and to spend some quality time with her. We caught up a lot, walked in town for long hours, and eventually (as usual) went shopping.

We also went out to dinner with family friends. And I enjoyed a lot having some quiet time at home, just relaxing, sleeping and enjoying my "alone time".

After I arrived, SmokeyMonkey and Martini picked me up to go out for coffee and to play catch up. Apparently, they had news... and indeed they did: a new baby is to come in the world. I'm very excited about it because I calculated that delivery would happen during my summer vacation. Hopefully for once I will get a chance to congratulate the happy parents in person. (Although it may be a second since Bavaria_Negra may actually give birth on January 1st !)

I also hooked up with QuashQuash to discuss Haiti over a Bre-Lunch (her Breakfast, my Lunch). That was, indeed, an excellent omelette.

One night I got picked up by MartyMart and J-Freak to go and play pool with the boys. NikeNick and Yvanovitch-Mon-Coeur, SmokeyMonkey and Martini were there. Again, it was fantastic to feel the intimacy of friends. I even got big hugs and a back massage. They really made sure I had the chance to remember how fantastic it is to have friends. They also reminded me of how men can be wonderful despite my past disappointments.

There was also a fantastic evening at the Old Dublin with live Irish Music. MartyMart came, with Carlito and Yvanovitch-Mon-Coeur but I also hung out with the OtherBeaver and his beautiful Consort.

Eventually, though, all good things myst come to an end and I left Montreal again,

en Route to Baltimore by way of Toronto.

The flight to Toronto was rather uneventful, but I did almost miss my connection in Toronto as the airport's indication were more than misleading.

I purposely decided nt to talk about my flight from Toronto to Baltimore. That will b for another blog entry. Nevertheless, I made it to Baltimore where Naya, my roommate, greeted me very warmly.

More to come soon, or the stories of Beaver, in the city of Crabs !

The Beaver

Thank you Meg in Australia, for posting on my guestmap. My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

How the Beaver went away and back again

Ok, so I've been rather silent recently.

I have an excuse. I was away travelling to see my family.

So anyway, my last weekend in Buja, we celebrated Naya's Birthday by going to dinner, to a fashion show, and watching some traditionnal dancing.

It also involved clubbing until the wee hours of the morning.

The following wednesday, I was flying on Ethiopian Airways through Addis Ababa to France where I was to meet my family. The plane first stopped in Kigali, though, and I had the chance to take some superb airshots of Rwanda, the land of the 1000 hills.

After a long flight in Business class (I never do this - but then I truely needed to splurge), I got to my aunt's house. I want to take 2 seconds and pay hommage to it because it was the last time I saw the house, and though I didn't live there, I feel like part of my roots have gone with it being sold. So here it is, my home away from home:

The following days were spent catching up with the family and hanging out. On Saturday, I took a road trip with my cousins to go the place where the celebrations were held, in Silly-en-Gouffern (I know, it ressembles "Silly, I'm goofing!" - but what can I say, it's the name of the place.) Along the way, I enjoyed some wonderful french landscapes.

Of course, we also had the inevitable "we're lost and we're late moment". Although my cousins were getting all racked up, I though it was really hilarious.

We finally made it and I had the pleasure of spending a night of partying, eating, and singing with my aunts and uncles, most of whom I had not seen in years. This really did me good to feel the family connection. It was nice to see those familiar faces, and to feel that affection. I like my french family. And of course, there was the cake !

Well, more to come soon, but for now... da da da that's all folks !

Full photoset can be viewed here.

The Beaver

My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

On the road again...

I kissed my mother goodbye and walked mournfully to the gate. My heart is heavy with missing her, my boyfriend, and all the wonderful friends I re-discovered in Montreal.

So here I am, at Gate 79 of Trudeau Airport, waiting for my flight to Banda Aceh, in the Province of Aceh, on the Island of Sumatra, Republic of Indonesia.

In the meantime that I have some of my own, I borrowed a new header (promise not to use it for too long!)

My mum heard on the radio yesterday from a representative of Care Canada that there are over 420,000 people that are still homeless in the aftermath of the 2004 Boxing day Tsunami.

Think about it.

Half a million people have been homeless since December 26th, 2004. It's been 18 months. Wow.

A few other quick facts:

Before the ocean broke loose, Aceh was the site of endless civil war, once again based on religion. Aceh is 2,500km away from Jakarta, the capital. While JKT remained unscathed despite the disasters, all the infrastructure in Aceh has been destroyed, making it very difficult for humanitarian organizations to effectively conduct relief efforts.

To the side, a picture found on the Musicianaries' website.

This time, I can't say I'm leaving home with much enthusiasm. But thinking of the work ahead is keeping me motivated. There is so much to be done... and so little means.

The Beaver

My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

I've had it for 4 days now. Thank GOD I'm Home.

Dengue (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) are caused by one of four closely related, but antigenically distinct, virus serotypes (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4), of the genus Flavivirus. Infection with one of these serotypes provides immunity to only that serotype for life, so persons living in a dengue-endemic area can have more than one dengue infection during their lifetime. DF and DHF are primarily diseases of tropical and sub tropical areas, and the four different dengue serotypes are maintained in a cycle that involves humans and the Aedes mosquito. However, Aedes aegypti, a domestic, day-biting mosquito that prefers to feed on humans, is the most common Aedes species. Infections produce a spectrum of clinical illness ranging from a nonspecific viral syndrome to severe and fatal hemorrhagic disease. Important risk factors for DHF include the strain of the infecting virus, as well as the age, and especially the prior dengue infection history of the patient.

Clinical Diagnosis

Classic dengue fever or "break bone fever" is characterized by acute onset of high fever, 3-14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. Patients develop frontal headache, retro-orbital pain, myalgias, arthralgias, nausea, vomiting, and often a maculopapular rash. Many patients notice a change in taste sensation. Acute symptoms, when present, usually last about 1 week, but weakness, malaise, and anorexia may persist for several weeks. A high proportion of infections produce no or minimal symptoms, especially in children. Treatment emphasizes relief of symptoms, avoiding aspirin and other non steroidal anti-inflamatory medications and encouraging oral fluid intake (see Treatment below).

Treatment

Even for outpatients, the need for maintaining adequate hydration should be stressed. In addition, monitoring for signs of hemorrhagic fever and early appropriate treatment are key to ensure survival if the patient progresses to a more severe form of dengue infection. DHF/DSS can be effectively managed by intravenous fluid replacement therapy, and if diagnosed early, fatality rates can be kept below 1%. It is very important that physicians and other health care providers learn to recognize this disease.

To manage the pain and fever, patients suspected of having a dengue infection should be given acetaminophen preparations. Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications may aggravate the bleeding tendency associated with some dengue infections and in children can be associated with the development of Reyes syndrome.

For more info: visit the CDC

The Beaver


My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

Change of plans...

I was so tired, that yesterday my Team Leader decided to let me off the hook and to replace me for the second round of field visits. I'm very grateful, because I think I was on the brink of exhaustion. I need some ME time. I need to ALONE time. I need to sit back and take it all in, write it down, and incidently share it with you guys.

There is so much I need to share, to talk about. Since I've been in Haiti, I barely had the energy to sit down and write my impressions. I haven't really written any substance articles since Pakistan in January. I feel that my inner life is dwindling, fading away, eaten up by the insane work hours, the lack of sleep, the stress, the loneliness despite the team's presence and companionship.

I feel that I am disconnected from my family, my friends, my bloglife, so important to me in times like this. You may not realize it, but for me who is always on the road, my blogfriends are very important, because they are the only ones who are always around IN THE SAME WAY. Blogging brings some consistency to my life. When I don't blog, I feel empty.

Anyway, I'm not travelling until I leave PAP *for a few weeks* and I expect to have some "ME" time while the crew is out on the field. Hopefully, I'll have a chance to sit back and digest all this, and write some more...

By the way, I posted some pics of the BEACH (taken 2 weeks ago) and of Gonaives (taken this week).

I love you all. Thank you for being around.

The Beaver

My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

International Woman's day - tribute

Africa

La percée des femmes entrepreneurs
The opening of the women contractors

(Syfia Bénin) Depuis l'avènement des processus démocratiques en Afrique, les femmes chefs d'entreprise ont le vent en poupe. Mieux formées qu'autrefois, elles forcent le respect et désamorcent les préjugés les plus tenaces.

(Syfia Benin) Since the advent of the democratic processes in Africa, the women heads of undertaking have the wind in poop. Formed better than formerly, they force the respect and defuse the toughest prejudices.

Drapée dans un grand boubou rose, la Nigérienne Amina Hassane Wangari en impose par son allure altière. Cette femme se bat depuis une dizaine d'années pour développer Ciminti Import-Export BTP et C.E.T Wangari, son complexe d'entreprises, spécialisé dans l'import-export, la construction, l'enseignement général et technique. "Quand j'ai commencé en 1997, je n'avais que 40 millions de Fcfa (environ 83 000 dollars canadiens). Aujourd'hui mon chiffre d'affaires dépasse les 785 millions (plus de 1 300 000 dollars)", confie-t-elle en marge d'un séminaire sur les Petites et moyennes entreprises (PME) agroalimentaires, organisé fin février à Cotonou, la métropole du Bénin, par le Centre technique de coopération agricole et rurale (CTA). La Sénégalaise Bineta Coulibaly, une autre participante, a connu un parcours identique : de 35 000 Fcfa (72 dollars) en 1992 elle a su porter à 30 millions (62 000 dollars), quatorze ans après, le capital de La Vivrière, sa société de production et de vente de denrées alimentaires à base de céréales.

Draped in large a boubou pink, the Native of Niger Amina Hassane Wangari imposes some by her proud pace. This woman fights since ten years to develop Ciminti Import-Export BTP and C.E.T Wangari, her complex of companies, specialized in import-export, the construction industry, the general education and technical. "When I started in 1997, I had only 40 million Fcfa (approximately 83 000 Canadian dollars). Today my sales turnover exceeds the 785 million (more than 1 300 000 dollars)", entrusts it in margin of a seminar on Small and medium-sized undertakings (SME) agroalimentary, organized at the end of February in Cotonou, the metropolis of Benign, by the technical Center of agricultural and rural co-operation (CTA). Sénégalaise Bineta Coulibaly, another participating, knew an identical course: from 35 000 Fcfa (72 dollars) in 1992 it knew to carry to 30 million (62 000 dollars), fourteen years after, the capital of Food, its company of production and sale of foodstuffs containing cereals.

Nombre d'entrepreneuses d'Afrique peuvent se prévaloir d'une telle réussite. Dans la plupart des pays francophones d'Afrique de l'Ouest, l'émergence de cette classe d'entrepreneurs féminins date d'un peu plus d'une quinzaine d'années. "Elle est en grande partie le résultat des changements provoqués par l'avènement des régimes démocratiques autour des années 1990", analyse Moubarakatou Akinotcho, de la Chambre de commerce et d'industrie du Bénin. Assortis d'une libéralisation de l'économie, ces processus de démocratisation ont libéré les énergies et incité les femmes, 51 % de la population en moyenne dans ces pays, à s'impliquer davantage dans les activités économiques. Par ailleurs, au Bénin par exemple, la crise de l'emploi, accentuée vers la fin des années 1980 par la faillite des entreprises publiques et la mise au chômage de bon nombre de pères de famille, a rendu impérieux cet engagement des femmes.

Numbers the entrepreneuses ones of Africa can prevail itself of such a success. In the majority of the French-speaking countries of West Africa, the emergence of this class of female contractors goes back to a little more than one about fifteen years. "It is mainly the result of the changes caused by the advent of the democratic modes around the years 1990", analyzes Moubarakatou Akinotcho, of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Benign one. Together with a liberalization of the economy, these processes of democratization released energies and encouraged the women, 51 % of the population on average in these countries, to imply itself more in the economic activities. In addition, with Benign for example, the employment crisis, accentuated towards the end of 1980 by the bankruptcy of the public companies and the setting with the unemployment of considerable fathers of family, made pressing this engagement of the women.

Se former pour s'affirmer

To be formed to affirm oneself

Ces dernières étaient d'autant plus motivées que plusieurs institutions internationales (Unesco, Bureau international du travail, CTA…) et locales, de plus en plus sensibles aux questions de genre, les ont encouragées par divers moyens : formations à l'entrepreneuriat, conseils et appuis, facilités de crédit, etc. Les femmes elles-mêmes se sont organisées en réseaux : Association des femmes d'affaires et chefs d'entreprises du Bénin (Afaceb), Réseau des femmes chefs d'entreprises du Niger (Refcen), Réseau de l'entrepreneuriat féminin en Afrique de l'Ouest (Refao), etc. Pour elles, la formation est cruciale : "J'ai eu accès aux technologies de l'information et de la communication grâce aux séminaires fréquents qu'organise l'Afaceb pour nous aider à gérer nos affaires, précise Ginette Koukoui Honvo, importatrice de produits de beauté. Je me rends souvent au cyber pour chercher des opportunités d'affaires."

These last were all the more justified that several international institutions (UNESCO, International Labour Office, CTA...) and local, increasingly sensitive to the questions of kind, encouraged them by various means: formations with the entrepreneuriat, councils and supports, credit facilities, etc. The women themselves organized themselves in networks: Association of the businesswomen and heads of undertakings of Benign (Afaceb), Network of the women heads of undertakings of Niger (Refcen), Network of the female entrepreneuriat in West Africa (Refao), etc. For them, the formation is crucial: "I had access to technologies information and of the communication thanks to the frequent seminars that Afaceb organizes to help us to manage our business, specifies Ginette Koukoui Honvo, importer of beauty products. I often go to the cyber to seek business opportunities."

Ces formations leur permettent d'être présentes dans divers secteurs (hôtellerie, restauration, agroalimentaire, services…) et de s'affirmer dans un environnement souvent hostile, dominé par les préjugés sexistes. "Au début, j'ai eu des problèmes dans la gestion des ressources humaines, car certains de mes employés n'acceptaient pas d'être dirigés par leurs collègues femmes que j'avais nommées à des postes de responsabilité, témoigne Bineta Coulibaly. Mais j'ai été ferme et tout est rentré dans l'ordre." Pour elle, il est préférable d'avoir un mari et des enfants compréhensifs, car "on n'a plus de vie de famille, on rentre quelquefois à la maison à deux heures du matin".

These formations enable them to be present in various sectors (hotel trade, restoration, agroalimentary, services...) and to continue in an often hostile environment, dominated by the prejudices sexists. "At the beginning, I had problems in the human stock management, because some of my employees did not agree to be directed by their colleagues women whom I had named at stations of responsibility, Bineta Coulibaly testifies. But I was firm and all returned in the order." For it, it is preferable to have an understanding husband and children, because "there is not any more life of family, one returns sometimes to the house at two hours of the morning".

Créer des emplois Creating jobs
La Kenyane Jemima Munene, gérante de la laiterie Palm House Dairies, se réjouit aussi du recul des préjugés dans son pays grâce au courage des femmes. "Mon entreprise contribue à la réduction de la pauvreté car elle a créé 35 emplois dans les zones rurales et fait vivre 350 producteurs de lait de vache et leur famille", se félicite-t-elle par ailleurs. La Vivrière, au Sénégal, emploie une quarantaine de personnes tandis que Ciminti Import-Export BTP a créé plus d'une centaine d'emplois au Niger.

Creating jobs

The Kenyan Jemima Munene, managing dairy Palm Dairies House, is also delighted by the retreat of the prejudices in its country thanks to the courage of the women. "My company contributes to the reduction of poverty because it created 35 jobs in the rural zones and made live 350 cow's milk producers and their family", it is pleased in addition. The Food one, in Senegal, employs forty people while Ciminti Import-Export BTP created more than one hundred of employment in Niger.

"En 1992, la contribution des femmes béninoises au PIB, toutes activités confondues, était de 34 %. Cette part devrait connaître une certaine croissance avec l'évolution de leur taux d'activité en hausse d'environ 5 % entre 1992 et 2002", indique Ismaël Taddé, dans une étude sur l'entrepreneuriat féminin réalisée en 2005. L'objectif de ces femmes leaders est de continuer à mener des actions de sensibilisation, de formation et d'appui afin que leurs sœurs des zones rurales puissent à leur tour sortir de l'analphabétisme et du secteur informel, freins principaux selon Moubarakatou Akinotcho, à l'émergence d'un entrepreneuriat féminin fort et durable.

"In 1992, the contribution of the Beninese women to the GDP, all confused activities, was 34 %. This share should know a certain growth with the evolution of their activity ratio in rise of approximately 5 % between 1992 and 2002", indicates Ismaël Taddé, in a study on the female entrepreneuriat carried out in 2005. The objective of these women leaders is to continue to carry out formation, publicity campaigns and of support so that their s?urs of the rural zones can in their turn leave illiteracy and abstract sector, principal brakes according to Moubarakatou Akinotcho, with the emergence of a female entrepreneuriat extremely and durable.

Par (By) Abraham Brahima & Fernand Nouwligbèto

Experiment gone wrong / Experience ratee

I was trying to test out the new comment moderation feature, and inadvertantly sent the wrong message. Let me reiterate to ALL my readers that I enjoy receiving comments and am always happy to answer questions. Unfortunately, time and connectivity don't always allow for timely replys... Please forgive me...

About posting pictures: I do what I can to post some pics, but I spend a lot of time in the office and the hotel - I felt that they were not really interesting subjects. I hope y'all can forgive the scarceness of my pictures.

A link to the side will take you to my FLICKR account, where more pics are available. I post pics on this blog as an ad to show that a new series has been added to FLICKR.

J'essayais de tester un nouvel outil de gestion des commentaire, et par malheur j'ai envoye le mauvais message. Je tiens a reaffirmer a TOUS mes lecteurs que j'aime recevoir vos commentaires et je suis toujours heureuse de repondre a vos questions. Malheureusement, j'ai parfois moins de temps pour repondre a tous les commentaires. Pardonnez-moi...

A propos des photos: je fais mon possible pour afficher des photos, mais je passe beaucoup de temps a l'hotel et au bureau, et ca ne me semble pas bien digne de prises de photos. J'espere que vous me pardonnerez le peu de photos presentes.

Un lien sur la barre de cote vous menera a mon compte FLICKR sur lequel plus de photos sont disponibles. La presence de nouvelles photos sur mon blog annonce une mise a jour de FLICKR.

The Beaver


Salt Water, please keep commenting and asking questions. I will very soon address all of them in one development oriented post. I appreciate your comments, no matter how lengthy they are. Be safe on the road and take good care of Mother Helen! (Give a big hug for SW2 for me).

Sadness / Tristesse...

This morning, my Malagasy friend received an email informing him of the death of his 7 year old nephew.  The little boy was hit by a car and died instantly.  My eyes fill with tears just thinking about it.  I have much sorrow for the boy's mother and for the children of my colleague who were close to their cousin.  The children have requested to see the body, but it seems the corpse was mutilated on  impact.  How to explain such a thing to a child ????  Sometimes, life seems so cruel... 

 

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Ce matin, mon ami malgache a recu un mail l'informant du deces de son neveu de 7 ans.  Le petit garcon a ete renverse par une voiture.  J'ai les larmes aux yeux en y repensant.  J'ai beaucoup de peine pour sa maman, pour les enfants de mon collegue qui etaient proches de leur cousin.  Les enfants ont demande a voir le corps, mais il a ete mutile (?) pendant l'impact.  Comment expliquer une telle chose a un enfant ????  Parfois, la vie me semble bien cruelle... 

 

The Beaver

About optimism and busy schedules

Friday was a good day. The morning was spent hanging out over crêpes with my colleagues of the Mountain Conservation Patrol.

I spent the afternoon trying to arrange my flight to Baltimore.

That evening I picked up Dave at work and we went to the movies - we ended up seeing The 40 year old Virgin. I had low expectations and ended up quite pleased. It was a good laugh.

Satur-day was a bit bleh. It rained like it only rains in Montreal, so Dave and I stayed in, watched Angel's season 2, read, and did other relaxing activities.

In the evening, we had a dinner party at Krishna's, to celebrate her departure to Tanzania. K is a former colleague from Bar school. She landed an articling position at the Arusha International tribunal. This is amazing for her, as she has a L.L.M in international law, and has a very complete fascination for the issue raised at the tribunal. The dinner was pleasant and provided some interesting connections. I met there people who :

• had been body-guard to the actual RDC president ;
• had been to Senegal ;
• had lived in Argentina ;
• had lived in Thailand.

It was fun to meet travelled people. Amongst other things, I learned about something that any-body who lives/works far from home should know about. I learned about Voice Over Internet Protocols. For a flat (reasonable) fee, you can have unlimited phone calls to home, and you can take your number anywhere with you. This means I could leave to the Bora Bora Islands, and be reachable on my 514 number.

Check out the services !

• Primus
• Teliphone
• Babytel
• Vonage

Sunday was mostly spent recuperating. Dave was out with Friends, so I hung out and had dinner with my mother.

Monday was good. I hung out with K (she's flying on wednesday) and had a girly talk. We're in similar situations, with our careers and boyfriends, so it was good to talk with someone who understands.

I then met up with my mum to go shopping for a top to wear for my interview. I actually HATE clothes-shopping for myself (hate, hate, hate.) I always feel like what I like doesn't fit me, and when something fits me, I usually hate it. The thing is, I'm chubby, and my mum has a tendency to favor larger sizes, which make me look like I'm wearing a potato bag. Guess why I usually stick to jeans ! I think I need half-sizes or something. And to make matters worse, I'm very tall, which means pants usually are too short on me. We ended up at Reitmans' where I found a petroleum blue blouse that I loved and nice chic black pants. I'm really not a color/pattern person, so that was a good compromise. I always end up buying my stuff there. I really should stop going to other places.

After that, we made for the Cinema Excentris where we saw Saraband, by swedish film maker Ingmar Bergman. If you can put your hands on this movie, by all means, do see it. It's rough, disturbing at times, but it also carries beautiful sentiments. Liv Ullman is beautiful and intense. Just seeing her makes it worth it. We don't have enough movies where seniors are the center. I think I like Liv because her character reminded me of my mother.

I then had a late dinner with Dave at a small italian place on Fleury st. It was the occasion for us to talk, prepare for what's ahead, and confront opinions on what will happen next. Bottom line is, he supports me, I support him, he's worried about me, I'm worried about him, and we're worried about us. Bottom line is, we love each other very much and want to keep it that way.

Today, I'll hang out, clean the house, pick up some documentation on auditing at my mum's work, and train with Dave in the evening. On thursday, I'm getting a haircut. Joy. (can you feel the enthusiasm ?)

ON ON !

The Beaver

100 Things about The Beaver

I wrote 100 things about myself three years ago - and most of them are still true. I thought this would be a perfect introduction.

I have updated the list on July 1st, 2007.

1. The Beaver is the official Canadian mascot. I got my nickname the Beaver Hare when I got baptized by the Senegal Sunday Hash House Harriers.
2. My true name will never be published on this blog, but you can call me Marie.
3. Before the movie came out, I was a huge Tolkien fan. I read The Lords of the Rings in a week.
4. My Hobbit name is Tigerlily Sandydowns.
5. I'm 6 feet tall, so I don't look like a hobbit, though my feet are hairy.
6. My Elven name is Tári Eärfalas.
7. I weigh more than I should, so I'm definitely not an elf.
8. I play Dungeons and Dragons. And no, I do not take myself for Tári Eärfalas, the 16th level elven mage/warrior.
9. I started going out to clubs at 16, stopped at 23 and started again at 27.
10. I hate drinking beer.
11. I love wine.
12. I do not use drugs.
13. I'm addicted to Ice Cream.
14. I stole an ashtray at a hotel when I was 16.
15. I was born one hour too late to be born on the first day of spring.
16. I've been 25 years old for the last 4 years.
17. I'm older then I look.
18. I was born in Montreal. The doctor who supervised my birth was Congolese (RDC).
19. My eyes are blue when I cry, grey when I'm bored, and green when I'm in love.
20. My hair used to be platine blond as a baby. Now it's venitian blond.
21. I have no tatoos or piercings. I'd love to develop the nerve to get a tatoo though.
22. I own 5 pairs of shoes and always wear the same pair.
23. I died my hair red once. Nobody noticed.
24. I would never shave my head.
25. I own 2 pairs of jeans and 1 cargo. I never wear anything else, except for work.
26. My worst fear is to loose everything.
27. When I'm home alone and it's dark outside, I get paranoid that a stalker will come and stare through my windows.
28. If I could, I'd go into space. And be afraid.
29. I wouldn't bungee jump even if you paid me to.
30. I'm very loyal to my friends.
31. If I could choose my own death, I'd die for love.
32. Last time I thought of committing suicide, the thought of causing pain to my loved ones was enough to stop me.
33. I'm jealous of those who manage to lead fulfilling lives. I try to let them inspire me.
34. I'm a very carnal person. I love to touch and be touched. But not by just anyone !
35. When new people come in my life, I get all happy and excited.
36. I studied the piano for 10 years and professional singing for 3 years. I've done a few shows but was never in a band.
37. I never had a favorite band because I got introduced to pop culture only at the age of 18. Really like Pink Floyd though.
38. I kill plants. Don't give me something in a pot, because despite my best efforts, in a few weeks it'll be dead.
39. I'm obsessive compulsive about ice cream, sci-fi series, and blogging. My short attention span usually saves me from being truly addicted, though.
40. I like to read thrillers that are well built and correspond a a political reality. Like Robert Ludlum's for example.
41. Horror movies freak me out.
42. I've never hurt somebody with intent.
43. If evil means Every Violet Instantly Lives, then I'm evil. If it means Every Villain Is a Loser, I want to join the club too.
44. I have a tendency to go skinny-dipping when ever possible.
45. I only go to McDonald's to use the toilets.
46. I've been doing my laundry by hand by choice for 2 years. It doesn't bother me.
47. If I were to belong to a subculture, I'd say I'm a hippie, man.
48. I want the war in Iraq to stop.
49. I beleive in reincarnation. I'm sure that every person that's meaningful in my life today, I met in a previous life.
50. I want war not to exist altogether, but at the same time I know it can't happen.
51. am not fundamentally a violent person.
52. My favorite movie of all times is La Belle Histoire. It tells the great adventure and examines with a magnifying glass the love at first sight that happened between two individuals who met and loved two thousand years ago. Now in comtemporary times, their love remained intact. Two thousand years of hardship for one second of eternity. The director is a frenchman called Claude Lelouch. He's a genius.
53. I understood I truely loved Dave while watching this particular movie with him 10 years ago.
54. I beleive in soul mates. I found mine and live with him.
55. I beleive in love at first sight. However, I don't beleive it lasts forever.
56. The longest relationship I've been in lasted 4 years. I'd know him since I was 17.
57. My favorite song is "Come what may" from the movie Moulin Rouge. I like it because it speaks of unconditionnal love.
58. I secretly watch reality shows. And actually shed a tear. And actually feel shame for the whole thing.
59. My favorite food is Chicken French Guyana - style. It involved bamboo sprouts, onion, and a molasses-based sauce which my mother buys in France. The only 2 people that I know who can make it are my mum and my cousin. I haven't had it in 5 years and now i'm a vegetarian so....
60. My favorite cocktail is the hard-on, a shooter that the barman at Ozio could make : it involved bailey's, kalua and tia maria.
61. My favorite smell is the smell of humid moss in the North of France. Shorltly behind is the smell of bakery cooking.
62. My favorite color is blue. I think it's because I love blue skies and water. Or maybe I love them because they're blue.
63. My favorite moment in the day is sunset.
64. My least favorite moments in the day are going to bed and waking up.
65. I'm hyperactive.
66. The most broke I've ever been was when I had lemons and water for dinner. I never asked anyone for money though.
67. I used to own a 1991 Corolla. She's had everything redone, so I expected her to last at least another 5 years. My plan was to drive her until she fell apart on the road - but now that i travel 100% I managed to sell it.
68. I've never been to jail and don't plan to, being an attorney and all...
69. The shortest period of employment was a receptionist gig when I was 16. The standard was receiving 500 calls a day. I quit after the first 2 hours.
70. My dream job would be to be a private detective and wear a trenchcoat a la Dick Tracy. My other dream jobs would be to represent Canada at the UN general assembly, to be a chocolate-taster at Godiva, or an Ice-Cream-taster at Haagen Dasz.
71. The worst job I could ever get would be President of the United States. (ohhh the responsibility...) It would be worst then picking up garbage.
72. I hate selling stuff. I once begged someone not to buy something I was selling. It really was a crappy product.
73. (yes, that's me, chewing on a pipe!) When I was a little girl in Burkina faso, I had a pet chimp called Cheetah, how original! She was kinda sweet and very bent on trying to remove stuff from our hair. Anyway, it's cool to say I had a monkey as a kid, but my mum would tell you it was a whole lot of work keeping the garden clean. Eventually she became nuts and was taken away (not my mum, the monkey).
74. When I was 7, I used to play-pretend star wars (as in episodes 4-5-6) and I always was Leia and Nick and Nico (my neighbors in DKR) would be like Han Solo and Luke Skywalker and double casted as the Emperor and Darth Vador.
75. I used to dream that Peter Pan came to take me with him. I still do sometimes.
76. I never had any brothers and sisters. So I'm very close to my parents.
77. When my dad died 3 years ago, most of my friends didn't know what to do with it, so they just didn't react. I don't blame them, but would have loved to have someone who would just come by and hang out with me, even in silence... This taught me that when we lose someone we love, it takes a lot of time to grieve and accept the loss. And that no matter how horrible it is at first, it turns out fine in the end...
78. I still miss my dad.
79. I consider myself lucky to have had the parents I had. They taught me about honor, justice and loyalty.
80. I talk to my mum every two weeks. I see her twice a year. It's not enough.
    
81. When I was 10, I witnessed a coup and political instability. My reaction was to keep busy and do stuff at home.
82. My mother tongue is French. I learned English at age 10 through immersion at an american high school in Burkina Faso that lasted 3 years.
83. Racism and sterotypes make me angry.
84. My temper got me in trouble more then once.
85. My temper got me out of trouble more then once.
86. My father was adopted. He was beleived to be of Irish descent. My mother is French of France. Her family is beleived to be of Viking descent.
87. I love learning new languages. I wish I could learn Gallic, or Breton, or Ancient Egyptian, and not have to tell people why I'm studying a language deemed dead or useless.
88. That makes me 50% Celt and 50% Viking. Which means in pre-medieval times I would have fought naked and covered in ritual tatoos, but weilding a huge battle-axe. It explains a lot about my temper.
89. I cuss when I'm angry.
90. Though I may feel the urge once in a while, I could never bring myself to bring an end to one's life of my own initiative. If I killed someone accidently, I don't know how I'd deal with the guilt. I might kill to protect my loved ones though. It might kill me, too, in the process.
91. I don't respond well to threats. I deal well with constructive criticism.
92. My weapon of choice when fighting is biting.
93. I'm a hot-head ascendant travel freak.
94. The list of places I'd like to visit is very long, but amongst others : Thailand, Australia, New-Zealand, Guadeloupe, Scotland, the Czech Republic, Russia, Singapour, California, Barcelona, Mexico, the Grand Canyon...
95. I went to Paris over 10 times and never went to the third floor of the Eiffel Tower.
96. I've lived in Canada 12 years and the furthest East I went is Miscou Island (New-Brunswick) - Furthest east is Toronto.
97. I went to London twice and never saw Buckingham Palace.
98. Now I live nowhere - I am a NOMAD - and I am desperate to settle down - but WHERE? The world is SO great !
99. If I had to pick a place and a time to live, I'd be a 19th-century poet. (This one's Nelligan, a French Canadian poet of the golden era of poetry.)
100. Every word I put down here is meant to be read by the world.

The Beaver