Reflections on the work completed... Part 1

As promised, here is a little recap on much of the work that I have been a part of since the start of my internship.  With less than one week remaining, I can hardly believe what I and Project Manager of the BNTF, Osbert DeSuza, have accomplished in just three short months.  Let me pause for a moment and say a few things about Mr. DeSuza, aka "Suza" as I call him.  This man works HARD to provide for the people of St. Kitts and in all the years he's been at BNTF he has transformed the outlook and approach to poverty reduction on the island.  Originally BNTF was responsible for infrastructural repairs and renovations, which in Canada would resemble the responsibilities of most municipal and provincial governments.  However, in St. Kitts, because the national debt is so high, the government is not capable to adequately provide assistance and thus relies on BNTF, which is sponsored by both the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) http://www.caribank.org/ and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).  (According to the IMF,  St. Kitts currently has the highest gross national debt in the Caribbean and the second highest in the world at EC$3 billion).  However, since DeSuza has been involved, the organization has expanded to more proactive and sustainable approaches to poverty reduction through the use of skills training workshops, and he has also opened the contract bidding for infrastructural sub-projects to local contractors in order to provide employment for local construction workers.  In the last four years, much of the work has been a tandem effort between DeSuza and former Community Liaison Officer (CLO), Azilla Clarke, but since December of this year when Azilla was promoted to Director of Social and Community Development, the organization has literally been run by DeSuza alone.  All this is to say that when I came into the picture, even though technically my role is to work under Suza, it has trully felt like we're a team.  I need him just about as much as he needs me, it seems, and although at times it feels like an immense responsibility (and trust me, I cannot say that I'm ready to be the next CLO just yet) it also leaves me feeling a little more significant, and much more capable than I would've initially given myself credit for.  Besides, I like being Suza's partner-in-crime.  People see him as a little rough around the edges and most times people don't give him the credit he deserves, but he does a hell of a lot, and every time he calls for "Tiffy" or his nickname for me, "Chilliwack" (the city where I'm from) I am right there to see what he's gotten us into, because every week there seems to be something new.  This makes the job exciting if you ask me, and the two of us have certainly shared some funny moments, some slip-ups, some loooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng days, some deep conversations, and some vulnerable moments too.  I cannot say enough about what I have learned from this man and the hospitality him and his family has shown me, but it humbles me.  Anyway, here's a look at some of the work I got myself into this summer. What a trip!

Bronte Welsh Primary School Renovations

One of the BNTF sub-projects is geared towards renovations needed for one of the primary schools, Bronte Welsh Primary.  I was responsible for leading several of the community meetings that are necessary in order to have a sub-project approved by the bank.  In such meetings I try to get a sense from community members what the issues are that they are facing in their community, have a discussion about the needs they wish to see addressed, and prioritize those needs based on the input they give me.  My role is mostly to facilitate the conversation and ask the necessary questions, and most importantly to listen to what they're telling me, and what they're not telling me.  Most villages that are facing poverty have people with strengths and skills that need to be recognized and utilized for the betterment of both the individual and the community at large.  One thing I've come to VALUE is recognizing that solutions don't always have to be standardized formal ways of approaching problems.  Sometimes your most valuable resources are sitting right in front of you, but because we are often socialized to value traditional education, intelligent individuals go overlooked.  One thing Suza said to me on my very first day at BNTF that stuck with me, is he said, "There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who are trained, and those who are educated.  Which one are you?"  A little intense for the first day, I thought, but I'll never forget it.  The point is, just because you have a formal education, doesn't mean you can stop being critical in your work and when you're working with people and communities, it's best to look first for their strengths, and not just the obvious problems that lay before you.  

Violet Petty Primary School Renovations

Similar to Bronte Welsh, Violet Petty was another school that needed repairs.  This school goes without electricity, is missing a couple doors, and as you can see, is in need of a fence. As I walked through the school, I was surprised to see a jar with coins in it from children who brought money to school to help raise funds for some of the minor repairs. Apparently there's no money in the Ministry of Education's budget for assistance.
  

ENO (Environment Online) Tree Planting Day

http://www.enotreeday.net/

ENO is a global virtual school and network for sustainable development. It has been running since 2000 and has reached thousands of schools in 150 countries.  Tree Planting Day was actually carried out in May when I first arrived in SK.  I didn't have much to do with this particular environmental initiative, but was sent along with one of the community development officers and the Director of Social and Community Development to observe and to show support.  However, every sub-project that is completed by BNTF has to take into account specific environmental as well as gender, economic, social, and sustainability standards, which must be reflected in written reports.  One of my tasks at BNTF is to write up these documents from the community meetings, which then get sent to the CDB for approval before we can actually begin the sub-project.  Included in these reports are a Community Needs Assessment, a Community Profile, and a Sub-project Profile outlining the rationale for the project in question.  Just like any other social service agency, you can never seem to escape the endless paper work!

BNTF Website

http://www.bntfskn.com/

The BNTF Website is actually something last year's interns Wajma Soroor and Ly Tran put together, and of all the BNTFs in the Caribbean (of which there are ten), St. Kitts is the only one to have one.  I spent some time making minor adjustments and updating the website with the help of our web development/ web hosting partners at ecaribbeanltd.  There's even a little blurb about myself on the website. Check me out! http://www.bntfskn.com/press.asp.  There are still a few issues with maintaining and drawing attention to the website, which I've been trying to find a solution for, because right now the only time it gets updated is when there are interns available, which is only three months out of the year.

Ok, that is all I can bare to write for one day...I'll fill you in on the rest later, including the two highlights of my work experience here: a skills training workshop, and a project to research and create a comprehensive community profile for one of the villages on the island.  Stay tuned!