Village Savings and Loan Organizations

I have heard of programs that help people learn to save money, but our visits Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning helped me understand much more and to see the value of the program.  Even though this is not one of my areas of responsibility, I want to write about it because it has impressed me immensely. 

A Village Savings and Loan organization is a group of about 15 – 25 (or some times more) friends and neighbors who get together to help each other financially.  They establish strict rules before they start so that there is no confusion or doubt along the way.  Then, they meet weekly for nine months.  There are three main goals:  savings, solidarity, and credit.  The program was started to help women, in particular, but both men and women may participate. 

Each week participants first count all the money they have gathered so far in their cashbox.  The box has three different locks and three different people hold the keys so all must be present to open the box.  (Between meetings it is kept in the treasurer’s house, but s/he doesn’t have a key.) As you might imagine, security about the money is a major concern.  People want to know that what they have given is there and will come back to them.  (We asked is there is a problem with the box being stolen out of the treasurer’s house, but it has only happened once among all the organizations that have been formed.  The fact that this is a neighborhood groups means they can keep their eyes out, too.  In another group, the treasurer’s house burned down and the money was lost.  Not a bid record at all!) 

The president runs the meeting.  A secretary keeps track of records and two others are the counters/verifiers.  At each step one counts publicly – in front of the whole group – and then the other recounts before the money is added or returned to the box.  These officers are elected from the group by secret ballot (after members meet minimal qualifications and express interest).  Each person is given a number and all phases of the meeting are done in order of these numbers.  The people, of course, know each other, but this fosters some anonymity so that there is no emphasis on who saves how much, only on the fact that they are saving.

Members next give 100 cfa.  This is the solidarity part.  During the cycle, if a member has a problem (illness, death in the family, etc.) s/he asks the group for money.  Amounts are determined ahead of time so that there is no question.  It is a group decision to give the money – so that all know that the need is real.  Any unused money at the end of the cycle goes for a meal/celebration at the end of the cycle.

The next step is for participants to give the money they are saving.  Each group determines the amount people are encouraged to save.  In the meeting we attended, a person got a fish stamp in his/her notebook for each 500 cfa and was encouraged to save 2,500 cfa each week.  Members, though, save what they can.  If they give at least 1,500 cfa (three stamps), the group claps to encourage them.  I asked why a fish stamp is used.  People in this area consider fish something of great value.  Fish are available from local rivers, but they are expensive to buy and eat.  So, they stamp their books with something of value as they save money to get something else they value.  As each saver brings his/her money, both counters count the money and put it in the box.  The saver then watches the secretary stamp his/her notebook – transparency and double checking abound!

In some meetings (but not the one we saw) have an additional step.  Members may borrow money.  They must pay 10% interest each month and then repay the loan in three months. 

At the end of the nine-month cycle, all of the money is counted again.  The coordinator (from the church or someone from the neighborhood who has been trained) announces how much interest will be given.  Then he reads out how much each person has saved plus the additional amount and the counters count out that amount.  It is put on the notebook on a table until all notebooks have their money.  Invited guests – government officials or international visitors are then asked to give the money to its owner.  They cycle then ends although many groups start the next cycle the following week.

Both groups we visited gave us a gift.  The first gave us a live chicken!  The second gave us shirts.  The woman who made them (and the matching dresses the women wore) had used her money last time to get a sewing machine and to take classes. 

Money is used for a variety of purposes, but here are some examples:  university tuition, product to be sold in a shop or the market, bricks and other materials for the house, household goods, or a motorcycle.  It is a pleasure to see the joy people show as they see how their lives are enriched.  Many groups become like extended families – even though they may be of different ethnic groups or religions. They encourage and support each other while improving their lives and improving the town, area, and country.

The Central African Lutheran Church now assists 225 Village Savings and Loan organizations.  As some have now completed three cycles, participants are saving more and understanding the value of the program.  Friends and neighbors are also very interested and more are becoming involved.  Maybe this is a grassroots approach to training people in ways that will (eventually) minimize corruption throughout the country!  At the very least, it is empowering people and enabling them to better their lives. 

Peouri Village School

Finally I have been able to visit a Village School which was built as a part of one of the programs with which I will be working!  I still have not officially started work, though.  November 4-7 the International Partners met in Bouar.  (That includes 15-20 representatives of the Central African Lutheran Church as well as people from donor organizations in Europe and the United States.)  After that meeting, international partners arranged to visit programs in various towns.  I went with four people from the US:  Gordon and Betty Olsen who work with Lutheran Partners in Global Mission, Pastor Alan Kethan from Texas, and Pastor Paul Schaur from North Dakota.  (The same four that the National Church President and I met in Bangui last week.) 

 

Thursday we visited two very interesting programs – Village Schools (part of my work area) and Village Savings and Loans (not part of my work, but fascinating.  See the next blog entry.)

Village School Program Director YAIMAN Etienne took us to visit Peouri School that was originally built about 15 km. from Baboua.  During some civil unrest about ten years ago, the people fled to Baboua.  They insisted that they wanted to have “their” school in their new location!  They had it in the village and wanted it to follow them to the town – even though the program was not planning to build a school in Baboua since there is already a government school there.  In the end, the school was build.  In fact, it is now the first school to have a permanent building (along with several paillotes – open-air, straw-roofed structures).  Since the school has been started, others in town are taking advantage of the Lutheran School’s reputation for good teaching.  It has become the largest of the 20 village schools in the program.

720 students attend the school from 8 a.m. until noon Monday through Saturday in the equivalent of grades K-5. (Actually, the parents are currently building one more paillotte because one class must meet from 12:30 – 5:30 because of lack of space.)  There are six teachers (one of whom is also the director/principal).  For one grade level, they have had to split the class in two so that class sizes could be reduced to 93 and 95…  Another class lists 165 students enrolled!  Students have French (to learn to read), math, and a few other books – unusual in this country where textbooks are as rare as hen’s teeth.  Children were enthusiastic and attentive.  We saw no discipline problems despite the large classes.  (We were told that some exist, but they are not common.)  When students want to respond, they raise their hands as do children in the US, but here they often snap their fingers as well.  I was also happy to see that students wrote answers on their slates so that all students participated.  Here are some who were practicing reading and writing syllables. 

As we arrived, all the students were outside to have the flag raising ceremony.  Normally it would be done first thing in the morning, but they waited so we could be present.  In the dirt, six circles were drawn and then a straight line.  We were asked to stand on the line and students filled the circles.  They had a short welcome speech and gave us some artificial flowers. (We later returned the flowers so that they could be reused on other occasions!)  Classes lined up facing the flag pole.  I felt at home as students put their hands on the shoulders of those in front of them to space themselves out better!  They sang a song and the flag was raised.

We then visited the classrooms.  The new permanent, brick building houses three classes and the director’s office.  Then, there are three paillotes for other classes.  Parents helped build all the structures – including a brick building with latrines and one teacher’s house – not yet occupied.  (There will eventually be more.)  Parents provide sand, stone, and labor.  The program buys the other materials and provides expertise in building appropriate structures.

Classes were lively, but well-managed.  The two kindergarten classes each sang us a welcome song as we went in.  They were practicing comparing shapes – which line is longer?  Draw a tree that is taller.  Another class was practicing reading.  A third was learning the format of a business letter.  One class was outside having relay races as a part of Physical Education.  Pastor Paul joined a team and raced with the best of them!

After the classroom visits, we had a reception – food (of course!) and conversation.  We were able to ask the teachers and the director questions about their school and work and they also asked about us.  We asked why there were no female teachers and one teacher said – it’s men problems – women either have early pregnancies or they get married and have too many responsibilities at home.  He added that they are not interest in the job!  He was very surprised to learn that most elementary teachers in the US are women.  The director did say that they had had two women briefly and that they will continue to recruit them in the future. 

I was very pleased to be able to spend the morning at this school and to start to understand the program.  Next week (Friday, I hope) I will be back in Baboua (after more touring with international visitors) and finally able to start my work in earnest. 

Spices!!

When Gordon and Betty Olsen arrived from the US this week, they brought me a large zip-lock back full of small containers of spices!  I now have lots to choose from!  I look forward to cooking again.  I am currently in Bouar for the Partner's Meeting this next week and eating wonderful food prepared by Jackie and two Central African cooks.  (There will be 20 of us eating this evening here at her house.)

Boali Falls

Boali is a town about 1 1/2 hours outside of Bangui.  About 15 minutes down a dirt road, you get to a huge waterfall.  They have also built two power plants that supply much of Bangui’s electricity.  Actually, one was built in1963.  They have also built a dam to control the water flow – and it has provided easier access to fish for people in the area.  (We had some at a restaurant in the town on the way down to Bangui.  It is delicious!  They told me it was carp.) 

In 1977 I visited the falls with some Peace Corps friends.  This is one thing that is much the same – at least the waterfalls.  The steps that go down beside the falls were similar although 30 years ago we could walk all the way to the bottom.  Now, ½-way down the steps have fallen into disrepair – because of the rainy season they said.  Now, there is a hotel and restaurant at the top where before there was only a paillote (thatched-roof held up by wooden posts) for a restaurant that was not operational.  We each paid 1,000 cfa entry fee ($2) and then were followed by 6-8 young men who all wanted to be our guides.  Years ago we were followed by very young children. 

The people have built a narrow bridge over the river just above the falls.  It is one metal cord with sticks that make a small bannister-type arrangement.  We saw two people crossing slowly with a huge load on their heads – they didn’t want their pictures taken.  Two of the pastors and a young women from our group went out part way. 

Here are some pictures of the trip to the falls.

Boali Falls - 2012

Our Group - President Golike and his Wife, Gordon & Betty Olsen, Pr. Paul, Pr. Alan, Me, Arnaise (driver)

Steps - 2012 in need of repair

Pastor Golike and his wife on stairs

Stairs - 1977

Boali Falls postcard 1977

Boali Falls from below - 1977

Pr. Paul on bridge

Bangui

You can't go home again, right?   Well, Bangui isn’t home, although I lived here for a year, 1977-1978.  Today, I don’t even recognize the city.  OK, the major streets still run the same way, but I couldn’t find my way around without a map.  I saw where the Peace Corps office was (on an old map), but couldn’t find any building that looked familiar.  I knew the US embassy had been near the river, and it still is, but the compound didn’t look at all familiar. 

On my own, I went to the two neighborhoods where I had lived, Castors and La Kounga, but nothing looked familiar.  I couldn’t find any house that looked the least bit like the one(s) I lived in.  I was hampered by the fact that we never had a street name or house number then and there are still none! 

I went to the school, Lycée des Rapides, where I taught English for a year – along the river out of town several kilometers.  Much of the drive I don’t remember, but I got to see the river.  Just before the school is a small hill that I do remember, but I think the entrance has been moved.  Certainly there are more buildings, what seem to be many more students, a soccer field, many people selling snacks to students (bread, oranges, bananas, cassava prepared in banana leaves, and others.  I went to the office – don’t you always go to the office when arriving at a school?  After asking 3 times, a student walked me to the second floor to the Censor’s office.  We chatted for a bit and then he gave me a tour of the school.  It is a series of buildings that are not connected.  Most are two-stories with multiple classrooms.  When I taught there, there were two two-story buildings and a third that had just been built that was a single story.  Those were there, with a few others.  It was interesting to see, but I could see little of what I recognized.  After 30 years, that is not so surprising I guess!  Unfortunately, I got only a couple of pictures because my camera battery went dead.

It was much hotter in Bangui than in the western part of the country that is at a higher elevation.  There is also much more humidity than I remember from 30 years ago.  After walking for ten minutes, my hair would be plastered on my neck and around my face.  I decided to get it cut!  I stopped at a hair cutting shop (small box big enough to have 2 chairs and a small waiting area).  They said they could cut my hair (it not being African hair and all…), so I decided to take a chance.  I asked for it to be about half the length on top and to cut off all the wet part around the bottom then just accepted the “do” he gave me.  It is about ½ inch long now on the top and 1 ½ inches long around the back. The “stylist” also decided to shave off all the little, hardly visible hairs on my entire face!  It will take some adjusting to, but certainly fits the purpose I wanted.  It is much cooler and easier to handle in this climate even though I still get hot and sticky!     

When I finished at the school, I had the taxi driver take me to the artisans’ center in town.  Many of the crafts were similar to what I had saw before:  pictures made from butterfly wings and dried banana leaves, carvings from ebony and a little ivory, leather sandals with rubber soles, clothing, and jewelry.  I also saw some new things – coasters, platters, and pen holders made from round slices of cow bone and bamboo, for example.  I bought a few things to decorate my soon-to-be house.

In the afternoon, four people arrived from the United States: a couple whose son had helped build St. Timothée’s Lutheran Church near the airport and two other pastors from synods that help support projects here:  LA/Gulf Coast and North Dakota.  Actually, we went to the church about 4 p.m.  The choir was singing on the porch of the church with drums (African traditional and a drum set like you see in the US) and electric guitars.  Of course there were some very large speakers and an amplifying system, so it was loud!  About 6 we drove 5 minutes to the airport where the plane had arrived, but we had to wait another hour for them to deplane, get bags, and clear customs.  We returned to the church where the visitors were greeted with cries of gladness and there was more singing.  They prepared a meal for us (the 5 of us from the US, the National Church President, the pastor of the church, and a few important people from the congregation, and me.  We ate rice, potatoes, beef in a sauce, chicken, cassava, and there was a salad of tomatoes, onion, eggs, and mayonnaise. 

Thursday, November 01, was a holiday – for All Saints’ Day.  Many businesses were closed.  I went to lunch with a friend of my niece’s (they met in Niger some time ago).  Whitney now works for Mercy Corps and, in fact, worked out of Bouar and near Baboua!  She knows some of the people I will now be working with.  It is a small world.  We went to a Senegalese Restaurant and enjoyed good food and conversation.  In the afternoon, the National Church President, the 4 who arrived yesterday and I went back to St. Timothée’s for a service and further conversation. 

Friday we made the drive back to Bouar with a short stop at Boali Falls.  See the next entry for more about the falls.