Riding the Storm Out

As you can imagine from my last post, a strategy meeting was necessary to determine the best way to mend the fences. Thanks to my previous incarnation as a sales representative for a big American company, I am fully versed at bring back customers from the edge, fluent in remaining calm while being berated for events beyond my control. Possibly this was the prerequisite for the Zen like calm required here. Kerri and I had decided a class in Customer Service was in order. Our intention was to first define customer service, assess our behavior at the meeting within that definition, and determine next steps. Good lord this feels like my previous profession.

We arrive at Mohamed’s office early so we can go over our strategy. It is important to let him in on our strategy as he is translating. Well, let me tell you, it certainly didn’t go as expect.

Me: Blah blah blah, listen to your customer.
Blah, blah, blah, the customer is always right.
Blah, blah blah the goal of a meeting is to resolve (resoudre) issues not battle with your clients about who
is right and wrong.
Blah, blah, blah, never call your customer a thief.

Him: If a customer starts hitting you, you aren’t required to sit and take it.

He, who is so calm, so supportive, usually so modern, if he is having such a reaction to the mere mention that possibly we could have behaved better I can only imagine what the women will do. As further proof, his boss walks in and starts lobbing the same accusations about the Responsables. Mind you, he wasn’t even at the meeting. I don’t even think he was in town. Long story short, apparently, one of the Responsbles said something so egregious to the elder of the group that the women had not choice but to react. In this culture, your elders are respected.

Kerri and I quickly revise our lesson/meeting notes. Out goes the entire section on “who’s to blame that LEDD is no longer buying CereAmine for the Atar centers. Answer: Us, for not doing a better job of ensuring product adoption” (now that really sounds like my old life) Forget my idea that we offer an apology.

I begin by asking the question, how do you treat customers so that they keep buying your product? To that I received a list of terrific answers. I ended that section with “it’s easier to keep a customer then find a new one”.

Next, I say “it’s important to evaluate what happened with LEDD and how we can move forward". I have no idea how to say “move forward” in French, I am sure it’s not a direct translation. I did learn that “word of mouth” in French is “bouche oreille”. (mouth ear) I also explained “to give an earful” to someone the other day. Those crazy idioms. I say, “I heard two problems expressed (amidst all of the name calling). The mother’s said that their children didn’t like the flavor and that some became sick. After the translation, the group eye’d me suspiciously.

I can tell that it’s going to be hard to get them to stay calm, to listen and to seriously address to the points the LEDD brought up as problems. Christ, I am not sure I have the language skills to nuance that although this may not be the fault of their product or production it has, none the less, become their problem to overcome. (yes, I am back at MHC) Somehow, we need to try to diminuez la resistance.

I need to mention that the day before this meeting Kerri and I had spent some time with Genevieve and she now believes that possibly the problem with the flavor may be that it was overcooked at the centers. Traditional N’sha is brought to a rolling, molten boil for about 30 – 45 minutes. CereAmine, because the grains have been precooked (as you well know by earlier posts) takes about 10 -15….hence the disconnect. At this point, Genevieve has agreed that an in-service for her staff on how to prepare CereAmine is in order.

Of course, I don’t tell the ladies any of this yet. First I want us to really examine/explore how we can address the above issues. The point of my work here is to leave behind some tidbit of knowledge/technique that they can translate to other business ventures. I am teaching them to fish before I eventually give them the fish that I once again caught. (is recaught a word?) Man, I want to go fishing in the Sierra’s.

Next on the agenda, what we can do differently next time to lessen the problems and diminish the resistance to CereAmine? I must confess they liked my ideas. They became down right enthusiastic that yes, indeed, it is our responsibility to ensure that our new customers truly understand the benefits of CereAmine and the correct method of preparation so that they too become converts. They agree that it is important that each woman can explain those benefits as well as the cause of diarrhea. (Flies, lack of soap and sanitation, etc)

They have requested a class on the valeur de protein. Well they didn’t exactly ask for a class on the benefits of protein, because I'm pretty sure that they don’t know what protein is. They want to understand why CereAmine is healthful. Their sales pitch for CereAmine is that it is good for you because it has lots of vitamins (pronounced vee tah meen). I don’t think they know what vitamins are either. I am pretty sure they couldn’t name vitamin c, e, or the b complexes. It’s just a handy catchphrase for something healthy. But a lesson in protein is what they are going to get.

Finally, they assure me that inspite (despite) of what happened at the meeting; they are capable of going to the centers and giving a lesson, providing we go along too. Unless I am deluded, I believe that all in all, it went really well.

Things might be looking up.
Cheers from here,
Happy Thanksgiving

Mauritania police: Ousted ex-president freed

Here are some current headlines.

Mauritania police: Ousted ex-president freed


By AHMED MOHAMED Ahmed Mohamed – Thu Nov 13, 8:57 am ET



NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania – The military junta that ousted Mauritania's president released him Thursday in response to international pressure, police and his family said.

Mohamed Ould Cheikh, a top police official, said former President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi had been placed under surveillance at his home in the town of Lemden, south of the capital, Nouakchott. Abdallahi's family confirmed his release.

Cheikh said Abdallahi's release came in response to an ultimatum from the European Union. The United States also had called for his release.

Abdallahi told Arab television network Al-Jazeera that he considered himself the rightful ruler of Mauritania.

"All that I know is that I was elected and the election was transparent and I still consider myself as a legitimate president of Mauritania," he told the broadcaster.

The Aug. 6 coup in Africa's newest oil producer came after the president and prime minister fired the country's four top military officials.

Coup leader Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz had accused Abdallahi of being soft on terrorism and freeing from jail radical Muslims implicated in plotting attacks on Western embassies. Abdallahi's allies say those allegations are meant to drum up Western support.

The U.S. was allied with Abdallahi and condemned the coup and suspended aid to the country, including a military training program in the far north.

Abdallahi's election marked the country's first free and fair elections in two decades. Mauritania gained independence from France in 1960.

I wish I was at King's Island riding the Racer instead

It's difficult to know where to start. You would think that after having been in this country 18 months that the roller coaster ride would have subsided. Not so.

Last week, after a very fruitful meeting with our soon to be leaving USAID representative, I was stoked. She was very enthusiastic about the success of my CéréAmine project. She was very willing, dare I say enthusiastic, about giving me the names and contacts of other NGO who are working on nutrition here in the RIM. She even spent her afternoon setting up appointments for Douda, the health APCD (the staff person who runs our health education sector), a person from our embassy and me. She scheduled 3 appointments for us on Tuesday starting with WFP, then Counterparts Intl and ending with the French Red Cross. Douda was unbelievably flexible. Whatever he had planned for Tuesday went right out the window to attend these meetings with me. This stroke of luck also bought me a few more days in the paradise that is Nouakchott.

9 am: World Food Program. Nothing like starting with the big boys. I can tell you this; the woman was very nice, the meeting was completely in French and since after my 5 week sabbatical to America land, (both in America and visiting other volunteers in the Southern part of the RIM when I returned) I understood very little. My French fled as if it were WW2 (sorry frenchies, bad joke). Add to that the fact that I got zero sleep the previous night because I was all atwitter about having 3 such meetings in one day. My French was worthless. I could barely hang onto the conversation. God Bless Douda and his flawless linguistic skills. We left with the promise that we would e-mail her the specifics on CéréAmine.

People have asked me what the biggest difference between me pre-Mauritania and me post-Mauritania? And/or, what stands out in the US after having been away? What stands out the most is the pace of life. Here, I feel accomplished if I complete one errand a day. « okay, today I must go to the post; today I had better make it to the bank; okay, come hell or high water, today I must absolutely buy soap>. There (where you are) it felt like I was running my tail off. I went on a hike, to the bank, the post, target then met someone for lunch. In truth, I was running my tail off, many people to see, so much food to consume. I felt like one of those geese being prepared for fois gras. I just ate, and ate, and ate, and ate. Ooops, I digressed. But on the other hand, I don’t believe I was going at that much faster a pace then before. I seem to have lost my skills of multi-tasking. America rocked the Zen like calm that has come to me over here. Frankly, if you don’t slow down and chill out while here, you will lose your mind.

But I digress yet again. The WFP went. They have their own cross to bear with their 530 feeding centers run by 36 ONG’s. If I understood correctly, they are bringing an expert in to try to diagnose why there has been such little impact on nutrition despite these centers. Blah, blah, blah. Same old, sad story. Where do all of the well intentioned resources go?

I will admit that after that, I was a bit discouraged. If you will remember my email regarding the problems at the center in Toungad, you can imagine the WFP’s problems. (If you didn’t receive it, let me know and I’ll resend.) The gist was how frustrating it is to try to get the development money out of the pockets of the powerful and actuallyreach the lives of the poor. My heart goes out to all of the folks who are devoting their lives to making an impact and the seemingly unachievable, uphill battle they are waging.

But lets be realistic, 530 centers is probably a bigger nut then I am can bite off with only a few months left and the RIM participation in WAIST to organize.

Next up, Counterparts Intl. Folks, it went brilliantly. Without relaying too many details, mostly because I can’t recall them at the moment, here is the crux of it: they work across the South and East and are trying to create community-specific solutions. The director used another catch phrase, but I can’t recall it without looking at my notes (and I ain’t gonna get up right now while I am on a roll). They want to create incoming generation, nutrition, resource specific (dams to keep the river out/wells to bring the water in) solutions. Speaking of large nuts. The director feels that the CéréAmine/ feeding center/ women’s coop combination may work into their plans. The USAID grain that is sent from the States has a few problems. Apparently, there can be too much time from creation to consumption and after awhile it goes bad. Thusly, a locally produced product (like CéréAmine) fits directly into their goals and is required by their budget. Humdulilah! Douda and I were high 5’ing as we left; my heart was doing a little jig. I knew I was on to something. I am back on track.

Third appointment, the French Red Cross….Again we hit a home run. Currently they are focused on the severely malnourished throughout parts of the South. However, in their goals for 2009 is an integrated program like CéréAmine, Feeding Centers/ Women’s cooperatives. Nutrition and income generation all rolled up into one program says integrated to moi. Inshallah, their 2009 budget isn’t decimated due to the global market crash and the coup d’etat. Isn’t it always something.

All in all, a good day. Life is good. I have another couple of contacts to make thanks to my friend at USAID. One of which actually has feeding centers up here in the North and could turn out to be actual work for me. The southern centers will be for another volunteer to tackle. Time will tell how those connections will pan out.

At the end of the day, while in Nouakchott I receive a text that I have a meeting set for just after I return with the CéréAmine Atelier and Les Enfants Du Desert. There seems to be a problem with the flavor. What? Once I return to Atar the reported problem with CéréAmine varies from flavor, to the children becoming ill, to the cost. What the hell? Okay, this is starting to feel too much like work. The meeting is set for Monday at 4 pm.

That morning Muhammad, Kerry and I have a strategy meeting. We feel it can’t be the flavor because all of us eat it and none of us have detected a whit of change from one batch to the next. If it’s cost, that is understandable. Between the crash in the global markets AND the coup d’etat, donations to Mauritania are really, really, really down. But, again, I have a strategy for this as well. And finally, children aren’t getting diarrhea from the CéréAmine. They can be getting diarrhea from flies, lack of sanitation and the low usage of soap. Heck, that’s how I get it every other minute.

Okay, lets just say the meeting spirals out of control when one of my women accuses one or all (I am not really sure as most of the interaction was in Hassaniya and the translator couldn’t keep pace with the barbs being thrown) of the responsables (managers) at the center being a thief. Everyone tries to maintain calm at the beginning. Everone tries to keep their composure. In their defense, the women from the Atelier sat there for a long while during which time the responsables cast aspersions at the quality of their product. They were also at a disadvantage and I am sure frustrated, as none of them speak French (always my frustration) so thusly couldn’t address Genevieve directly. My counterpart must have known the meeting would turn contentious because he brought an outsider in to translate so that he would not be accused of misrepresenting what was said (as he works directly with the Atelier) Genevieve came into the meeting determined to keep her commitment to the cooperative. She has agreed to by 100K a month for the Oudane centers and 150 K per month for poor families in Atar, but is dropping CéréAmine,from the Atar centers. After 1.5 hours, the gang from Les Enfants du Desert did their best not to storm out.

Holy Crap. How am I going to piece this relationship back together? Douda will be coming up to Atar in a few and I am hoping that we can get an audience with Genevieve. Actually, I am not worried that she won’t see us. She loves me. I hope between our calm and Douda’s perfect French, we can actually get to the crux of the matter. It couldn’t have been the CéréAmine making the kids ill otherwise most if not all would have been ill. We actually had a nurse at the meeting who stated this and the responsables accused her of taking sides. (did I mention that that meeting was something to behold?) If it was just the flavor, I can’t imagine that she’d cut us out so quickly. I am hoping it’s the money issue and that can be resolved by finding some alternate sources for her; a influx of Euros or a years supply of powered milk. I know an awful lot of NGO’s at the moment. If she really thought the product was bad, would she keep buying it? I think not. But she can’t very well turn her back on her responsables. She has invested a lot in them and they have the daily responsibly of running all of her centers. Plus, they have been with her since the beginning. My problem is with the responsables. How can I win them back after the Atelier I represent called them thieves? (or some of them thieves—still not sure) The contention is that the reason some of the responsables are resisting CéréAmine is that before, when they were delivered rice, corn, oil, sugar, powered milk, there was room for skimming off of the top. With CéréAmine, the opportunity is diminished. One, who will remain nameless, said that this rumor has been floating around for awhile, but as it wasn’t his/her affair so she/he never said anything to LEDD. However, now that it has a direct impact, they are quick to accuse. Unfortunately, now that they have skin in the game, their accusations are less effective because they have something to gain (or lose). Didn’t this logic give me something to ponder? It’s somehow okay to rip off an NGO. Skim a little here; skim a little there is alright. But let it hit home, then the roof comes off the building. I will admit, there have been my fair share of paperclips and post-it notes that were not used for strictly MHC business, I guess people in glass houses.

Needless to say, the last couple of days have been tough for me. The truth, as usual, probably lies somewhere in between the issues. But the Skim here, skim there; take from WFP, LEDD; the endless donne moi cadeaux are weighing heavily on my soul. A woman who I had thought was my friend gave me no warning to this brewing storm so that I could try to avert it. And then, wouldn’t look me in the eyes when she walked into the meeting. (I am not referring to Genevieve; she gave me a wonderful warm hug) It just drove home the fact that I am still a stranger, a nassranyia, a toubab in this place.

On the brighter note, the heat has broken. I still sleep outside, but in flannel pj’s and under a big fleecy blanket. Little Miss Kitty who I would have thought would have long since met her demise is still here as is her kitten who I have seen since before I went to France in July. We often share a meal. Also, Chateau Deatrick as resume production.

Cheers from here,

It's been a long time

Wow, it has been a long time since I have posted anything. And it's going to be a bit longer. I am still not back in Atar from my trip to the US. I have taken the long road, so to speak. By long road, I mean, extended time in Nouakchott before I brave the rugged Peace Corps life outside of the luxuries of the capital. Due to some brilliant opportunties to present CereAmine to a number of NGO's headquartered in Nouakchott, I have managed to extend my stay for a few extra nights. I actually got the opportuntity to watch the election results live which was a treat as I missed the Olympics, the World Series and the SuperBowl, just to name a few. Fear not, I should get home tomorrow.

Until next time.
Adieu.