Challenges

This was our first week interviewing clients of Tugende, and it was harder than I expected (and I have very low expectations). From what I’ve heard about GSBF-conducted interviews, fellows are transported by the enterprise to the place where the interviewee works/resides, and the fellows conduct the interviews as needed. We are given an unsorted list of 2300+ clients that we can talk to, and told to “figure it out.” We find our own rides to various parts of Kampala, but even then, boda boda drivers are always giving people rides (it's their job!) and may not be at their stages when we arrive. We’ve also tried calling them and having them come to a restaurant/bar to meet us, but that just puts up more inconveniences and a low percentage of drivers show up. All in all to say it’s been rough. I’m not complaining, but I guess it’s the first time I’ve felt helpless. There’s really nothing we can do to meet more clients except pray. Yeah, I guess it takes being in Uganda to be reminded of that.

Another frustrating thing is that drivers will say they’re coming in 30 minutes and show up four hours later after two reminder phone calls. It’s difficult to systematize a process that arose from chaos. I also realized that Joe and I are patient in different ways: I’m more patient with people and he is more patient with tasks, so we deal with the aspects that we’re more patient with. I am assigned to work through all the people problems. Strategy? PRAY, ask questions, pray more, LISTEN (not just pretend to), and don’t talk too much.

Although the process is tedious and draining, we’ve interviewed a number of completed Tugende clients and gotten a few driver profiles. One survey really struck me. The driver pulled out his ID and he’s born in the same year as me. He has been a driver for six years, which means he started when he was sixteen years old. I don’t even know what I was doing at sixteen. And he works six days a week. How do people keep doing the same thing day in and day out, and earn in a day as much (little?) as I would in an hour as a barista? No wonder one of the drivers complained to us for an hour about his experience with Tugende. People here work so hard, but their lives are so much slower. I don’t really understand it at all.

There’s also a giant cultural difference in spending/saving money – the discrepancy is insane! On Wednesday, Edgar came over to our hostel for dinner so we could work more on our project together. I don’t know what went through his head when he saw the prices. Dinner at Bushpig costs $5-8 USD, but with that same amount of money you can buy 14 meals elsewhere. We don’t spend that much, Edgar. Joe and I are pretty frugal, actually. But to you who skips lunch to save $1.50 USD,… I don’t know what to say. I’ll admit, I’ve been more willing to buy passion fruit juice to get vitamin C and take bodas so I can get to places faster. But I’m thankful that I don’t need to worry about every penny I spend and can prioritize my health and time above my (lack of) resources.

We also had confusion over finances between Tugende and Miller Center and local fellows and GSBFellows, but I don’t think I can say much more than that. It’s just been annoying dealing with procedures that don’t make sense and feeling helpless (again) about situations because of company rules. I’m reminded of the difference between the Law and God’s grace. Rules point out our shortcomings, but it is grace that offers the solution. Grace is an extension of God’s love, and I’m wondering how that would play into situations like these. Clearly, the rules need to be followed. But Jesus, what would you do?

All the other fellows also left! It’s just Joe and I in Kampala for a week. We’ve gotten along so far. Thank God we have no conflicts, because I don’t think we would be able to handle partner problems on top of all the other issues we’ve had to deal with this week. We just talk a lot, more than I’m used to haha.

There’s so much more to talk about but I’m really tired. It’s been a long and challenging week, but I'm learning a lot. Thank you for reading a not so happy post and following along. I hope your summers are going well, whether you're traveling, researching, working, teaching, hanging out, or something else I've missed :)