Calls from Uganda September 5, 2010
I am writing to you together because you have all sent me details of your local projects in the last few days. I wonder what expectations you have of me, and what you hope I will do with the information that you sent. Let us explore together where we are and how we should go forward.
First I need to manage your expectations. If you imagine that I have access to funding or that I'm in a position of influence in some large organisation then your hopes will not match reality. Dadamac is not some big NGO. It is simply John Dada and me, plus our various contacts and collaborators, working together on a variety of projects. I explained more about Dadamac on August 13, 2010 - A P2P Introduction to Dadamac and its Motivation.
It is interesting to me that all three of you are sending information about projects in Uganda, and almost at the same time (I wonder if you know each other, and if you all found my contact details from the same source). I have no first-hand knowledge of any of your projects as I have never been to Uganda, although I have some contacts there. The nearest I have been is Kenya.
So, what should we do? I have come across various projects in the past that look great in writing, but in fact have little substance. I have no way of judging any of your projects, other than what I read, and anyhow I am not part of some fund granting organisation. However, I do believe that the Internet should be used to free up information from the grass roots and I do not want to be an information bottleneck.
It seems that the best that I can offer you is to simply raise the visibility of your projects. If you would like me to do that please e-mail again. Confirm that I can share all the information you have sent me so far (i.e. your initial e-mail and attachment). Let me know if there is any more information you would like to add. I will then show information about your various projects (explaining why I am not in a position to endorse them). I note that many of the project you mention are similar to ones that John is connected with at Fantsuam. Maybe at some point it will be possible to arrange some kind of exchange visits between the various sites and explore ways of learning from each other and sharing good practice, or maybe simply exchange ideas and experiences online.
I imagine you would have hoped for more from me, so I am sorry if I disappoint you with this response.
Sincerely
Pamela McLean
Dadamac Foundation trustee and volunteer.
Email pamela.mclean@dadamac.net
Twitter @Pamela_McLean and #dadamac
Websitehttp://dadamac.net/foundation
Dadamac's Posterous http://dadamac.posterous.com/
Dadamac Foundation - The social and voluntary side of Dadamac - True volunteers, supporting projects we know personally.