My Earth Print

Changes in Effect

2010-09-27T17:17:00.000-07:00

After this post, these sites will no longer remain active. All information from both blogs has been consolidated into a new site, www.mitchellsipus.com. I strongly suggest subscribed readers of this blog take a moment and go to the other site to establish a new subscription using the subscription link on the side bar.

The intention of the new site, mitchellsipus.com, is quite different form this one. This site was created as a way to stay in touch with family while traveling, the new site will continue with those same goals and objectives. However, when I am not in the field (or even at times when I am), ongoing postings will be published weekly on topics such as international development, conflict resolution, and economics. These postings will vary in depth and significance, and will therefore include both casual and professional content. I encourage readers to feel free to post and engage in online discussions of the content. Aside from trips to professional conferences etc. in New York, Washington DC, and Boston, you can expect the bulk of personal postings to arrive in about a year from now when I resume field work.

More information on my agency development, projects, consulting work, and upcoming publications will be posted over the course of the coming days, weeks, and months at mitchellsipus.com.

A Cultural Gem: The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

2010-04-28T22:13:00.000-07:00

I have been promising myself for about 2 weeks that I would go do something fun and touristy to get away from the grind, so after much delay, I finally took a trip to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. I admit, while I enjoyed it, I actually prefer The American Museum of Natural History over in New York City. Yet only because I like the American Museum's collection of massive meteorites a bit more, they have one on display the size of truck! The Smithsonian did however have many great exhibits in anthropology. Of course it is also home of the famous Hope Diamond.

Shoved in a corner of the basement I found a 2 year old temporary exhibition on Rastafarianism which was really fun to investigate. It was small, but the curator - really old white guy in an Adidas jacket with green, yellow, and red stripes - was talking to a couple of really old dreadlocked Rasta men. I got the impression that one of them was the head of a particular church or held some similar role of importance within the religious community. So I listened to them banter for awhile till I nearly felt the call of Zion stirrin in my bones, and then continued elsewhere.

I actually spent quite a bit of time in the room displaying precious gems. While its absolutely insane that people all around the world place monetary and socio-cultural value on some decorative rocks in the ground, the cutting and setting of precious stones is an interesting art form that has evolved quite dramatically over the years.

While I don't know anything about the technical demands of cutting and polishing a multifaceted gemstone, it was clearly visible from the collection on display that the for precision has come light years. The diamonds cut in the 18th century for example, just looked ragged and poorly crafted compared to anything sold in the modern era. It was also interesting that all the settings were crafted by names which I have heard as they are still around today, like Winston or Cartier, even though the necklace or broche may have been crafted several hundred years ago. I thought the most fascinating object on display was the crown Napolean had given his wife, as seen here. I don't recall the exact number but it contained something around 475 carats worth of diamonds in addition to other precious stones. I am including some other photos of what I thought to be quite spectacular in their aesthetic design and associated historical relevance.

Since I'm really not a fan of forcing people to live in economic oppression and violence, its hard for me to have much appreciation for the continued mining of diamonds. As the contemporary demand for precious elements for the manufacture of cell phones is the primary culprit in destroying nations such as Congo these days, it seems like diamonds might have some competition to be nominated the world's devastating natural resource to economic and social health. But since the international diamond cartel De Beer's recently announced that the world diamond supply is running out, the demand will be stabilized if not increased by the upcoming surge in value. It all seems absurdly convenient for De Beers, but what can one expect from an organization founded by history's super colonial imperialist, Cecil Rhodes?

I do however appreciate historical diamonds. After all, it is the ongoing demand for such objects that has created the world we live in and continue to shape the contours of our future. Its incredible to think of all the wars fought just so these objects can eventually pose for my camera. Not to mention, gemology is in itself a rather fascinating cultural institution.

When I was in Thailand, there were a lot of street hustlers who would offer to take tourists to gem cutting workhouses where they would suppossedly try to teach unsuspecting westerners all about the gem cutting and polishing process. Then they would offer to sell such precious stones at crazy low prices, sometimes even stating that they work with a jewler in New York or London who will be happy to purchase them from you. In that manner the tourists will bypass customs fees for the jeweler and also make a heap of cash in the meanwhile. Sounds like a win-win situation except:

a) Smuggling gems is illegal

b) There is never actually a jeweler in New York or London or anywhere else who will buy them

c) The gullible tourist has just handed over several hundred dollars for nothing more than some pretty colored pieces of glass.

Overall, its not a good idea, even if you are a professionally trained geologist. The touts tend to be sketchy characters, and not really the sort you want to spent much time with. They do sometimes have wonderful stories, like the guy I met who was formerly an Australian kick boxer and spent nearly an hour telling me his entire life history while I sat on the curb. Of course not all touts are trained fighters and many of them are just local kids looking to for their next meal. Still, its probably best not to follow them down the ominous dark alley into the gem shop.

A touch of the New

2010-04-05T13:41:00.000-07:00

Well, for anyone that visits the blog page at http://blog.myearthprint.com/, you can see that the site has once again received a facelift. After all, for some things - like the interwebs - its important to run with the trends. Actually, back in the remote corners of my laboratory, I'm putting together a whole new blog using Wordpress. But it will probably be a couple months before the final product is safe for consumption.

Just a few days ago I met up with a guy who does web design for nonprofits and small businesses. Although I did that stuff in college, the technology has changed so much in the last 10 years that I really needed someone to give a solid overview of how to work with Wordpress, MySQL, and PHP. After about 2 hours, I got to a point where I could start to figure this stuff out on my own now... although the learning curve is still there. Eventually this blog will be dumped into the other, alongside the content from my other blogs and hopefully the visitor traffic won't fall off a cliff. Regardless, its going to take awhile.

As for other news, well, I'm still hustlin the streets of DC. The biggest news is that Mallory will now be arriving here in May, shortly after she presents her paper "Exploring the Value of Collective Responsibility for Armed Groups in the Context of New War" in Prague, Czech Republic at the 7th Conference on Global War and Peace." I'm so excited!

As for my own research work... well thats on pause for the moment while I work on more immediate endeavors. In addition to the job stuff, I've been hard at work on finally completing my analysis of Sphere protocol within protracted humanitarian emergencies. So while nothing is new is underway, I'm still trying to tie up many of the loose ends that have remained fluttering about for the last 2 years. I guess you could say there has been a longstanding demand for some spring cleaning and its finally happening.

Looking for a Tea Party but Found a Fiesta!

2010-03-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

Today is the day of the important vote on legislation for health care reform in America. A few months ago, I decided to trust my own judgement rather than the television, and I downloaded a copy of the health reform bill and read all 1,500 pages of it. It took a long time to get through it, page my page, and article by article. I made various notes along the way way and in the end came to the conclusion that while it fails to actually fix the abominable health care in the United States, it is an necessary step in the right direction. As someone who has worked hard to put himself through school and receive an excellent education, yet is equally feeling the economic squeeze of our times, I look toward health care reform as a very important element in my life. Until then, I hope nothing bad happens and I fear to get sick, given my own inability to acquire health coverage.

Having recently moved to DC, I was quite curious about the nature of activity going on at the capital building. I actually live just down the street from the white house, and thought I would go investigate any protests and counter protests regarding the health care bill. After all, while the news might show the rallies of 'tea parties' I presume there are likewise advocates for the bill on attendance as well. So I grabbed my camera and jumped on the metro to see whats up.

Upon arrival I expected all sorts of raucous behavior and 'patriotism' to be swarming the lawn. I expected to see a bunch of white people complaining about how this would be an introduction to socialism, in an identical manner as the protests against medicare, medicaid, social security, and civil rights. But what I found was something far better.

The tea party protesters were out protested. Not only that, but they were overrun by a mass of white, black, latino, arab, gay, straight, young, and old folks all advocating migration reform. It was gorgeous. Thousands upon thousands of people marched from the Washington Monument, past the capital, and to a stadium rally, advocating for changes in migration policy. To present pathways for citizenship, to recognize the equitable right to education and labor protection. Naturally, as someone who works within and studies the dynamics international migration, I couldn't be any happier.

As for the tea party folks... well they didn't look quite so satisfied. Most disappeared, and the few that were left ...eh, maybe just disappointed. One guy sauntered down the street with a crumpled banner in his hand that just said 'No,' while another slept at the wheel of his RV.

As for myself, as much as I was pleased by the spectacle, I was content to just snap a few photos and walk around for awhile. For the first time, I walked around the grounds took a loop back toward the White House. It was the first time I had really looked at the White House outside of the Bush administration, and I was surprised how different it looked. Previously you could hardly see the building as it was hidden within massive pine trees. Now all those trees are gone, and it sits in a pristine and serene fashion.

Best Decision in a Long Time

2010-03-11T12:11:00.000-08:00

I moved to Washington DC today.

It was a somewhat spontaneous decision, but when an opportunity for something new arrived, I was quick to take it. I spent the last six hours walking around the town and I'm thrilled to be here. Its so vibrant and diverse, it gives me the same rush that I used get from New York before Manhattan turned into a giant homogenous shopping mall for rich, old white people. I will admit that when I was walking around DC's downtown business district, I didn't really care for it so much. But once I get a little further out, I feel like the neighborhoods really come alive. I discovered Ethiopian and Ghanian restaurants, bi-lingual schools and shops, and ethnic grocers. Of course there is lots of gentrification issues, and a lot of people on the street right now without jobs or homes. So its not all perfect by any stretch, but the place is interesting enough. Especially after I realized that its just a regular city in many ways, and lots of people here don't have anything to do with politics or political issues. Best part of all - public transportation. That was at least half the reason I came here, so that I can maintain my life long goal of never owning a car again. Cars are bad, trains are good. Long live the metro!

Video of MSF in Haiti

2010-01-22T00:30:00.001-08:00

I found this video of Medicines Sans Frontiers constructing an inflatable Hospital within Haiti. It features two logisticians overseeing the process, the particular position for which I recently interviewed. It will be another week or so till I hear anything about the position, but regardless I will always remain an avid supporter of their work. This is a little rough on the production end of things, but its quite interesting!

Also, here is an audio slideshow from Medicines Sans Frontiers discussing their work in Haiti.

New York City: A Relationship Transformed

2010-01-15T14:43:00.000-08:00

I always felt a special connection to New York City. Ever since I first arrived at the Port Authority bus terminal and found myself confronted by the luminescence of Time Square, swarming sidewalks, and bustling streets; it was the beginning of a long and passionate affair. As an 18 year old kid from Kentucky, I was in awe and in love with its magnificence. By means of frequent weekend trips and yearly extended visits, I relentlessly pursued all that New York City had to offer. It epitomized the things that I cared about, with communities of artists, galleries, publishers, book dealers, design firms, and so on. I wanted to be on the cutting edge of contemporary art, and I felt that only within New York was such a thing possible. With every visit, I came away transformed, with a new conception of art and a deeper understanding of myself. New York became a place where I could feel like an outsider and yet feel at home.

During these last few days in New York, I was stunned to realize that it was no longer of interest to me. In fact, the place generally made me feel uncomfortable. While the city has continued to rapidly change since my last visit, clearly my own perception and values have changed much more. It was difficult to engage a city that had always felt incredibly fast paced and crowded, when now it felt tired and empty. Where was the raw intensity, the chaos, and the noise? New York instead felt like little more than a high density shopping plaza, a suburban strip mall complete with luxury apartments.

In the past I was always impressed by the array of fashionable boutiques, trendy bars, and well dressed people. With a city full of wealthy and glamorous inhabitants, I have always felt partly out of place in Manhattan, but never to the extent that I do now. In fact, after a decade of hoping to one day live in West Village or the Upper East Side, I have entirely dropped those sentiments. These places are just too clean, too polished, too cool, and altogether too irrelevant within the world. At least the world that I know.

I did at least find some respite within outer Brooklyn, with its modest houses and more casual atmosphere. Here and there it felt a bit too hip, with its trendy coffee shops and bars and young people dressed like a page in the Urban Outfitters catalogue, but in general it was much more appealing. As I walked down the street this morning to catch the Q train, the sidewalks were swarming with children going to school, walking with their siblings and their moms or dads. I felt happy to see so many little kids, bundled up with winter clothes and glowing faces, making their way along the crosswalks and taking short detours at the playground. That may have been the best NYC moment I had within the last 3-4 days. It was simple, honest, and inspirational.

Maybe I'm just getting older, or maybe Africa has given me far more than I ever realized. Regardless of the reason, my love affair with New York has ended. In ways this is disturbing to admit, as I have lost the last small piece of America where I still felt somewhat at home. I now find that my sense of Cairo being home has become reinforced. As the feelings of alienation within my own country have gone up a notch, my compulsion to be on the road has become amplified. New York was an important destination for so long, I will always admire the role it has had in my life. But that story has now ended, and is time that I set forth toward something far greater. It is time to reengage the journey.

New Video from Slim J

2010-01-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up feeling heavily congested and rather sick, yet when I opened my email, it suddenly made me feel a little better. My friend Mohamed Jalloh, aka Slim J, sent an email announcing the creation of a new hip hop video. Jalloh and I used to make hip hop music in Cairo before he returned home to Freetown, Sierra Leone. He told me that he has managed to get many our songs on the radio, and are even being played at the national soccer stadium. He said progress has been slow, but he has been working really hard to advance his music career. He recently wrote and recorded this song - Fula Boy Rap - and also made his own music video. Apparently this song is catching on in Freetown as well, and is getting quite a bit of play on the radio. Watching the video I couldn't help but smile when a few pictures of me popped up in it toward the end. Thanks man. I can't wait to see where this goes. You can watch the video below, or at this link.

Photos from Nairobi

2009-12-28T10:15:00.001-08:00

Here are some images from Nairobi. My battery was nearly dead so I never really took any pictures, but I squeezed out a few of my apartment and of downtown (taken from the bus). These aren't award winning images, but it at least captures some aspect of my day to day life. You can also look at them directly at http://www.flickr.com/photos/22987472@N04/sets/72157623087872966/.

Flight From Cairo and the Escape from New York

2009-12-22T14:45:00.000-08:00

So why is it so hard to leave Egypt? Why is it so difficult just to get where you want to go, when you need to be there?

My flight this morning from Egypt to NYC was at 10:10. I woke up at 6 am, had some tea, packed a bag, and had a nice relaxing morning. At 7:30 am I was in a taxi and on my way to the airport, providing plenty of time to board the plane. Then things took a turn for the worse.

As a consequence of following clearly written signs and asking directions, I ended up at the wrong terminal. I was then directed to catch a shuttle, which actually never arrived. Frustrated with the passage of time I jumped into another taxi, only for us to get pulled over by the cops, as apparently the taxi wasn't allowed to pick up customers in this area and it was a decent oppurtunity for the cop to extort some money. After dealing with that, the taxi driver got lost and took me to the rear entry lot of for the terminal I desired, only for once to once again get stopped by corrupt police. The taxi let me out and sped off, apparently telling the police that I would pay them money. This is always a difficult situation because I can't completely reject their authority when they do things like ask to see my passport, but I'm also not just going to cave in and hand them 50 dollars. So with much fuss I managed to eventually get to the top of the hill, into the entrance, and up the escalators of terminal 3.

Within Egypt, you go through security before reaching the ticket counter, and while this is normally not a problem, today it really worked against me. As usual, the security line was long, the police were difficult, and by the time I managed to get to the ticket counter, EgyptAir closed the line to New York right in front of me. As they refused to issue my ticket - at this point it was nearly 9:30 - I grabbed anyone I could to direct me toward a service counter or to provide some assistance. Eventually I arrived at a busy desk, surrounded by folks requesting another ticket. In the meanwhile, all the cops in the airport seem to have some interest in the sweaty, irritated foreigner, and one of them continued to tale me, always within a 10 foot radius. Eventually the cop walked up to the desk and asked them why I was there - but as I was still the fourth person in line, they naturally couldn't answer his question.

The man behind the desk was helpful at least, and he put me on the same flight to JFK tomorrow. In consequence I had to reschedule my NYC to Cinci flight, but after about 5 hours of more aggravation and expense, this did eventually happen.

In the meanwhile, Mallory just called me from La Guardia airport, where she has spent the last 7 hours attempting to fly to Detroit via Standby. Unable to catch a single one of 6 or 7 flights, she is now trying to redetermine her situation, to either stay the night in New York or to take a Greyhound to Detroit. She told me that La Guardia is a complete trainwreck, and as I arrive at JFK tomorrow at 3:30 but will need to reroute to La Guardia for a 7:10 flight, it appears that I might be cutting it close.

Sigh.

Rapid Changes in Effect

2009-12-18T04:48:00.000-08:00

I've been rather silent for awhile now on the blog. A lot of changes have since happened since the last posting, and I'll just get down to the details. Ultimately I am leaving Kenya tomorrow to briefly return to Egypt and then onward toward the United States. Do to various technicalities, I have have chosen to resign from my position with Samasource, and while I hope to remain involved with their projects on a more casual and voluntary basis, I am otherwise no longer working as their Project Officer in Kenya.

I will update in the future as more events unfold, but for now, I am looking forward to seeing everyone in America for the holidays. I will likely remain in the States for 2-3 months, and during that time intend to finish some hanging responsibilities, such as finalizing my thesis for MCP and MS ARCH. I also intend to go to Florida for awhile, and will be making a couple trips to New York. Perhaps on the side I can create some studio work as well. We will see.

24 Hours Like None Other

2009-12-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

The day started off well enough. It was a very productive morning and afternoon. Around 6 pm I grabbed a medium Pineapple and Ham pizza from the one lone pizza place in Nairobi. I devoured the whole thing, satisfied to have consumed a massive quantity of Ham and Pizza at the same time.

I took the bus back to the Hospital near my place, but as it had become dark outside, I arranged for a cab to drive the 1.5 mile distance to my apartment. Now this is typical, as its just not safe to walk around at night, in particular as a foreigner. While I live in a very nice neighborhood, the streets are typical for East Africa, with each house surrounded by a large concrete wall and a guard standing at the gate. The guards where I live are two Masai men. The Masai are an interesting tribe within Kenya, as the most feared warriors, the most likely photographed among tourists, and also the lowest social class. I believe they are seen as 'backwards' to the other people of Kenya, as the Masai struggle to balance their cultural history and identity with the forces of the outside world.

One of the guards has often asked me for money. I never really cared that he would ask, but as I have been living on a tight budget, I always told him no and thought maybe at the end of the month to give him a nice tip or christmas bonus. Yet last night the situation got out of control. As I departed the taxi, the guy went into the compound and locked the gate, refusing to allow access unless I give him money. Highly irritated, I called the landlord from my cell, who promptly ended the situation. It turns out that the guard was also intoxicated and he denied the whole situation.

I feel sorta bad, but the man was fired today for being such a jerk. Yet the landlord insisted that the guards are well paid, and should never behave in such a manner. After all, thats the sort of thing guests at his guest house would probably never complain about, yet in the future never actually return.

This incident was only the beginning of my troubles for the night. I'm not really sure what happened, but I suspect the Pizza I hate actually gave me food poisoning. I spent the whole night clutching my stomach in agony, repeatedly vomiting, suffering from all sorts of cold sweats, hot flashes, nausea, dizziness... about every system out there. At one point I stood up and suddenly felt feint - and NOT wanting to relive the India experience again - I immediately laid down at the place I was standing. It was horrid really. Once the constant vomiting ceased, I took 500 mg of Antinol, and immediately began to feel better.

Eventually around 8 am I fell asleep. I also cancelled all my appointments today. Around 2 o'clock I called my favorite cab driver (same from the night before) who then drove me to a pharmacy and a grocery store where I stocked up on antibiotics, juice, water, and tea crackers.

I do feel much better now. But there are few things worse than sudden acts of physical illness to prompt feelings of homesickness. I did, as for good news, receive some information to further proceed with acquiring access to Dadaab. I also received an email stating I can now make an appointment for an interview with MSF. I am quite excited about that, as earlier today, I was thinking about the difference of having strong institutional support when traveling vs. the frustration of doing it on your own. Had I been working with a larger agency, especially MSF, I would have been able to access immediate health care, and perhaps much of the last 24 hours could have been avoided. Not to mention just the support of having other people around. As for now, I guess I'll just continue to buddy up with the cabbie.

Before I go, I guess I could mention the one interesting thing today. Kenya, like Egypt, is a very simple place to obtain medication. In fact, the antibiotics I purchased today are the manufactured in Cairo. For an entire box of pills, the cost was 180 schillings, or just over 2 dollars. In Cairo I believe it might cost even less. I didn't require a prescription, but simply walked in and told them what I needed. Other folks stood around doing the same thing. I really wish America could learn something about this, having affordable and easy access to medication. I know people always argue that lower prices would staunch innovation, but when you look at the quantity of innovative medications produced in Northern Europe, evidence points out that this is simply not true. Had I been in the States today, I would have had to just 'tough it out' and continue fighting the illness much longer than today. About 5 years ago, when I lived in Camp Washington and acquired food poisoning from a fried fish joint, an attempt to 'tough it out' by going jogging at 3:30 in the afternoon turned into a disaster. Certainly learned my lesson!

The Something that went Bump in the Night

2009-12-02T12:16:00.001-08:00

Today blew my mind. Not in the immediate way, but in the slow burning manner, where you know that something crazy is happening but can't quite describe it. I suppose the phrase 'the calm before the storm' would better describe my thoughts, but in all honesty there is nothing calm about it. Perhaps ' the storm before the storm' would be a better metaphor.

Things started out normal enough. I woke up, drank some tea, read some emails, made some phone calls. Nothing unusual. I went into my office and again pretty much did the same thing. I had an appointment with a large technology outsourcing company this afternoon, and looked forward to their driver picking me up at 2:30. As Nairobi is a massive sprawling city on par with New Dehli or Amman Jordan - far larger than Cairo, thats for sure - I thought the offer for transportation was a simple courtesy and that the firm was simply sending me a cab, maybe even footing the bill. Greatly appreciated as the company is located about 20 minutes outside of downtown and taxis are expensive.

At 2:30 my phone range, and I could hear the sounds of traffic and wacky music in the background. A man with a strong non-western accent told me he was nearby and to meet the car at the sidewalk. I smiled, imagining some rundown taxi with smoke pouring out the back and loud afro-reggae blaring on blown-out speakers.

I step out into the sunlight, when suddenly a bright shiny minivan pulls up with tinted windows, adorned newly painted company graphics wrapped around the entire vehicle. Inside were three Indian guys with blue-tooth ear pieces, a stack of freshly printed marketing materials on irrigation systems, and the loud pulsating beat of Cher's greatest hits - the Techno Dance Remix. For the next 30 - 40 minutes these guys whipped this van around the side streets of Nairobi like it was central New Delhi. Pulling into oncoming traffic, swerving around slow vehicles, nearly clipping pedestrians as it backed up a one way street, I had flashbacks of India while gritting my teeth in modest terror.   It was truly bizarre, as I looked out the window at a landscape iconographically African, and yet felt somehow transported further East. Somewhere between the cigarette smoke and the men singing along to Cher's "Do you believe in Love after Love" with thick Indian accents, I had the feeling that today was no longer just any ordinary day.

When we arrived at the office building (ahem, office complex), I was struck by its massive size, empty floor level rooms, vacant hallways, and sprawling parking lot. Not sure where to go, I followed one of the guys from the van. We made small talk in the elevator while I tried not to stare at the 4 shiny gold earrings in his left ear, that matched his massive wristwatch, and assortment of rings. We stepped out of the elevator and into the lobby of tomorrow.

While of recent years America has struggled with the issue of unemployment, it is arguable that many of the other countries in the world have instead been battling the issue of under-employment. Hungry for an opportunity to succeed within the global economy, more and more people have sought to acquire the skills and knowledge to be at the economic forefront. Some economist have described this process as having occurred "while America slept," but however you look at it, the global playing field has leveled. India for example, has more universities and a higher enrollment rate than any nation in the world. We all know that China has expanded its industrial production along the entire coast line and is presently building its mineral and natural resource sector within its interior. Certainly America has worked to advance its own position as well, most notably with the recent Stimulus Plan, but under the constraints of a privatizing education system and hard-line free market position, the US just doesn't have the same mobilized labor force nowadays. At least not for the higher order of labor that actually will build income in the contemporary marketplace.

What I saw today was only a peak at what is out there, and thats the crazy thing. I walked into a multi-million dollar operation that employs 100's of people, twice per day, to write software, handle large accounting portfolios, language translation, transcription, data input, software testing... you name it. If you have a project in mind, and they don't have the means at the moment, then they are more than happy to acquire those means within a matter of hours. Within days or hourse they can train their staff on new software, or even custom write software if the task is unusual. The manager told me of a recent development in which a client asked for a tele-marketing service within America - but that the phone number on the caller ID is to be displayed as an American phone number, not Kenyan. This request was able to be accommodated immediately. In fact, if you live in the US, you might have already spoken with one of these people on the phone, as they handle some MASSIVE accounts over there. Oh, and don't forget about the accounts in Britain, Australia, Canada...

When I asked if they have difficulty obtaining qualified employees, I was told that the situation is in fact, just the opposite. There is such a massive labor force of qualified individuals within East Africa, that they really can hire as many people as they choose, and whenever they choose. The general manager then made a joke, that of course the people don't quite have much experience and so this is only a medium scale business in Kenya - light years behind the capabilities of India.

I smiled, as if I knew what he was talking about. But all the while, I knew that I was actually clueless about the capability of India. I still am. Sure, I might of taken a dip in the Ganges river, but I never went to Bangalore.... I'm starting to think it might be like visiting a different planet.

I stayed for about 2 hours, talking with administration and associates. Everyone was very friendly and there was a lot of energy in the room. Hip hop music blared in the background while the sound of typing cut through from cubicle after cubicle after cubicle...

I walked around the facilities - training rooms, cafeterias, voice centers, programming, hardware... - with my tour guide. Every room was separated by a solid metal door, with a lock that reads your finger prints to open. I was told that the locks also keep track of individual employee entry and exit times, which may be important as a security measure as they handle a lot of banking, finance, and investment projects.   I also noticed the occasional poster of a Hindu god or the smell of incense. If it wasn't for the large room full of Kenyans diligently working or the booming African hip hop in the background, I might have begun to think I was somewhere else.

Around 6 the director of the company was kind enough to drive me back to my office. We spoke for a little about the company and his own experience. When I asked how long he has been doing this, he said he got into the business about 6 years ago in India, and worked for someone else.   As for the operation I saw today, he started it about 2 years ago. He told me that the biggest challenge to starting this sort of business is access to sufficient start up capital, because you must start big. That too compete in the information market of today, you need several hundred employees who can begin working immediately, with back up support systems, IT and hardware infrastructure, the ability to purchase all the necessary software and space... while no job is too big or too small, it is always possible for your operation to be just too small, and so you must go from non-existant to gigantic simply overnight.

I asked "Is this difficult to do here?"

He responded, "No, not at all."

So Far You Can Walk There

2009-11-28T10:22:00.000-08:00

The one quality that really distinguishes Nairobi from other cities is not necessarily the cuisine, the architecture, or even the hospitality of the people. It is the sprawling distance. I have repeatedly experienced the same conversation in which people give me directions from one place to another, specifically stating that I am 'very close' and while I can of course take a bus or a matatu (micro-bus), I can just as well walk.

Over and over again I fall for this. In my mind, walking distance is probably a bit farther than some other people's ideas. I think of anything less than 30 minutes as walking distance, although less than 20 is probably the ideal distance. Of course measuring distance by units of time does little to describe the terrain or the fluctuating elevations.

I haven't been this sore in a long time. The problem apparently with living in the neighborhood of Upper Hill is that I am constantly walking up the hill! Everyday to go to the bus stop, to catch a cap, or to make the 25 minute stroll into downtown, I am walking up and down dirt paths, rocky broken sidewalks, in and out of ravines, through the chaotic passage of traffic. And this is the heart of the city!

I don't generally mind all the exertion. So I'm certainly not complaining. Its just one of those surprises of being in a new place and of living in new conditions. I never really considered the terrain of Cairo as flat until I moved here. In general, I enjoy all the green space within this city. Its sprawling parks and green space shoved between the buildings, the dirt shortcuts people have carved into the landscape, and the blossoming flowers adorning the trees. For those who know me well enough can confirm, I have a terribly weak sense of smell, and as I find all sorts of delicious perfumes within the air, it must be really something special.

Fanye Kazi

2009-11-24T10:11:00.000-08:00

I always hated the phrase "good hustle," but somehow I can't really think of another way to describe my day. Except maybe the word "exhausting," or the swahili translation fanye kazi which means "make work."

Needing to find a place to stay, I hiked all over a particular neighborhood within Nairobi, where I used to stay in 2007. It was very strange, as so much has changed in Kenya. Some things have changed for the better, and somethings have not. Many businesses have improved, disappeared, or been replaced. I can say that many businesses now appear more 'upscale' and quite nice, traffic seems more relaxed, and the air is much cleaner. Of course that idea might also just be the consequence of living in Cairo for the last 15 months. But I don't remember cars staying in their lanes or people using cross walks.

I did eventually find a place to stay at a place called International Guest House. Even though it has a fancy name, it was actually completely empty of foreigners. I was told this is low season, and after December it will be packed. The owner and I spoke for quite awhile, as he went to college in Kansas and upon starting his own tourism company in Kenya, he has traveled through much of Europe, America, and Africa. He has been to Cairo several times, and he also owns a bus company that transports children to and from school within Nairobi.

As we spoke, I explained my situation, that I don't have very much money, am starting a new job, need to find an apartment, but will constantly travel between this apartment and the Dadaab camps, so I don't want a very expensive place since I will rarely be there. He offered to rent me a room at the rear of the compound for 100 dollars per month. It is a very private single room, furnished with a bed, cabinets, and an attached bathroom with shower. I explained that I want a 'normal' life, and do not want to be living like a hotel guest for my time in Kenya, so he agreed that I may freely use the kitchen and appliances. He also offered that if I require anything special, like a microwave/minifridge/heater etc., that we can arrange a system, wherein he will purchase that item back from me at a discounted cost. In this manner I won't waste any money on buying stuff, only to abandon it in 6-9 months.

It is certain that finding accommodation this safe or convenient for 100 dollars per month will be very difficult in Nairobi. If I was Kenyan, this would be normal, but as a foreigner the going rate is at least 400 dollars. It is also in my preferred neighborhood of Upper Hill, about a 15 minute walk from the National Hospital (ATM location) and bus station. It is a good location because it is clean, green, and adjacent to downtown. It is also near Westalands, where many ngos operate and expats live. I have certainly lived in nicer places, and seeing where I will stay now really makes me miss living in Cairo... but this is probably an ideal situation for me. The owner, Kumaou, gave me a ride back to my current place and I told him that I will see him in the morning.

A New Day In Nairobi

2009-11-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

What a day.

I have officially left Cairo and relocated to Nairobi, Kenya today. I am also quite that I'll be back in Cairo on various occasions in the future. Cairo was dusty, tense, and loud yet like a case of bronchitis or emphysema, it never really seems to go away. People who have spent a fair amount of time in Cairo often end up back in Cairo. Its understandable of course, as it is remarkably expat friendly. With a few hundred dollars and a basic grasp of the English language, one can probably live in Cairo indefinitely. The only demand is flexibility.

In Cairo, the inconsistent enforcement of migration laws will allow you to remain for years, get an apartment, get an internship, get a job in a kindergarten, and maybe get a bank account (in that order). I will admit however, that my will to be flexible reached a plateau, and it was at that point my time in Cairo began to deteriorate. I was tired of being in school, tired of working jobs that only partially correspond to my career goals, and tired of working for free. I came to Cairo because I wanted to be in sub-saharan Africa, yet didn't have sufficient resources to make that happen. The longer I stayed, the more frustrated I became, but this is not the fault of Egypt - it was my own. Nonetheless I will miss Cairo and much of the life that I've had there.

As of today, I am now in pursuit of something different. I boarded a plane at 2 am, and flew to Khartoum Sudan, made a connection to Addis Addaba Ethiopia, and about 4 hours later, landed in Nairobi Kenya. I stepped off the plane into a brilliant sunlight, with clean, breathable air and strong blowing wind. Immediately upon arrival I was reminded of why I love this place.

As for now, I'm bombarded with an array of logistical and employment related tasks. I am still working out where I will be living, my prospective personal budget, the full details of my job. I still need to find my office, meet an array of partners, get familiarized with the products being created within the computer centers. Fortunately I don't have the frustrations of also having to discover Nairobi, as knowing where to buy groceries, how to use the bus system, and a relative sense of market prices is invaluable. Since I don't have to fumble around town lost and frustrated, it saves a lot of time.

The only complication thus far concerns where I am staying for the short term. I intended to stay with a friend for a few weeks, yet it is obviously clear for various reasons that I need a different situation. I am staying tonight, but tomorrow I will seek out a hostel somewhere and stay there for the next week or so. Hopefully I will go to Dadaab on Sunday, although this plan is tentative at best. I'll pass on more info as I have it.

In case this comes up...

2009-11-20T10:15:00.000-08:00

I really hate writing this, as it might not end up becoming an issue, but just in case...

About a week ago was a soccer game between Algeria and Egypt to compete for the World Cup. Quick synopsis is as follows:

Algerian soccer team arrived
Hooligans in the streets threw rocks at the soccer team
Some Algerian soccer players were injured.
Game proceeded...
Egypt won, but not by enough points to qualify.
Millions of Egyptians celebrated all night long in the streets.
Wed, was Game 2, this time in Sudan.
Algeria won (in an incredibly boring game, couldn't stand to watch the whole thing)
After the game, some fights broke out between Egyptian and Algerian fans within Sudan.
The Sudanese police didn't really care, and a lot of Egyptian's 'got w'upped'

That brings us to now. For the last 2 nights, a growing crowd of young, angry, Egyptian males have been raising a ruckus at the Algerian embassy. Egyptian security was called in, some fights happened and stuff got broken. Tonight I'm seeing postings on Facebook by some friends about crowds of people at the Algerian embassy or packing into a downtown plaza called Talat Harb. Folks are chanting, throwing rocks, burning flags, and acting in a generally obnoxious manner. Things don't sound very safe there at the moment. I've heard lots of inconsistent reports regarding the size of the crowd (everything between 7,000 thousand and 100) and lots of rumors about what has been happening.

A story was recently released on the AP newswire.

This story can be found here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i1oyIUDrxT-wFEy1_mj4Sn1IXLCgD9C3BK980

I am writing all of this because it might pop up on Television screens in the US soon, and I want to avert any worry. I already found an inflammatory Fox News Headline saying "Will Soccer be source of New War in Mid East?" Nope, but I'm sure those sort of headlines might help spike the ratings.

So now I've shared the news, I can also tell you that I'm fine, and that these problems don't concern me. The Algerian embassy is far away and I don't live anywhere near downtown. In fact, I live on the completely opposite side of the Nile, in Giza, near the pyramids. I just went and looked around outside, and my chill middle-class neighborhood continues to function in its same laid back manner as usual. I never have any need to go anywhere near the Algerian embassy, so there is nothing to worry about. If it wasn't for some messages between friends, I would have no knowledge that anything unusual is happening in Cairo tonight.

Sadly this sort of behavior will do little beyond harming diplomatic ties between Egypt and Algeria. Otherwise its just another example of irresponsible human behavior. I keep thinking of Ohio State blowing up after the Michigan State Football game in 2002, and wondering why people act like this? Win or lose, why is it suddenly okay to set a car on fire because of a sporting event? A quick online search didn't really answer this question, but is did show me that there were Stanley Cup riots in Vancouver?! Really? Canada eh? Weird.

So yeah, I'm cool, and intend to stay that way. If nothing pops up on your tv screen in the next few days, then sorry to cause any alarm. But if it does, now you at least have a heads up and it there won't be any need to worry.

The Red, the White, Black, and the Ugly

2009-11-16T13:03:00.000-08:00

Even though I will now be working for Samasource, I still went through with my preliminary phone interview with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, a.k.a MSF) as I really hope to later transition from working within protracted crisis and development situations into more humanitarian relief. MSF is the ideal way to make this transition, and of all organizations, its own ideals and objectives greatly correspond with my own. The interview went well enough, except for a poor cell phone connection that inhibited my ability to understand the questions or for them to understand my response. In some ways, I think this may have been helpful as it might have helped to hide my nervousness, yet I think might have hindered the process as well. Like when the said "Mitchell, we see from you application that you have a basic familiarity with the French language, would you be willing to build on this... " I responded with an assertive yes, I would love to know more of French, but at standing I do at least have a knowledge kiSwahili which is very similar to the local dialects of French speaking African countries such as Rwanda and Congo. When he commented that "French is often central to our operations..." I made the joke that it also happens to be one of the harder languages to learn, unfortunately only to realize that the poor connection transformed my harmless joke into an awkward pause within the conversation. Other than that, the conversation went generally well, and I look forward to hearing from them within a couple months.

On a completely unrelated note, the other day I walked into the nearby Kentucky Fried Chicken for my annual dosage deep fried poultry. When I went to order, it was brought to my attention that this particular KFC however is a business strictly operated by the hearing impaired. To order, one simply pointed at a large picture menu on the counter and made various hand gestures. Fortunately I didn't have to make any special request for extra barbecue sauce. Nonetheless, I was highly impressed by the efficiency of the establishment, as it might be the best fast food restaurant I've visited within Egypt. This says a lot, considering fast food is such a major part of the local landscape. I wish I could say that I won't miss it, but as Nairobi has absolutely NOTHING in terms of fast food, I know that I will. I scanned the image on the right from a napkin then tweaked it in photoshop.

Lastly, the other night, Egypt played against Algeria for the world cup qualifiers. Cairo was in a frenzy. The last time these two countries played against each other was over 20 years ago, and it ended with riots. This game was also the first chance that either nation has had to compete for the World Cup, so the tension was extreme. I didn't go out that night, but I did watch the game on television and some of the afterward, um, festivities from my balcony. Maybe if I had more male Egyptian friends, perhaps I would have gone out to watch the celebration, but I was happy enough at home. The noise didn't quit until nearly 6 am. My friend Ian, a journalist and fellow Fulbrighter, actually went to the game and he shot this brief video for a news agency. He mentioned that they had to censor a lot of footage due to profanity, but I think what is here will give you an idea of how Cairo looked that night. As Egypt only won by 2 points, and not a required 5, Egypt and Algeria must play again on Wed. night, however this time they will be playing in Khartoum Sudan, a neutral playing field. Given the noise from Sunday's partial win, I'm honestly not sure who I want to see advance into the next round.

Women's Entrepreneurship: Empowerment through Innovation

2009-11-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

This was found on MIT's website for the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship at http://legatum.mit.edu/photocontest

Photo Contest 2009 The Photo Contest, entitled Women's Entrepreneurship: Empowerment through Innovation sought photographs of women in low-income countries engaging in entrepreneurial activities and demonstrating innovative uses of technologies. http://legatum.mit.edu/photocontest

To catch a Fox

2009-11-14T05:59:00.000-08:00

I have found that people are generally the same all over the world. Everyone wants to feed their kids, have a nice place to live, have medical care when they get sick, and have some sense of security that if a problem happens, things will turn out okay later on. Often too, people don't take the news too seriously. BBC is generally accepted, as is Al Jezeera English and CNN International. But as for Fox News and Al Jezeera Arabic, I really don't understand why people would bother to watch something that is so far removed from the actual discipline of Journalism.

The other day, Mallory, found this great clip of the John Stewart show, also providing another good reason why no one should bother watching Fox News. Funny that so many people on the far right accuse the current administration of "socialist propaganda." Enjoy.

Hey There Mr. Project Officer

2009-11-13T08:01:00.000-08:00

Some Good News

What a week! Busy, productive, and satisfied.

The last couple months have been rather frustrating, as my search for a new and interesting employment opportunity has been rather tiresome. Although there have been plenty of jobs to apply for, it has taken incredibly long for to hear responses, arrange interviews, and get results.

However, last night I officially accepted a position. I will now be working as the Kenya Project Officer for Samasource, a San Francisco non-profit dedicated to international development by means of innovative entrepreneurship. Although I was initially uncertain about the capacity of this organization to undertake the ambitious projects they are pursuing throughout the world, as Samasource is only over a year old, I have come to the conclusion that their ambitious work is backed with by a talented, brilliant, and dedicated staff whose objectives correlate greatly to my own. I am quite pleased to join the Samasource team, and look forward the further expansion of this partnership.

Samasource approaches international development and aid from a different perspective than might be traditionally assumed. Rather than giving aid, they give work. In their words, it is a micro-work organization, that brings computer based work to women, youth, and refugees living in poverty. Over several years, I have witnessed individuals within an array of companies work hard to acquire skills necessary to participate in the global economy, yet with few opportunities to put these skills to use, these efforts have remained unmerited. Samasource works to target the locations where skilled populations with limited economic activity are located, and collaborates with various institutions and business partners to generate income facilitating activities by means of online data entry, research, or product testing. Samasource is a global operation, pursuing projects throughout Africa, Asia, and low in-come communities within the United States, such as within rural south-west Mississippi.

As the Project Officer, I will now oversee all projects within Kenya. This includes 18 projects located within Nairobi, 2 within the Dadaab Refugee Camps, and the potential expansion of camps within other towns or nearby countries in the future. This is a very exciting opportunity for Samasource, the Kenyan and Refugee populations, and myself.

A little about Why I think Samasource is important

Pursuing development within a protracted refugee settlement is a complicated issue. In the classic model of humanitarian aid, the disaster happens and international agencies show up to dump lots of stuff on people - food, skills development programs, micro-loans, building materials, security, and clean water. Certainly these things are important, because we have a responsibility to help one another in the world, and no problem can be solved if people are dying of starvation, sickness, and war. But after awhile, new problems emerge. The infusion of food aid, might undermine the ability for the food markets to recover. For example, as free sugar will always cost less than the locally grown or sold product. People who might have made a living growing, shipping, or selling sugar, will no longer have a livelihood and will need to find new methods to stay afloat. Such problems have a way of spiraling out of control. Clearly at a certain point, adding more stuff is no longer the answer. The trick is to then start identifying strengths and to work toward removing the obstacles that keep these strengths from blossoming. Problem is, so far no one has been able figure out how to determine this 'point of transition.'

When I was in Dadaab I noticed that the construction of a

cell-phone tower had become a major strength within the development of these camps. After is was constructed, thousands of individuals scraped up whatever money they could find to get some sort of cell phone. Maybe several families would buy one together, while others could be purchased through loan programs. With a cell phone, refugees could stay in contact with relatives abroad, make arrangements for money to be wired, learn about weather conditions before grazing animals and a multitude of other advantages. Money began to flow into the camps, and then new businesses emerged.One man would purchase an electric generator and re-charge your phone batter for a fee, while another would get hold of a used computer and provide email access via the cell phone network. Next another man would start a business teaching computer classes so that interested men and women could expand their opportunities. Keep in mind that people living in circumstances of conflict induced displacement are not 'poor illiterate farmers.' These people had livelihoods and professions in their nation of origin. Many were carpenters, lawyers, truck drivers, secretaries, and mechanics. Seeking to improve their livelihood and support their family, people always seek to adapt to market demands. The problem with a refugee camp however, is that government policies restrict viable economic growth. Although someone might acquire an array of computer skills and have access to a computer, it does not necessarily translate into having a job. Someone else will need to provide that.

This is where Samasource is an important organization. By giving work, they are providing a means to for individuals to help themselves. By opening the door to the global economy, a major obstacle on the pathway toward stability and development has become available to that population. Projects such as those undertaken by Samasource might be the essential element within overcoming the gaps between humanitarian relief, development, and a functioning stable economy. I am grateful to have this oppurtunity to work on the forefront of such a project, and look forward to a healthy and vibrant experience in the near future.

I will be relocating to Nairobi within the next couple weeks.

Coca Cola and Global Poverty

2009-11-09T12:16:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of Coca Cola. I know the company company has a long history, full of problems and criticisms, but I still admire their product. Not only do these folks know how to make carbonated high fructose corn syrup taste really good, but few other companies can compare in terms of global recognition and distribution.

Because of its widespread distribution, I've been able drink all over the world. From the streets of Cairo, to the back alleys of New Dehli, or in the mountains of Northern Thailand, you can always buy a coke. It makes things easy when feeling a little homesick, because you don't need to take up precious space in the backpack, but can simply drop some change at any local shop. There is no language barrier, because the brand is always pronounced the same, and no matter what the language, the iconic script and bold red are universal. Earlier today I found a blog where another aid worker had some observations on Coke in relation to public health development in Tanzania. Clearly a leader in logistics, her blog entry highlighted a few things we could learn about working with communities. It also inspired me to write down some of the thoughts that I've been harnessing for a few years on the role of this product within humanitarian and development work.

I've always relied upon Rapid Research Appraisal techniques to provide a sense of any new communities although I never actually learned about this term until I was in grad school. The idea is to simply recognize socio-economic indicators specific to that community and to map their geographic distribution to better understand how that economy and society. For example, I was told by a former professor that when working in the Philippines about 35 years ago, he noticed that the wealthier households would often have denim blue-jeans hanging on their clothes lines. Or in another example by the same man, he had noticed that the richer households in Malawi often had more metal containers near the front door than other households. By making these observations he could map, either mentally or on paper, where the richest and poorest households were located within a community that might otherwise look completely homogenous to an outsider. This can be very important as it might also provide important information regarding personal security or key issues in local conflicts. Although I would never advocate that these techniques form the basis of research for important policy decisions or project design, they nevertheless may provide an important context to the data obtained by a more thorough means.

Although each culture, society, and economy will have its own custom set of indicators that must be distinguished and observed by the outsider, I've found that Coca Cola is also an excellent indicator as a consequence of its globalized distribution and identity. While traveling or working within some of the worlds lesser developed nations, I've also found Coke also functions as a reliable indicator of regional security, poverty, and access to Western ideas. The accessibility and cost of Coca Cola and Coke merchandise can serve as a excellent means to quickly analyze the social economic landscape of a new community.

While Coke is always available within city centers, it is also available at an inflated cost. As one travels further away from the city center, the cost will decrease until a certain point in which the inflationary cost of the urban economy has subsided to the rising costs of transit. As the distance increases from the city, the logistical expenses are compounded with the increased cost of electricity, the limited access to refrigeration, and the reduced access to populations who can afford the beverage. The greater the distance, the higher the cost. At a certain point, one has ventured so far from the city center that Coca Cola is inaccessible until you advance into the distribution zone of another city center and the same price/access trends function in reverse.

However, I have never been anywhere in the world and discovered it untouched by this fizzy sugary beverage. This is no surprise as Coca Cola has plants everywhere, even Somalia! I have found however that when the product is expensive and more difficult to access, it is also a place where outside/foreigners rarely visit. In such places, the local population often has limited access to education, viable employment, or social mobility. These places might also be more dangerous, or might require great planning to access and later exit. I've also had a hunch, that has not been validated by any serious methodology, that in such places people are also less likely to be have a significant understanding or knowledge about western nations or people, because I have trouble seeing how reliable information about America could access a landscape barren of this ubiquitous American product. Yet as I've also seen people in such places secure access to satellite television, radio programming (such as the BBC), globally distributed cell phone networks with migrant relatives in other nations, and preciously handled newspapers from far away, I have little faith in this idea.

I've sometimes wondered, if I actually find a place that has never heard of Coca Cola, should I even be there? There is no decent answer to this question, as its too circumstantial, but I think its worthwhile to ask anyway.

Movin' with the beat

2009-11-08T12:52:00.000-08:00

I've been a little quite again as its been difficult to write any captivating posts lately. Everything is constantly in that "in between state." I guess this is okay though, as its really just a matter of transitioning from one set of life circumstances to another.

I've continued contact with Samasource, and while I don't want to state anything prematurely, I believe that the relationship is unfolding well enough and its possible that I might end up in Kenya soon enough. This is a transition I really look forward to, considering how much I enjoy African societies, cultures, and languages. I've been in contact with an array of friends in Nairobi, and am working on making some new connections at this time.

One new project that I have been working toward actually concerns my side hobby of producing hip hop music. I had recently learned of a new record company, Gatwhich Records, founded in Nairobi by hip hop artist Emmanuel Jal. A former child soldier in Sudan, Emmanuel has been touring and recording albums within Europe and America for several years now, his most recent release, Warchild, is a favorite in my collection and highly recommended. Anyway, I contact the record company he recently started and they are interested in hearing some of the music that I have been recording in Cairo for the last year. As I might be moving to Nairobi within the next few weeks, this could be a good opportunity to further expand my recording project, as I hope to work with more hip hop artists across the continent. If possible I would really like to use this as an oppurtunity to showcase the guys that I have enjoyed working within over the last year in Cairo.

To share some of these recordings, I recently uploaded more tracks to my Youtube account. These are not music videos per se, but simply a few photographs taken by my Australian friend David Lazar (this guy is an international award wining photographer, so check it out!!!) of the guys, with the camera panning and the music playing. I am attaching below a sample clip of my recent production with Slim J, called Number One Romeo. This is definitely one of my favorite songs.

Happy Halloween from Sophie the Cat

2009-10-31T11:44:00.001-07:00

Enroute to Kenya?

2009-10-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

I had a phone interview the other night with a San Francisco non-profit, Samasource, about working as their Project Officer within Kenya to oversee projects within Nairobi and the Dadaab Refugee Camps. Although I was rather nervous at the outset - especially as there were complications getting skype to operate - within moments I found a comfortable relationship developing between us.

I had discovered Samasource while up late one night, reading about new technology developments on CNET, when I read the headline "Bringing Tech jobs to Third World Refugees." As much of my own research and work experience has consisted of technology, development, and refugee populations, I was immediately intrigued to learn of this company. With a slogan "Give Work," Samasource is not an aid
agency, but instead promotes innovative entrepreneurship within developed and developing nations. By making it possible for anyone to outsource tasks via an iphone application, Samasource redirects these tasks to workers and refugees within developing nations who promptly accomplish the task and send it back. These jobs might include data entry, analysis, research, programming, or tedious yet important processes of analysis. Here is a video in which the founder of the company, Leila Chirayath Janah, talks about the work they do:

New to working with refugees, it became clear within the conversation that my own background and expertise could be of tremendous value to the agency. It would be my responsibility to oversee their projects within Nairobi and the Dadaab Refugee Camps where I had previously worked in 2007. I've been thinking a great deal about the problems they have been facing within their program, and already I have an array of potential solutions in mind that would be socially-culturally consistent with Kenyan national and refugee workers, while also logistically feasible for the company. It is clear that this could be an exciting and valuable oppurtunity for both of us.

Unfortunately, although I can design and implement sustainable programming on their behalf, it is clear that the company does not quite have the resources to be as sustainable within my own life. A little bit of negotiation needs to occur, as I simply don't want to go back to struggling to pay my bills, student loans, and fear getting sick for lack of health insurance. That would feel like a personal step backward, and not something I really something I'm looking for. It gets further complicated by the prospect of leaving my life in Cairo, where my girlfriend will continue to remain as she finishes her masters in Human Rights Law, and where I have grown many valuable friendships.

However, they seem willing to work this out with me. I think they understand that the contribution I can make to their organization could ultimately save money by streamlining current operations, and improving productivity while remaining consistent with their mission toward economic development and socio-cultural compatibility. So they are looking at building a better offer, so that I'm not left floundering in Nairobi once the most urgent work is taken care of - after about 2 months out of a 6 month contract.

We are to talk again in a few days, and with luck, establish a more concrete agreement.

I'm really excited about this, to return to my favorite city in the world and to work on a project that has significant personal value. Best of all, as soon as I get to Kenya - prospectively within a couple weeks- I'm going to feast on some roasted goat, mimi napende nyoma choma!

Samasource links
Company Website
Samasource Blog
Samasource on Twitter
Samasource on YouTube
Company Profile