Not in the sense of nautical wreckage but rather in the way
of odds and ends, I have a bit of “F and J” to share with y'all. Seems
like I haven't had time to write a proper blog entry regaling you with all my
goings-on for weeks now, but I suppose that means I must be busy doing
something, right? And the Kardashians are on hiatus, so it must be
work-related….
To start with, I've been talking to everyone and anyone with
ears about The Toa Nafasi Project and, quite delightfully, my incessant chatter
has been met with positive results! I have a list of potential partners
starting with a woman I met back in 2009 when I first began researching this
project.
Angi Stone-MacDonald is currently Assistant Professor of
Early Education and Care in Inclusive Settings at the University of
Massachusetts in Boston. When I met her three years ago, she was doing
research for her dissertation on the role of culture and local context in
developing curriculum for students with disabilities at Irente Rainbow School
in Lushoto, Tanzania. I reunited with Angi over email and then a lengthy
phone conversation. Next weekend, I'm headed to Boston to see her in
person and go over plans for the assessment and curriculum modification phases
of the project. I'll be armed with copies of the Tanzanian syllabi for
Standard One and Two subjects and I imagine we'll hash out details of our
gameplan. I obviously am headed back to the motherland in just a couple
months, but Angi will be coming over to help implement the assessment next
summer. So not only am I gaining a partner, I'm also getting a roommate,
at least for a couple of months!
Mary Gale Budzisz from the International Association of
Special Education is next on the list. I've mentioned her before on this
blog and I'm sure her name will come up many times in the future. Retired from the profession, but a
tireless crusader in support of children with developmental disabilities across
the globe, Mary Gale is powerhouse of energy and enthusiasm. Under her
watch, IASE has built up projects in schools and hospitals in Mexico, India,
Bangladesh, Malawi, and Tanzania and they supply a steady stream of volunteers
to each of these sites. I'm hoping she will be adding The Toa Nafasi
Project in Msaranga to the sites she already has going in Tanzania: Mnazi Mmoja
Hospital in Zanzibar, Diana Women Empowerment Organization in Tanga, and
Sebastian Kolowa University College in Magamba.
Speaking of Sebastian Kolowa (or SEKUCo as its known by its
acronym), the third person on my list is a current IASE volunteer at that
site. Richard Zigler has been heading up the masters program at SEKUCo
since 2010 and is very keen on staying in Tanzania long-term. I met with
him in Moshi on my last trip this past June and he gave me lots of advice and
feedback about the project and proposed activities. Now, due to *issues*
at SEKUCo, he finds himself looking for alternate employment in the
Tee-Zed. Enter Toa Nafasi. Not only will he find further purpose in
Africa using his special education skillz, he will lend credibility to my
project and provide invaluable insight and guidance.
Another excellent contact is Dr. Derrick Matthews, an
American pediatrician currently based at Selian Lutheran Hospital in
Arusha. Just like everybody else, I first met him in 2009 but reconnected
with him recently now that Toa Nafasi is a reality. We have yet to sit
down again and talk in detail but I think he could be a good resource in the
referral phase which is when I will address students who are under-performing
due to reasons other than a learning difficulty,
possibly medical or psychosocial. Says Doc Matthews, “I may have to
contribute in the areas of treatment of physiologic disabilities and behavioral
management by pharmacology means when necessary. There is definitely a need for this type of approach to
children with special educational needs.”
Aside from blabbing about the need for special ed in TZ,
I’ve also been flexing my artistic muscles designing a logo and putting
together an identity kit of business cards, letterhead, brochures, and a
website. Oy vey, it’s a heavy-duty
job, this business of branding.
Not only is it time-consuming, it’s expensive! My first year budget has been sadly whittled down….
Oh! That’s another
thing I’ve been up to….banking.
Business banking is a real bee-yatch. And CitiBusiness Online does not make things easy. There’s about a million passwords and
tokens and secret codes. It’s like
safe-cracking just to get into my own damn account. And wiring money to Tanzania? I’ve tried three times now. Haiwezekani. I can’t wait until I’m too legit to
quit and can hire a proper accountant….and IT person….and marketing manager….
Finally, and possibly most importantly, I’ve entered the
world of fundraising. Now that the
IRS is officially considering The Toa Nafasi Project for tax-exempt status, I
need to get my ish together and produce a viable plan for how I’m going to keep
this damn thing afloat.
Easier said than done.
However, I’ve started off by attending seminars at the
Foundation Center, which is an amazing resource and I highly recommend it to
anyone who is considering starting their own NGO or is currently in the
nonprofit sector. The library is
fantastic, the database is comprehensive, the classes are informative, and the
instructors are incredibly knowledgeable.
The headquarters is in New York (of course), but there are branches and
various sister libraries all across the country. So far, I have taken Introduction to Fundraising Planning
and Grantseeking Basics. These
will be followed by Introduction to Finding Funders, Social Media, Starting a
Nonprofit, Before You Seek a Grant, Sustainability, and Grantseeking for
International NGOs. Check out some
of the handouts from Intro to Fundraising Planning below. Methinks my stool is a little
one-sided, no? And I’ll never get
any earned income from this project….Maybe I can just put a balled-up napkin under
the chair leg like you do with a tipsy table in a restaurant….?
Anyhoo, I may jest, but this part of the process is definitely
the most daunting, especially in this economic climate. Nevertheless, I am still optimistic
enough to think that after a few applications and a few events, I’ll get the
hang of it. After all, I was a
publicist in my former life; I know how to persuade and cajole people into
doing what I want!
The big difference here is that this is something I’m really
passionate about and, as opposed to getting an author into the New York Times Book Review or on
National Public Radio, this work is about quality of life, not luxury. That raises the stakes tremendously and
is actually pretty scary. What’s
also scary is that this whole project is entirely dependent upon me: my ideas, my passion, my energy, my
direction. So far I’m doing okay,
but who knows what the future holds?
When I can’t sleep, I think about what I’ll be doing (and where I’ll be
living) a year from now. I don’t
think that last year I would have ever thought I’d be here, in this place, in
this moment, today.
At any rate, there it is, my long-awaited update. I hope I haven’t bored you with my various
views and random ruminations. Stay
tuned for next week’s entry which will no doubt be just as fascinating….!
