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Neil Jennings
While working closely with the staff at CCPRWA and other local NGOs in Rwanda it became obvious to me that whilst they’d achieved amazing results, with little or no resources, the survival of their activities hung desperately in the balance due to a lack of basic financial planning and management . They had little or no access to any formal training or professional services. After returning to the UK I found the mismatching of volunteer’s skills was commonplace. There were little or no voluntary opportunities accessible to highly skilled tenured professionals to share their skills, while at the same time keeping their jobs. This experience inspired me to create A f I D (Accounting for International Development) a new specialist voluntary services organisation, wholly committed to providing right specialist skills at the right time to those most in need. Please visit our website on www.afid.org.ukNeilJ
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Travel Blog Posts
May 25th 2008
You'll be pleased to hear things at Nsinda Vocational School and Pre School are progressing well. Below are links to my most recent photos taken back in March and April. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=32065&l=5012b&id=672901388 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=32061&l=f835b&id=672901388 We all really appreciate all the support we've received so far - Thanks to all of you. With rising food and fuel costs it's becoming even harder to stay afloat - so any support is welcomed with open arms and great thanks. If you'd like to hear more about the projects or how you can get involved email me on najennings@btinternet.com ... read more
"It's the hardest test you can do !!"
Published: November 17th 2007Africa » Rwanda » Ville de Kigali » Kigali
November 18th 2007
There are only two events likely to draw a bigger crowd than a Rwandan football match. The first, setting your house on fire, as observed recently should pull you in around 2 to 3,000, dependant on it’s location. Near the main road appears to be best. You’d think in a country where fetching and carrying water is the national pastime and where children are schooled in the art from birth, the chances of a experiencing a serious blaze would be small. Sadly not, as the merit of this event as a spectator sport seems to far outweigh that of neighbourly duty. In fact you’d be hard pushed to find anyone lifting a finger to help, even close family seem to have better things to do. I can only speculate that when you have to make so ... read more
"I'm allowed only one wife... you're kidding?!"
Published: October 15th 2007Africa » Rwanda » Ville de Kigali » Kigali
October 14th 2007
Ah, Zan...Zi…Bar… a magical, almost poetic name, that conjures up a tantalizing sense of mystery, of hidden pasts, of intoxicating aromatic spices… of a vibrant and exotic culture, set in an island nestling in the warm Indian Ocean close to the Tanzanian coastline (40km). Where, according to my guide book (yes, I’ve learnt my lesson) ‘cooling monsoon breezes slant in off a deceptively gentle sea, across powder white coral, palm-fringed beaches and where a weary traveller can laze ‘lulled by soporific surf and the soft rustle of the palms’. Dip his toes in the ‘sparking turquoise waters, punctuated only by the billowing triangular white sails of passing dhows’ and gaze in wonder as the plethora of ‘iridescent fish flit amongst the brightly coloured coral gardens’. And… if that hasn’t got you already checking the expiry date ... read more
You'll never guess what I've just found ....
Published: September 5th 2007Africa » Rwanda » Ville de Kigali » Kigali
September 5th 2007
….3 hours drive inland, west of Kigali, tucked behind a volcano, 1500m above sea level? The SEA !! Well almost, it’s the surprisingly large and idyllic Lake Kivu - There is a God! There can’t be too many countries in the world that can boast such a breathtaking lakeside shoreline, pretty much untouched by human hands. Maybe that’s why no one mentioned it. With a surface area of 2,200 sq. km, you’d think it would be difficult to miss. The reason its so quiet is maybe down to the fact that the road to Kabuye (Lake Kivu’s local town) is precarious to say the least, winding up and down some very steep hills* and before the tarmaced road arrived, courtesy of those hard working little Chinese fellows, you’d never have made it. For the lakespotters amongst ... read more
August 20th 2007
“But Neil, how can that be so? Surely with your new selfless, no, saintly position there in Rwanda, helping the countries vulnerable and needy children (some very cute), you must be a dead cert , surefire, ‘shoe in’ for a front row seat alongside the big guy up there in heaven?” … I hear you ask. Sadly, not so. “But Neil, what could you have done that was so terrible, so despicable, so down right God forsaken shameful that all you’re recent superhero-like good deeds couldn’t expunge? … You cry. Well… I couldn’t begin to name you all of the Seven Deadly Sins, but of those Seven I’m pretty certain I’ve just stepped up and slotted home Number One - Numero Uno - The Big One ‘Complaining about the food in Africa, to Africans’ and not ... read more
Oh alright, but hands not fingers!
Published: August 8th 2007Africa » Rwanda » Ville de Kigali » Kigali
August 7th 2007
There’s a lot of subjects that I feel its right to say something about while I’m here. Important topics, that need to be given real thought and consideration, before you’d have a genuine insight into the country and it’s people. Race, Poverty, Religion, Happiness, Grief, Community, Loneliness, Genocide, Compassion, Hope, it’s all here in abundance and very close to the surface. It seems that when you strip away the superficial in people’s lives, TV, Celebrity, Fashion, Money, Choice, all that remains is the important stuff. But even after 5 weeks in Rwanda, immersed in the culture, I think I still need more time before I can begin to do justice to any of the weightier topics. Therefore I think it’s best if I start at the lighter end …and work my way up, gradually. Rwanda… If ... read more
July 15th 2007
Finally, after much anticipation, the newly formed Nsinda ‘Blue Bloods’* (Formerly known as Nsinda Vocational School) kicked off in their first match of the new ‘Dry Season’, away to Nsinda Secondary. If you thought travelling to Old Actonians was a nightmare, you ain’t seen nothing - this was a ‘local derby’ and it still took us over an hour in two much needed 4x4s, and the pitch, best described as bush, made Old Stationers 5th team pitch look like a bowling green - a good one. We were in our red away strip, Nsinda Secondary in their customary white - When I say ‘strips’, what actually happens is all 22+ players line up and we try and mix and match the most common colours as best we can, old school style. - Today its red and ... read more
Child Sponsorship (Africa) - A Good Idea?
Published: August 7th 2007Africa » Rwanda » Ville de Kigali » Kigali
July 5th 2007
Life on the street... For children on the streets of Rwanda, is always a familiar story - abusive parents, lack of money for school fees or a uniform, being forced into manual labour in the home or conflict with step-parents, who often, according to the culture, cannot accept the child of a previous marriage and makes life unbearable for them. Equally common are the children who have been driven from their homes, and those who have no home. In this respect, Rwandan street children are nothing special, which is exactly how they feel, what is different is the sheer volume of cases. The boys hang around the taxi-bus stations, steal in the market, beg from passers by. They do small jobs to earn their daily food, and spend what little they get on sweets and drugs. ... read more
Streets Ahead Children's Centre Association (SACCA) - Eastern Province, Rwanda (Project No. 2)
Published: August 7th 2007Africa » Rwanda » Ville de Kigali » Kigali
July 3rd 2007
In 1994, in just under 100 days, nearly 1 million people were brutally murdered, often by family, friends and neighbours. Many years on and the sad legacy of the genocide remains. · 64% of the population live on less than 1$ a day · 3.8% of Rwandans have a secondary school education · 48% have access to clean drinking water · 2% of the population have access to electricity SACCA’s Programme There are three SACCA residential centres in the eastern province of Kibungo supporting over 200 vulnerable and disadvantaged children. Children of all ages. Each centre prides itself on its high staff to child ratio - each centre has an experienced manager, assistant manager, at least one teacher, an anamateur (supervisor) and guard and is visited on an almost daily basis by one of their ... read more
Nsinda Vocational Training School, Rwamagana, RWANDA - Development & Sustainability Project - The Day Job
Published: August 7th 2007Africa » Rwanda » Ville de Kigali » Kigali
July 1st 2007
For those of you that didn’t know I’ve left life in London and taken a new job as the International Development Director for a small NGO, Children’s Care and Protection Rwanda and UK registered charity Unity of Children. CCPRWA was formed in 1998 following the genocide, by a group of Rwandan’s who had grown up as orphans in Uganda and with the support of a number of international organisations runs a number of different programmes in Rwanda, supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged children across the country. From the beginning of July I’ve been working with the charity in Rwanda formulating and implementing a strategy for the development and sustainability of all their activities. At the same time I am overseeing a major capital development at the Nsinda Centre, a vocational training school run by CCPRWA in Rwanda’s ... read more
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