Kuwait for only 2 days BUT worth it!

Leaving Beirut I fly directly to Kuwait City Kuwait on MEA, the Lebanese airline. I was met by my friend, Haitham Farouk. He was in my class a decade ago in Cairo at the Egyptian Banking Institute; hired me to work with his bank in Qatar; and now is with the largest bank in Kuwait. It was 40 centigrade so very hot! However we enjoyed air conditioning at various restaurants and museums. His wife Dahlia and Cheyenne are still in Cairo - Dahlia is a professor and Cheyenne is finishing her schooling. All will be together in late June/early July. I have posted pictures of his flat and the views! Fabulous! My United flight to IAD left at midnight 30 but was not full. Connection in Washington was ok and on to San Diego.

Beirut May 2014

FSVC/IESC jointly sponsored my assignment in May 2014. The SOW was both training and consulting. Arriving from FRA, I went to the Holiday Inn Beirut! My home for the next 2+ weeks. Another volunteer was there and she would be consulting with some MFI (Micro Finance Institutions) while I was conducting the class. It was delightful to have someone with me for meals! The class was held in the hotel’s conference facility – so electricity and PowerPoint! Modules were Risks, Credit Risk, Credit Scoring, and ALM (Asset Liability Management). A great group of 30+ MFI executives. Class was all day with lunch in the hotel buffet. Marvelous. My other days were spent with 4 individual MFI clients. Each was unique and required different skills: in one case, an analysis of the loan covenants; another was creation of a Risk Committee. It was challenging to spend several days with the client; write the paper; and go to the next. Beirut is a marvelous city; lots of construction which is changing the face of the downtown. I was able to take one day and visit 3 other cities with a marvelous car/driver – to see Byblos, Jeito Grotto and Charissa. All were fabulous!

Off to Kuwait to visit my wonderful Egyptian "son" Haitam. Will blog on those days separately.

Malawi - 6th trip April 2014

Delta flight 200 to JNB was full as always; overnight in City Lodge at the airport. Arrived safely to Lilongwe and stayed with Marinus and Bev Taale at Cluny Lodge. Quite full with other ex-pats on assignments. Off to Zomba and Annie’s Lodge Room 7 as requested. It is a corner with full porch on both sides. When I worked outside, the monkeys were close at hand. I went inside when the baboon appeared. Sakata is trying to become a legal cooperative. I am following another CNFA volunteer, David Daines, who had worked with the group on organizational and registration issues. I was to follow up with financial and bookkeeping. We met in a room provided by WORLEC which is a female-oriented NGO with strong leadership. It receives funding from OXFAM. Class was my Agribusiness Finance. Sakata was considering the purchase (gift?) of a machine to press ground nuts into oil. Financial analysis was not positive. In addition, a professional colleague from Blantyre (Towera Jalakasi) was commissioned by the Ministry to write a paper on the viability of such a project; she also felt it would not be in the best interests of this group. Suggested that the group consider renting a storage facility for ground nuts. We looked at several which are vacant in the village. Met with several government officials – especially helpful was Noel Joseph Shema District Trade Officer from Ministry of Trade. He said that he would work with the group to get certified; it is expensive; WORLEC will ask OXFAM to cover the costs of this special (required) governmental training. OXFAM executives came on the last day of class and were impressed by the knowledge and enthusiasm of the participants. A wonderful group of 26 women and 5 men.

Back to Lilongwe. Unfortunately no time to visit my friends/former colleagues in Blantyre. Home to San Diego and unpack/repack for my trip to Beirut.

Leaving Ghana on June 21st

This has been a great assignment with AFAP (African Fertilizer Agro-dealer Program). I was able to train more than 60 agro-dealers in two locations as well consult directly with the HUB agents(Wholesale/Distributors) that sell to those dealers. All went superbly as AFAP had organized all of the logistics and the participants were invited by the HUB. I stayed in several locations which had electricity most of the time; good beds; and hot water. The only glitch was when USA beat Ghana at the World Cup as everyone had stayed up to the very end (1 am) and were sad. Ghana will face Germany on Saturday. I will write more after I meet tomorrow with my friend/driver from my last project in Ghana - January/March/May 2001! Major Tony Bentil and I traveled up and down visiting the village-based rural banks. His wife and children became part of my life while I was here. Unfortunately, the only email I had for him was not working. BUT through the kindness of the chief driver at Novotel, Lawrence, Tony received a message to call me. Major Tony and I just shared a wonderful Chinese food (his favorite) and it was like no time had passed. His wife is still at the Ministry; his 3 daughters and 1 son are all through University and are bankers, accountants, and professionals. It was wonderful to catch up if only briefly. I hope to see him again when I return to Ghana.