You brought what?!

I have some strong opinions about development. Some are, I believe, well founded and can be backed up with evidence; others are based on my experiences and I can’t really back them up with facts. I learned quickly that people who work in development have some very strong opinions and are not very easily swayed to believe something different. I am guilty of this as well but this summer has made me think, if I am unwilling to change my attitude and opinions why should people in developing countries change their attitudes and opinions.

The biggest thing I learned during my Peace Corps service is people are the same everywhere. We might practice different religions, consume different diets or have different views of the world, but we all react the same way when told what to do. I know that when my parents told me I had to do something I almost always put up a fight (even when I knew they were right). My point is why do we, development professionals, believe we know best.

Year after year NGOs develop and carry out projects and programs in the poorest regions of the world. Although I know most are truly trying to make a difference, and many do, I often wonder how many of these NGOs are started because someone in the village asked for help, or because someone decided those villagers needed X.

I know from my own mistakes you cannot tell someone what they need; you have to wait for them to tell you. The waiting game is the hardest part. Something that is so apparent to you may in fact not be the most pressing issue for a family or community. You have to learn to listen and be patient.

In Guatemala, I learned that a little bit of “wasted” time turns into life-changing projects. Case-in-point, while working with the coffee cooperative I became close with two women who sat on the Board of Directors. I decided that I wanted to start a women’s group in each of their communities. I asked and asked until I was blue in the face if I could come out and teach a class. Each time the answer was, “No, we don’t have time.”

One day I brought banana bread to a cooperative meeting. Afterwards the women were begging me to teach them how to make it. I have to admit I was pissed off. All of a sudden the women had time to meet with me. After a few days of sulking I gave in and scheduled a “cooking” class in each of the communities.

This was the best thing that could have happened to my service. You see, the women weren’t interested in business classes, but they were definitely interested in baking and gossiping. I spent the next several months teaching the women how to bake banana break, zucchini bread, corn bread, chocolate cake, spice cake, and doughnuts, while they taught me about life. They taught me what I already knew, women want anything that will make their life easier.

Smoke alleviating stoves. It wasn’t what I would have said was the most pressing need in the communities but it was something the women thought would make their life easier. The stoves, designed by Peace Corps, used 50% less wood then open fires meaning less time spent collecting wood, the stovetop allowed for cooking more than one thing at a time which meant less time preparing meals and it was healthier. After months and months of hard work and a few bumps, the stoves were finished.  I still had some time left in my service so we started having meeting just to gossip, which I steered towards topics such as savings, sex and education.

When I went back nine months after my service, a couple of the women told me they had opened savings accounts at the bank in town. One woman had even saved enough to buy a cow and was now selling fresh milk. Although I never really got a chance to teach a business class, some how the stoves opened their minds to my ideas, my broken Spanish and me.

My point is, if I had not learned to listen to what they wanted I would never have had the chance to truly make a difference in a few women’s lives. I know that I learned my lesson but when will others learn theirs.