tools for self reliance

what i love about my job is i get to meet a range of pretty committed groups and people in trying to change a small part of the world.

this morning i sat with a small outfit that started out about 30 years ago through giving out some tools to help a few people set up their businesses. however after awhile they observed that tools that they were giving were being pinched by other people because they were so valuable in certain parts of africa.

they got angry initially. but then after pondering it realised that the tools were valuable and sought to understand why people were stealing them. then asking those that would be stealing whether they would like to have some of their own to build an enterprise. they therfore got smart.

after 30 years they said to me it is less about the tools themselves and now more about the people. the tools are just the means to build a livlihood.

like i said i get to meet some interesting people and groups working for some pretty interesting ways to change a small part of the world. i love my job.