The Fix

Today saw some training for cooperatives and students on sewing machine repair. I was asked to take some webite photos and this is my personal favourite. Blip hiatus for the last couple of days has been largely due to minor illness, but all is now well.

Just had a conversation with Esdras, one of the senior members of staff, about politics in Rwanda and elsewhere. From what I can gather, he's an institutionalist libertarian; government is for order, and people should be left to flourish with minimal taxes so they can advance. He advocates management and governance over democratic process, which is something I've heard from many Rwandese people; indeed, for many, democracy is considered a false concept that restricts rather than liberates. Fascinating conversation.

Also had a wee interview with a leader of the Gitarama Weaving Cooperative, who were trained at the centre and remain partners. They now make a reasonable income, and have real ambitions for expansion and improvement, for which they'll need a bit of investment/a grant/donations. Really interesting stuff, to be elaborated on in future blips I'm sure!