By Isaac Davies
My name is Isaac Davies from the Redemptorist Region of Zimbabwe. I was appointed to work for the Solidarity Office in Nairobi. Recently I was in Ireland with our Solidarity team – Gerry, Malcolm and our new volunteer from Germany, Said.
I had two intensive training days at Misean Cara in Dublin, our funding partners for most of our projects in Africa and Madagascar. After that, I had three training days at Kimmage Development Studies Centre, looking at Project Cycle Management and Results Based Planning. I had the opportunity to meet different religious and lay people from all across Europe and Africa who share the same passion with us for the integral evangelization of the human person. I cannot even explain the vastness of experience that composed the group in terms of contexts and projects, the sharing of how others have approached and seen projects, experiences of failure and the stories of success along with the hopes and fears that came with many of us as we look forward to the future and doing things in a more organised, linked and better way. It is without a single moment of doubt, that there is a great need for accountability in the world today and we religious are by no means exempted from that responsibility. For the funds we get are not for us but for the people we work with. I also had the chance of being part of the meeting held in Cork, for the Solidarity team. We mapped the way forward, putting action plans into perspective for Africa and Madagascar. It is my hope that with the cooperation of all units in Africa and Madagascar, we will get there. Many thanks to Gerry for the sterling work he does for Africa and Madagascar, Malcolm for his availability and sacrafice and to Said, welcome aboard!
