All returned with strong impressions and experiences they will remember for the rest of their lives. On return to Norway none are in any doubt that CARE's work improves the quality of life of women and children in Mali. The party visited the market and saw monkey heads, visited the women in the savings and loan groups, saw how they lived, heard their stories and met CARE's professional aid organization.
HOPE FOR A BETTER FUTURE
Amesto employees were particularly fascinated by the hope the women had for a better future. They have dreams, as well as specific plans.
“They smile, despite their situation. The women we met with have the will to move on and we saw solidarity in the groups and villages that made a strong impression. There was no lack of ambition among group leaders to get ahead and participate at the local government level,” says Jan Erik Kaasa, general manager of Amesto Solutions.
The houses they live in are built of clay. Many of the women's groups have specific goals to build brick houses so that they don't collapse when the floods arrive.
MEN HAVE ALL POWER, BUT WOMEN FIND THE SOLUTIONS Mali is a patriarchal society where men have the power and the means. Maria Andreasson, market coordinator with Amesto Solutions, says that without CARE's loan groups, women would not have a chance to earn their own money and create a better life for themselves and their children.
“One woman said that she had borrowed money to buy a cow, where the goal was to sell cheese and milk at the market. She couldn't keep the cow at home, because her husband would have taken ownership of it. The solution was to “hide” it on pasture with several other cows nearby,” says Maria.
PROFESSIONAL WORKING METHODS
“It was an amazing trip with numerous useful and instructive experiences. A lot of new impressions and much to digest. I am impressed with CARE's method and the way the work is put into operation in the villages.
I am completely convinced that it is the method that enables CARE to achieve such good results – in addition to the efforts of numerous enthusiasts, wonderful associates who go the extra mile and who in a good, efficient and dedicated way understand what the goal actually is,” says Kristijane Bulukin, CEO of Amesto AccountHouse.
“I heard more on concepts – productive concepts – in terms of management theory and the management profession – at the office in Mali than I do during a normal day at work among managers of normal businesses in Norway. There was talk of objectives, processes, structures, roles – defined roles, management by objectives, orientation, expertise, training, etc.
” Kristijane is of the opinion that CARE's associates do an outstanding job; “It is methodology, management by objectives and commitment from those involved that in my opinion is one-of-a-kind at CARE,” states Kristijane.