Event Planning in Africa

Planning ahead in Africa works like this: Even when you make Plan B and Plan C, you will find out that you will need to resort to Plan D. Even when you make Plans B, C, and D, you will end up with Plan F, because something out of left field was lobbed into the game play.

Of course, last minute planning is not advisable, but with all development work, plans need to have a level of flexibility. With Child Welfare Day tomorrow, I went to Dorcas's office to print the Child Welfare Day Agenda and the Children's Right's Flyer. From past experience of making Plans B, C, D... I decided not to do any of those, just knowing that I'll tackle whatever comes up - I had devoted my whole day to just these 2 tasks.

This morning, I called up Dorcas to see when I could come to her office, knowing we're all busy and I was subject to her schedule. She said come by as soon as possible. However, I was waiting for editing from one last committee member to the agenda.

An hour later, of not going to Dorcas's office, she asks when I'm coming. And that there's a problem with the toner. (Usually Plan B planning would begin here in the U.S.) In Africa, it's more like, "come here now so we can trouble shoot this now."

Dorcas runs across town to get another toner cartridge.

I finally get to her office and start printing.

The hugest lightning storm starts after printing page 132. Power goes out.

Luckily, today was not like yesterday when the power went out the whole day (of course, also a cause of last minute things).

Of course, it's advised that printing should not be left to last minute. But, when working with many many people and stakeholders and having to get more than 5 OKs on 1 document... with intermittent power outages... it's a necessary evil.