realitystudio.webblogg.se

What a super exiting day 2 of us (Klara and Ylva) had yesterday! In the morning we went, together with Anni, to the County Government to have a short meeting (we got maximum 30 minutes) with the Minister of Tourism and Trade, of Kisumu county. Anni had some questions about plans for branding and development of lake Victoria, while Klara and I wanted to know more about the future of the many marketplaces there are around here. 30 minutes became 1,5 hour of questions and at that time the plans for the day had changed and the planned market visit tour that was cancelled was back on the schedule, so 30 minutes became in the end 10 hours. So, the tour was planned for the minister and the chief officer of commers, tourism and heritage to get an overview over a few markets for the budget planning for next financial year, and Klara and I were welcome to join. We visited six markets in the rural area outside Kisumu. At four of the markets we had interesting market meetings with chairmen of different groups in the market, the market master, businessmen and others. We were treated as important guests sitting with 'Madame Minister' in the front. We were welcomed and prayed for as guests from 'wherever' with the wish we will have a safe journey back to 'wherever'. In the meeting everyone got to explain their issues, needs and visions for their market. And it's quite easy to sum it up, all the markets need: water, toilets, proper shading and a garbage dumping site. And what one market talked about for two-three hours is hard to tell since I only know about three words in Swahili. What do you do for two-three hours in a plastic chair with 20 faces looking your way and you can't even follow the discussion more than all the numbers and some sentences here and there that suddenly are spoken out in English? Well, I got to practise my artistic skills while sketching people's shoes and the surrounding.

After or before each meeting we walked around and looked at the sites and some are worse than others. Some have got new structures that are standing empty and some are forced to trade in the mud just waiting for the rain period to sweep them and their goods away. The Minister doesn't have an easy job dividing the budget. But than, so much could be done from within the markets with almost no money if the traders just got together, but instead it's easier to sit still and sell a tomato per hour and wait another 15 years to get help and finance from above and outside. Someone comes in from far away and do projects that has no research around to, put up a building or moving the market to places where the customers don't come. Well, it's such a complex and complicated situation this..I hope the new county can do something and solve some problems!

We ended the tour to buy fruits through the tinted windows in our luxury car, and we came home happy and hungry. This was one of those days when "lunch comes she it comes, sometimes it doesn't come..." and when we smelled food in the staircase on the way up to our guest house and understood it is Monday and Sooper dinner Monday, the good feeling we had got even better.