Twinning and Penpalling: Table Banking

Some bits and pieces:

I heard Ilana talking yesterday about a meeting with a large group of African project people, where they discussed the impact of twinning and penpalling. In short, they are nightmares for the project participants and coordinators. They feel threatened with loss of support if they don't reply to letters from the First World "twin", and they spend inordinate amounts of time and precious resources trying to meet the expectations of the "twin". At least one project has lost funding because of not living up to the expectations of a missionary group. And in another project one participant received a Christmas card containing $100. None of the other participants received such a gift. It was understandably upsetting and disruptive for the group. The point was that First World sponsors and penpals do it for themselves, not for the benefit of the recipients.



I heard about an effective practice for microfinancing within groups. Each woman puts X amount on the table and the group decides which two of the group can borrow half of the money for a month. The two then undertake an income generating project, and return the money with 10% interest next month. Then another two have a turn- until everyone has had a chance. They help each other out with initiatives that prove challenging (drought slows plants; someone is sick; whatever). At the end of a set period- eg at Christmas they may split the "pot" to allow for gifts for the children.



Judi from Tobermory is a nurse practitioner. She described visiting a health care project here in the Joburg area. She held the hand of a man who lay in bed completely unresponsive, apparently close to death. Then a group of 4 men who were touring the room surrounded the bed. A burly man among them said-Look at me- I was there (in the bed) in 2008. That was ME. YOU're gonna get better. Before you know it, you're gonna kick those covers off the bed. Another of the group affirmed that it was true, and commented that the healing of the mind goes along with ARVs.





Short-term (fundraising) and Long-term (advocacy). The two pillars.