Co-operatives in Northern Uganda have invited Six Canadian Co-operative Association volunteers to help them measure their enterprises against international standards using CCA’s Development Ladder Assessment Tool (DLA). Follow Linda Archer’s exciting account of their 2-week mission working side-by-side with Ugandan co-operators as they plot the path forward for their co-ops and credit unions. The result is a snapshot of how the co-op is doing - and a set of benchmark scores for measuring progress as they grow their co-operative enterprise.

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Day 1 - 20 hours in transit for an experience of a lifetime

Well, for those of you wondering what I'm doing in retirement, I'll let you know about a current project I'm involved with. Have you ever seen the Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF) postings for international cooperative development work?  When I was working I always thought they sounded interesting but couldn't devote the time required. I now have both the time and the interest and so, find myself sitting in my hotel room in Kampala Uganda writing this. I'm joined by 5 other Canadians and we'll soon be heading into rural Northern Uganda to do one on one work with farmers cooperatives, marketing cooperatives and SACCOs (that's credit unions to us).

The project is to further the CDF objective to alleviate poverty in underdeveloped countries through cooperatives; who wouldn't support this objective???  We are so very fortunate in Canada and this gave me something that I was looking forward to in terms of doing something worthwhile in retirement. After a busy and exciting career did any of you actually think I'd sit still for long?

Once jet lag wears off after my over 20 hours of flying I'll take time to write more. This is the adventure of a lifetime and I get to do good at the same time - - how lucky am I? 

Stay tuned and I'll try to send some pictures as well.

Off to bed before I collapse. Thanks.
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