I am writing this blog while we wait for permits to work at Mvumi Hospital, Tanzania. My intention is to use this as a regular diary as we prepare and work as volunteers for 6 months. (http://www.mvumi.org/)
The past 18 months have been more dramatic than Irene and I expected. When we moved from Newcastle to Chesham we imagined that we might be here for about 10 years when I would have reached the normal retirement age. However the past year has been traumatic as it became clear that my new job was not going to work out. But even though humanly speaking the circumstances have been bizarre we have had the assurance that God was with us throughout
I eventually retired, quite suddenly, at the end of July 2007. For some months we chilled out in order to get the experience out of our system. We also prayed about what to do next – should I supplement my pension by seeking lucrative consultancy work, or did God want something else?
The past 18 months have been more dramatic than Irene and I expected. When we moved from Newcastle to Chesham we imagined that we might be here for about 10 years when I would have reached the normal retirement age. However the past year has been traumatic as it became clear that my new job was not going to work out. But even though humanly speaking the circumstances have been bizarre we have had the assurance that God was with us throughout
I eventually retired, quite suddenly, at the end of July 2007. For some months we chilled out in order to get the experience out of our system. We also prayed about what to do next – should I supplement my pension by seeking lucrative consultancy work, or did God want something else?
Its been about 3 months since we first asked about voluntary work through our church mission partners. An immediate response was received from Simon Walton at Mvumi as they are desperate for an accountant to help a new management team to get matters into order. After the initial excitement and early preparatory work we submitted applications for permits at the end of January, and are now learning one of the first lessons - patience with 'African time'. As I write this most arrangements have been made (plans for moving items into storage, homes for dog and cars have been found, injections, learning basic Swahili etc) - just the permit to go, and then we should be off within about 3 weeks.
Excitement is now tempered with some apprehension as we think about the culture challenges we will face!!!!
The hospital, based in Mvumi, a village south of the country’s capital, Dodoma is in one of the poorest parts of Tanzania. It is run by the Anglican Diocese of Central Tanganyka and is recognized by the Government. It provides a wide range of in-patient and out-patient services dealing with a many diseases including HIV/AIDS which has been an increasing problem.
The intention is that the hospital should be more directly funded by the Government, which means that, although it will still be managed by the church, patients will no longer need to pay for food, and that other running costs such as electricity will be paid. This is increasingly important as those living in the area have experienced many years of drought which have affected harvest, and therefore have found it difficult to pay for the costs of their care.
The problem is that in recent years there have been difficulties in the management and accounting arrangements at the hospital, and it is important to get these back into order. The interim administration team, including medical managers, administrator and a financial manager, is being appointed to carry this out. My responsibilities as financial controller will include:
- implementing a computerized accounting system, and training staff in its use
- reviewing the financial systems ensuring the accounts and financial management information are up to date
- ensuring that local staff are able to manage the systems once I return to the UK
And there will be work for Irene to do possibly on the management side but she doesn’t mind learning to milk the cow!
An exciting, but somewhat scary opportunity. There are still a number of practical matters to complete before we know when we will leave. Originally we thought we would leave end of February or early March - it now seems like the end of April or early May. Who knows - end of 2008 or early 2009!!!!!
Excitement is now tempered with some apprehension as we think about the culture challenges we will face!!!!
The hospital, based in Mvumi, a village south of the country’s capital, Dodoma is in one of the poorest parts of Tanzania. It is run by the Anglican Diocese of Central Tanganyka and is recognized by the Government. It provides a wide range of in-patient and out-patient services dealing with a many diseases including HIV/AIDS which has been an increasing problem.
The intention is that the hospital should be more directly funded by the Government, which means that, although it will still be managed by the church, patients will no longer need to pay for food, and that other running costs such as electricity will be paid. This is increasingly important as those living in the area have experienced many years of drought which have affected harvest, and therefore have found it difficult to pay for the costs of their care.
The problem is that in recent years there have been difficulties in the management and accounting arrangements at the hospital, and it is important to get these back into order. The interim administration team, including medical managers, administrator and a financial manager, is being appointed to carry this out. My responsibilities as financial controller will include:
- implementing a computerized accounting system, and training staff in its use
- reviewing the financial systems ensuring the accounts and financial management information are up to date
- ensuring that local staff are able to manage the systems once I return to the UK
And there will be work for Irene to do possibly on the management side but she doesn’t mind learning to milk the cow!
An exciting, but somewhat scary opportunity. There are still a number of practical matters to complete before we know when we will leave. Originally we thought we would leave end of February or early March - it now seems like the end of April or early May. Who knows - end of 2008 or early 2009!!!!!
