4 days of Craziness 4 Real

So I'm not sure where to begin, at the time of my last post the project was having problems and I was facing some major problems. Since then...

Wed. I was fiercely ill. Nonetheless I spent the entire day reformulating my research question and method.

The complete focus now? "An assessment of Agency Provided Shelter to Vulnerable Populations within Dadaab."

By pursuing this route, I expect to be finshed by the end of August at the latest.

With a little assistance of a highly experienced consultant from the International Refugee Council, I created a 30 question survey and determined my requirements for sampling and quantitative analysis. I also made a new plan of action. Disappointingly, I realized that my students are fantastic at following step by step questions but struggle to analyze information and think critically. Although I came here with the hope of not being just another researcher, and instead providing some real tools for empowerment, I find that I must accept the situation and just get the job overwith.

Consequently, my pupils - and some other folks - are conducting surveys for the next 2 weeks, surveying approximately 350 people. I'm also doing 30 qualitative interviews and focus groups with other refugees. Lastly, structured interviews with agencies.
This sounds like a ton of work, but it is actually much easier than my previous strategy. I'm paying people about 6 dollars to conduct about 20 surveys each, and the qualitative work can be easily finished in 2 weeks.  In the end I will should have a tight 4x4 matrix of research with about 93% confidence.

 

Other news?

I didn't want to mention in advance, but the head planner from the the UNHCR was trying to set up an internship for me. However it turns out that he is leaving at the end of August, and the UN will not permit P3 internships - which means they don't want interns to be doing anything important. He said I can still work for him, but there is no means to document the time/work that I spent with him. On the other hand, UK Save The Children is desperately asking for my assistence for the site planning, design, and construction of 9 Safe Child Play Centers within the camps. So I ditched the UN and am taking up the UK SAVE project. I'm not asking for money, I'm only asking that I recieve some sort of official documentation of having worked as a consultant or intern.  As these shelters need to be constructed by December, I'm proposing prefabricated structures imported in pieces from Nairobi. They at first didn't like the idea, so I drew some blue prints and got a cost estimate to build it from scratch. Basically the buildings would be too small and cost too much - who would have thought, construction isn't easy around here. There is such a lack of skilled labor and supplies, every project is a huge hassel. The pre-fabs can go up in 3 days...

Anyway, I think I might have sold them on the idea, so they are talking about flying/driving me back to Nairobi next week to check out the options...not too bad, as I've been jonesin' for some peanut butter. No joke.