Doing Nothing - A Succession Success Story

Between late last week and early this week a minor crisis took place at Theodora in Ghana. Our new trainees were not paid. 

The problem came about because of a mistake where 800 Cedis (local currency) were sent rather than 800 US Dollars. The Cedi is worth about 10 Cents at the moment. I understand that it was an error by one of the banks involved though I don't actually know this for a fact. 

The process for the Grant money that is funding this is convoluted. It is sent from the U.S. Rotary Club, to the Club in Ghana. They, in turn, send it to the organization which recruited the women, Muslim Family Counseling Service. Finally it gets to M at Theodora who distributes it to the women being trained in the program. 

I am on the WhatsApp group that includes everyone from the four entities that are engaged in this Grant. I watched the frustrated communication go back and forth for days. And here is where, I suppose, I show myself to be selfish. Because I am repeating my gratitude mantra. "How cool is this"  and feeling very happy and grateful. Because I am TOTALLY not involved with it. It is the responsibility of others. And I know they will take care of it because they are competent people who care. 

How Cool Is This. 

Theodora & Other African Social Impact Program Update - Part Four

This is the last of the four-part series on the status of the African social impact projects. In Parts One and Two, I laid out the status of two primary projects, Theodora and Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking Economic Development Initiative (Gad that's a mouthful. I wish I could find a shorter way other than an acronym to get it across). In Part Three, I set out the specific goals I have for the coming year. In Part Four, I am going to let myself stretch a bit from what is clearly doable, to what I am hoping to pull off.

As I sit here, 78 years old, I see one project (Theodora) that is getting really close to true sustainability. I see the other project (EDI) getting close to proof of concept. If we hit the short-term goals, Theodora has a real opportunity to survive and continue even if I am gone. EDI has a bit further to go. If even Theodora alone becomes self-sustaining, that would be quite the win. 

However, I think there is a possibility I can take what has been accomplished so far and use it to build something that has longer-term potential even without me. That is what's critically important. It has to work without me. 

It's too early to go into specifics, but I find I am in the hub of a number of situations that would be much more powerful working as one than working independently. The critical two are led by people who have similar personal situations as me. They don't have forever to take what they're doing and turn it into something sustainable.I need to slowly and patiently start building bridges between the entities and individuals so that the case for joining forces becomes more obvious. 

So my long-term goal is to see if I can pull off this merging of resources and create a social impact entity, based on the principles I've developed at Theodora and EDI, which has sufficient size and funding to become an on-going entity, an entity that will be able to afford professional leadership. 

Theodora & Other African Social Impact Program Update - Part Three

Continuing our update on all things Theodora and Social Impact

Short-Term Goals 

For Theodora:

Our day-to-day operations are finally solid. Our current cash flow is strong enough that even if we lost a couple of clients, we would not be thrown into cash flow negative situation. So the goals I have set for this year are: 

• Pay down all the debt that we took on to cover us during the development years and the recent cash flow negative years. To accomplish this goal, we would have to not have a client loss set back like we've had in the past. But if we can avoid that, it is doable.

• Get a working new business development/lead generation system launched so the business can free itself from dependence on me.

•  Find some kind of mentoring/coaching for M so she can develop and grow as a manager and leader, and not have to learn everything OJT and the 'hard way'.

•  Add sufficient new clients that we can hire the women who are currently in training.

• Get the Rotary Club of Accra Spintex to take Theodora on as one of its long-term projects.

For EDI:

 

 We finally have a beta test with an organization that provides a model for replication. 

•  We need to have success in getting this model up and running. Knowing as I do the obstacles you face doing these things, I know it will not be easy.

•  Find at least one other similar situation, hopefully two, with which we can test the model. A population of one is too small to provide data on how to build something scalable. 

• Secure funding from the club to handle seed funding for those in the program building businesses.

• Develop a model for paying the volunteers that are providing the critical knowledge to make the program work. 

For de-I:

 

Over the last six months, I have successfully divested myself of virtually every bit of operational detail related to both projects. This has been shown by:

•  The training grant for Theodora that was developed and is being executed with virtually no involvement by me.

• My total non-involvement in any day-to-day activities at the virtual assistant business.

• My lack of involvement in any of the detail related to the new EDI project.

What I am getting to do is deals, putting together the various players in a way to make projects come to life. And if you know my past business career, you know that his is putting me in my sweet spot, the spot where I can be engaged in an extremely valuable way, but am not doing anything that sucks energy out of me. So this year, I want to show that I can put more of these 'deals' together that drive the mission forward. 

Theodora & Other African Social Impact Program Update - Part Two

Economic Development Initiative (EDI) Today

 Engaging with the Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking in 2020 brought a much greater exposure to the issue of human trafficking than my small slice of experience in Ghana. As I learned more, and compared what I heard to what I was experiencing with Theodora, I became even more convinced that economic opportunity, the availability of jobs, was critical to reducing the number of people vulnerable to trafficking. 

This led to my presenting to Club leadership, a proposal that we should get involved in grassroots economic development. To my shock, they were Gung-ho. Fortunately, I was almost immediately able to find a couple of resources, experienced at doing just the kind of economic development I envisioned who liked what I proposed and offered to make available their services on a volunteer basis. 

This program was based on providing pragmatic, hands-on entrepreneur training combined with on-going business coaching. It aimed at populations that would never be able to do a Theodora type of program. And we were going to offer it for free! With great enthusiasm we sought out organizations to partner up with us. 

We immediately hit a wall. Our program required local mentors to be trained to do the actual coaching of the start-up entrepreneurs. What we found was that most people we approached, didn't have the surplus time to do the training and mentoring. So we languished. 

This year, however, through local contacts here in New Mexico, I found a group that was supporting a school for orphaned children in Zambia. They'd been operating for 25 years and had great concerns about what was happening to the children once they finished school. After a number of months of exploration, they made a decision to adopt the program. It made great sense as they were already paying teachers so could dictate to the teachers the additional training and coaching. This has resolved the finding of mentors problem. 

They had their kick-off meeting for the teachers and staff with 25 people participating. Our goal is to get the 90 children in the Senior and Junior classes in the entrepreneur training by the second quarter of the year. 

I am absolutely positive we will find unforeseen obstacles. Hopefully we will overcome these and see some degree of successful business creation. If we do, we will have our model for expanding this program.  

Theodora & Other African Social Impact Program Update - Part One

Way back in November, I blithely mentioned in a transition subject post that I would provide a separate update on the subject of the Theodora Project and my Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking Economic Development Initiative (EDI) project. Well here we are in January and I am just getting around to it. I'm going to organize this into four sections. And because as I started to write this I realized it is going to be very long, I am going to break it down into four separate posts

• Theodora today update
• EDI today update
• Short-term goals
• Long-term transition goals

Theodora Today 

Amazing as it may seem, Theodora Ghana Virtual Assistants is operating very stably. We are currently running cash flow positive. My manager, M, has stepped up to the plate and runs everything day-to-day operationally. I have no involvement with clients, with work product, facility operations, training, etc. When one considers our mission, and how far our people had to go to be commercially relevant, this is pretty amazing. I am still running our finances. And we have a big challenge to develop a business development system. (See Short-Term Goals)

One of the major events taking place over 2025, was our receiving a District International Grant via my Club to train new participants. This is a big deal for many reasons.

Obviously it is important because it provides the funds to do the training we need to grow. However, it also provides validation that others see our concept works. To understand this, you need to understand how this grant came to be because I had nothing to do with it. 

Manager M also sits on the Board of our Rotary Club. The Club, for its own reasons, wanted to get an international grant done. The key leaders went to M and asked her if Theodora could use funds. As it turned out, we had been wanting to train some new people provided by our prospective partner, the Muslim Family Counseling Service but had lacked the funds to do so. M suggested that be the use of grant funds. They got the grant put together and through one of our Board members got the necessary Ghana based club to do the grant. 

M has subsequently done everything necessary to set up our facilities to house the new participants, organized the training, and is managing the training. If that were all, it alone would be validation when one considers how little M knew when she became our first program participant. But it is the back story of why the club approached M in the first place that is the real validation.

When I asked the clubs founding Presidents why they wanted to do the grant with Theodora they said,

"We have watched M and your other participants (who do volunteer work for the club). We watched her transform from an insecure girl escaping exploitation, to a confident young woman who is a major contributor to our Club and Board. If we are an organization that aims to prevent trafficking, we need to support organizations like Theodora that prove they can transform people and give them opportunities."

Further validation has come from the involvement of the Ghana Rotary Club. This is a club I met the very first trip I made to Ghana in 2019. My two strongest local Board members are from this club. But I've never been able to get the club as a whole pay any attention to Theodora. Their having been brought into this grant as completely changed that. They want to conduct a PR campaign promoting what Theodora is doing. They have asked to visit our operation when I'm in Ghana to learn more about the project. 

Now there is still a lot, A LOT we need to do to get Theodora truly sustainable. But that hill is a lot lower and manageable than it was even 9 months ago. 

Next post - the EDI today update

The Eyes Have It - A de-I Medical Systems Saga

Long time readers know de-I's great love for the medical system, particularly things like emergency rooms, urgent care facilities, hospitals, surgical procedures, etc.  Most of my recent experiences have been associated with Wife's trials and tribulations. However, my latest experience was my own, getting cataract replacement surgery. 

Before I go through the drama and gory details, I will just let you know that the first eye procedure has ended up just fine (so far). But the process of getting here has been, as usual, not the cleanest and smoothest process. 

The Preliminaries  

I've known for quite some time that cataracts were forming. But I had been told that they were not bad enough to warrant the surgery. About 3 years ago, I got a new eye doctor (I have glaucoma so am on regular testing and watch) when my long-time doctor retired. The new one stopped even mentioning what was going on with the cataracts. But over the last year and a half I noticed a distinct drop in my overall vision capability despite my testing fine at the eye doctor. I thought I needed a new glasses prescription, but that didn't help. Finally in November, I asked my doctor about the problem and if it could be cataracts. She said she didn't deal with cataracts and they set me up for an appointment with that specialty area. 

The Decision 

I use a very large eye doctor practice. To get an appointment with my regular doctor can require a six to eight month window before they can find an opening. The cataract surgery group? I was in within days. They do their check up and pronounce that I am a candidate. Would I like the surgery done in four days? By the way, we have these cool special lens, not covered by insurance that will only cost you two grand. Here sign these approval papers. There just in case you decide you want them. You're not making any commitments. Yes we are going to have you out of your glasses and...

WHAT! WAIT! Hold On. I have travel and stuff and need to think about how I schedule it. I have worn glasses practically my whole life. I watch people fumbling around with their readers and their sunglasses and that doesn't look like a better lifestyle to me. And my left eye is a piece of shit that barely works and will need correction no matter what we do with the cataracts.

By the time I leave the surgery scheduling, my mind is spinning and I'm not sure at all what I am actually getting.

Surgery 

The surgery was scheduled for December 30. Looking at the nicely printed jacket they give you that holds all your information for pre, day of, and post surgery, I notice the very high quality photos of the THIRTEEN CATARACT SURGEONS in this practices department. I am thinking the make a helluva a lot of money on this procedure.

Most of my trepidation about this procedure has to do with how I'm going to function with only one eye repaired. The other won't be done for another month. I won't be able to use my glasses, and I'm not quite certain what I'm getting. I'm pretty sure I told them to fix the short vision and keep my needing glasses for the long vision (there are all kinds of options they have for fixing one or the other in addition to getting rid of the cataracts.)

It's a busy day at the surgery center. This is out patient stuff. It will take around 3 hours, most of which is waiting in all its medical system forms - waiting to go in, waiting to be looked at, waiting to have preliminary work done, waiting for them to finally take you to the OR. Waiting in the OR. Until you finally have the procedure which takes all of 15 minutes. 

Oh, forgot to tell you about the ongoing issue with the super lens you have to pay for. I go to check in and they say, "You have a payment due for your super snazzy not insurance covered lens. I explain (a bit miffed) that I didn't order it. That the scheduling people said I should sign the authorization 'in case I changed my mind.' Well I'm not changing my mind. So I have to wait while they call back and get it approved for just a normal lens. Then when I'm being prepped, the lens tech comes in and tells me all about the snazzy new lens I'm getting. So I have to tell HER that no, I'm just getting the regular lens. 

She goes off to get the regular lens. I'm thinking, "What if I let them put in the snazzy new lens?" Would they come back and charge me for it?" I'm glad I didn't, I don't need the hassle of the fight.

The surgery is done with just local numbing anesthetics and some mild sedatives if you want them. I used a little bit but I think for the second eye I will do without. They don't let you have alcohol afterwards if you've had the sedatives, and I want a drink afterwards. 

Post-Op 

 You eye is feeling pretty miserable and there is some pain (but Nothing, NOTHING like having your kidney removed) and as I feared I really couldn't see much of anything clearly between the healing right eye, my good eye, and my relatively useless left eye. I'm still freaking out about this. The next day you go in for a post-op check-up. They are telling me everything is looking good and my eyesight will be pretty awesome once everything heals up and I can get both eyes ready to be re-eye glassed. And they give me a pair of 'loaner glasses for my long vision. Guess what, they work! We walk out and everything looks clear, bright and colorful. Wife is ready to kill me because on the drive home, I'm reading every sign at distance I can because I haven't been able to for two years. 

I feel like I have a semi-opaque screen over the operated eye. Did I sleep wrong and put pressure on it? Have I knocked the lens out of kilter? It's New Year's Day so I can't call to find out what might be wrong. But by afternoon, everything seems to have cleared up. I go online and check on what the normal recovery sequence is for this surgery. Oh, it's going to take a lot longer than I thought, and a lot of my issues are pretty normal. Guess it would have been smart to done this research BEFORE the operation.

For the next few days, it seems that it takes 5 or so hours before the eye 'warms-up' and everything is working as it should. It is a little weird and annoying to have to take my glasses off to read short and work on the computer. And the short vision is not perfect. I'm sure I will still be needing trifocals, which is fine, as long as the haze of the cataracts are gone.

In mid February I will have the second eye done. But I will not get my final set of glasses until we get back from our SE Asia Trip when all should be healed and settled.  

 

Yes! We Are An Incredibly Serious Family

 I am sure that many of you when you read my posts related to the family and their visiting might think we are bit less than serious. YOU WOULD BE WRONG. We are a serious and sober family. Cotton Mather and Massachusetts Puritans would feel frivolous compared to the de-I/Wife clan. Even though the #3 arm of the clan is in Sweden, we often have very engaged and deeply thoughtful text chats. Here is an only very slightly edited version of one that took place just this morning related to daughter #3's love for the breakfast cereal, Grapenuts, which she sadly cannot find in Sweden.

3.1 - Mom we have constructed your perfect burger: lettuce or two thin slices of brown bread with stuff in it for burger bun, a two Patty burger with one being halloumi and the other a bean patty, with mushrooms, tomatoes. Onion, aubergine and broccoli, with a side of a salad WITH Dutch frieten and mayo and your dessert is Grapenuts DQ

 

3A - The burger would be 50%+ broccoli though. And, we are not sure if there would be more Grapenuts than ice cream in the DQ dessert

 

de-I - Is this something that has actually been achieved or will be achieved soon. Or is this a theoretical construct

 

3.1 - Theoretical, for now…Until mom sees it of course.

 

#3 - I will bring Grapenuts next time to DQ...

 

3.2 – 3.1, are you offering to make it?

 

de-I -Yes Yes Yes. It must be done now 3.1!

 

3A - Don't force them to tap the NO GRAPE NUTS!! sign again

 

#3 - *sigh* if only extra Grapenuts were an option every where

 

3.2 - I'm looking at you Burger King!!!!

 

de-I - If Grapenuts were everywhere we would end up with things like frieten with Grapenuts mayo, Grapenuts Potato Salad, and our pizza would come with a packet of Grapenuts to sprinkle over each slice. Best the remain a hard to find US breakfast food

 

3.2 - Personally I think that mom would love if the world was taken over by Grapenuts.....Buuuut from a health standpoint maybe its best if Grapenuts aren't everywhere

 

de-I - If you could find something that would bind Grapenuts together, you could form a statue based on your Mother’s image and it would become the goddess of the Grapenuts cult! 😃

 

3.2 - Whose gonna provide the Grapenuts tho? You think I'm made of Grapenuts?

 

de-I - I will. I will bring them in September. We will have to hide them from Mums or she will eat them before you can create the idol.

de-I - You should be honored that you are deified as their cult Goddess. This will entitle you to rent a place on the lowest slum slopes of Mount Olympus where the Magical Unicorn Pony God of Travel resides. Then you could become the Magical Sales Manager Goddess of Grapenuts!

 

#3 - 🤩, MSMGG! Has a nice ring to it.

 

de-I - I’m telling you deification has a lot of upsides

 

#3 - All of this just makes me want Grapenuts

 

3.2 - Are we supposed to be learning of this? Or is it a secret cult?

 

de-I - Well as one of the cult founders you kind of need to know. How can you sculpt the idol of the demi-Goddess if you are unaware of the cult?

 

#3 - OMG marshmallow cereal treats made of Grapenuts!! Birthday cake sorted 3.2

 

de-I – 3.2, The Magical Sales Manager Goddess of Grapenuts speaks!

 

3.2 - WHAT??? NO!!!!

 And thus do we as a family deal with the true and deep issues of the day.