guides, bodyguards and transport, Zamboanga, Phillipines
other questions here:
OS: Aren’t there local architects?
DS: Yes, there are local architects, however on Mindanao there are few or no experienced firms. The Philippines, like most countries served by CESO, are interested in new ideas and perhaps more importantly, new processes or strategies for collectively developing new ideas. There are many highly skilled and flamboyant Philippine architects in the large cities of Cebu and Manilla. The way I personally develop and nurture my projects or assignments is to introduce the client to architecture and planning, demonstrate the benefits of the profession, then work with the client and local counterpart architects to build momentum, consensus and under- standing in the project. We help the clients to set a couse and put the clients in the hands of appropriate trained professionals when they are needed. When I leave after six weeks, I measure the sucerss of the assignment by how well the client-consultant team has coalesced, how strong the collective vision is, and how much momentum or commitment is built toward achieving that vision. I measure success by how non-essential I am to the ongoing process. At this point, the newly constituted local team takes over. I do not leave the process until I am redundant and they take ownership.
In many countries in which we work, for example Russia, they totally lack a middle class — a proven formula for disaster, abuse and revolu- tion, anarch and death. We and CESO work with people who can best multipy or expand our efforts.
OS: Rotary/CESO?
DS: Rotary International contributes financial assistance when a part - nership can be established between the volunteer expert’s home club and a host club in the receiving city. As a result the volunteer work in magnified through friendshp, understanding and exchanges. The work I have seen done in these countries by Rotary International and the local Rotary Clubs would bring tears to your eyes. While I was in Zamboanga an international team of 20 doctors held a one week clinic on an exhaustive schedule providing free operations to people who could not afford them.
OS: Why is CESO in countries that have rich people who could help their own people?
DS: This is a whole new article. Suffice it to say that there are very few very rich, almost no middle class and millions of poor. Some of the rich have not been the nicest folks, e.g.‘New Russians’. CESO has been successful in changing that.
OS: Does ‘influential’clients mean ‘affluent’?
DS: The goals of CESO, Canadian Foreign Policy and CIDA are many, highly motivated and honourable. It is my understanding that Canada believes that if we can help make each country a better country, then poco a poco we will have a better world.
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ON SITE review 6: BEAUTY
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