first thursday august archive

Full archive, unedited, of First Thursday August 2010

Julius joined the chat

12:15

nikki fishman joined the chat

12:32

nikki fishman

Edited 05/08/2010 12:33 - nikki fishman

Hi Pam I have been able to join you for today's chat

nikki fishman added Edi Jerry to this chat

12:36

nikki fishman added alhericlem, Bidi Bala, Elaine Hickey, john iruaga, Kazanka Comfort, Kelechi B.G. Micheals, Marcus Simmons, Frances Dada, Chollom to this chat

12:38

nikki fishman

12:39

Hi Jerry can you see my typing?

Pamela

12:41

Hi Julius

12:41

How are you? Are you still in Norway?

Edi Jerry

12:44

Sorry Nikki I was with a client

12:44

now i can see you typing

nikki fishman

12:45

Hi Edi I meant to check with you yesterday I notice that you are sometimes called Edi and jerry which do you prefer?

Edi Jerry

12:45

hi pam

12:45

any of the two will do,but people often call Edi

nikki fishman

12:45

No worries about being late...welcome we started early as this is my first time using public skype

12:46

Edi it is then:-)

Edi Jerry

12:46

ok, thanks Nikki

12:46

how has the meeting been?

nikki fishman

12:46

Pam will be joining us shortly

Edi Jerry

12:46

Hi Elaine

Elaine Hickey

12:46

Hello all

nikki fishman

12:47

Hi Elaine

Pamela

12:47

ah - if we have Elaine and we have Edi then we have a successful meeing

12:47

please introduce yourselves

Chollom

12:47

Hi all

Pamela

12:48

Chollom too welcome

Edi Jerry

12:48

You are welcome Pam

Chollom

12:48

Hi Pam, Nikki, Elaine

Edi Jerry

12:48

My name is Edi Jerry

nikki fishman

12:48

Elaine Chollom and Edi are at Fantsuam

Chollom

12:48

Thanks Pam

12:48

Kelechi should be joining us soon

Elaine Hickey

12:48

Hi, I haven't been at a first Thursday in a long time so will be reading and catching up on all of the events.

Edi Jerry

12:48

I work with Fantsuam Foundation in the HIV/AIDS department

nikki fishman

12:49

Elaine am I right in saying that you are in Ireland...is it Dublin?

12:50

yes I was dying to ask you about your work at yesterday's meeting as I remember that John said a while back that you were involved in this programme

Edi Jerry

12:50

Sannu Chollom

Chollom

12:51

Sannu Edi

nikki fishman

12:51

Welcome Chollom

Chollom

12:51

Thanks N

nikki fishman

12:51

Chollom please explain to Elaine what you do at Fantsuam

Elaine Hickey

12:52

Hi Chollom and Edi

Chollom

12:53

Hi elaine

Pamela

12:53

Are you on your lunch break elaine?

Chollom

12:53

I am Chollom and I work with ZittNet which is the IT department of Fantsuam Foundation

Edi Jerry

12:53

The HIV/AIDS Dept of Fantsuam provides services such as HIV counselling and testing, OVC services, Home Based Care for HIV pisitive clients, regular monthly support group meetings of persons living with HIV

Kelechi B.G. Micheals

12:51

Hi all,

Chollom

12:55

I serve as the network administrator

Edi Jerry

12:55

we train community volunteers to identify and refer TB suspects within their local communities to nearest DOTS centers

12:56

we also rescue, link to care and shelter negatively labelled children

nikki fishman

12:56

DOTS centres? Edi short for?

Pamela

12:57

I wonder why elaine has gone quiet - let us put up useful information for her to read -

Edi Jerry

12:58

Directly Observed Treatment Shortcourse - DOTS, ie where TB drugs are given to clients free

nikki fishman

12:59

I heard of my first TB case only yesterday a friend's husband has it still pretty rare in the UK but growing numbers

12:59

ah thanks Edi

Edi Jerry

12:59

you are welcome

Pamela

12:59

perhaps she needs to give attetion to a visitor at work

Edi Jerry

12:59

Tuberculosis is very common here

nikki fishman

12:59

I trained as a paediatric and general nurse so health and welfare are subjects close to my heart

Edi Jerry

1:00

as it is one of the most common opportunistic infections associated with HIV infection

nikki fishman

Edited 05/08/2010 1:01 - nikki fishman

ah that is interesting I hadn't apreciated this link

Elaine Hickey

1:02

Hi, sorry that I went quiet someone was asking me a question here

1:02

Thank you for the introductions and information

Edi Jerry

1:02

unfortunately, Kafanchan as a rural community has about the highest prevalence of HIV infection in Nigeria

1:02

so it is a huge problem around here

nikki fishman

1:03

How many people are you able to help each year?

Pamela added Philip Anthony Turner to this chat

1:03

nikki fishman

1:04

What do you see as the best way for you to tackle this problem?

Edi Jerry

1:04

about three months ago, it used to be an average of 50 clients per month

Elaine Hickey

1:04

How many people work in the Dept ?

Chollom

1:05

Kelechi is having problems connecting

nikki fishman

1:05

of course you help one client but by doing so help so many others such as their family members

Pamela

1:06

what kind of problem Chollom? is it

Edi Jerry

1:06

however, we are now having figures of over a hundred per month

Pamela

1:06

Hi Phil - are you here yet?

Philip Anthony Turner

1:06

Hi All - Phil is here

Pamela

1:06

I hope K will be able to join us

Chollom

1:07

He stopped seeing messages from the chat

nikki fishman

1:07

Is this because the problem is growing or is it because more people are hearing of about what FF can do to help?

Chollom

1:07

Hi Phil

Edi Jerry

1:08

it is basically because of dearth of test kits

1:08

we now have many CBOs making referrals to us

Philip Anthony Turner

1:08

Hi Chollom. Who am I? Pam said in the Countdown message - Phil (in England) is joining us for the first time. We met at Franz Nahrada's workshop in

Vienna earlier this year and have various overlapping interests. Welcome Phil!

Edi Jerry

1:09

it is also because of the success of our agressive HIV awarenes within local communities over time

nikki fishman

1:10

Hi Phil I work with Pam in the UK

Pamela

1:10

Chollom are you and Kelechi in the same buiding ?

1:11

Now we have done some greetings perhaps we shoud choose a topic to focus on for a while.

Edi Jerry

1:11

hi Phil, am Edi from Fantsuam Foundation

Chollom

1:11

We were but he just stepped out

Pamela

1:11

We can continue to discuss health, or how FF si organised, or a new topic

nikki fishman

1:11

Once someone has tested positive do you offer conselling and treatment...how well are you resourced...I know that this is an ongoing battle for John and Fantsuam

Pamela

1:11

what do people prefer?

Edi Jerry

1:12

we actually counsel before and after test

Pamela

1:12

When K gets online again it mght be useful for K and El to have a quick chat about open source at FF

nikki fishman

1:13

yes conselling before is important

Edi Jerry

1:13

and make referral to facilities we work closely with for treatment- ie to access ARVs

Pamela

1:13

My main hope is that elane will get to know the team in Nigeria better today

Elaine Hickey

1:14

Do you have a list of topics that were proposed for discussion ? Perhaps list these and we can work through them one by one or pick the top 3 topics to discuss in detail

Pamela

1:14

let us make her the main guest of honour... and also welcome Phil into our group

Elaine Hickey

1:14

Thank you and welcome Phil

nikki fishman

1:14

Phil - Chollom,Edi,Kelechi all work at Fantsuam Foundation http://www.fantsuam.org/

Elaine Hickey

1:15

So Chollom and Kelechi both work primarily on the Zittnet project and technical side of things and Edi works with the HIV /AIDS dept. Is that correct ?

Pamela

1:16

This shows what I was kind of expecting for today http://dadamac.posterous.com/countdown-to-todays-first-thursday

Edi Jerry

1:16

very correct Elaine

Pamela

1:16

please explain more Ch and Edi

Elaine Hickey

1:16

Excellent

nikki fishman

1:17

that is my understanding. They are all the experts in their fields

Edi Jerry

1:19

Fantsuam is a community based non govt organization which strives to fight poverty and disadvantage amongst rural people with integrated development programs

Chollom

1:19

Sorry I will be popping in and out

nikki fishman

1:19

No worries Chollom

Elaine Hickey

1:19

I think there is a lot of interest in Edi's work as maybe we hadn't heard or don't know too much about it to date. Perhaps we can continue to discuss this first and what the Fantsuam team need from us to help support this work

Pamela

1:19

Elaine is interested in helping us - and she has many skills - but we need to help her find how she can best use her skills as a Dadamac volunteer.

1:20

that sounds a good idea Elaine

Chollom

1:20

ZittNet is the first rural ISP in Nigeria and ZittNet provides internet services to the different depts in Fantsuam and a sizable client base within Kafanchan, Recently, we added a first client to our network form outside Kafanchan

Pamela

1:20

please guide the conversation as you prefer to do

Julius Galdikas

1:21

Hi Pam and everybody.. Yes I'm still in Oslo. Have some things to do.. I'll try to join as soon as possible

Pamela

1:21

If we know the kind of questions that people like elaine and phil want to ask then we will have a better idea of what we should put on our website.

Elaine Hickey

1:22

In relation to HIV/Aids dept. I can try to look at fundraising options, forging links with Rotary. I also previously volunteered for a charity in the UK who look at the impact of nutrition and HIV. I suppose one of the main issues is preventing people from getting a secondary illness such as TB.

Edi Jerry

1:22

Fantsuam plans to set up a computer center at the orphanage where we our rescued children are sheltered

Pamela

1:22

Hi Julius - welcome back

Philip Anthony Turner

1:22

No questions from me - I am just observing for the moment

Elaine Hickey

1:22

http://www.foodchain.org.uk/ - link to the UK charity

Pamela

1:23

we are using this conversation to introduce the team at fantuam to some people in the UK

Edi Jerry

1:23

we also plan to set up a DOTS center so TB drugs are brought closer to the rural community

Elaine Hickey

1:24

Edi, what would be helpful would be a breakdown of the services Fantsuam provide. Chollum & Kelechi - I would guess that you are involved in the setup of the computer center

Edi Jerry

1:25

we have been making referrals to DOTS centers and clients within the community who are economically challenged are not able to make to such centers

Pamela

1:25

Phil and Julius - of course you both know each other through all three of us being at Franz Nahrada's workshop in Vienna

Philip Anthony Turner

1:25

Look at http://www.fantsuam.org/

Pamela

1:25

everyone - teh workshop in vienna was about communites linking up through the Internet

1:26

so it is good that people from Franz's group are now linking with us here.

1:27

It is good for them to join our Dadamac UK-Nigeria online community

Philip Anthony Turner

1:27

Vienna - Video bridge - see http://www.dorfwiki.org/wiki.cgi?VideoBridge/GrundtvigWorkshop

Pamela

1:28

perhaps we should explain the different bits of "the computer centre' to elaine

nikki fishman

Edited 05/08/2010 1:29 - nikki fishman

yes the computer center at the orphnage which had @ 25 children (I think you said yesterday Edi) would help give these children better prospects some of whom we learned yeterday are victims of being acused of witchcraft

Edi Jerry

1:29

Fantsuam provides the following services: Health- HIV/AIDS, reproductive health; Mirco credit to the disadvantegd, especially wome; computer training and internet service provision to rural communities for development

Kelechi B.G. Micheals

1:04

1:05

sorry folks it seems my connection is going on and off.

Edi Jerry

1:29

sorry pls, i have walk in clients that i have had to attend to

Pamela

1:30

Elaine you might like to tell us what picture you have in your mind when you say "computer centre" - do you mean the one at FF or something for the children

1:30

Welcome K

Kelechi B.G. Micheals

1:30

thank you Pam,

Pamela

1:30

no problem - we understand your situation k and Ch

nikki fishman

Edited 05/08/2010 1:32 - nikki fishman

For a list of FF's programmes you can see http://www.fantsuam.org/programs/programs.htm......

Kelechi B.G. Micheals

1:30

sorry my connection kept flippin,

Edi Jerry

1:31

the figure of 25 orphans is correct

Pamela

1:31

we are happy that you can join us - even it is only part of the time

nikki fishman

1:31

the FF website is being revamped by kelechi..and I suspect that Chollom is helping too

Kelechi B.G. Micheals

1:31

yes,

Elaine Hickey

1:31

Ok, I should be able to look up some of what you do. In relation to Rotary one of their aims is disease prevention so we can look to partner with them on some projects. There is also a specific group set up to combat the spread of AIDS - http://www.rffa.org/ . Pamela previously spoke to me about designing a document to capture project activity. I will look at getting this completed so we all have a better idea as to what we should be promoting on the website and how we should be approaching other organisations

Kelechi B.G. Micheals

1:31

all hands on deck, Bala, chollom and Cicely.

nikki fishman

1:31

What a team Kelechi

Elaine Hickey

1:32

Edi mentioned setting up a computer centre at the orphanage, I was referring to that

Pamela

1:33

thanks elaine

Edi Jerry

1:33

Fantsuam also provides trining in volunteerism to rural communities

nikki fishman

1:33

Edi does the orphanage have a computer at the moment?

Edi Jerry

1:34

it has one

Pamela

1:34

ref - Pamela previously spoke to me about designing a document to capture project activity. I will look at getting this completed so we all have a better idea as to what we should be promoting on the website and how we should be approaching other organisations - we have made some progress on that with Andy. Let us discuss in detail over the weekend so all our thougths and efforts are together.

Edi Jerry

1:34

which hardly functions because of lack of power supply

nikki fishman

1:34

and does it get connectivity from Zittnett?

Pamela

1:35

do they just rely on NEPA (grid electirty)

Edi Jerry

1:35

no it doesnt for now, but can if resources are available

Oluniyi D. Ajao joined the chat

1:35

nikki fishman

1:35

what ideally would you hope to do for them?

Oluniyi D. Ajao is using an older version of Skype that does not support multi-person chats and therefore can't join

1:35

Edi Jerry

1:36

they do rely on NEPA which is hardly available

nikki fishman

1:36

Welcome Niyyie...please introduce yourself

Pamela

1:36

what is the computer? is it one of the the refurbished ones from Fantsuam?

Oluniyi D. Ajao

1:36

I am Oluniyi and can be found here: www.davidajao.com

Pamela

1:37

hi, you are welcome, how did you find our chat?

1:38

I recognise your page

1:38

I think perhaps we met online at one of Loy's chats - organised by wayan

1:38

or was it through Twitter?

1:38

i am glad that you have joined us

1:39

do you already know about fantsuam Foundation where the team in Nigeria are based?

nikki fishman

1:39

Oluniyi I liked the bit which says that you are an internet entrepreneur and technology enthusiast!

Oluniyi D. Ajao

1:39

@Pamela, It would be through Wayan. I actually clicked on your Skype status and stumbled into your public chat.

nikki fishman

1:40

a fortuitous trip

Pamela

1:40

that was a happy accident

1:40

this is the bakgound to our chat - http://dadamac.posterous.com/countdown-to-todays-first-thursday

Oluniyi D. Ajao

1:41

My internet is a bit epileptic. I'd be right back please.

Pamela added Franz Nahrada to this chat

1:43

Pamela

1:44

Franz just contacted me ... on skype .. so I told him I was online with you all and invited him to join us

Philip Anthony Turner

1:44

Hi Franz

Elaine Hickey

1:45

Hi Franz

Franz Nahrada

1:45

Pamela

1:45

he led the workshop where phil and Julius and I met

1:45

please everyone else do continue your chats

Philip Anthony Turner

1:45

see http://videobridge.ning.com/

Pamela

1:45

we can have several chats in parallel

1:46

please contine to ask you questions elaine

Franz Nahrada

1:46

how do you do that

Pamela

1:47

Phil perhaps you can tell Phil what has been going on

Elaine Hickey

1:47

ok so at the moment you have one computer sited at the orphanage but the connection is not very reliable. Do you hope to get this connected into Zittnet ? and also extend the number of computers ? When it is working what is the computer used for ? Also, Pamela mentioned Open Source all of you would be working with Open Source

Pamela

1:47

oops I mean tell Franz

1:48

Did anyone say that it was connected to the Internet?

Franz Nahrada

1:48

its great I am sitting in an orchard in Germany, we just introduced WLAN to this house, and this wonderful company..;-)

Elaine Hickey

1:49

One of the titles Pamela gave me was resource hunter - what challenges do you have in relation to Open Source ? Edi, Chollum & Kelechi ? Is it hard to obtain software updates for software you are using ? Also difficult to access the support forums ? What would help you in relation to Open Source ?

Pamela

1:50

I do not know much about the orphanage - it came up in discussion yesterday in our weekly meeting - when we were catching up about the feeding programme for OVCs - orphans and vulnerable children

Philip Anthony Turner

1:50

Franz

Franz Nahrada

1:50

Philip Anthony Turner

1:50

i sent transcript of this chat by email to you just now

Franz Nahrada

1:50

Pamela

1:51

I would guess that the connectivity problem is more a problem of connetivity to the electrical power supply

1:51

I do not know if the computer is also linked to the Internet

1:51

of course it may be

1:52

it si possible that the orphanage is one of places served by Zittnet

nikki fishman

1:52

Oluniyi..have you been able to join us again? and if so where in West Africa are you based?

Oluniyi D. Ajao

1:52

I am based in Ghana but currently in Nigeria for a few days

Franz Nahrada

1:53

did not receive it yet

1:53

only my reflex.at account is active

Philip Anthony Turner

1:54

I sent to you at reflex

Pamela

1:54

Welcome back Oluniy

Elaine Hickey

1:54

I will need to drop out of the chat in around 10 minutes. Edi I will look at the website to get a better idea of all of the work you are doing but you provided a very good overview here - thank you. Chollum & Kelechi - was the cd I sent previously with network monitoring tools of any use ? I think you sometimes have problems with network traffic and also maybe intrusions ?

Pamela

1:54

are you able to see the earlier chat now you have come back?

1:55

how much of the caht archive can people see?

Philip Anthony Turner

1:55

Only from the point I joined

Pamela

1:55

is it just from when you joined?

1:56

thanks Phil

nikki fishman

1:56

yes Elaine I understand that this was certainly a recent problem at FF

Pamela

1:56

ok elaine

1:56

thanks for joining us

1:57

in theory first thursdays is only for one hour

1:57

you have already been here longer because a few of us turned up early

1:57

i hope you have found it useful

1:58

thank you for being our "guest of honour " to lead our conversation

Philip Anthony Turner

1:58

Bye everyone - I have been called to lunch

Pamela

1:58

thanks for joinin us phil

❦

Elaine Hickey sent file "First Thursday Transcript.docx"

1:59

Elaine Hickey

1:59

Those with the bandwith should be able to collect that transcript file

1:59

I will leave the conversation now thanks everyone

Oluniyi D. Ajao

2:00

Bye, people

Elaine Hickey has left the chat

2:00

Pamela

2:00

perhaps it is time to say the meeting is over - but of course people can still chat if they want

2:00

bye Oluniyi thanks for joining us

nikki fishman

2:00

Olunyi ( and Phil,Franz + Julius) Pam and I meet online weekly with Fantsuam Foundation http://www.fantsuam.org/ we are based in the UK but work with Kelechi.Edi and Chollom

Oluniyi D. Ajao

2:00

Franz Nahrada

2:01

aha

Pamela

2:01

we have on "open meeting" each month

2:01

on the first thursday of the month

2:01

this is our first time to hold it on skype

Oluniyi D. Ajao

2:01

Nice

Pamela

2:01

in the past we have held it in the minciu sodas chat room

Franz Nahrada

2:02

did you try audio?

nikki fishman

2:02

Bye Oluniya it was good to e-meet you !

Pamela

2:02

you can read more about it by searching First thurs at our website and posterous

Oluniyi D. Ajao

2:02

Bye Nikki Same here

Pamela

2:02

see www.dadamac.net

2:03

and http://dadamac.posterous.com/

2:03

franz

Franz Nahrada

2:03

yes

Pamela

2:03

there is not enough bandwidth for audio

Franz Nahrada

2:04

but seems text worked just fine

Pamela

2:04

also I am so used to text that i prefer it in some ways

2:05

and there is the archive always to remind what has been said

2:05

and there is no problem of who should be speaking next

nikki fishman

2:06

You can also edit your typos which where can't take back your spoken words!

Pamela

2:07

I know some of my friends who do not speak English as their first language also prefer to type even when speech is available

nikki fishman

2:07

Edi are you still online?

Pamela

2:08

but for you and me speech is good - pehaps we can chat that way later today

2:08

I think our friends from Nigeria have had to leave

2:08

is anyone still here?

Franz Nahrada

2:09

yes...me....about written text cht...I found out too... when I recently reported to the Austrian National Agency about our workshop I had a proof of preparation with this

Pamela

2:09

the set time for first thursday chat is over - but if anyone else is still there i would like to thank you for being here.

2:10

For me it was a useful and interesting meeting. I hope it was for everyone else too.

2:10

yes - evidence - that is another good point

nikki fishman

2:11

Yes thank you it was good to have my first public chat amongst friends!

2:11

bye and I look forward to perhaps meeting everyone again next month

Pamela

2:11

Franz I am so glad that you joined us

Franz Nahrada

2:12

one thing about skype chats is this

Edited 05/08/2010 2:12 - Franz Nahrada

if you dont leave it, all the messages get recorded

2:12

and you can use it a-synchronously

Pamela

2:13

yes - I stayed on one of the workshop prep ones for many days for that reason

nikki fishman has left the chat

2:13

Franz Nahrada

2:13

if you make it a rule its a good thing

2:13

a group can stay in touch

Pamela

2:14

we said at the workshop that you had started a community of communites - and this is my community - now linking with yours

Franz Nahrada

2:15

well we will see

Pamela

2:15

these things grow gradually

Julius Galdikas

2:20

hi, srry i could't come earlier

Franz Nahrada

2:26

http://www.dorfwiki.org/wiki.cgi?VideoBridge/ProtokollLainsitztalAGInhalt/LettersOfInterest#Tabelle

2:28

here

Pamela

2:28

seen it

2:29

welcome back

Julius Galdikas

2:29

wait a moment

Edi Jerry

1:38

set up a computer training center for them where the orphans can be trained in computer literacy and inernet application

1:39

hopefully, where other disadvantaged children can acquire such skills from

1:40

it wil require trainers power source, computers and a hall or two

1:42

Kelechi can put up a proposal for that

1:42

or chollom - they are the IT people

1:45

Given the high HIV prevalence in the rural Kafanchan, deaths due to HIV infection are also not uncommon. This leaves several orphans who are basically without food, clothes and hope of getting educated

1:45

Fantsuam is doing alot in terms of impact mitigation, but there is still much more left undone

1:46

for instance,of 800 enrolled OVCs we are only able to provide services to not more than 150

1:47

Is everybody there?

1:47

the place feels very quiet

Kelechi B.G. Micheals

1:49

yes edi, we here.

Edi Jerry

1:50

ok, feels better

1:50

what about Pam.Nikki...?

1:50

are we still together?

Kelechi B.G. Micheals

1:51

Elaine, what would you like to know about FF open source?

1:51

I can give you a brief on whaat we are doing on open source here at FF (Fantsuam Foundation)

1:51

All servers at Ff run Ubuntu OS,

1:53

early this year we setup a DB system for managing enrollment records at the Academy, its built on Php and Mysql.

1:53

we've also deployed LedgerSMB which is an opensource accounting software,

1:54

currently am testing out a new system for Microfinance activities, its called MIFOS,

1:54

we should be ready to deploy fully by nextweek.

Edi Jerry

1:57

ok I have go to attend to few clients now

1:57

please, i will be right back

Kelechi B.G. Micheals

2:00

open source is our theme song at Fantsuam,

2:01

however, one major challenge for us has been finding adequte and relevant learning materials , to eneble the academy teach opensource concepts.

(Note from Pamela - Franz, Julius and I then linked up for voice chat - supported with a few typed comments)

Franz Nahrada

2:35

my battery energy is near zero

Pamela

2:35

ok - will send to you later

Franz Nahrada

2:35

thanks it worked

Pamela

2:35

bye for now

Franz Nahrada

2:35

must leave, bye

Pamela

2:35

you have it?

Franz Nahrada

2:35

yes

Pamela

2:35

bye

Franz Nahrada

2:36

good bye

Julius Galdikas

2:36

bye

Pamela

2:36

I must go too

2:36

bye

2:36

julius, thanks for joining us

2:36

bye

Julius Galdikas

2:37

bye.. I'll try join next time

Chollom

2:43

Can't seem to see the any chats

Edi Jerry

2:54

penetrating tough terain is also an issue especially during rainy seasons which can be prolonged, making it difficult to reach certain communities with services

2:56

the HIV/AIDS department has continued to mobilize resources for a hilux without success as yet

Chollom

3:02

I can finally see the chats now

Edi Jerry

3:02

Chollom

3:02

The all came in at the same time

Edi Jerry

3:02

am about to go now chollom

3:03

seems Nikki and Pam have left

Chollom

3:03

Ok Edi

3:03

Is anyone still here?

3:03

Edi Jerry

3:04

thanks chollom for your time and everybody too

3:04

BFN

Chollom

3:04

Sorry for all the hitches we had from our end

3:04

Thanks everyone for your time

3:04

BFN

Chollom has left the chat

3:04

Pamela

3:08

thank you for coming back

3:09

sorry - I did not wait longer

3:10

I thought that you had left us. Many thanks for your input.

3:11

Thank you for continuing to persevere despite the glitches you had.

3:13

I am remebering the problems that you have had in the past when there are storms and lighteining strikes, and I remember that it was raining during our meeting yesterday.

3:17

I wonder if that is adding to your difficulties. We are always delighted that you are able to join us. .

3:17

We are grateful that you do have a such an amzaingly good connection given the area where you are based - thanks to Zittnet.

3:17

We appreciate the way that we are usually able to have all the meetings that we schedule. We understand that sometimes there are glitches and delays.

3:25

Edi - thank you for your input, and please thank Chollom and Kelechi for theirs too.

Edi Jerry

3:25

Thanks Pam

3:25

Sorry for my absence

Pamela

3:26

i hope it was a useful meeting for you.

3:26

certainly your input was very valuable to us

3:26

But I hope that you found it of interest too..

Edi Jerry

3:26

it was break - when my counsellors had all gone out and i sveral clients coming in to uptake HCT

Pamela

3:27

I understand that there are always lots of things going on.

Edi Jerry

3:27

It was absolutely useful. Thanks for your patience

Pamela

3:27

there will never be a perfect time to hold a meeting like First Thursdays

3:27

i am glad it was useful

Edi Jerry

3:27

At a point I was not seeing anybody again

Pamela

3:28

If you have time I would like to know what makes it useful to you

Edi Jerry

3:28

and I thot you had all left

Pamela

3:28

then i can try to make it more useful

Edi Jerry

3:28

but am glad you are back

Pamela

3:29

yes - that problem about not seeing anybody.... we were hoping you would type again

3:29

we thought you had left.

Edi Jerry

3:29

To know people care and are willing to help is awesome

Pamela

3:30

sometimes it seems that skype holds on the the messages for a long time then they all come through at the same time

Edi Jerry

3:30

Pamela

3:30

but it does it in different ways for differnt people!

3:31

sometimes Nikki and i are in a UK-Nigeria meeting and we are sitting next to each other - and soemthing will come up on one computer before it comes up on the other

3:32

usually it is all smooth and simple - but soemtimes it is very odd

Edi Jerry

3:32

3:33

yeah, some uncertainties which come technology i guess

Pamela

3:33

ref - To know people care and are willing to help is awesome - I think many people are concerned with the inequlaities that we see in the world

3:34

but it is not easy to see what can be done - except to give to big NGOs

Edi Jerry

3:34

you are right

Pamela

3:35

but people do not always want to do that - or they do not have much money to give

Edi Jerry

3:36

sometimes one is blinded by the depth of such inequalities such that you begin to wonder if people will ever care

Pamela

3:36

sometimes they want to undersatnd the situation better

3:36

yes - the problems seem so big

Edi Jerry

3:37

especially when faced with it and there is only very little one can do

Pamela

3:38

yes - but there is the saying that it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness

Edi Jerry

3:38

it must be pretty tough for Fantsuam - doing much, but in reality only able to little compared to the magnitude of the problem

Pamela

3:38

what if John or comfort had decided the problem was too big and they could not do anything about it

3:39

yes - but if we could have "more Fantsuams".. then perhaps that would help

Edi Jerry

3:39

you are right it much much better ti light a candle than to curse the darkness

Pamela

3:40

and if we could find more people from outside who could all do something (even it was only a litte something) to help Fantsaum and the "other Fantsuams"...

3:41

then perhaps we would all feel encouraged by the bigger results we would see....

Edi Jerry

3:41

pls gimme a minit

3:41

i need to handle a case quckly

Pamela

3:41

sure

Edited 05/08/2010 3:42 - Pamela

I do not mean to keep you when you have other work to do. You have already been very generous with your time

Edi Jerry

4:04

Sannu Pam

4:04

are you still there?

Pamela

4:05

I am - bu twith somone now - unitl about 4.30

Edi Jerry

4:06

ok, Pam. I am about to go now thanks a million

4:06

ok, it looks you are gone. thanks for your time

4:06

bye

4:07

have a good evening