A rainy Saturday, the in-between time

I realise I have already been here a week and haven't added anything to my blog, so here we go...



This week was a short working week so there isn't so much to report on that front. I spent some of my time researching Bottom of the Pyramid business approaches to development (see http://www.bop-protocol.org/) Basically it's a movement, mostly within the multinational business community, to find ways of using business to help alleviate poverty. Cynics say it's about bringing poor people into new exploitation by big business. Enthusiasts see it as the strategy which can suceed where governments and philanthropy have failed. It's win-win because business will gain profits and those at the 'bottom of the pyramid', on less than $1-2 a day, will be able to have access to products which they can afford and which improve their lives. So far it seems to me that while it's not a 'silver bullet', it might just be another way of trying to improve the lives of millions of people who live in conditions so removed from our own comfotable existence. So the reading goes on...



I also got to help out with the school kids here. The team has people from all over the world, different ages and different talents. Over the last few years, several families have joined and so there is now a school for them! I got to help with some Easter related activities with them on Thursday which was great fun.



We have a long weekend for Easter which is wonderful. Time to rest and to be with friends and family. I hope that you have time this weekend to think about life a year on from last Easter time- what has changed, what has stayed the same...Much of my life seems to have changed since last Easter in Kazakhstan. But for all that change, most of the important people in my life remain the same. For that I am very grateful.