Three heads are better than one
Three heads are better than one
When I started the brainstorming on the process I would take for this project, I had a rough idea of how I might proceed. But I have to say that the model became exponentially stronger as I worked with Dana and Lara. Between the three of us, I have the most relevant experience in microfinance, which is why I headed this part of the project. But I found out quickly that it was not necessary for all to have experience in microfinance to contribute greatly to the building of this project. Their ideas and feedback came from work in other industries and other contexts and perhaps that is why it was so valuable. It is entirely too easy to be stuck in one way of thinking. I appreciated so much their willingness to go through my thought process over and over again – sometimes late into the evening or first thing in the morning while we were all still getting ready for work in the morning.
For an entire month, we spent quite literally every waking minute together. We worked in the same office, shared the same care, shared the same house, and even sometimes the same bedroom. This was an a-typical experience for all of us. I haven’t had to share my personal space in this way with non-family members for probably 15 years. And I would be lying to say that I became instantly best friends with two women I had never even met before the project. All three of us are different people, with different habits and ways of expressing ourselves. Imagine going home with your colleague and having to negotiate bathroom time, morning departure time, and even weekend leisure time. It was not easy. But I have come out of the experience having the highest respect for Dana and Lara. Without having to sit and talk about it, we all maintained focus on the work at hand. It was about improving the lives of the women in the mountains who were born with the burden of poverty and HIV/AIDS. Sometimes there are bigger things going on in the world than your own personal comfort and needs.