Im feeling a little down people. Not in am major way like I want to come home but more along the lines of just being fed up! Mozarte, which I haven’t really talked much about for a while, is driving me crazy hence why I haven’t spoken about it for a long time. Im putting it out there because its stressing me out and it really shouldn’t be. Ive come to work there as a volunteer, doing what I can to help but the people of Mozarte are scared of change. Scared to put themselves on the line and put a little trust into people that can see the potential of the organisation that they work for and want to help propel it forward. SCARED….*sigh*
Mozarte is one of a kind in Mozambique. There is nothing like it ANYWHERE in the country. I don’t know if I have ever explained the set up but just in case I haven’t I will go through it for you so we are on the same page. I work at Mozarte 3 days a week. The centre is a really lovely place it has been built on a square and so there is a central raised island which normally has tables with chairs and umbrellas for the lunch crowd.
There are 5 workshops running around the square which have equipment for Weaving, Tailoring Ceramics, Batik, Wood Work, Metal Work and Leather production. The leather, Tailoring and Ceramics rooms are at present the only rooms that have people ‘producing’ (I use this word VERY loosely). The other 4 rooms are not producing anything and have no designers within them and so have been left to gather dust. The idea behind the centre is that each of the disciplines shown above have a skilled professional who is responsible for training a student in their area of skill. At anyone time there can be three students being trained at the same time over the course of 3 months. At the end of the 3 months the student should have basic knowledge of there chosen area to go on and start there on small business or continue to make products for Mozarte. All products made are sold in the shop attached to Mozarte which is in a fantastic position avaible to catch the eye of any passerby. At present the shop is difficult to see because the window is not well lit and there are many cars that have been parked in front and there is no clear signs indicating that the shop is actually there. The concept to me is brilliant and gives amazing opportunities to young people that have an interested in being creative.
The centre is not functioning AT ALL at the moment and so that is where my role was suppose to kick in…*sigh*. Mozarte was originally funded by UNESCO up until 5 years ago. It had 300 students going through the doors each year. It was then given over to the Ministry (which I think is the Mozambique version of the UK government). I think they thought that it would be better funded and looked after but sadly it has not worked out that way. Mozarte is funded under the umbrella of Youth and Sports instead of Culture and the focus over the last few years has been within sport as Mozambique is hosting the African version of European Games. This has left the youth section with NADA especial in regards to art (hence why we should really be under culture section but even then, Im sure there would be some reason not to give money to Mozarte).
Last week Marion (a VSO volunteer that I work with) and I decided we wanted to surge ahead as on the 3rd of September the African Games will start. Mozarte has been given a shop within the stadium to sell products over the two weeks that the games are being held! We have to make A LOOOOOOOOT of things because we have nothing but "dusty god only knows what" in the shop. I honestly cannot even bare to go in the shop through shear embarresment but hey….what can I do! So we have been having MAJOR difficulties with getting some cash because of ‘procedures’. I am all for procedures if they make sense but what Marion and I were confronted with just sent us a little wild in the eyes. Apparently when starting any production of any item being made at Mozarte you are required to complete the following:
1.
- A plan of what you are intending to make ei. A sketch of some sort (no problem). The sketch must show all trims and fabrics required (no problem)
- 2. You must then go to the shop and get THREE quotes from three different shops for each of the trims or fabrics required. This is for things like a zips, a button, thread etc….(no comment)
- 3. You then come back and give the quotations that you have acquired to the office manager and she will check and verify each price (this can take weeks depending on how she is feeling on the day)
- 4. The office manager will then either work out the average price or just select the cheapest item on the list
- 5. You are then given the cash to make the purchases as required with receipts and you may even be required to show what you have bought along with receipts! (thats if what you want has sold out because you've had to wait soooooo long for an approval of the 'list')
Marion and I just saw LOOOOOOONG written all over this 5 step programme and asked if it was possible to just have 1000.00 metical’s which is the equivalent to £20 to buy what we needed over the course of the month and we would provide receipts for each purchase. We would then be happy to complete an invoice with all receipts attached and give it to the office manager for her records. COMPUTER SAID NO! I would have been happy to follow this ‘procedure’ (begrudgingly) if it wasn’t for the fact that we only have 2 months to fill a very large shop with top notch product.
My patients levels are currently non existent and thats something that is required in abundance in Mozambique. I had a bit of what can only be described as a ‘ding-dong’ with the office manager and she now has only daggers for me which I can live with as long as she just gives us the money. Whats strange is that Marion and I are not doing any of this work for our benefit and we are not being paid, yet the people that it will benefit and are still getting paid couldn’t give a flying fart! I need to have a different approach and a way of dealing with this problem because at present its just aggravating me and I really feel like Im wasting my time. Having been at Mozarte since mid February we have been asked to' plan' up to our eyeballs and even with plans we have not been given any money. We have requested that the missing technicians within ceramics, wood work, metalwork and Batiking be employed and NOTHING has happened.
I am going to leave it there for now......Im going to the beach! Next week is another week and Im going to see what powers I have to switch the whole thing up!!! OMG. Have fun in the Sun I heard its super HOT at the moment.
I have more blogs about my recent trip to South Africa....will be posted 'shortly' (as I always say)....
Tchau, ate logo
xxx
PS. My camera is still broken. Im still really upset....working on a solution with about 3 other people. The blogs just arnt the same without them!
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