Abuja- Big Place, Big Meetings

After several weeks back here in Bayelsa, it is becoming increasingly uncertain if we will be able pull funds out of the Bayelsan State Gov in order to carry out our projects. While visiting a friend in Yenagoa we met a wonderful new friend, Mary Ellen. She has been working here in Nigeria for the last five years as a Canadian Diplomat. She is super connected around here and very interesting. She started to give us contact details for various other people who work with organizations interested and capable of supporting community development projects. SO Nelson and I got on a flight and headed up to Abuja, the capitol of NIgeria. This place is unreal. From the poverty stricken creaks to what they say, is the fastest growing city in the world. Abuja is a relative modern place, with pre-planned streets, movie theaters and more land rovers than La Jolla.

Since we have been here we have met with the DIrector of Education of the World Bank, a friend who does political consulting and is very networked around here, as well as Samson Siassia, a former professional Footballer, who has some interest in Community Development, who will hopefully be connecting us to some big players. We have a couple more meetings with the World Bank this next week, hopefully one with Microsoft, and perhaps a couple more political figures here in Abuja... just doing our best to learn and understand this side of the system, so that we can utilize resources like these all over the world. It is a fascinating experience and, like I like it, every day is very interesting and unique experience.

Lots on my mind and a bit hard to focus, so I am going to leave it at that for now. Wish me luck, until next time...