Jennifer Temmer
Honduras
May 27, 2010
Survey Madness

One of my favorite parts of monitoring and evaluation is administering surveys. This has in part to do with my sense of adventure and my love of visiting and meeting new people. At heart I am a nosy person. I love to learn about the lives of other people, what they do, their joys and struggles. This past week my fearless leader Rosy and me have been huffing around

the communities talking to women from the micro-credit program. The first day Rosy and I headed out to Iriona Viejo. We started out after lunch visiting women from the community asking them about their businesses and their families. Most of the women we talked to had left the loan program during a period of economic hardship after the political coup. 
 
On day two we headed out to Punta Piedra and Cusuna. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing and we were ready for our adventure. Once again we walked and walked and walked and walked, up in the mountain, around the dirt paths that make up the lifelines of the communities. From the top of the hills the view of the ocean was breathtaking. In Cusuna we stumbled down a long, steep riverbank, crossed over bridge made of two bamboo poles and climbed back up the bank to a small, dilapidated house. Inside the dark, cramped space we met with a woman and talked about her business. Upon entering the house small droplets of water started to fall, spattering on the ground. When we finished the interview, we borrowed an umbrella and bolted out of the house and down the path toward safer and drier ground. We sought refuge beside a house for a short while then floated down another path to a new dry place. When the rain finally let up we were able to escape down the hill to the main road- not however without getting sopping wet and almost losing a sandal. This has been a very unique and valuable way of getting to know the communities. I suppose these experiences fall under “other tasks as required” category of my contract!