Bpeace Official Blog

Ode to the Bpeace Elves

Posted on 22. May, 2010 by Sabra Richardson in 2. Rwanda, Bpeace Blog

On this last day of training–that we here believe has been one of the most awesome experiences of our lives–many thanks to the Bpeace elves (as Donna calls everyone) who helped to make this happen.

You can never begin to understand the impact this training has had, and how well prepared we were because of Bpeace. I was looking for a specific sheet of paper for my presentation. All I did was email Marla and say “am I suppose to have……” and in two minutes she got in touch with Emily and I had the document. The training video team, that produced the HBO-level customer service short film, the training evaluation (that I printed 20 copies of in English wondering “why wasn’t it in Kinyarwandan” only to see that there was another one in Kinyarwandan. I just looked and laughed and said “that damn Marla”). Thanks Marla, Steve, Emily, Liz, Jill, Lauren, Phyllis, Monica, Catherine, Larry and Camera One.

Donna and I were on the University Campus getting a tour from one of the members of the Business club. So we ran into Herve on the campus who has agreed to speak at the club and share what he is learning from the Bpeace Race to Innovation experience. The emphasis is placed on students’ creating businesses for themselves and hiring others.

At dinner tonight one of the Business Club members, Aime, who is a remarkable young man, said “I got an email from Bpeace from someone named Tmaloney” (he said it as if it was one word). Donna and I looked at each other wondering who that could be until Donna said “Do you mean Toni Maloney?” He said “yes Tmaloney, I know everything you do in Afghanistan.” Then the next one told us “I got something from Tmaloney.” So Toni that is your official name here in Rwanda, Tmaloney.

We leave tomorrow for Kigali for some meetings with other Race finalists and other meetings. One is with Akila and we found out tonighr that it’s on a farm. I don’t know if that is a good thing with the three of us on the loose.

So as the Rwanda Team Leader, I say to those on the Rwanda team and all of the other Elves, “Ya did good and THANK YOU.”