Quotes

Quotes are serious business. We spent the WHOLE day today chasing after a quote for someone to print the work tool that we have been developing. I can't remember if I have spoken about it before but it's like a collection of counselling cards that the community workers will use in the community to counsel their patients and clients on nutrition and HIV. It's 28 A5 side big and the idea is that they will be able to slip it into their bags and then go out into the communities and use it. Normally training participants receive a manual which is big and word heavy, and my plan for this was that it should be the antithesis of a manual. It is the anti-manual.

It's funny how these things seem to have a life of their own. I make little decisions here and there and generally know the direction I want these things to take, but looking at the banner with all the partners on it, or looking at the T shirts that we have printed for all the staff, it's a bit mad to think that I am the Head of this Project although that's what it says on my job description. I'm responsible for the bags of training kits that are at my feet at the moment, with dolls heads hanging out, bottles and sand, giant posters with the food groups on, fake boobs and clipboards. That was all my idea. Blimey. It's such a massive responsibility, to get this opportunity right. I wonder am I a bit naive to think that this information might actually improve people's quality of life. Probably. I'd rather be that way than be too cynical.

So! I spent the day trying to find out how we can spend the money wisely and getting quotes and feeling paper and looking at examples of work. It's harder than you'd think to get a number out of a print shop, for how much they would charge to print 4500 copies of a work tool. In the end we chose the most professional, cheapest one and trotted off to begin the process. Sorry the machine is broken. Maybe it will be fixed tomorrow morning. We start training next Wednesday and there is Easter in between. Blummin Eck. We are cutting it majorly fine. I'm assured that the machine will be fixed by tomorrow. We shall see! If not, the jolly but slightly more expensive second choice for quote will have a busy but profitable day tomorrow.