Our First Day

On Sunday we climbed into a car and began heading for a village up the valley where we were going to be doing a presentation on starting small businesses.  When we arrived the men were also gathering for the presentation.  The small room was decorated and cozy but it was still minimal in a way that reminded us that we were out in the villages.  The men sat down and Masrur began to introduce our organization and the project that we were doing, inviting the men to come down to the office if they have any further questions.
   
With that he turned over the meeting to Abdul Nazar, our first Business Adviser who began presenting a shortened form of our main presentation.  The men listened intently as Abdul Nazar spoke about risk and business and how to minimize the risk of investments.  He explained in simple terms the crucial components of a business, a product, a place, a price, and promotion.  Explaining these important ideas as well as a number of others in simple and practical ways has been the goal of our trainings.  The men asked questions and were attentive to the answers.
   
Afterwards, because it was our first presentation and it was in the village of Masrur's family we moved over to the corner of the room where food was being laid out.  Over potatoes and fish we continued the discussion as many of the men wanted to hear more ideas about potential businesses that could work in the area.  It was all very exciting to see the men wanting to work and to improve their community.

In true Pamiri style we traveled back to open our office with a ribbon cutting.  It was truly Pamiri, because another large meal was laid out a mere hour after eating in the village.  We laughed and celebrated as we cut the ribbon and sat down to eat and talk.  Masrur was about to head out of town for 2 weeks on a trip to Bangladesh and we were happy to have one more time to talk and go over plans. 

With all the excitement and progress it comes shadowed in the fact that my time here in Badakhshan is drawing to a close.  Next week I will be flying out of Tajikistan and will not be returning until next summer, to review and improve the project and hopefully expand it.  I have decided to leave a few things here so that I would not have to carry them back and forth each time, it feels good to do that.  I feel like it makes Badakhshan my second home, even if it is just some clothes, a backpack, and some powdered juice packets.