It's Officially Official

Today I informed my boss that I'd be leaving the company, so I thought it to be an appropriate time to embrace all this change by posting my very first blog entry. My news was received much better than I'd anticipated and I'm feeling relieved that the cat is out of the bag (I've never been good at keeping my own secrets), and nervous that I officially won't have a job in less than 6 weeks. It helps to remember that I'll be blissfully job-less for about a month and a half before departing for Uganda on August 3. I'm truly looking forward to the extended break after working in the cubicle farm for over 5 years. I'm also looking forward to the challenges and adventures that my new job will bring.
And what a great segue to tell you about my new job...
Although I won't know the details of my actual project(s) until I've been in training for a month or two, I have a general idea:
'Volunteers in the Economic Development Program work as staff members of a variety of host organizations in Uganda. Government institutions, local and international organizations request Volunteers to assist them with developing and implementing programs with the goals of improving overall levels of economic development. As an Economic Devlopment Volunteer (in Business advising/Business development and NGO development), you may be asked to assist with activities in the following areas:

• Assist to build capacity of civil society organizations and community groups to improve their governance, operations, and financial management and stregthen collaborative partnerships
• Assist civil society organizations and community groups to improve their capacity to plan, implement and monitor comprehensive economic economic development and livelihood progects by training community members and civil society organizations in community needs assessment strategies, use of Particiatory Assessment for Community Action (PACA), gender analysis tools, and Project Design and Management (PDM).
• Assist to develop business leadership and entrepreneurial skills of individuals; promote innovative thinking and creative strategies to develop or improve entrepreneurial activities and economic security.
• Assist to strengthen small business owners' skills in planning, operations, customer service, production, marketing, and financial management.
• Assist to identify target population who could benefit from development of business management skills; conduct training needs assessments for organizations and individuals; implement training to address business management needs, and provide ongoing support to individuals, businesses, and organizations.
• Assist to inititate and/or stregthen community-based microfinance initiatives.
• Assist to carry out needs assessments to determine community and organization needs for microfinance activities and access to capital.
• Assist to mobilize community groups and introduce Village Savings and Loans' Association (VSLA) methodology, requirements and benefits; facilitate VSLA start-up.
• Train communiity members in VSLA activities and provide monitoring and supervision.
• Train community trainers in VSLA methodology and supervision.'

I'm super excited about the program and especially interested in learning about microfinance. Yay new job!