57335 On the Record \\lith Dr. N afis Sadik, page 15 BANK'SWORLD Vol 141No. 1 January 1995 In this issue Arlie-Ies "Portes Ouvertes" on the Dakar Resident Mission. Resrep David Jones and his staff hosted an effective program of events to improve communication with the Senegalese public ................ .... .............. .. ... .... ... 3 Rediscovering Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Southern Mrica. Shelton H. Davis describes last April's workshop in Harare ... ... ..... .. .. ...... 6 Community-based Extension: A Gender Responsive Strategy. A forestry project provides Sudanese women with access to land. Miranda Munro visited twice and reports on its progress ....... ..... ........... 9 Projet Kogorl. Jeanne Haji, former head of the French department at the Washington International School, accompanied her husband to the Bank's Resident Mission in Niger. She writes about her project there ............... ... 11 Theories Develop into Realities for Eighth Graders. Students at the Langston Hughes Middle School became "World Bankers for a Day" ........... .. .. ..... ... ............... ..... .. ............... .... ....... 13 The World Bank and the Outer Banks. When it came to transmitting information, Mohua Mukherjee discovered it would have been easier from Quter space ..................... .. ..... .............. .............. ........... .................. .. 18 Farewell to the Karaosmanoglus. Friends, colleagues and a former Prime Minister honored the retiring Managing Director and his wife. Jill Roessner was there ............ ...... ................... .... ... .. ...... .. ....... .... ............ 20 Disaster! Was there really an explosion in the E building? Lisa Costa tells all ........ .... ......... .................. .... ............... ........ ............ ... .. ... 22 Depurtlllellts On the Record. After Cairo by UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Nafis Sadik .... ....................... ................ ..... .. ............... .... , .............. ..... 15 Staff Association. Taking Stock by Eric V. Swanson ... .. .. .............. ..... 23 Senior Staff ............ .. ... .................... .................. ....... ............... ....... .. .. ..... 25 In Memoriam ....... ............... ............ ............. ...... .. ........ ... .... ... .. .............. 26 Around the Bank ..... ...... ...... ................. ... ....... ........... ....... ..... ....... ..... .... 27 Bank's World is published mo nthly AnswerUne .................. ... ............ .... ...................... ... .... ................ ........... 28 in Washington, D.C., by the External Affairs Department of the World Bank for all employees and retirees of the World Bank Group, 1818 H Street, N.W., Room T-8044, Washington , D.C. 20433. Fax 202-676-0648. Jill Roessner, Editor Dr. Nafis Sadik, accompanied by Population Adviser Tom Merrick, PHN Morallina Fanwar-George, Editorial Assistant (left), and PHN Director, David de Ferranti. Photo by Michele Iannacci. Beni Chibber-Rao, Designer A s 9 o'clock approached on Monday, November 7, I was sitting on my own in the "Portes Ouvertes" on middle of a platform in the florid, colonial-style Dakar Chamber of the Dakar Resident Commerce, facing a sea of empty chairs, and feeling increasingly nervous. Would I be left with an Mission empty auditorium plus, no doubt, a few journalists to mock at the by DavidJones discomfiture of the World Bank? Would the elderly electric circuits onto which we had tacked a variety of extra appliances fail yet again, just as the Minister started his opening speech, leaving us in silence and darkness? I tapped the microphone in front of me, and a comforting drum-beat resounded back, but I was not reassured. The occasion? The grand opening of the Dakar Resident Mission's 50th anniversary "Portes Ouvertes sur la Banque Mondiale au Senegal" (Open Doors on the World Bank in Senegal). It had all started from a brainstorming session in the Resident Mission on improv­ ing communication with the Senegalese public. At first we had in mind a very modest event: an invitation to selected guests and The opening: it was standing room only at the back of the hall. journalists to a display of photographs Photos by Boubacar Diallo and a debate in the Resident Mission conference room. Then someone said, "Why not make it a 50th Diawara, Project Officer, who made project team actually went off from anniversary celebration?" and from up the "Portes Ouvertes Task Saturday afternoon until Monday there the idea just grew and grew. Force." And, as the day ap­ morning, and in that time made a In the end, my main leadership role proached, the whole staff of the very presentable video of its work. was to keep saying, "Stop being mission was drawn in. The last We got our audience. Of imaginative and get on with it while Saturday and Sunday they were aU course we did not start at 9 o'clock. it is still the 50th anniversary." there, as well as about 50 volun­ That really would have been a first So, authorship was collective, teers from Bank-financed projects, for Dakar! But by five past the hour but the biggest bouquets go to working flat out until late at night. they were coming in fast, and the Moussou Soukoule, mission Public There was a tremendous spirit of hall was already half fullF~r the Affairs Officer, and Alassane friendly competition. Some teams first time in two weeks I was able looked at the other project stands to relax a little and look at what DavidJones is the Bank's Resident and went away to completely re­ we'd done: 10 stands, representing Representative in Senegal. work their own displays. One the whole spectrum of World Bank­ Bank's World / January 1995 3 II restructuring loan to start a factory , handed out his own immaculately printed 50th anniversary brochure. Tuesday afternoon we had another "special": a face-to-face video conference organized through the US Information Service. Senegalese journalists were able to interview Jean-Louis Sarbib (new director of the "new" AF5) and Katherine Marshall (ex-director of the "old" AF5) in Washington. The U.S. Cultural Center's little auditorium was packed to over­ flowing, and Bamako (Mali) and Conakry (Guinea) were also networked in. Katherine and Jean­ Resrep David Jones describes the work of the World Bank to schoolchildren. Louis scored notable hits: Katherine, for example, by stressing the importance of Africans believing in financed projects, all looking very were banners draped across main their own future; Jean-Louis by professional. Fifteen minutes later, highways and over the front of the comparing the Bank's involvement when Minister Delegate Lamine Chamber of Commerce in Indepen­ in adjustment to the situation of an Loum started his opening speech, it dence Square. A week before the ambulance at an accident, and was standing room only at the back opening we had caned a press saying that it was generally an error of the hall. The Minister did us conference and issued a press to blame the ambulance for the proud: a friendly speech in which handout. I gave a long exclusive accident. His deadpan identification he confessed to moments of great interview to one newspaper, which of a former budget minister who frustration with the Bank, but published over a full page on the presented himself as "a consultant" praised it for its intellectual honesty event. We also visited the director to complain about poor budgetary and for its willingness to stay the of the Radio and Television, to brief control ·on projects, raised an course in Africa when other donors him. This, in turn, led to more admiring laugh. were disillusioned. He put the unexpected coverage, of which the Wednesday was my own big record straight on the balance most effective was an invitation to media challenge. I had a one-hour between adjustment, investment Mamadou Samb, director of the slot on a face-to-face television and social sector projects. And he Public Sector Reform Project, to debate defending the Bank against pointed out the paradox that the feature as a pro-Bank spokesman in a well-known Senegalese university Bank's most vociferous critics a popular debate program on the economics professor. It was prime normally relied on armfuls of Bank local commercial radio station. time, in the middle of the evening publications which they quoted at This preparatory work gave us news. In fact, by pure luck, it was length to support their attacks. He a lot of advance publicity, and we super-prime time, as Youssou preferred, he said, an organization went on getting heavy coverage Ndour, Senegalese pop star, was that tried to learn from its successes throughout the event. We finished due to appear with his new golden and failures to one that pretended it the first day with a radio broadcast disk as soon as our program went had no failures. We wound up the from the Chamber of Commerce in off the air, and thousands of opening with a public debate that both French and Wolof in which Senegalese who would never have was both lively and positive, and journalists interviewed project staff tuned into a debate on economics which we had to force to a close and project beneficiaries. The next must have tuned in (and out?) in way after time (something we kept morning we took journalists to visit the course of the program. Without on experiencing). We had kicked Bank-financed project sites in the wishing to appear immodest, I off without disaster, and we were neighborhood of Dakar. Here we think the Bank emerged well from to continue the same way. got another pleasant surprise: a this debate. A lot of people I have We did not, of course, just Senegalese entrepreneur, who had never met before have said so. I open the doors and expect the started as a street vendor of ciga­ think the truth is that the simple public to walk in. Apart from all the rettes in the informal sector, and fact of having taken part in a debate, invitations we had sent out, there had benefited from the industrial and having listened carefully and 4 Bank's World / January 1995 replied thoughtfully and with next weekend, and an open essay of " The Lessons of the Past; the concern was enough to surprise competition for secondary school Challenges of the Future." and impress many viewers who children on their vision of the The second trump card, which had never seen the Bank with a future. All the feedback I have had we did not even notice until we human face. has been positive. What we have almost fell over it, was the decision And through all of this, the done is to present the Bank in a to make Bank-financed projects full "Portes Ouvertes" in the Chamber of way that took most people by partners in the enterprise. In Commerce just went on receiving surprise. They simply did not know Senegal, we have a "club" of the public. I had feared that once we were directly involved in project directors, and they were the opening was over, interest education or health. And they were just as frustrated as we were by would quickly wane and we would surprised to find themselves face to their incomplete and poor public find ourselves with an empty hall, face with an institution that lis­ image. We could never have put but every time I went to check, it was tened, that cared, and that talked up such extensive and exciting crowded with interested visitors, obsessively about the fight against displays without them, nor could including classes of schoolchildren. poverty. And almost everyone who we have informed the media half Some would be sitting watching our has spoken to me has urged me to as well. non-stop showing of Bank and project videotapes; others would be walking around the stands and asking questions. I invariably found myself in the middle of an impromptu question and answer session, from which I had eventually to tear myself away. But it was not until the end of the event that I learned of one of its more discreet suc­ cesses: the population and health project had distributed three thousand condoms! The public was still there at 6 o'clock on Wednesday evening when I came to close the doors for the last time and deliver a trophy for the best stand. In keeping with Senegal Resident Mission staff and Project staff assemble for a "family photo." Bank principles, the stands were evaluated in the most transparent way possible, using beneficiary do more along these lines, to And the third trump card was a assessment. A cross-section of develop a debate on policy issues good relationship with the press. visitors was asked to fill in a and on national objectives. This has improved out of all questionnaire, and our statistician, Many Bank friends have asked recognition in Senegal over the last Abdoulaye, analysed the results and me how we managed to put on this two years simply by virtue of being handed them to me in a sealed show. If I had to pick the three accessible and open. It does not envelope. The proud winner was most important trump cards, my mean we always get favorable press AGETIP, the public works and first would be the enthusiasm and for everything we do, but it does employment project; but the fact involvement of the whole Resident mean that we always get listened was that all the stands were good, Mission staff. Everyone contributed. to, and in general that we no longer and the marks of the top stands It is impossible in a short article to suffer purely instinctive attacks. were very close. give due credit to all: Abdoulaye One thing which was NOT a That was not quite the end. Seck's production of several major factor was money. It cost us The following Saturday, the World thousand flysheets on the Bank in very little, although we hope HQ Bank football team was, I regret to Senegal, complete with logos, using will retrospectively pick up the tab say, soundly beaten by the Radio just his desktop publishing skills so we can use our tiny external affairs • and Television team, four goals to and our office laser printers; Olive budget for more work in this area. nil. That got in the news, too. And, Correa's glossy-cover, 50-page as I write, we still have a secondary presentation on the Bank; Olivier school competition on television Jammes' Powerpoint presentation Bank's World / January 1995 5 c T hroughout Africa, numerous local village communities, non-governmental organizations Rediscovering (NGOs), scientists and rural develop­ ment specialists are rediscovering the Indigenous vital role traditional knowledge can play in natural resource management and sustainable development. The Knowledge Systems scope and promise of this phenom­ enon was clearly evident at a Bank­ in Southern Africa supported workshop on "Methodol­ ogy and Tools for Researching by Shelton H. Davis Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Southern Africa" held in Harare, Zimbabwe, last April. The roots of the Harare work­ shop go back to mid-1993 when the World Conservation Union's Regional Office for Southern Africa (IUCN/ROSA) and a number of Africa. It brought together more The Nature and Scope of IKS partner organizations launched a than 30 participants representing Dr. Joseph Matowanyika, study on indigenous environmental grass roots rural development and Coordinator of IUCN/ROSA's knowledge and biodiversity in the conservation NGOs from Angola, Programme on Social Sciences region, to investigate the current Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Perspectives on Natural Resource state of indigenous knowledge Mozambique, South Africa, Management, opened up the systems (IKS) in Southern Africa Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Harare workshop by defining and assess their contributions to Representatives from Namibia were "indigenous systems" as "localized community-based environmental not at the workshop, but participate African systems developed over . care. Soon, it became clear there in the network. long periods and whose patterns was a network of people and The workshop's main purpose are based upon local knowledge ... organizations interested in IKS and, was to establish a common set of and expressed in local languages." with the assistance of IUCN/ROSA, research perspectives and method­ These systems, he noted, are an Interim Committee was formed ologies for conducting participatory generally in balance or seek balance around the topic. case studies of Southern African IKS. with local environmental conditions; The Harare workshop was These case studies are now being and, although essentially African in organized by IUCN/ROSA, in carried out by the conference origin, they are influenced by association with the Africa 2000 participants in their countries, and innovations emerging from within Network and the Interim Committee their findings will be discussed at a themselves, from other indigenous on IKS and Peoples of Southern follow-up workshop to be held in knowledge systems and from South Africa this coming April. The national and international systems. case studies and follow-up work­ Western scientists, missionaries, Shelton H. Davis is Principal Sociologist, Social Policy and Resettlement Division, shops will assist participating NGOs and development planners have Environment Department. The proceedings and the Bank in crafting a learning generally not understood these of a conference on the topic of Traditional and action agenda for incorporating African knowledge systems, and Knowledge and Sustainable Develop­ IKS into regional land use, natural hence have not seen the contribu­ ment, edited by Katrinka Ebbe and him, has just been published by ESDVP. resource management and rural tions which they can make to development programs. development (see Box). 6 Bank's World / January 1995 Professor Kofi Asare Opoku of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, followed with a talk entitled, "How Do We Collect Information on Indigenous Sys­ tems?" He argued that "it is neces­ sary to lay bare the fact that our ancestors did not live in ignorance or wallow in crass superstition as they went about the business of life on this continent in times past. "On the contrary," he told the participants, "their ability to survive and organize their social existence, to provide themselves with food, shelter and clothing, to provide the means of restoring health through use of herbal medicine as well as the exertions they made to meet the spiritual needs of men and women were based on what they perceived directly with their senses or minds." One way to or rediscover this of indigenous knowledge and wisdom, Professor Opoku said, is through an understanding of the myriad languages spoken by contemporary African peoples. Proverbs, for example, contain a great deal of traditional wisdom about the environment, the nature of things, social relationships, and the relation­ ship of human beings to their ancestors and the spiritual world. Traditional African knowledge is also expressed in other symbolic media such as rituals, ceremonies and festivals, shrines and sacred places, names of people and places, ritual objects, art, music and dance, and almost all aspects of belief, custom and religion. Citing an Akan proverb, Professor Opoku norms, rules and procedures. Applying IKS in Rural said, "Tntth (knowledge, wisdom) is Many post-colonial governments Development like a baobab tree; one person's either suppressed these traditional On the second day of the anns cannot embrace it." authorities and institutions in the workshop, the participants visited a Indigenous knowledge is also name of "modernization" or used Shona-speaking communal village rooted in African social institutions. them for partisan politics. Only near Mt. Darwin about 150 km Traditional chiefs, elders, lineage recently have rural organizers begun north of Harare. The field visit authorities and religious prophets are to rediscover the moral basis of these provided an excellent opportunity often the custodians and controllers institutions and the role they can to meet with local villagers and to of this knowledge. Decisions about play in activating village communi­ see how they are using their land and resource use are often ties and directing local knowledge traditional knowledge and institu­ made in traditional village councils and institutions to the tasks of tions to rehabilitate what previously or assemblies using customary conservation and development. had been a degraded rural landscape. Bank's World / January 1995 7 L experiences in land-use planning and conservation in other villages of the district. With the assistance of interpreters, a lively exchange took place among the villagers, the government extentionists, and the workshop participants from the other Southern African countries. Establishing IKS Principles The third and final day of the workshop was devoted to reaching agreement on a broad set of principles for designing IKS research programs, and establishing a research agenda for field testing them. In regard to the former, the workshop participants agreed on A group of village women finalize the Workshop by joining the following seven principles as in dance with participants from outside. being vital to the design and implementation of successful IKS programs: The so-called Communal Areas The village visited had successfully 1. There needs to be a change are former "Tribal Trust Lands" established a land-use management in the attitudes and values of comprising 42 percent of the land system based on the authority of scientific researchers, government area of Zimbabwe and occupied by traditional institutions, norms and agencies and NGOs in relation to nearly 5 million people. These sanctions. Areas such as wetlands local peoples, their value and lands have been subjected to and remaining woodlands, formerly knowledge systems, and their intensive grazing and agricultural considered to be "sacred" and institutions; production by peasant farmers, and hence closed to some forms of 2. Local values and knowl­ are currently the most eroded and human use, were designated by local edge systems need to be recog­ marginal lands in the country. At village authorities as "conservation nized as being many-sided and least 76 percent of the rural popula­ areas," while other zones, because dynamic, embedded in the entire tion live in these areas; most of of their soil and agronomic charac­ culture of a people or community, them are poor subsistence farmers teristics, were fenced off as "com­ and vital to the processes of and herders or seasonal agricultural munal grazing" and "family farm­ environmentally sustainable devel­ laborers. ing" areas. The system worked in opment; Land administration and man­ this village because it was backed 3. Communities need to be agement in the Communal Areas up by the traditional village chiefs empowered and strengthened so are problematic because of a lack and accepted by the majority of they may articulate their knowledge of definition and fluctuation of villagers, including the women who systems and use them to further policies in relation to "modern" and play an important role in land-use their own development goals and "traditional" authorities. In the first decisions. cultural values; years following independence, the The government extension 4. IKS research methods government introduced a formal agents and NGO representatives should be participatory and formu­ district administration structure working with this village accepted lated with local communities; which bypassed or undermined their roles as "facilitators" and 5. Mutual support and traditional village leadership. In "partners," rather than leaders, in collaboration need to be forged recent years, however, there has the local level development process. between local and national institu­ been more government and NGO All spoke Shona and respected the tions and sectors, as well as recognition of the value of tradi­ village authorities and representa­ between "indigenous" and "mod­ tionaI leadership (village chiefs, tives. They were willing to partici­ ern" value and knowledge systems; kraal heads, and elders) in promot­ pate in cultural activities, such as 6. National policies should ing land management, resource the singing and dancing which provide an "enabling environment" conservation and agricultural and closed the village meeting, and to for the support of IKS and for wildlife development. share with the villagers their 8 Bank's World / January 1995 reducing conflicts between local follow-up workshops to discuss the each of the three stakeholders and national value and knowledge findings of the case studies and involved~the indigenous country systems and institutions; and, their implications for conservation NGOs, the international environ­ 7. The intellectual and cultural and rural development policies and mental NGOs, and the World property rights of local communities programs. IUCN/ROSA is assisting Bank-will further its own program should be respected, their informed each of the in-country NGOs in objectives while providing leverage consent should be sought for the designing and monitoring their for the other groups involved. use of their knowledge, and the research projects and coordinating The significance of such a economic benefits which flow from the planning of the follow-up complementary agenda for the this knowledge should be returned regional workshops. The Bank is Bank and the other parties involved to these communities. also providing funds for the local at the Harare workshop was best research activities and closely captured in two other traditional The Road Ahead monitoring the entire learning Akan proverbs Professor Opoku On the final day of the work­ process. present: "One must come out of shop, the participants also outlined What transpired at the Harare one's house to begin learning"; and, an IKS research and learning workshop and what is occurring "Ifyou have not been outside of agenda for each of their countries. now with the implementation of your home, you do not say that This agenda includes a series of the various IKS case studies is a your mother's soup is the best. " • locally based research projects on a relatively small-but critical-step broad range of topics (e.g., tradi­ in the creation of a learning and tional grazing land management, action agenda for rural develop­ t~rracing and soil conservation, ment and natural resource manage­ agro-forestry, food security, wildlife ment programs in Southern Africa. management, etc.) and a set of This agenda is designed so that Cortunundty-based Extension: A Gender Responsive Strategy Two Visits to Sudan by Miranda Munro he five women heaved on the branches together and at last the tree A Hadendowa woman plants her first tree. Photo by Miranda Munro T stump came out of the ground. They shouted and laughed, readjusted their tobes, and started to drag the stump to the edge of the balag. This was almost the last tree to be cleared, and after three long weeks of hard labor they were looking forward to the real work: planting trees of their choice. The women had selected the trees as part of an agroforestry initiative in the Gash Delta of northern Sudan, an area annually flooded by the Gash River, where sorghum is cultivated by means of a gravity irrigation Bank's World / January 1995 9 L system. Beside each channel is land browse. Both groups intercropped land, the organization of productive called a balag, areas that are not fruit and vegetables for consumption activities exclusively for women, included in the allocation of plots and sale. The environmental the permanent presence of the to the tenants of the Gash Delta for education work had resulted in a YEAs as contact persons, and the crops. This land was offered to the community-based extension program program's emphasis on natural forestry component of the Gash for women. resource activities rather than on Delta Project, funded by the Dutch A third group materialized. home economics. It was an encour­ Government and aimed at capacity These women were semi-nomadic aging example of the demonstra­ building for the scheme's parastatal, Hadendowa, indigenous tion effect of extension, but it was the Gash Delta Corporation, to pastoralists who returned to the also a challenge to the program­ address the environmental degrada­ same part of the Delta each year, here was a livestock culture asking tion of the Delta. The Project's aims though they had lost many of their for the opportunity to plant trees. include agricultural technology animals in the drought of the late Understanding the social conditions development and irrigation rehabili­ '80s. The women are secluded, of these women was the first step tation, managed by the Dutch remaining in their tents (exclusively to working with them in a partici­ agency, HVA International. with female relatives), while the patory and sustainable way. I worked with a Sudanese men herd the livestock, camels, For these Hadendowa women, woman forester who wanted to cattle and small stock. But this the economic impact of a reduced increase environmental awareness family group, like many resource base had altered the among the local people. She had Hadendowa surviving the drought, traditional division of labor and they already given regular radio talks was impoverished, coping with now helped their men in cultivating and put together a pu ppet show to food insecurity and facing limited sorghum and providing labor for tell stories on village tours, illustrat­ options for livelihood. The Project sowing and harvesting. Social ing how the quality of life could be offered these women access to the boundaries had not undergone a improved through planting trees. It means of production in a locality similar shift, and contact with men was the women who responded. where they could maintain a was still shunned. Also, coping The women of the Gash Delta degree of privacy. Therefore their strategies varied between groups­ refer to themselves as farmers-but men fully supported their participa­ some exhibited no shift in gender­ they have no access to their own tion, but the men cleared the land based social and economic behavior land. They work as family and and guarded the trees. from the customary norm of child wage laborers in sorghum cultiva­ care, food preparation, some crafts, tion and horticulture both outside Two Years Later and processing activities. Training and within the Delta. Their work is On my follow-up visit to was planned fo~ a series of micro­ seasonal, unr~liable and poorly Mekali, one of the woodlot com­ studies to be conducted by the paid, and the Project would give munities, I could not see the edge YEAs on food security, animal them an opportunity to plant for of the irrigation channel in the health activities including indig­ themselves. Working as a group distance, but saw instead a forest, enous knowledge and local savings · was new to them, so was planting almost a green belt in which there and marketing organizations. trees. But in the first two or three were birds and Significantly lower The husbands give cows to the years they could intercrop vegetables temperatures. I sat with a new women as a wedding gift and then and fruit, and this interested them. group of women, all Hadendowa, women can acquire a considerable Two groups of 20 women each among the trees. These women had number of cattle through breeding, began to plan their woodlots with approached the Project with a buying and selling. Hadendowa the help of four young women specific request to be included and women own up to 60 percent of from their villages who had nomi­ allocated a woodlot area. This was the cattle located in the Delta, and nated themselves, with the approval remarkable, considering they are men frequently herd their wives' of their communities, to be trained customarily secluded. They had cattle rather than their own. While as village extension agents (YEAs). already selected their preferred tree this may not denote economic One group decided to plant all species, again a mixture of local independence, Hadendowa women their 20 feddan woodlot with trees-one known to have fruits with gain a measure of autonomy as Eucalyptus microtheca which could medicinal properties, another known they get older. This would have be harvested for poles after five to to provide food for honey bees. implications for the composition of seven years. The other group The incentive for their partici­ their woodlot groups, for decided to plant a mixture of local pation was the visibility of the agroforestry objectives, and plan­ species which would provide them program, its active profile, its ability ning had to be based on consulta­ with fuelwood, poles, fodder and to provide women with access to tion with the women. 10 Bank's World / January 1995 The Project had also been now had a framework, but the multiple demands on their time and approached by two more villages program faced the question of how labor. This network of YEAs, made whose women had formed groups to plan for sustainability. My task up of trusted neighbors and peers specifically for horticultural activi­ became one of assisting the Project who can mobilize on behalf of ties and had identified land suitable to set long-term objectives incorpo­ community needs, opens up a for group cultivation. The first step rating qualitative indicators which range of opportunities for women's in responding to these requests was would take into account the self-development. • to identify local women as YEAs institutional capacity of the Project, and then to train and guide them. the pressure on land and the need And, in this third year, a small for food security. group of semi-nomadic Rasheida women approached the program Community-based Extension for access to land. Despite their This project has been a series of heterogeneity of language, culture demand-led processes. Community­ and socio-economic circumstance, based extension has been the here were several dynamic groups means to articulate and support Miranda Munro is a sociologist seconded of women intending to participate these processes. One of the most to ENVSP by the Overseas Development in some form of agroforestry with successful initiatives has been Administration, London, and the Natural Resources Institute, u.K. She has worked the consent of their families. After building the capacity of local extenSively in Africa, the Middle East and three-and-a-half years, the program women, as individuals and as a Southeast Asia and taught at Reading had reached 130 primary stakehold­ group. In the Delta, women have University, u.K., before becoming a ers and trained 10 YEAs and three limited social mobility. Their consultant. At this stage in her two-year secondment, she is focusing on rural extension supervisors. The objective opportunities for meeting, learning institutions, agricultural extension, and of diversification to reflect women's and sharing infonnation and gender and poverty issues in natural own diversity of needs and situations resources are further constrained by resource management. Projet Kogori by Jeanne Haji rojet Kogori began in I'm the coordinator and P September 1992 as an informal exchange of letters between the 4th and 5th treasurer of the project, a French teacher and former head of the French department at WIS, and I grade classes of the village school came to Niamey when my husband in Kogori (Department of Tillabery) became the World Bank's Resident in the Baleyara region of Niger, and Representative here. Initially, I Mrs. Raymonde Efflame, 2nd grade served as the liaison between French teacher at the Washington Kogori and Washington, D.C., but International School (WIS) in have become more closely involved Children are the future of Niger. It is Washington, D.C. The project was after visiting the school three years essential that girls and boys are provided initiated by the teacher and stu­ ago. I could see that the teacher with the opportunity for a basic education. dents at Kogori and administered was highly motivated but hampered with the help of the Peace Corps by a lack of books. She was able to volunteer stationed there, Tina obtain a grant from the Club Manville, a former WIS student. International des Femmes au Niger Bank's World / January 1995 11 !.. of 100,000CFA (approximately second, on levels of $335) to buy books and supplies, enrollment and attrition, the results of which were evident with special attention after a year when the rate of being paid to these factors success on the 6th grade entrance as they pertain to girls. examination jumped to 25 percent In spite of the from 8 percent the previous year. number of education The project has now grown to projects in Africa in a total of 14 villages, mostly in the progress at this time Baleyara region, with tremendous through one donor potential for future expansion. At agency or another, it is present, the total number of The main focus of Projet Kogori is providing books clear there are large gaps students involved is around 1,000. and basic supplies to the students. remaining in Niger, and The project has focused on identi­ (The author is standing on the left.) many rural schools are fying rural schools with motivated and on the breeding of domestic still falling through the cracks. and capable teachers, and with a animals, such as rabbits. Projet Kogori seeks to provide demonstrated need for the most The project has begun to assistance to those schools that show basic of school supplies. In the provide technical advice and the greatest need, along with initiative typical school selected, there is informal training to the teachers, and the desire for improvement. usually only one textbook per both in educational methods, A final important point: the classroom, and little or no other suggesting interactive and creative entire staff of Projet Kogori is supplies for students; no pens, methods of approaching the volunteer and the administrative paper, slates or wall maps. In material, and also in encouraging and transportation costs have all addition, only villages where equal participation of girls and boys been donated by individuals. Funds parents have participated in the in the classroom. Finally, the granted by donors are used only to construction and upkeep of the project is attempting to build a buy books, school supplies and school's physical structures are positive image for the schools in seeds for the gardens. Financial eligible for the project's aid. The their villages, emphasizing the records of all purchases and project has drawn on its original importance of educating both girls donations are kept and are available connections to the Peace Corps, and boys. An increasing number of upon request. using volunteers stationed in and Nigerien and expatriate individuals Projet Kogori is now looking around the designated villages to with backgrounds in education­ for additional schools in the United supervise the implementation phase. teaching or educational consult­ States and Europe to "twin" with By visiting the schools regularly, ing-have volunteered their time Nigerien schools as the project the volunteers ensure that the and resources to these expanded expands. In addition, it is always books are being used, both at facets of the project. looking for resources that can be school and at home for homework, As Projet Kogori goes forward, used directly to purchase books and that supplies are not being sold it will seek to reach out to an and slates (ardoises) in each of the or stolen. increasing number of schools using village schools that are part of the As the project has expanded to the original concept of correspon­ project, to attain a level of one an increased number of schools, it dence with a francophone school textbook for every two students, has simultaneously broadened in from the United States or Europe. and one slate per student-the scope. In addition to the purchase As individual schools are able to stated goal of the Nigerien Ministry of books and supplies, the project establish contact with their "sister of Education. Of course, as the has sought to bolster other facets of school" and acquire the materials project continues to involve an the school's activities which integrate and training necessary for basic increasing number of schools, the the students into the general welfare education, they will rely less and need for books and supplies will of their village. Specifically, the project has begun to support gardening initiatives at each of the less on direct project support. The project's role will be to measure progress and provide necessary continue to grow. • four schools by purchasing seeds advice to any new problems Editor's Note: Anyone wishing to make a donation to the project, may contact Club and cleaning wells or repairing through fewer but regular visits. International des Femmes au Niger, Projet pumps. It has also sought to draw Progress will be tracked on two Kogorl, BP 11717, Niamey, Niger. Additional on Peace ~orps volunteer experience levels: first, on the rate of success information is available from Jeanne Haji, by providing guidance on starting on the 6th grade entrance examina­ B.P. 12402, Niamey, Niger. (The WBVS Book Project knows about Projet Kogan and is and maintaining nurseries for trees, tion to secondary school, and trying to send a shipment.) 12 Bank's World / January 1995 L ast May, eighth graders at the Langston Hughes Intermediate School in Reston, Virginia, Theories Develop into became "World Bankers for a Day." Instead of learning the maps of Realities for Eighth various regions of the world, or the principal exports of different countries, as they might normally Graders do, these young people learned about the economics of human Many Bank staffare involved in various activities in their children's capital development. They then schools throughout the Washington area. Over the years, Bank's World has used this knowledge to examine occasionally published accounts ofsome ofthem . Recently, we heard about case studies from the developing social studies classes conducted at an area school by SA2PH Division Chief countries concerning issues in Richard Skolnik and one of his associates. population, health, nutrition, and education. The idea of focusing on development topics-materials some children go to school and development economics originated produced (and readily available to others do not; why some children with one of the school's social staff and educators) by Katherine drop out, while others stay in studies teachers, Gene Zablotney. Sheram, Manager, Development school; what factors determine "When she asked if I would come Education Program, EXTOP. These whether or not children learn what to the school and speak about proved to be useful tools. For they are supposed to; and why one some of the countries the students example, one of the videos was on should care about education at all. were studying, I was delighted to the onchocerciasis program, and "The students were a lively and oblige," says Mr. Skolnik, father of another was on women entrepre­ sophisticated group," he recalls. "It one of Ms. Zablotney's students. neurs in Kenya. didn't take them long to decide that In the course of several discus­ Mr. Gongar was the first to visit education was important for people sions, Ms. Zablotney decided it the school. This was especially to get ahead in life, be healthy, and would be both fun and interesting enjoyable and quite special for the stay well-nourished. They were also for the students if Mr. Skolnik and students. After all, Mr. Gongar was certain that having an educated some of his colleagues could spend previously the Minister of Education population gave countries a head start" a few days helping the students in Liberia and has held a number of In addition, they discussed answer such questions as: "Why do positions in the Ministry of Education social, economic and school factors some countries develop more in his country. Mr. Gongar's style linked to enrollment and retention. rapidly than others?" and "What is and use of proverbs from his native They related these immediately to the role of human capital in the Bassa language enthralled the their own country. development process?" youngsters. The students were able to With this in mind, Mr. Skolnik During these sessions, he determine quickly what conditions recruited the help of Othello Gongar, helped the students to examine help children to learn. They discussed a consultant in his division. Each education in the developing world. how much you could learn in a taught six class periods of about He focused on how education simple school in the bush in Africa, one hour each, during a one-day systems are organized and the key as they had seen in pictures, visit to the school. But before their issues these countries face in trying compared to how much you could visit, they designed a curriculum to ensure that children learn. Using learn in a school with facilities like and sent preparatory materials to examples largely from Africa, Mr. theirs. They talked about learning the students. These included books, Gongar helped the students to without textbooks, or with shared pamphlets, and videos on key determine for themselves why textbooks. They also discussed the Bank's World / January 1995 13 importance of well-trained teachers, when you who are knowledgeable about their skipped meals subjects, attend school as planned, you felt bad and and get help from an effective were not produc­ school system. tive. They knew When Mr. Gongar finally that poor children introduced the fundamentals of in the u.S. often economic trade-offs, they asked face these circum­ him if there were computers in the stances. They schools in Liberia. Mr. Gongar noted quickly trans­ that many of the students did not ferred these have textbooks. He then asked notions to the them to compare the price of a developing computer with the cost of books. world." In addi­ Otheilo Gongar and Kathy Sheram selected preparatory tion, they learned curriculum materials to send the students. Finally, he asked them to decide­ Photo by Michele Iannacci if they were the minister and had to about various choose where to spend money­ forms of malnutrition, and what rank-~rdered the allocation of their would it go to textbooks or com­ might be done to supplement the budget for health-maternal, child, puters? The students unanimously nutrition of young children, or to malaria, and tuberculosis were their spent their money on textbooks. provide essential micro-nutrients. leading concerns. "I was quite Mr. Skolnik visited the school Mr. Skolnik remembers that the impressed, since the WDR on two weeks later. "My aim was to students also turned out to be health had not yet been published," expose the classes to the basic astute business people. For ex­ Mr. Skolnik observes. tenets of human capital theory and ample, after they were shown Mr. Skolnik ended each of his then give them case materials to pictures of men laying railroad sessions by building upon Mr. put the theory to good use." track, he informed them that all the Gongar's discussions of education. Initially, he involved the men were anemic and infested with During this time, he focused on the students by having them identify worms. He then asked if they links between education and the facts that promote rapid eco­ owned the railroad, and the fertility, education and nutrition, nomic growth. The students quickly workers were paid a flat fee of $5 and education and health. Citing decided these included good per day, would they, as owners, be examples from the u.S. and from geography, favorable climate, and willing to pay the five cents per day the developing countries, he tried good natural resources. They also needed to cure the workers of to get the students to construct felt that good government, sound anemia and worms. Several of the informal "regression analyses" about economic policies, and well-nourished, students competed to be the first to each of these links. The students healthy, and well-educated people say they would pay if the treatment quickly discovered that the less were important to fostering economic would allow the workers to produce educated you are, the higher your and social development. at least six cents more each day of fertility; and the less educated you The remainder of the time was additional output. are, the less nourished and healthy­ spent looking at human capital in Building on the trade-offs they you are likely to be. They also depth. For this, the students created had learned from Mr. Gongar, Mr. learned the importance of education the notion of a "human capital Skolnik focused the discussion of of mothers to the well-being of their bank." The bank contained units of health around the idea that each children. Finally, they determined nutrition, health and education. The student was a minister of health that girls' schooling was among the more assets you had in the bank, the who had to make choices where to most important investments they better you lived and the greater the spend the very constrained health could make. probability that you could get a good budget. First, the students con­ At the end of their visits, both job, be productive, and earn money. structed profiles of the burden of Mr. Skolnik and Mr. Gongar were The more such people the country disease for a very poor country and hoarse and tired. However, both had had, the richer that country would be. a less poor country. Then, they immensely enjoyed the opportunity "Despite some torture among examined what the leading causes to teach. In addition, as one would World Bank economists in under­ of sickness and death were, and expect, both felt they had learned standing the economic returns to how those problems could be much from the students as well as nutrition, the students mastered this treated. Having quietly been from thinking carefully about how subject very quickly," marvels Mr. introduced to the notion of cost­ to convey human capital theory to Skolnik. "They knew inherently that effectiveness, the students then 12- and 13-year-olds. • 14 Bank's World / January 1995 On the record After Cairo The Follow-Up to the International Conference on Population and Development Dr. Nafis Sadik is Executive Director t is a great pleasure for me to of the UN Fundfor Population Activities (UNFPA) and was Secre­ tary-General ofthe International I have the opportunity to discuss with you some of the main outcomes of the International Conference on Population and Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Development (ICPD), which was September in Cairo. She was the held, as you all know, in Cairo from second head ofa UN institution September 5 to 13. I will also invited jointly by the Bank and discuss how we should carry on the Fund to address their staffs and momentum generated by the meet with their managers. tn her Conference. November 4 talk, exce1pts from The ICPD adopted a new which follow, Dr. Sadik notes the forward-looking Program of Action importance to ICPD of the addresses for the next 20 years. This Program by Messrs. Preston and Camdessus. is viewed by many-especially The Bank also contributed two women's groups-as a major major reports to the conference. breakthrough in conventional thinking on population and devel- Photos by Michele lannacci opment. The international commu­ nity has, for the first time, gone beyond human numbers and demographic targets and explicitly placed human beings at the center of all popula.tion and development activities. The international community has acknowl­ edged that investing in people, in their health and education, is the key to sustained economic growth and sustainable development. What is being emphasized in this Program of Action is an approach that attacks macro problems by addressing micro needs at the local level, taking into account individual perspectives and needs in policy formulation and implementation, without undermining the responsibilities and sovereignty of governments. The ICPD Program of Action is a very comprehensive document. The population dimension is no longer seen in isolation, but in conjunction Dr. Nafis Sadik was appointed head of UNFPA with overall development strategies, in particular the eradication of in 1987, the first woman to head a major UN poverty, the need for sustained economic growth in developing countries program. Headquartered in New York, with a in the context of sustainable development, and the imperative need to worldwide staff of 800, UNFPA has received $3.2 billion from donors since its founding empower women. As such, the Cairo agreements provide guidance to and in 1969 and had a program level of $250 a framework of action for the entire international community, including million in 1994. A native of Pakistan, Dr. Sadik the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. received her M.D . in Karachi with further There are at least six aspects of the ICPD Program of Action that stand training at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. She was a medical out in setting it apart from any earlier international document on popula­ officer in charge of women's and children's tion. First, the Program of Action places population firmly within the wards in various hospitals in her country, broad spectrum of efforts to achieve sustainable development and it sees and later became Director-General of population as an integral part of development policy. Pakistan's Central Family Planning Council. Bank's World I January 1995 15 Second, perhaps the biggest achievement of this countries themselves, with approximately one-third Conference has been the clear recognition of the need coming from external sources. Assuming that recipient to empower women----both as an important end in itself countries will be able to generate sufficient increases and as a key to improving the quality of life of every­ in domestically generated resources, the need for one. Hence, the emphasis on gender equality and complementary resource flows from donor countries equity in the Program of Action. would be in the order of US$5.7 Education is seen as one of the most billion in 2000 and US$7.2 billion per important means of empowering year in 2015 (in 1993 US dollars). women with the knowledge? skills and Since the ICPD was not an isolated self-confidence necessary to participate event, financial resources needed for fully in the development process, and, achieving the goals that go beyond the since discrimination on the basis of population-related ones come from gender often starts at the earliest stages other international agreements: Health of life, the Program of Action places a for All Initiative, the World Summit for great deal of emphasis on special Children and the Education for All programs relating to the girl-child as a conferences; the Global Environment necessary first step on ensuring that Facility and other funding for the women realize their full potential and implementation of Agenda 21, while become equal partners in development. resources for poverty alleviation are Third, the Program of Action provided by the World Bank, UNFPA, recognizes the need to integratefamily and others. planning activities into the wider context of reproduc­ While the Cairo Conference was clearly a success, tive health. Reproductive health goes beyond family its real significance depends on the willingness of planning in addressing the overall health and well-being governments, local communities, the nongovernmental of people, particularly of women and girls. The sector, the international community and all concerned Program of Action calls upon all countries to strive to organizations and individuals to turn the recommenda­ make reproductive health accessible through the primary tions of the Conference into tangible and effective health-care system to all individuals of appropriate age action. This commitment will be of particular impor­ as soon as possible and no later than the year 2015. tance at the national and individual levels. Yet interna­ Fourth, in Cairo, the international community tional institutions, including the World Bank and the committed itself to making serious efforts to improve IMF, share this responsibility. the quality of life of all members of the human family At the international level, follow-up activities will by reaching consensus on 20-year goals related to the be centered around three issues, namely resources, reduction of infant, child and maternal mortality, the coordination and monitoring. With regard to financial provision of universal access to education, particularly assistance, in order to be able to fully implement the for girls, and the provision of universal access to a actions spelled out in the Cairo document, it will be whole range of reproductive health care and family absolutely essential that the donor community fulfills planning services. its commitment, not only to complement domestic Fifth, the ICPD was certainly a turning point in what resources, but also as a genuine sign of partnership by concerns the strong involvement of nongovernmental developed countries to developing countries in dealing organizations (NGOs). In its recommendations, the with global population issues. international community strongly endorsed the need With regard to international coordination, all for the further strengthening of NGOs and called for an specialized agencies and related organizations of the effective partnership between governments and NGOs United Nations system, as well as the Bretton Woods in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of institutions, should strengthen their inter-agency population and development-related programs. cooperation in the field of population and development, Sixth,_the ICPD marks the ftrst time that full consensus with a view to increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of countries in an official international fbrum was reached of population and development programs. The Secretary­ on a specific commitment ofresources to a development General of the United Nations has asked me to chair issue. The costs in the developing world and for coun­ an inter-agency Task Force that will include high-level tries with economies in transition for the provision of officials from various parts of the U.N. system, with a the full package is estimated to be US$17 billion per view toward ensuring a common and integrated year in the year 2000 and US$21.7 billion per year in strategy for the follow-up to ICPD. 2015 (in 1993 US dollars). In the past, the relevance of population and It is tentatively estimated that up to two-thirds of development programs was questioned by some, using the costs will continue to be met by developing certain economic arguments. But recent analyses, such 16 Bank's World / January 1995 as an Independent Inquiry on Population commissioned by the Australian Government, as well as working documents of the World Bank itself, buttress the view that rapid population growth presents a formidable impediment to development in many cases. Cost-benefit studies also consistently point to the high rates of return from reproductive health/family planning programs. To be fully and synergistically effective, however, population policies and programs need to be amply integrated into the wider context of an overall strategy for sustainable development. I am confident that the World Bank and the IMF will give their Dr. Sadik with some of the audience from the Bank and the Fund. financial and intellectual support to this integration, so that population concerns will now be at the center of developmental efforts and not advisory role, and in creating an economic environment any longer relegated to the back burner. At Cairo, most favorable for social investment, you can have a special governments have shown their commitment to ad­ role in helping countries achieve the ICPD goals. Equally dressing population within the development context: so, you should help ensure that the necessary infra­ the Bank's and the IMF's help will be indispensable structure is in place and can be maintained and post-Cairo to build infrastructure, to furnish policy expanded in ICPD priority areas of education and advice and to make financing available so that all primary health care. In pursuing health and education countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, South sector reforms, once again ICPD goals should be kept Asia and Central America will be able to enjoy the in mind. same success in tackling population issues that has There are a number of special issues emanating been experienced elsewhere. from ICPD which would benefit immensely from joint Monitoring progress in the implementation of the reviews. These include, for example, basic education ICPD recommendations at the international level will be and education of girls in particular; women's empow­ a three-way process. First, taking into account the outcomes erment; access to reproductive health and family of the ICPD and its consequences for population planning; maternal mortality; adolescent reproductive assistance in the immediate future, all organizations health; and community participation. involved in the field of population and development In closing, I should like to congratulate the should closely review their existing policy and program International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for guidelines to bring them in line with recommendations the strong support you provided for the entire ICPD of the ICPD. Second, the UN General Assembly will process and the Cairo Conference itself, and for the review the implications of ICPD for the UN system as a forthright and balanced manner in which you address whole. And third, the ICPD Secretariat and UNFPA are the population dimension in development. The cooperating closely with the Secretariats of next year's statements made by Mr. Camdessus and Mr. Preston at Social Summit and the Fourth World Conference on the ICPD set the tone for the direction and success of Women, as well'as in the preparations for their 1996 the Conference. The fact that I was invited to address Second United Nations Conference on Human Settle­ the April 1994 meeting of the Development Committee ments (Habitat II). We are seeking to ensure that the of the IMF and the World Bank also speaks for itself. ICPD agreements are adequately reinforced in these We are clearly ready to go to work to implement other important conferences. this Program of Action. We know what is needed, and I should like to refer to the important manner in we have a 20-year work plan. The international which the World Bank and the IMF can promote community has every reason to be optimistic; let us implementation of the ICPD. In your strong policy make sure our optimism is justified. • Bank's World / January 1995 17 c.. I t all began as a routine matter. I was on a family vacation in the tiny oceanfront village of Salvo The World Bank and on Hatteras Island, on the coast of North Carolina. I returned from my the Outer Banks first-ever windsurfing lesson one sunny afternoon to be told to call by Mohua Mukherjee my office. Nothing very unusual-it turned out that something needed to be written double quick because someone was traveling next week and others needed to see it before­ hand and there was almost no time left. During a lively conference call, I found myself casually and confi­ dently committing to tight dead­ office through which we'd arranged office supply store is in Nags Head, lines. As it turned out, I had no real the house, but they closed at 5 p.m., about 50 miles away-they don't idea of what sort of vacation spot and it was already a few minutes open till 10 in the morning. No, no we had chosen and, without this after. A quick call revealed they one else is open around here at this unexpected office assignment, I were just locking up for the day. time. We're all gettin' our regular would never have known. In the They suggested I try using the fax deliveries of office supplies to Salvo next 24 hours, it would be close to at the nearby Hatteras Island on Thursdays-I can put in an impossible for me to print and fax Resort, even though I wasn't a order for you if you'd like." a word-processed document to 600 guest there. A little persuasion ~as I was furiously debating the 19th Street, N.W. from there, even enough, and a friendly voice on the implications of proceeding to write though there were computers in other end said she would call me it in the more modest way I'd almost every business establish­ when the four or five pages I was originally planned, without the ment up and down the main road, expecting, arrived. benefit of the fax as guidance, when and a fair number of printers and Around 7.30 p.m., I was I heard some heavenly background fax machines as well. I found out starting to get a little anxious. conversation on the other end. exactly how highly specialized the Surely the nice lady hadn't forgot­ "Oh, here we go! Annie must have use of the computer as a business ten? No indeed. "We're out of fax squirreled away a roll of fax paper tool is in this country, and that the paper, ma'am. Your fax used up 30 under her desk just before she left. urgency of Bank deadlines eventu­ pages so far and that's all we had You're OK, ma'am. We just found ally begins to seem a little surreal since we changed the roll in some more...now the rest of your in a place like that. (So, I won­ August. Looks like there's about 20 fax should start coming in ... " dered later, what happens when more comin'." Could I buy them My husband and I drove the 12 we leave what must be impossible some more fax paper tonight? I or so miles to the place at close to instructions in other countries had, after all, promised to send my the speed of light, through the dark where conditions are a hundred own document to the office by night. Fifty-two pages of wisdom times more difficult?) close of business next day and I had come in. "Now I can start The first inkling should have suddenly realized that if 50-plus reading this and really get going," I been when my office asked for the pages were on their way to me thought, with no idea that the fax fax number to send me a few through the airwaves, I'd better experience was just an appetizer pages of background materiaL I have them in hand before sitting for all that lay ahead. knew I could count on the realty down to write. That night, after dinner, we "You can't get any fax paper experienced the first of a nightly around here. At least not till ritual of power cuts lasting from about Mohua Mukherjee is Senior Country Officer, MN2CO. tomorrow, ma'am. And the nearest 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Evidently the fierce 18 Bank's World / January 1995 stonns of the preceding days had a bit farther than it seemed when we Someone else thought I should call whipped up large quantities of surf drove by. Never mind, I thought, the school. "Is that a high school or and salt onto the power lines, and it's all over once I get there. a middle school?" I remember this somehow caused a short circuit To cut a long story short, I asking, for some reason thinking during peak load periods. My found the friendly folks at the realty the chances were better if it were adrenalin was keeping me wide office had no 3.5 inch diskettes, the former. "Oh, it's the only school awake so I read the lengthy fax by and no software other than one we have here on Hatteras. It's candlelight and considered myself commercial package that one out of everything, and everyone goes fortunate that the power cut had the five of them was trained to use. there." Any names I could ask for? not struck the fax machine a little We tried connecting the printer to "You want to ask for Faye Foster. earlier. By morning I was ready to my laptop but drew a blank. They She's the secretary." Does she have write. By coincidence, I had packed helped me telephone all over the access to the computer? "No, she's a laptop computer at the last minute, island, including the Radio Shack at the secretary." partly as bad weather insurance. I Nags Head 50 miles away, looking "Cape Hatteras School, this is thought the ocean surroundings for a small diskette and somewhere Faye Foster, can I help you?" When might inspire me to start a diary, or to print a WordPerfect document. she heard what I needed, she said I that I might feel like composing a No one, it seemed, used word should give Georgina a call. long letter to a close friend. I had processing packages. Was this Georgina was the owner of "Point not counted on this need for it. I possible, I thought, in all these to Point," which was, of all things, began writing at dawn. commercial establishments? Time a desktop publishing business in a I assured the family I would be and again, it was the same story. village called Buxton. The village .ready to rejoin them by early after­ For example, the Comfort Inn hotel had a lighthouse (coincidence, I noon when they returned from a used a specialized software that wondered) and was located about half-day trip. "I just need to print was tied in to a system out of West 30 miles down the coast. I wasted this thing out by lunchtime, fax it, Virginia. The smaller places all used no time in calling her. I even and forget about it," were my customized packages and, in the addressed her by name. She was optimistic last words before they left. event they had to produce any text more than friendly a~d concerned. "I'll do all that at Outer Beaches other than an invoice or receipt, "But I normally close at 3 p.m. and Realty." I didn't have a diskette or they moved back to the typewriter. I'm just fixin' to leave for my other printer with me, but I was serenely By this time my husband had job as a waitress down in confident all this would be solved by driven over to the realty office to Ocracoke, so I'll be able to help the friendly people at the realty office. rescue me, but I had not found a you tomorrow morning at 10... " I I finished writing in good time solution. I was sitting with the explained my urgency, and we and decided the family wouldn't be document on my computer, but no agreed that for now she would back with the car for at least way to get it to Washington by leave me a 3.5 inch blank diskette another hour. The realty office evening as promised. ''Just send the under her doormat and I would wasn't too far; wouldn't it be great whole laptop by DHL," my hus­ leave the money in the same place. if I could get a headstart and print band suggested. It turned out the Getting hold of a diskette meant I and send the whole thing off by the island was serviced only by UPS could at least send it to the office time they returned? and they would not be coming with my text on it, but not by 6 p.m., I started walking on the little over until the following morning so as prOmised. In fact, it wouldn't get grassy strip alongside the only road my package wouldn't reach the there until two days later with an on the island, Highway 12. I Bank for another 48 hours... At overnight courier service. carefully held the laptop with my nine pages, it was also too long to And so it continued. My husband precious document on it, since I read to someone on the phone. repeated his earlier suggestion that hadn't even brought the carrying What to do? I call "Windsurfing Hatteras," where case. My plan was simple: transfer Back at the house, a series of I had taken my lesson the day before it to a diskette, print it, fax it and phone calls (largely as a result of and had been signed up for this call home to see if they were back helpful suggestions from those who day as well. With very little hope, I and could come to pick me up. could not help directly) put me on dialed, thinking this would be What I had not counted on: the a first -name basis with about 20 another classic case of commercial­ grassy strip was totally soggy to people on the island. I got to know use only software. I explained the walk on; the midday heat; the fumes the lady who produces the monthly situation to the person who answered from the cars whizzing by right next newspaper called the Island Breeze; the phone, who happened to be my to me were intense; the mosquitoes they use a Macintosh and do not previous day's instructor. He passed were large; and the place was quite have the WPconversion package. me on to Mike. "Do you have Bank's World / January 1995 19 L WordPerfect?" I asked without much them the fax was coming through, for Mike when I called about it. "Is enthusiasm, noticing it was already as promised, by close of business, this the important Washington D.C becoming dark outside. I almost fell more or less, the wind gusts were stuff? Boy, you guys have deadlines off the bed: he had WordPeifect, a so loud I could barely hear what and then some! OK, Windsurfing 3.5 inch diskette and Win/ax! "In was being said by people back in Hatteras will take care of it." And fact I can send your fax through the the comfortable offices of the H they did. computer if you like." Finding this building's 10th floor. Mike waved The whole exercise, starting guy had taken me longer than and drove off in his pickup truck with the long incoming fax in­ writing the document. Now he was with five surfboards while I was volved a cash outlay of about $100. about 15 miles away. still on the phone. I was grateful By the way, the travel plans of the My helpful and patient hus­ that he had been here this long. original person for whom this was band took me right away to the That wasn't quite the end. The written, did ndt materialize! (But, windswept spot where Windsurfing office called our rented home to others were able to make good use Hatteras is located and, eventually, ask for two pages to be re-sent of the document). • things fell into place. When I while my husband and I were still stepped out of the store to call the driving back from Windsurfing office from a pay phone to tell Hatteras. Someone took a message T he E gallery was packed. Friends and colleagues of both Attila and Sukriye Karaosmanoglu, as well as a son Farewell to the and daughter-in-law and two small grandchildren, had come to the November 29 retirement party to Karaosmanoglus say goodbye to the Managing Director and his wife. byJill Roessner World Bank President Lewis Preston spoke ftrst. "We will all miss his profound wisdom and good judgment. Speaking for myself in Dan Ritchie, Director, MN1, particular, I will miss being able then introduced a distinguished just to walk down the hall to avail representative from "dare I say myself of those qualities... it-Attila's favorite borrower, the "I consider his selection as Republic of Yemen" (see sidebar). Managing Director one of my very His Excellency, Dr. Abdul best decisions-and I have come to Karim EI-Eryani, Yemen's Deputy rely on his advice and counsel." Prime Minister, reminisced about Mr. Preston went on to acknowl­ Mr. Karaosmanoglu's visit to the edge Mrs. Karaosmanoglu's support People's Republic of Southern of the Bank and her magnificent Yemen in October 1969, when a leadership of the Margaret McNamara DC-3 plane brought him to the Memorial Fund (MMMF), noting there narrow and un-asphalted airstrip was a separate special reception in the city of Taiz: "That was planned for her. Yemen's international airport!" 20 Bank's World / January 1995 "I was really quite terrified, but What Have You Got in There? Attila, ever calm, ever controlled, The Security people at Amsterdam:S­ walked right over to the governor. Schiphol Airport were curious. What was the star-shaped thing revealed by the x­ And then a remarkable thing ray cameras in the gentleman :s- luggage? happened. The governor embraced The gentleman in question was His Attila and then kissed him on both Excellency, Dr. Abdul Karim El-Eryani, cheeks. Then 1 knew 1 wasn't in Yemen's Deputy (andfonner) Prime Minister, and the "star-shaped thing" Minnesota any more!" was, he tells us, Yemen's 26th of In his own farewell remarks, Mr. September medal, a decoration awarded Karaosmanoglu thanked the speakers, to "prime ministers, deputy prime assembled guests, and all his ministers and personalities ofthat colleagues. He paid special tribute category. " Probably fewer than 30 such to his wife and the two secretaries decorations have been conferred, and Dr. Eryani was carrying the medal, who had worked with him over the which had been specially mintedfor the years. Myrtle (Babs) Bram was his occasion, from Sana 'a to Washington, secretary for 10 of her 28 years at D.e., to present it to World Bank Their adventures included a the Bank,. and when she retired in Managing Director Attila trip along 250 km of gravel road in 1980, was succeeded by Sununta Karaosmanoglu on the occasion ofhis a "hard top, hard seat" Toyota, at Prasarnphanich. Ms. Prasarnphanich retirement. "We feel so appreciative because he the end of which Dr. Eryani went then briefly addressed the group to came to take Yemen to the footsteps ofthe to his brother's house and Mr. say a few final, fond words about 20th century," Dr. Eryani toldBank's Karaosmanoglu and Mohamed AI­ "Mr. K." She noted that while we World. The medal was named after the Shohaty, who was then with the can all handle success, she learned date in 1962 when Yemen became a Kuwait Fund for Arabic Economic from the way in which her boss republic (having fonnerly been an absolute monarchy). With amusement, Development (and who had also handled his moments of defeat that Dr. Eryani quoted an item in a Time come to Washington to honor his she had "the rare privilege of magazine ofthat era which stated: old colleague), ended up in a guest working for a truly great man." "Yemen is a country which is mshing house in the USAID camp-where Farewell gifts had been pre­ toward the 13th century." they discovered there was no water sented to Mr. and Mrs. "We weT{! stillfacing a civil UXlr then, " Dr. Eryani added, noting that Mr. and nothing to eat. "Such w'e re the Karaosmanoglu, including a Karaosmanoglu encountered terrible conditions under which our great painting of Mr. Karaosmanoglu's hardship and health hazards when travel­ friend Attila Karaosmanoglu 25 hometown, Manisa; the town was ing in Yemen. "It would be no exaggera­ years ago pioneered Yemen's given to his ancestors in the 16th tion to say his life was even at risk. " fruitful and most productive century by Suleiman the Dr. Eryani was educated in the United States after high school, and relationship with the World Bank Magnificent's father. Another gift spent 10 years studying agriculture at Group." was an album of letters, photos and Southwest Texas State College (from After Dr. Eryani's moving other memorabilia from their years which former u.s. President Lyndon tribute, Mr. Ritchie delivered a few in the Bank, assembled by Ms. Baines Johnson also graduated), of his own reminiscences, many of Prasarnphanich. followed by Oklahoma State University, after which he moved to the University of which caused ripples of laughter, A couple of days later, in a Georgia ("mainly for the weather, " he despite his claim that "Attila has separate ceremony, Mrs. Preston claims), then on to Yale where he been to me... a teacher, mentor, gave a citation honoring Mrs. obtained his Ph D. in biochemical guide and friend." genetics. "I never applied what I Karaosmanoglu for her commitment Mr. Ritchie described his own to the education of women in studied, " he admits with a grin. Having sewed as his country's first reaction to arriving in Yemen. developing countries and her Planning Minister, then Education "... two Land Rovers came barreling outstanding fund-raising and Minister, then Prime Minister, than back toward us, kicking up dust.. .out of excellent leadership as President of to Planning before becoming now both one came about a dozen men, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the MMMF from 1987 through 1994. anned to the teeth with rifles, The MMMF Board of Directors has Foreign Affairs, Dr. Eryani's connec­ tions with the retired Managing Director pistols and belts of bullets across announced it will designate annu­ go back a quarter ofa century. "You their chests. Out of the other came ally, in perpetuity, a Sukriye really never felt bored ifyou spent hours the governor of the province, Karaosmanoglu Fellow. together with Attil~discussion was turbaned with a white beard and a alwaysfmitful; he's easy, very adapt­ long curved dagger in his belt. I able; Yemen wasn't the easiest place to be in those early days, but Attila had no remember saying to myself, 'I don't problem in adapting." think I'm in Minnesota any more.' Bank's World / January 1995 21 obody knew what hap­ Disaster! N pened. It was Tuesday, November 15, a cold morning (barely above freezing), by Lisa Costa gray and drizzly, typical for Washington at that time of year. Illustration by Lisa Costa At 8:19 a.m., Bank staff already at work in the D, E, and MC buildings heard and felt a muffled explosion. phone, he immediately contacted canceled; and the Bank's Public Occupants of neighboring buildings his first alternate, Frank O'Reilly, Information Officers were kept did too. who was already in his office in the well-informed throughout the day The mysterious explosion R building. Mr. O'Reilly called the so they could effectively respond to caused smoke detectors in the E Recovery Management Team (RMT) the journalists, 1V and radio crews basement and first floor to go off, and Functional Team Leaders. swarming the area, seeking com­ triggering alarms in the Security Unaffected by the crawling traffic, ments and details. Operations Center (SOC). All E Mr. Hoge whizzed past cars on his For readers who have made it this building elevators began to de­ bicycle as he started pedaling faster. far and are thoroughly confused, scend and unsuspecting staff were The evacuation of the Main what you've just read was a simulated automatically returned to ground Complex took about 15 minutes. disaster scenario orchestrated by the level. People trying to park in the Staff were diverted through the D Business Continuity Programme. D and E garages were also in for a and MC buildings, avoiding the E The purpose of such an exercise is shock as water began gushing in exits. At least 10 staff were injured to go through the procedures that and the smell of gas permeated the while hurrying down the stairwells. will be followed in case of a enclosed area. The alarms were The fire department, police, calamity. And procedures were deafening and people panicked, and gas company arrived. The definitely covered that day during a abandoning their cars to flee the police immediately barricaded the six-hour meeting that paralleled garages, leaving the entrances area, blocking several streets. simulated events occurring as a blocked. Detoured rush hour traffic degener­ result of the mock disaster. A security guard who saw the ated into a noisy, slow-moving jam. So none of this really happened, water and smelled gas quickly Many staff sought refuge from the but it could have. alerted the SOC which called the miserable weather in the J and H And if something like this does fire department. The fire depart­ buildings. Others, more curious, happen, what should staff do? Who ment then contacted the police, stayed outside and were shuffled will tell them whether to go home? Pepco, and Washington Gas, all behind police barricades. The fire And what about departments that while gas fumes invaded the halls department instructed that the can't afford to close for a day; if an of the E building. The SOC entire block have its electricity and entire building were closed, where sounded the alarms and announced gas turned off, causing yet more would they go and would they that the entire Main Complex (MC) panic and confusion. At 8:32 a.m., a have the facilities they need to must be evacuated at once. dead body was found in E-Bl. operate? In the simulation, there Robert Hoge, Business Continu­ Everyone had questions, and was a gas explosion in E-Bl. In a ity Coordinator, was en route to they actually found the answers similar real-life situation, what work when disaster struck the amidst all the chaos. RMT meetings would become of all the Bank's World Bank. Reached by cellular advised unit managers what to tell records and files? In short, in the their staffs; one of the team mem­ face of a disaster, who will ensure Usa Costa is a Staff Assistant in EXTCS. Her most recent contribution to the magazine bers from Secretary's Department that the same high-quality service was last September's article about the got word to the EDs that the delivered to both internal and Monarch butterflies' migration. scheduled Board meeting was external clients continues? 22 Bank's World / January 1995 Most of us probably give little Plan (Volume I) distributed to thought to such things, and we managers in May 1994. Volume II, would be unprepared. But Robert last revised in July 1994, is also Hoge and the participants in the available. It contains the procedures Business Continuity Programme do to be followed by a number of think about it. It's their job. The institutional service providers in the Business Continuity Programme is case of an emergency. a coordinating framework of The BC Programme has also policies, training, and procedures organized a Business Continuity that works to ensure the Bank Advisory Group which meets 10 maintains a reasonable capability times a year to exchange experi­ to continue business processes ences, ask questions, and review with minimal interruption in an results of various exercises, such as emergency. The BC Programme's the most recent disaster simulation. success depends on the reliability The next meeting will be held of its Business Continuity Plan February 1. Interested staff should (BCP), in which the Bank Group as contact Robert Hoge, Ext. 33192. a whole, and its individual business central plan for the entire Bank Group. Everyone should be familar units, plan for efficient and effective Only some business units already with the brochure, "Fire Safety and recovery from an emergency, with have a well-formulated plan, others You" (available from all guard minimal disruption and adverse are working on theirs, and still d~sks), so they know what to do in impact. others need to become involved. A the case of an evacuation. Each business unit is respon­ BCP might be based on a "hot site" While no gas explosion occurred sible for its own recovery plan, all (where a unit will relocate in case in the E building on November 15, of which is overseen by Mr. Hoge, of an emergency), and other and nobody was hurt, and business the Bank's Business Continuity procedures to follow in certain was not interrupted, it's nice to Coordinator, in the Organization situations. For more information know that if such a catastrophe and Business Practices Department. about BCPs, staff may refer to The were to strike, we'll be ready to The BC Programme, in turn, has a World Bank Business Continuity strike back. • s I write this, the weather is A uncommonly mild for December, but the Bank's climate is chilly-it is a season of Taking discontent. A year that began with preparation for the 50th anniversary Stock · and a loudly touted program of business process innovation has by Eric V. Swanson now devolved into a wracking series of institutional changes that are likely to continue for the next two years. Now is the time to draw that staff have a deep commitment initial work on business process lessons from the past and to to this institution. Decisions reached innovation. Let's look at other prepare for the future. with staff participation have helped examples from the SA's work program. If there is one key lesson from to foster a sense of ownership in the past year, it is about the value results and consequences, but Operational travel of staff participation. The Staff decisions imposed 'unilaterally Twelve long months ago, Association's open forum on the create alienation and distrust. management imposed new restrictions Bank's anniversary demonstrated Nowhere is this clearer than in the on operational travel. Management Bank's World / January 1995 23 acted unilaterally, without consulting Center was opened, and the Bank addressed the needs of affected staff. As a result, even those who recruited a Family Assistance staff and the peculiarities of their supported the principle saw the manager to take charge of the status while minimizing the cost to decision as a breach of trust Work and Family agenda. We the Bank. Although the initial grounded in appearances rather acknowledge the excellent work of proposal had support on the than solid business analysis. our colleagues in MPS. But at least Board, the final plan was not one Work and Family initiative was approved, owing to the steadfast Compensation in grave doubt at year's end. opposition of management and the Flat growth in our comparators' Despite a highly favorable recep­ lack of support from the IMF. The compensation packages combined tion by staff and managers, the equity issues for Permanent with a relatively small increase in Compressed Work Schedule has Resident staff will continue to the cost of living led to a small been frozen in its pilot stage. Staff mount, as they are "cheaper" for overall pay increase this year. were "consulted"-through a the Bank than either GOv) or US Although the result was unpalat­ survey-but our participation was national staff. The SA must be able, the SA supported the integrity rendered meaningless by manage­ concerned whenever cost con­ of the compensation system. The ment fiat. sciousness outweighs eqUity SA also worked with management There are other areas of considerations. to revise the reward categories to concern. The Legal Department's provide a more uniformly gradu­ lack of support for the position of Field Offices ated system of awarding increases. Legal Adviser to Staff, and MPS' The importance of the field Participation worked well here. move to make redundant the offices continues to grow for the Emergency Officer, who assists staff Bank and the SA. More progress Quadrennial Benefits Review during family emergencies, could has been made on the Local Staff Every four years, the Bank deprive staff of essential services. Retirement Plan: the pilot surveys Group surveys its benefits package We must not let the newfound zeal are complete and show that the to make sure it is competitive in the for cost savings strip away the fruit proposed plan is generally popular international market. In 1994 the of past collaboration. among its prospective users. overall value to staff of the Bank's Implementation is scheduled for security benefits (principally Non-regular Staff 1995. Staff participation in this retirement and insurance programs) The situation of non-regular proposal has been instrumental in remained properly positioned vis­ staff in the Bank requires sound . its effective development. Local a-vis our comparators. Beyond this analysis, imaginative thinking, and staff were not consulted, however, formal Review, it was a disappoint­ bold decision-making. Although before changes in the financial ing year in benefits for staff as the there were radical suggestions (e.g., assistance program were imposed. Bank continued to erode the moving long-term consultants to To pick up the pieces, resident benefits package. An example is fixed-term contracts) broached representatives need to work the revised Staff Rule on financial within MPS, they were rejected on closely with their staff to agree on­ assistance to staff: interest rates budgetary grounds in favor of implementation guidelines. were raised almost a full point maintaining the status quo. The The philosopher George simply by changing from one index Bank has yet to deal with the larger Santayana said we must learn from to another; access to housing picture: What incentives have led to the past or be doomed to repeat it. advances was restricted and the rapid increase in the numbers As we have seen, the past year eligibility criteria were tightened. In of NRS? What work program goals offers many examples of successes sum, the benefit is now less do these incentives serve? How and failures. You will find more in valuable to staff than it was a year long can the Bank sustain a two­ the Staff Association's Annual ago. Were we consulted? Yes. Did tier employment scheme? Report. Another wise man said that we object? Loudly. Did participation we must hang together or surely get us what we wanted? No. You Expatriate Benefits for u.S. we shall all hang separately. win some, you lose some. Permanent Residents Perhaps that is the appropriate The SA began the year with motto for the coming year. Next Work and Family optimism. A compromise plan had month we will look at the SA's Implementation of the Bank's Work and Family program, which the SA was instrumental in helping to been worked out to resolve the inequities faced by permanent resident staff recruited after 1985. work program for 1995. • launch, made some more solid steps: The plan stood as a model for the Dependent Care Assistance responsible consultations: it 24 Bank's World / January 1995 Senior Staff Richard H. Fi'ank U.S. national Managing Director, effective February 1. Mahmood A. Ayub Sven Bunnester Pakistani Danish Senior Operations Adviser, Chief, Country Operations Office of the Vice President, Division II, Africa Region, effective January 6. Country Department I, East Asia and Pacific Region, effective March 8 .. Khalid Ikram Pakistani Resident Representative to Egypt, Middle East and North Africa Region, effective March 6. Carl Dahlman Colombian Resident Representative to Mexico, effective December 1, 1994. (No photo available.) Khateeb Sarwar Lateef IyadMaias Indian Jordani~n Economic Adviser, Office of Manager, Capital Markets Division, the Director, International Central Asia, Middle East and Anette Pedersen Anthony Pellegrini Economics Department, North Africa Department, IFC, Danish U.S. national effective January 1. effective February 20. Senior Adviser on Women's Issues, Senior Adviser, Transport, Water Office of the Vice President, and Urban Development Management and Personnel Department, Office of the Director, Services, effective January 3. effective November 14, 1994. Bank's World / January 1995 25 MichelJ.L Pommier Alexander Shakow Kumiko Yoshinari French U.S. national Japanese Change Management Adviser, Senior Adviser, Operations Manager, Corporate Planning Office of the Vice President, Policy Department, Unit, Corporate Planning Africa Region, effective October 1, 1994. Department, IFC, effective January 1. effective January 9. In Memoriam We extend our condolences to the families of Retirees Wee Keng Chi, October 7 William H. Johnson, November 9 Patricia S. Stevens, November 28 N·E.'VJ ~EAR'5 RE~'TlON' MA~Y "' WON'T EAT AN'! '" \,J\bJ'T EAT ~ EnITINEr IS E\I~I~ SNEETS." S'NEE1S." I / 26 Bank's World / January 1995 Around the Bank LoafIng Around Bowling Champion All the divisions in LA1 participated in the second annual bread sale to raise money for the United Way. From left to right, Patricia Gomez, Iris Moreno, a Angelica Silvero and Cristina Palarca, surveying lot of dough. IFC's Wendy Lamour won the women's division of the Virginia State Champion­ ship of the Merit Bowling Tournament last November, which earned her a trip to Reno, Nevada at the beginning of In addition, the same group hosted a special December. There she competed in the breakfast. Shown here are Danny Leipziger Cleft) Merit Bowling Pro-Am Championship, and Homi Kharas, suitably garbed for the occasion. finishing among the top five contestants and winning a very nice cash prize-just in time for holiday shopping. Thank You Robin R. Dixon-Jefferson, President of the Georgetown Children's House, a non-profit day care center serving children of low­ income families, sent us this montage of photos as "a little token from the children to say thank you for caring." The Bank's Community Relations Office had sent Georgetown Children's House a check for $l,OOO--funds raised at a recent disco. ) Bank's World / January 1995 27 The purpose of this column is to charge for coffee service re­ for such items as hot and cold answer questions of broad interest quests; (7) the cost of pastries, water and ice cubes as well as for concerning the World Bank donuts, muffins, party trays, etc. pre-portioned items such as Group's policies and procedures. triples if you request delivery cappucino, hot tea, and packaged Please include your name and (for office functions); and lots hot chocolate. room number so we can send you more that some of us have not Because the World Bank the answer to your question, even if yet heard of. I would not be "campus" is spread out over 18 it is not selected to appear in the surprised if Marriott starts different buildings, the delivery of magazine. Your confidentiality will charging people just for going catered food and beverage carries be protected and your name will inside the cafeteria. a $25 fee to assist in offsetting the not be submitted to the manager In my opinion, Marriott is cost of providing service. Delivered from whom the answer is sought. ~gadvan~eofBankstaff coffee service is priced at $1.40 per An arJ:onymous question can be and wonder if anything can be person and includes the delivery answered only if it is ofsufficiently done to curtail some of the fee, comparable to the IMF. broad interest to be included in the outrageous pricing. With regard to the pricing of magazine. Send your questions to: condiments, the current price AnswerLine, Bank's World, Answer: Price adjustments are structure reflects client feedback Rm. T-B03B. made once a year in July following via the user survey, customer ••• a detailed review by the Bank of comment cards and the food Question: I don't normally approximately 2,000 menu items, services working groups which ask what I am being charged for including an in-depth price com­ indicates that staff prefer that some when I buy lunch or breakfast parison conducted with 32 cafeteria condiments be priced a la carte so at the cafeteria. But one morn­ comparator establishments in the area. that only the customers who take ing I was charged an additional The charges for foam cups and the condiments pay for them. five cents, so I asked what it was new cardboard carryout boxes were Cream cheese, o~ of the more for since I only got coffee. The implemented in 1992 in response to expensive condiments and not one cashier told me there is an staff request that the Bank introduce that is used by everyone, is priced additional five cents charge if environmentally responsible initia­ separately at 25 cents. Most you use your own coffee mug tives to reduce the consumption of "traditional" condiments are (not the one with the Bank's disposable products in the cafete­ included in the price of the item, logo) to buy coffee. What is the rias. As a result of the program, the e.g., the price of coffee includes rationale for this rule? consumption of foam cups and four creamers, and one pancake Marriott seems to find every cardboard boxes has decreased includes four butter/margarine and excuse possible to rip us off. annually by one million units each, one syrup. Margaret Clark, Chief, Here are some of the more or a reduction of 65 percent from Food Services Section, GSD • ridiculous rip-offs: (1) when the 1991 levels. you use styrofoam cups; (2) Because of the variety of sizes when you use a cardboard box of "client-owned" mugs brought in that was not punched yet; (3) by staff, in an effort to ensure a when you take cream (half and degree of fairness to all and mini­ half in those small containers) mize slowdowns and disputes upon for your coffee; (4) when you checkout, a standard five-cent get cream cheese for your bagel; charge is levied for items which are (5) when you get syrup for your not pre-portioned. No charge is pancake; (6) there is a steep made when "own" mugs are used 28 Bank's World / January 1995