Flattery will get you everywhere

So I just finished up this fantastic three week process evaluation of Mali's first universal coverage distribution, in the region of Sikasso. I got to work with a couple ladies from MEDA, Ricki and Ariane, and we blasted all around Sikasso documenting strengths and weaknesses of the distribution, which was planned by PSI and the PNLP and carried out by all the dedicated district medical officers and health facility doctors and volunteers, who went house to house to register each family in every village and neighborhood. I wrote up a 36 page draft report in French with inputs from my team members and revised the microplan that had been developed for the next region, Segou - it had some major formula errors! Using what we learned from the campaign in Sikasso, I also revised the training manuals for the volunteers, both for the registration process (which is complicated in the urban area, since people figure out they can lie about how many people live in their house to get additional nets) and for the distribution process (which mostly went fine, except for the reporting timeliness and some stockouts of nets).

So I get back home and easing back in to all the other work stuff that's going on, and then get an email from another guy at MEDA, the boss of Ricki and Ariane. "Are you interested in spending four weeks in Tanzania to evaluate options and make recommendations for delivering nets through a combination of channels, so that universal coverage can stay high even after they finish their universal coverage campaign? We think you would be great."

Let me explain a little bit. The country of Tanzania will be writing a huge proposal to the Global Fund starting August 15th, to fund (for the next 5 years) a comprehensive malaria control program that includes a comprehensive net delivery strategy, made up of probably multiple channels so that nets can get out to the people who need new ones. We've all theorized about how this might look in a hypothetical country. But I get to spend four weeks actually figuring this out for Tanzania. Then they put it in their Global Fund application and hopefully a year later they'll get the money and be able to implement the plan.

Well hells yeah I'm interested! This is a) the biggest challenge facing net distribution at the moment b) a country that has made tremendous progress and used innovative channels already c) a country I know pretty well, at least in terms of the major organisations and people and recent net-related history d) they think I would be great!

I am so so so susceptible to praise of this nature. To be honest, I had seen this consultancy before and had recommended someone else for it, not even thinking it might be within my expertise (but that was before Mali). This is what we're talking about when we talk about professional opportunities - you get an opportunity, you do a good job, and all of a sudden people are putting you up even bigger and more important jobs. It's the kind of luck you make. And it comes right at the moment where I am confident that I can actually do a good job - no more faking till I make it. I know what I'm doing now.

The downside, of course, is that this means I will be gone for another four weeks, missing both our anniversary and Josh's PhD defense. Not cool. But - I'm around for the next couple weeks during which Josh will finish his draft, and I can cook him dinner each night so that he can write and revise; and later in July we'll both be back in Tanzania to really celebrate our anniversary, with proper vacation and adventure travel. And perhaps I can skype in to the defense...

Sooo excited. Hooray!