An Afternoon With John Internet

About 2 weeks ago I was passing through the town of Mbirizi, a small town about 5k from my village. I bought a loaf of bread while there and was approached by a man I came to know as John Internet. He asked if I could support his computer business; I was in a strangely good mood and said yes. I came to find his computer business is the shop front next door. He had 4 computers, 3 of which appeared operational. He also had a copy machine, printer, and scanner. He explained he wanted to get the internet at his business to boost business (he has been doing training and operating what you might call a PC-cafe). We had a talk, went over the numbers on the internet service pricing, determined how many internet customers he would need each day to break even, and talked about the business in general. We exchanged contact info and I headed home.

Today I headed back to John Internet's cafe to try to print something out. Unfortunately his printer was no longer working. But we did have the opportunity to talk about...

The "Youth Organization" he is trying to start up to "make bricks." Now if that sounds curiously like child labor to you, don't think your the only one.

The HIV clinic he wants to start in his home village.

How he wants to help people get off of drugs, because they cause ulcers.

The health organization he volunteers with that picks up people in the village, takes them to a health center about 2 hours away, and circumcises them.

How he is no longer trying to get the internet. :( Guess I'll have to change his name in my phone to John Random IGA (income generating activity)

How I am from Carolina and it is not near California because it is in the east. He replied, "oh, so it is near Florida and Boston." Sure that sounds believable.

And finally, before I departed (without my printout), he inquired about my iPod and I introduced him to Lock and Loll.

John Internet, though he is a bit scattered and has a propensity to throw out buzz words, (a growing pet peeve of mine) is intelligent, has ideas, and speaks very strong English. I see him as someone I can work with, which I can't say for everyone in the organization I actually work for.