Dear Dali,

This was a constant question that you used to ask whenever we embarked on a road trip. I think as human beings we are at times more focused on getting there (destination) and little interest in the actual journey. I am the same. Impatient. The first three years of SIVIO Institute also coincided with the building of our family home as well. It wasn’t easy. It stretched my patience. But it taught me the importance of initially enduring the journey to eventually the enjoying the whole process.

I learnt a lot from the entire process of building a house. There are stages.

1. You prepare drawings for the house- Develop a plan for the organization and boundaries on what you will do and   what you can’t do.
2. Bill of Quantities- count the cost. How much will it cost to set up an organization?
3. Establish the phases of the building project- develop a theme (areas of focus) for each year for the organization.
4. lay/establish the foundation- it’s not enough to plan you must do something (see next post).

Over time I have learnt the art of enjoying the journey as well. At the beginning all I wanted was a completed house and a fully functional and sustainably funded organization. It rarely works that way. I had to get on with the process and learn to cope with looking for resources as we build (see next post)

I am a better person now- after the building journey. I have a better appreciation the importance of execution. I met a lot of interesting building related professionals and some of these have developed into friendships. I learnt to bargain. Building is complicated and can be humbling. I realized that there was a lot I didn’t know. Above all I learnt about the building ecosystem in the country- where to buy materials, how to hire specialist teams etc.

The SIVIO journey is equally messy and complicated. We deal with moving parts. The operating environment can change overnight- for instance we have spent two years with a yet to be signed into law PVO Bill. We tried to register as a different form- guess what that also is pending. But we keep at it. The whole picture (of a complete house) is still in my mind. We are not there yet.