The advantage of being a stranger

Hanne Lene Petterson, a development worker from MS in Uganda, sees herself as a stranger and therefore has the advantage to be able to interrupt and ask questions.

Hanne Lene Petterson, photo: Adam Amsinck

“I have an advantage in being a stranger, and sometimes being ‘silly’ in an African connection. I can say things that could give my local colleagues a mild shock. Although I am a woman, I can interrupt the chairman during a meeting and raise objections ‘Well, in my opinion…..” and she does exactly that! Hanne Lene Petterson, 52 years old, development worker for MS far away in the rain forest in western Uganda, cuts in with a remark. Raises questions. She has an opinion about what goes on in the local community and in the smaller organisations which she helps to build and establish.

However, it is not there one should begin the work. One should not raise too many critical questions or insist on having things done in the way a development worker thinks they should be done. That is Hanne’s experience.

A good advice

“A good idea to people applying for Africa is, that in the first year, they should not criticise the conditions and the partners they work in co-operation with – although it could be justified. When Africans get to know you personally, you can start doing that,” says Hanne who has previously worked in Namibia for many years, and who is now in Uganda since April 2002. She hopes to work for the full five years that MS allows one in the same job.

Hanne’s partner in Uganda is Nyabyeya Forestry College, a government college of forestry. However, she also works for small village organisations in the local area. The local people’s problem is that it is now illegal to fell exotic trees that they sold earlier. Therefore, other means of earning money have to be found; for instance, through local handicraft, bee-keeping, fishing and tourism.

“I live in the midst of the poorest people, and it means that I have the best knowledge of these people. They come to my house at all times of day and night. Then we sit on the terrace and talk about their problems while drinking a cup of tea or coffee. I would not have this chance if I lived in the city and drove here and sat in an office the whole day with opening hours etc. In that case, it would be like a public office, which creates a distance.” she says.

“I live in the midst of the poorest people, and this means that I have the closest knowledge of these people. They come to my house at all times of the day and night. I would not have this chance if I lived in the city and drove here and sat in an office the whole day with opening hours etc. In that case, it would be like a public office which creates a distance.”

Hanne Lene Petterson

Photo: Adam Amsinck

Saying ‘no’

“You should find out how the land lies, but you should not be naïve either. You may experience that if you give them an inch, they will take a mile. For example, lack of transport is a big problem here. If you have a car, everyone will try to ask you to give them a lift and you can easily end up as a driver. You should learn to say ‘no’,” she says.

Hanne is a qualified social worker from Denmark where she worked with refugees and immigrants for many years.

“It is easier to work here than it was to work with ethnic minorities in Denmark where I represented the majority. That made it difficult to gain the confidence of the minorities I worked with. In Denmark, I was part of the official system. I had authority. I can’t dictate terms to anybody here,” she says.

“My education and experience from Denmark has taught me not to be condemnatory. That helps me here. However, there are things that I do not compromise with. For example, the organisations here I work with should be democratic,” she says.

“One of our most important functions here is precisely to make people think in democratic terms,” she says.