Pasta, Microfinance consultants and Circuits

Microfinance is a strange industry. The end clients who receive loans usually less than $200 (annual) struggle really hard, toil in the heat, to repay the loans. The credit officers working in the microfinance institution work outside the office in the rains and the heat, walk, cycle or ride a bike covering over 25-50kms everyday, to collect the repayments. The CEO and the top managment of the microfinance institution is usually a stressed out guy and is continously bothered by operational/logistics issues. However, you often see guys consulting for microfinance institutions at brunches in five star hotels.

Fact: These consulting institutions overpay their employees since they are funded by grants donated by rich dudes in the middle east/West (Serious information assymmetry problem!!!). No wonder, we get to sit at fancy a/c offices and discuss strategies for microfinance institutions which often does not mean much for the end client. I saw an ad in the IS Fund site that pays $300 per day for a Information Systems (IS) consultant...insane !!! I am sure Younus would not have envisioned this.

I successfully managed to make spinach pasta last night. Spinach, tomatoes, onions and garlic were chopped finely and cooked in olive oil, mixed with pasta and was layered with substantial amount of edam cheese. Yummisitic !!! Last evening was spent tossing the frisbee around with Mikhail and his woman.

Planning to do another circuit this evening for strength this evening since I once again successfully missed the morning workout.