The workaholic me! :D

It's been a  hectic week for me at the job. I am supervising 3 major projects that are underway, all due before the 3rd week of January! ;)

So the first project is House Listing for economic survey and  Census 2014. Every single building and household is listed during the process, and I am supposed to make sure everything gets done on time. So first I had to find enumerators ( 1 for each district of Fuvahmulah, which has 8!). The catch was, the one person had to be the enumerator for the whole district, and I know how people feel about going alone on surveys and stuff ;) So, my selling point was that they can take some one with them, but they would have to split the allowance! :D  

So I called some people who were already a part of Maldives Red Crescent, because I knew that they had experience in surveying and all, and some people who I knew for a fact to be totally bored at home with  nothing to do and would be glad to earn some money! :D So I called Shafu (my cousin who volunteers here at the Atoll council), Ahthu, Shamy, Sheeth, Mashiq, Shahyd, Aamal and Sir-Rim and they were really enthusiastic about it!

Next was calling them to a meeting and explaining to them how it worked. I brought them here to the Atoll Council, and we discussed the questionnaire together, making sure they understood all the questions and how the form should be filled. They asked their doubts and I tried my best to clarify them. All the while, I treated them more like my friends (they ARE my friends, all of them ,yeah! :D) more than people I hired for the job ;) I hope they liked it that way! :D 

So, after the explanations, they were given the forms, files, pens and maps of their district and they went off.

It went on for three days, starting on the 2nd January and ending yesterday. Yesterday, after so much hard work, everyone brought me their files which had completed forms and the serial number of each building listed,  marked on the map where the building was supposed to be. I should mention that they were all very dedicated and they did their very best, and for that I thank them from the bottom of my heart! 

Next is entering the data. But before that, the 8 districts need to be divided into 27 blocks and the data should be entered block-wise. Jojo is already working on the map and hopefully, would have them ready by tomorrow! I am trying not to think about how I am going to enter the data of 8 whole districts, me all alone! :P lol!

But for now, I have to worry about CPI too. That it Consumer Price Index. I have taken all the prices of products from all the outlets, (there are about 50 outlets in Fuvahmulah!). I have around 5 outlets' data to be entered and 10 outlets' data to be verified. I have to do all that by tomorrow and send the forms to DNP tomorrow at the latest! So here I am, working on a Saturday, even when I do not get paid for the Over Time! Talk about a workaholic! ;)

The 2nd project is the map updating for Census 2014. The most updated map DNP has of Fuvahmulah is from Census 2006, and since that was 6 years ago, you can imagine how outdated it would be! ;) So we need an updated map as a reference for the Census next year. It is my job to make sure that the planning unit of the Secretariat of the Fuvahmulah Atol Council sends it to DNP by 14th January 2013. Thoriq, my supervisor and head of Planning unit, said that we could use the data we gather from house listing to update the map, so that hasn't started yet, but I'm hoping this project would start soon! :D

The last project that I'm responsible for is getting the information regarding the key indicators of development from each island council. Since we have 8 island councils, each of them as slow in delivering any data we require from them as the other, I have to constantly bug them about it, until they complete the related forms and send the data to me. I then have to put all of hem together in one place, verify them and send them to DNP. I can't start checking the progress of the island councils since I haven't received the official letter sent by DNP to the councils. So once I receive the letter, I have to remind the secretariat of the 8 island councils to deliver the information before the deadline!

I feel so overwhelmed, but here I am, relaxing with a HUGE packet of Cheese Balls, slowly working on the CPI work! Because if I panic and freak out, none of the work would get done! :P So, catch you later! I'm going  back to my work! The prices are calling me! :D