Lois Kitsch Spreads Global Goodness

Bill Merrick

It’s 6,785 miles from Devils Lake, N.D., to Kabul, Afghanistan. And it has taken Lois Kitsch 23 years to make the trip, albeit with many stops along the way.

Lois and friend have a spot of tea in Kabul.

Kitsch, regional manager of Europe and Asia for the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), started as a teller in 1980 for the former Lake Region Credit Union (now Citizens Community Credit Union) in Devils Lake. Since the early ‘90s, the former president/CEO of Sarasota (Fla.) Municipal Employees Credit Union has spread the credit union gospel from Grenada to Uzbekistan.

Her latest project: exploring credit union development in war-torn Afghanistan. This month, Kitsch receives the 2004 Herb Wegner Memorial Individual Achievement Award, sponsored by the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF), for her international credit union development efforts. Credit Union Magazine recently caught her between trips.

What prepared you to take on these projects?

My naivety. That may sound strange, but when I went to the Philippines I didn’t know what couldn’t happen. So when we came up with creative ideas there was nothing in me that said, "This can’t work." I also was blessed that WOCCU was very supportive.

What’s a typical day like in Afghanistan?

One example is when we went to Kunduz, a northern province, to determine a location for a credit union. We started out at 5 a.m. and it took us 12 hours to go 250 kilometers (155.3 miles). Sometimes we have to drive parallel to the road instead of on the road because it’s smoother traveling. The roads are full of potholes because of bombs and mortars, and in some places there are no roads at all.

We spent a lot of time going to public markets and local businesses talking to people about credit unions. We eat in local restaurants where Western women are allowed to eat with the men, but Afghan women can’t.

A typical meal is kabobs, which is skewered lamb over an open fire with rice. I don’t eat meat, so a typical meal for me is a can of beans or a plate of rice. They lay out a long plastic cloth and literally throw your bread on the cloth. After you’re done, they just roll it up and shake it off. They also do this in the family home. They eat in a common room with only cushions--no furniture. At dinner time, the food is placed on plastic and people eat with no silverware, often sharing dishes.

We stay in a guest house with no heat, so it’s bitter cold. Usually, the guest house is run by the United Nations or a similar organization. When you go to a hotel in the U.S., you automatically assume you’ll have a bathroom with hot water and a toilet. Some places here don’t even have those, just a bathroom down the hall that’s shared by a group.

We’ll be doing all manual accounting in Afghanistan because there’s not enough power for computers to work. On a typical day, the power runs from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m., with no power during the day. Plus, people don’t know how to use computers.

How did you become involved with international credit union development?

I met people from Africa during [NCUF’s] Credit Union Development Education Program, which sparked my interest in international credit union development. I went to Grenada as a volunteer for WOCCU in 1990 or ’91, and we also arranged for Grenada’s credit union leaders to come to the U.S. to learn about computer technology, credit unions’ vision and mission, and lending and collections. When I left for Grenada, I’d never traveled outside the U.S. Now I’ve been to about 35 countries with WOCCU doing credit union work.

How do you adapt to new cultures?

You need an open mind and flexibility in new situations. You can’t let things like a lack of water or toilets throw you because that’s part of what happens. And it’s more important to listen than to talk, especially in the beginning. That’s a hard lesson for all of us to learn.

Any language problems?

Even in the Philippines, 95% of people speak English. But the way they speak English is very different, so I had to start speaking in more of a Filipino accent. After I did, one person told me, "I’ve known you for six months and that’s the first thing I’ve understood." So there is a communication barrier.

In the Philippines, people feared I was from the Central Intelligence Agency. I’m not sure why, except they couldn’t imagine anyone would come in and do these things.

So they didn’t trust you.

Absolutely not. I came in assuming everyone would want to participate and everyone would love what we wanted to do because it was good for their credit unions. It took me a while to realize they had to be won over gently. Once I stopped trying so hard, they wanted to participate.

Have you ever feared for your safety?

You have to be careful. In Kabul, the hotel I’d planned to stay in gave away my room. The next evening an explosive device went off down the hill and blew out 70% of its windows. But I’m OK with that, and I don’t feel unsafe there at all.

When the Abu Sayyaf [terrorist group] kidnapped tourists in Malaysia and brought them to the Southern Philippines, it was a nervous time for everyone. We put on extra lights and extra guards at the house. That was the only time I was really nervous.

In Afghanistan I’ll stay in a guest house, which is like a small hotel, or live with someone. It’s not safe for a woman to live alone there. Normally, I had a house of my own [while in the field].

Does being a woman help or hinder you in Afghanistan?

At first I thought it would hinder me, but now I think it will be helpful. You wouldn’t think it, but the average Afghan man is very respectful of women and what they do for the family, and of Western women. For example, once when I went to get a ticket confirmed, many men were present. When I entered the room, everyone stopped and helped me immediately. I did in 10 minutes what it took these local men two to three hours to do. But you have to earn the respect of the people you’re working with. If you do, you won’t have trouble working there.

What evidence of the war do you see?

Tanks drive down the road everywhere, and you see convoys of military people moving about. You get so you don’t even notice it anymore. Every building has bullet holes or has been hit by rockets or mortars. There are falling-down buildings where the whole upstairs is bombed out and people are still trying to live downstairs. Metal telephone poles have big holes in them.

When you drive into the countryside, you’ll see piles of rock that are painted white on one side and red on the other. The white side means it’s safe to walk; the red side means it’s mined and you can’t walk beyond that point. Afghanistan probably is the most mined country in the world. Fertile farmland isn’t being farmed because of the landmines. It’s a huge waste. And you see people everywhere who’ve been maimed by stepping on landmines—children and adults, young and old. They don’t discriminate.

What lessons from your experiences might apply to U.S. CUs?

Patience. Development work takes a very long time. When credit unions are working with [nontraditional] groups, they have to be patient and not give up too quickly. They have to listen because so often we’ll tell people, "This is what you need," without asking, "Is this what you need?" You have to find a way to introduce an idea and have it come from them, instead of mandating something.

Stand back so others can stand forward. A successful project leader isn’t the one standing in front. That person is in the background ensuring that others have the opportunity to be in front. By doing that, you make sure people are well-trained and ready to take over.

We’ve found that if you incorporate having a good time, camaraderie, and building self-esteem and a strong bond within the group, people will help each other succeed.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I hope to go to Africa. I’ve always felt a kinship to Africa, in part because when I went through my development educator training in 1986 the first international person I really spent time with was from Zambia. I feel at home there. It’s beautiful and exotic. I believe if you say things out loud it helps them to come true, so I’m not shy about saying "This is what I want."