Radio English “Money matters”

Hello. This is Nobuo, the acupuncturist of Kiraido Acupuncture & Moxibustion Clinic in Ikeshita, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya.

Last week I listened to a series of vignettes called “Money matters” in my favourite radio English program “Jissen Business Eigo”.
The words “Allowance” and “pocket money” were featured there.

When parents give some money to their children monthly, it is allowance.
Pocket money is small amount of extra cash which you earned.
Hopefully, they are correct partly, at least.

Kenyan volunteers in our medical activity

These words related money reminds me of Kenyans who joined our medical camp as volunteers.
Translating the local LUO language into English, acccepting people at the reception, handing over medicines to the patients and so on. Actually, they helped a lot. Some of them were really smart.

But they required money. I thought that a volunteer was a person who was willing to work for free.
It was not the case with Kenyans. They were paid-for volunteers.

Our partner organization in Kenya give lectures about crucial matters in people’s lives like HIV/AIDS.
When people in the village attend the meeting, they have to be paid. They are paid-for audiences.
Kenyan call it “refreshment”.
Actually, these are none of my business. But when you have to pay refreshment to the attendees, it is more difficult for a Kenyan with a good heart to launch a new project in his home village, because he just can’t afford to pay for them until he finds a sponsor.