At the end of February 2025, Balz Koller and Angelina Schaffner will be saying goodbye after three years as technical directors in Otélé. We asked them a few questions to mark their departure. The picture shows them with their two Malinois UELI and DIXIE.
Motivation
How did you come to work as a pair of technical directors in Cameroon for three years?
After more than 20 years of intensive self-employment, we were looking for a new challenge in a different working environment before retiring, where our versatile skills were in demand.
Professional experience
What were your main tasks as technical directors?
Managing and training the technical team of 40 employees. This included well construction, concrete element production, maintenance of the extensive infrastructure including road maintenance as well as electrical and water supply. We were also responsible for the accommodation of our employees and visitors and for archiving photo documentation and protocols.
What challenges have you faced in your work and how did you deal with them?
One of the many challenges we face is finding experienced, reliable specialists. We solve this challenge by training our own people for their tasks ourselves. This applies to all areas, including administration. The successful model of Switzerland’s dual education system is missing.
Are there differences in the way of working between Switzerland and Cameroon? If so, how did you cope with this?
The people of Cameroon live in the here and now, given that life and death are very close to each other. This characterizes their culture and is respected by us accordingly. The work ethic and reliability do not correspond to Swiss ideas, but in Cameroon you experience the principle of a work-live balance.
Cultural and personal experiences
What role did the French language play in your everyday life and at work? Did you learn any local languages?
In addition to the 250 local languages, English is spoken in the western part of Cameroon and French is the national language everywhere else. The French language is therefore the main component in living together with the people and to be able to do the job at all. This was a challenge for us when we started work, literally fitness training for our brain cells. Our local language was limited to “hello” and “how are you?”.
How did life in Cameroon differ from your previous everyday life?
When we were self-employed, we were used to reacting flexibly to unforeseen events. Here we experience unpredictable situations on a daily or even hourly basis. The unpunctuality of the Cameroonians was an additional challenge. In Switzerland, people are used to keeping to deadlines, but here it’s hours or even days that are postponed or even skipped at short notice.
Were you able to benefit as a couple from your shared experience in Cameroon?
We already worked closely together on a day-to-day basis in Switzerland. This suited us here, as we are dependent on each other at work and in our private lives. The opportunity for personal freedom in the middle of the bush, away from urban civilization, is limited. This means that our relationship has successfully passed the stress test, which proves our ability to deal with conflict and communicate.
Return and reflection
What do you personally take away from your time in Cameroon?
The deepened awareness that we in Switzerland have a privileged life in all areas. On the other hand, we in Switzerland are somewhat more bothered by the neglect of prosperity, which deals with issues and problems that are not problems at all.
Would you recommend other couples to have a similar experience?
Everyone can benefit from such an experience! The basic requirement is to love people and be open to new things.
Is there an anecdote or an experience that you particularly like to tell?
We will captivate our grandchildren with many stories of our experiences. Experience: The day after our arrival, we attended a funeral service where the body was thrown directly from a sheet into the hole without a coffin due to a lack of finances. The high temperatures here meant that the corpse was not only visible, but could also be smelled.
Based on your impressions and experiences, what do you wish for the future of Cameroon?
The country has much more to offer in terms of natural resources and agriculture than Switzerland. It is to be hoped that the country’s political leadership will develop in such a way that corruption is curbed and the framework conditions for economic development are no longer suppressed.
We would like to thank them for their tremendous commitment and the wonderful collaboration.
Stiftung St. Martin