Help me pleeeease!

So I finally have a direction for my work here: promoting income generation (and thus economic empowerment, food security, and educational opportunity) through sustainable livelihoods approaches and asset-based community-driven development. This entails assessing the multiple components of people's livelihoods, identifying and mobilizing individual and community assets -- which probably won't be physical or financial assets but more in the vein of human, cultural, natural, and social capital -- and channeling collective action to stimulate positive social and economic benefits for all the individuals involved (as well as the community at large).

I think this essentially amounts to being a community organizer for poor rural people. Unfortunately, I know very very little about A.) sustainable livelihoods B.) rural poverty reduction or C.) community organizing.
Oh, and because collective action is always more productive than what an individual (especially a resource-strapped individual) can achieve alone -- and I'm assuming this principle extends to income generation and community development -- I'm also exploring the possibilities of forming/joining a cooperative, something else about which I know nothing about but I am definitely interested in learning more!

So this is an open call to anyone and everyone who knows even the tiniest bit or has even the most limited experience in co-ops, small-scale agriculture, small business development, or community organizing. I want to hear all your advice, stories, lessons learned, and crazy ideas. Seriously, I know you're brilliant people, please help me out here! I'm begging you and you would be an unbelievable help to my work.

Leave a comment or drop me an e-mail at heidi.tenpas@gmail.com (which is, by the way, my new Uganda e-mail address because apparently Heidimail has an adverse reaction to Ugandan computers). I can't promise you I'll reply, because 85% of the time the internet fails when I'm in the process of using it, but just know in your heart of hearts that you are helping me out like nobody's business and who knows maybe one day I'll give you a "personal favor" in return (just kidding). Also you all need to get skype because it's the coolest thing on the planet and, strangely enough, functions way better than the internet. Yeah the internet has biiiig issues which is why I haven't posted pictures yet. But stay tuned they're on their way!

Thanks a ton xoxo
Haha I should get back to work -- yeah I'm sneaking a post on the blog at work. Which I think is okay because I actually don't have anything to do until Thursday when the real fun begins. So right now I will either go 1.) take 4 pills each out of hundreds upon hundreds of containers of ARVs or 2.) play with really adorable kids in the childcare center. I think I choose #2, though counting drugs all day is quite fun. Alrighty goodbye for now!