Christine's Final Days in Kenya

Written on May 28, from Nairobi, Kenya
By Christine Rose

As I write my last Kenyan blog entry, I write this with overwhelming gratitude for the gift of opportunity that Village Enterprise Fund has so generously given me. The opportunity to be involved in a project with meaning, purpose and significance – the Longitudinal Impact Assessment Study. The opportunity to connect with countless people living lives of simple dignity, and the message of hope that they have given me. The opportunity to travel throughout rural Kenya and see a side to this beautiful country that most casual visitors would never experience. And most importantly, the opportunity for my eyes to be opened to witness first-hand the significant needs and potential resolutions for the rural working poor, with the hope of weaving this learning into my life moving forward.

I am encouraged that after focusing on the Lontigudinal Impact Assessment Study for a number of months, that the results are very positive. The majority of beneficiaries who have received microgrants in the past 2-5 years, are in fact still operational! The impact is reflected in their improved quality of life, increased self-confidence, and continued progress in gaining business skills that can be used moving forward. This is very exciting news!

I come away with a strong appreciation for the infrastructure behind these types of programs – the in-country staff who need to make decisions of significant impact on a daily basis, the business mentors who through their encouragement of the benefiaries are truly the “invisible hands touching the rural poor,” to the beneficiaries themselves – their courage, strength and faith in a better future for themselves and their children.

I am most grateful for all the support given me by the VEF team, with special thanks to the in-country Kenyan staff of VEF. Everyone has been warm, welcoming, concerned about my safety and well-being, and did all in their power to assist in the success of the Longevity Impact Assessment. I could not have even begun to navigate the countryside, culture, language and geography of Kenya without my outstanding team of local evaluators – Duncan, Josephine, Philip and Mike! And I am tickled pink that I am considered a special mzungu member of the Wilson and Nancy Peru family; they truly created “home” for me in Kenya.

And now to close, my top 10 memories of Kenya – these will resonate most with anyone who has enjoyed the experience of living in rural Africa for any length of time!

1. If you ever have the feeling something is crawling on you… it probably is!

2. Being called “mzungu” wherever I went.

3. Matatu culture – the drivers, the conductors, the potholes, the furtive money collection process, the close human contact…

4. Kenyans doing things the hard way – be it giving out vague directions, not providing relevant information, or do the same thing again and again even if the results are poor.

5. Vibrancy – every experience and moment is vivid, nothing is passive.

6. When saying hello (supa) to children in Namanga Region, adults always lay their hand on the child’s head.

7. Riding hundreds of kilometers on the back of a piki piki (motorbike) over rough and muddy rural roads.

8. Being welcomed as a complete stranger at the rural doorsteps of Kenya – be it into beneficiaries' huts, or under a tree. A privilege indeed; to be able to enter into their world and share a few moments together.

9. Conversations with the beneficiaries regarding sales, expenses and profits. Struggling with consistent measurements (tins, sacks, packets, bags, etc), consistent time periods (days, weeks, seasons, market days), and ultimately working through their individual scenario’s. Discussing maize, tomatoes, eggs, fish, chickens, cereals, stems of bananas, pigs, goat meat, plastics, tailoring, bicycle repairing, carpentry…

10. And my top memories of Kenya overall are: The joy, adventure, frustrations, growth, fulfillment, exhaustion, dirt-mud-dirt, bucket baths, more dirt, matatu’s, power outages, pit latrines, lush maize fields, bugs, rain, bad roads, country cooking, piki piki’s, marketplaces, being called mzungu, Kenyan friends, the business owners, and the list goes on and on….

Thank you for this rich experience, and I wish the Village Enterprise Fund team continued passion, endurance, wisdom and significance of purpose!

Christine's Continued Field Work in Western Kenya

Written on May 17 from Western Kenya

By Christine Rose

As I wrap up visiting the last few regions included in the Village Enterprise Fund Longevity Study, I am enjoying experiencing the unique characteristics of each region, meeting many simple yet inspirational people, and breathing in the beautiful scenery of Western Kenya. I am traveling with my favorite team of four local evaluators (photo attached to left).

I have spent the past few days on the back of a piki piki (motorcycle taxi) traveling deep into the rural areas of the Siaya and Bungoma Regions, to continue locating and meeting VEF Beneficiaries. I wish you could experience this, even just for a day - the adventure, hard work, and exhilaration are unmatched! Sometimes we have quite the convoy – today there were seven of us zipping through the countryside – a Kenyan translator, a local resident to help locate the businesses, the village chief (he was helping us to locate a particularly challenging business; I happen to think we were his greatest entertainment of the week), myself, and three piki piki drivers. I’m amazed that the rural business owners are so welcoming and easy-going, when a mzungu (foreigner) and a handful of locals arrive uninvited to their home to host an impromptu interview. Often they just scratch their heads and wonder how we even found them….once they get past the surprise, they are thrilled for the attention and interest in their business! (Below photo's show an interview in action, as well as the families of one of the beneficiaries we interviewed.)
I enjoyed a very unique and special experience in the midst of traveling throughout rural Kenya, focusing on small business owners who have received VEF services and training (including a microgrant) over the past 3-5 years. I happened to be in the Kakamega Region while a quarterly training and disbursement was taking place with new beneficiaries – these are groups of five individuals who had been selected to receive VEF services and training during this quarter. Generally 50 individuals participate in each training and disbursement session (ten groups of five). I had the fabulous opportunity to visit this training day in person, at which time the new members receive a certificate of training completion, as well as the disbursement of the funds.

As a passionate “groupie” of Muhammad Yunus (the “Father of MicroFinance,” referred to in previous blogs and emails), I am currently re-reading his book “Banker for the Poor,” and am enjoying the unique perspective of reading his personal microenterprise journey, while I am also living and experiencing all that he writes about. Be it visits to businesses in the field, interacting with the beneficiaries, or being touched by their stories. One of the experiences he writes with passion about, is the moment that these group members receive their official business certificate and funding – for rural poor who have never owned an official document, or touched the sum of money usually included in a MicroGrant or MicroLoan, it’s a pretty powerful moment!

It was a beautiful experience, to walk into a church auditorium where 50 new beneficiaries (mostly women), were sitting in a big circle around the room. There was no electricity in the room so it was difficult to see the expressions on the black faces in the dark, but I could see that every beneficiary was dressed in their simple, rural best. (Please see photo's to the right and below).

As is in classic form, the Business Mentor for the region asked me to stand up and say a few words (he translated for me). For better or worse, the visiting mzungu is often looked at as the expert, and asked to share a few words of knowledge/encouragement. I personally have mixed feelings about this as I do not like the automatic assignment of power/knowledge due to skin color or nationality… but that’s another story….What was beautiful in that moment, is that I felt that I DID have something of value to say! I shared that I am living and working in Kenya for three months, conducting an independent study to determine how successful their peers are, who have received the small “push” of a MicroGrant from VEF five years ago. I shared that I have discovered that this “push” is only a small part of the process – that the success truly lies within the individual business owners and their hard work. And that I am so impressed with what I have found! I expressed my desire to encourage them, and shared that most of those who received funding five years ago have strong and successful businesses now! I am convinced that these new beneficiaries will also be in the same position, as long as they make the most of this opportunity. I celebrated that today is a very special and important day in their life, as they begin to build their own businesses, which will empower them to take care of their families, send their kids to school, and create personal pride in their accomplishments. I could see gleaming smiles on all the women’s faces, as they burst into applause! It was a wonderful and touching moment for me…

Afterwards, each group of five beneficiaries came forward to receive their official business certificates. I suddenly became the official photographer, and it didn’t take long for the small groups to mug for the camera, clutching with pride their first official business document.

How exciting to witness the beginning of the microenterprise process for these individuals! And then to be able to visit with so many beneficiaries five years after that momentous occasion, and see first-hand the progress, challenges, victories and confidence that has developed over five years… May these new beneficiaries meet and exceed their dreams that this little “push” from VEF is granting them!

Christine's Experiences in Namanga Region

Written on April 30, 2010 from Namanga, Kenya

By Christine Rose

I spent this past week in the Namanga Region of Kenya, completing Phase 3 of the six regions that will be included in the VEF Longevity Study.

Namanga is vastly different from what I have experienced in Western Kenya thus far. Being on the Kenya / Tanzania border, Namanga is a predominantly Masai population. The Masai are semi-nomadic people, and for the most part rely on livestock for their livelihood; cattle and goat grazing, herding, milking and slaughtering. The past 2 years have seen tremendous drought in this region, hence economic devastation which they are just beginning to recover from.

The towns of Namanga and Mailtisa (where I focused most of my time), are quite primitive. Dusty, dry, a few small kiosks selling vegetables or maize flour, with no modern amenities. The sparse existence of the people is evident everywhere you turn.

I spent much of my time interviewing business owners who had assembled for Market Day on the dusty roadside of the villageof Mailtisa. It was fascinating to see the robed men leaning on staffs, talking as they tended their goats, women buying and selling with toothless smiles and jewelry flashing, babies tied to their backs. Thankfully I had a Masai interpreter with me, so I wasn’t quite so singled out as the foreigner. I was able to meet with many business owners, and was surprised, yet again, that in such a hostile climate with so many factors against them (drought being a big one), that individuals are still finding ways to provide for their families through small businesses.

One disconcerting realization is that most adults have no education (although their children are for the most part attending school, which is positive). I am impressed by herdsmen who manage their entire goat herds by memorizing distinguishing marks on each individual goat (rather than other methods of accounting for them). It was challenging to see women who are working so hard to run small vegetable stands and kiosks, having no working knowledge of units of measure and pricing. As I began to calculate what they were paying to purchase their goods, and what their selling price is, it became clear that often they are selling at a loss, and not even aware. I am encouraged that the primary request for training is for business accounting, but am concerned that this will be a long, slow path. I hope the next generation can begin bringing about change.

Speaking of change, you’ll see evidence of the old and new worlds integrating in some of the attached photo’s, as in the example of the traditional Masai couple who are goat-herders, with their 20-something son who is also in the goat business, but sporting jeans and sunglasses.

The Masai and the Mzungu’s (foreigners) don’t have a particularly friendly existence. The Masai have been conditioned by tourists heading on Safari to Tanzania, that mzungu’s have money. Hence, mzungu’s are either badgered with jewelry sales or are the object of begging for money. Conversely, many mzungu’s view the Masai as objects of curiosity rather than a proud people. I am thankful that the Longevity Study provided me an opportunity to meet the Masai on a level of mutual respect, but I did not have high hopes for any lasting personal connections.

Hence, my interaction with Shabishina Lesiolo of Entere Milk was a beautiful and unexpected blessing! These women (known as “mama’s” – any older woman is called a “mama”) run a quite successful dairy business. The “head mama” of the group (Sabishina Lesiolo) and I seemed to “get” each other well, despite depending upon a translator. If I could paraphrase Masai, I think she was saying “I like that Mama, she understands us; we are sisters” – OK, so the one part of this story that I don’t like is I seem to have graduated to an age where I am called a “Mama,” but all the rest is good! She looked past me being a mzungu, and saw my heart; that we were both women, mama’s. So, Mama Lesiolo invited us for tea, and while we were drinking tea under a shade tree, she then came outside bearing the gift of a few strands of beads. In a situation where I am jaded with Masai women badgering me at every turn to buy their beads, it was refreshing to see that Mama Lesiolo was offering these beads purely as a gift. But what caught me completely off-guard, is that Mama Lesiolo had donned her best ceremonial beaded necklaces (reserved for special occasions), and while wearing them, danced a traditional Masai dance for me before she placed the gift of beads around my neck. It was a priceless moment – to realize that I wasn’t in a Masai Museum, or tourist village –but that this traditional Masai dance was presented as a gift to me and those who had supported this small business through a VEF grant! With the backdrop of her traditional hut, a few cows, the big snake we had just thrown rocks at to scare away, and the harshly beautiful landscape of southern Kenya, it was one of those moments that I will never forget, what a gift… Please see the attached photo’s of myself with Mama Lesiolo and one of her business partners, and the next photo of Mama Lesiolo after she has donned a ceremonial kanga and her best bead necklaces. For a woman who has no address, no phone number, and is illiterate, Mama Lesiolo has an unquenchable spirit and “get-it” factor that crosses all language, cultural, and ethnic barriers. You go, Mama!

On a sad side-note, I learned the next day that Mama Lesiolo’s husband is in her home dying of HIV AIDS, and that Mama Lesiolo has also been infected. I was thankful to hear that, due to the success of Entere Milk, she is able to afford needed medication and is currently in good health.

As I rode back to Namanga, jammed with 8 other people and a bleating goat in a small 5-seater junker of a car (that is the official matatu transportation in Namanga Region), I felt so content and blessed that not only are the VEF Grant funds impacting women like Mama Lesiolo, but that I was privilged enough to witness and share in their story.

Now if only I could get a hot shower one of these days, I would be extremely happy!

From the Countryside to Nairobi

Written on April 13, from Nairobi, Kenya

By Christine Rose

Whereas most of Village Enterprise Fund’s clients are based in the rural areas, there is a small focus on businesses in the urban areas – particularly the Nairobi region, including businesses in the Nairobi Slums.

The slums of Nairobi are well-known as being some of the most expansive slums in any urban area. For example, I understand that the Kiberi Slum in Nairobi is home to over a million people in a very small footprint. Inhabitants face daily challenges of tight living conditions, poor housing material (primarily corrugated metal in a hot climate), no running water, and no sanitation or garbage services (small culverts running down each street collect human waste, and garbage is dumped on the sides of the street and in the river). Despite the deplorable conditions, I saw in Kiberi what I have seen everywhere else – mothers working, children playing, busy markets, and people being in community together. The human spirit certainly is resilient!

We quickly moved on to Korogocho, which I understand to be the most dangerous slum in Nairobi – primarily because most of the young men are unemployed, use drugs and alcohol, and loiter in the streets. I believe that it’s very rare for foreigners to visit Korogocho (other than NGO’s or aid workers), so a white girl walking down the streets of Korogocho is not something that is easily ignored – and a great target for theft. I knew that going into it – but heck, we had businesses to visit, and I was with my Kenyan guide; I was prepared to part with my camera and the few shillings in my pocket if anyone approached me… Well, the experience turned out quite differently – why am I not surprised by now!

As we began walking through the East side of Korogocho (the most dangerous area), we were quickly met by one of the small business owners that VEF has provided with a MicroGrant. We chatted briefly, I enjoyed hearing about their business, and we moved on. I didn’t take much notice to the fact that the business owner was walking with us – I figured they were enjoying the conversation. As we approached the next business, the same thing happened – after the interview, the business owner joined our group – and it happened again, until I realized that I was being escorted by a group of six individuals who lived in Korogocho. They were sending a message of “don’t mess with her – she’s with us” – and sure enough, the mood eased. Even the young men where shouting hello to me, rather than being threatening. God had provided protection in the form of the very business owners that Village Enterprise Fund is supporting – and it worked beautifully!

There are so many fascinating stories, even in Korogocho Slum…. The man who was born and raised on the streets of Korogocho, who as a young man drank and looted, and now he has changed his ways and has opened a youth center, hoping to occupy the young men of Korogocho with better activities. Oh, and he offers toilet and shower facilities (which don’t exist in Korogocho), and is currently working on grand scheme to convert the waste into cooking gas…!

Maggie and Joyce are two strong, proud women who have created their own success even within their circumstances in Korogochu (benefiting from the hand-up from VEF). Maggie makes jewelry and goes to hotels and conferences to sell her wares (Maggie shared how she loves interacting with the businessmen and women). Joyce sells French fries on a street corner – and oh are they yummy! Joyce has such a warm nature, she is clearly the “Korogocho Mama.”

Clearly there is extreme hardship for those living in Korogocho and Kiberi, but it is refreshing to see that even in the most challenging of situations, men and women can see improvements, given the smallest opportunity.

I enjoyed getting back out to the countryside surrounding Nairobi, away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a bit. Our final visit of the day was with Anna – previously she sold used clothing in a small kiosk at the market; with the help of the MicroGrant, she now she has her own storefront where she runs a tailoring business. Wish I had time to get some clothes made! (Photo to left)

As I close this blog entry, I am very much looking forward to Kevin’s visit to Kenya! He arrives in Nairobi on Thursday, and I will have the joy of sharing “my Kenya” with him for a week. I will pick up my Longevity Study work and continue this blog towards the end of April...

Best,
Christine

Kakamega Region - First Week of Longevity Study

Written on April 5, Kakemega Region, Kenya
By Christine Rose

This past week, four Kenyan Evaluators and I spent a full week in the Field conducting the Village Enterprise Fund Longevity Study in the Kakemega Region of Kenya (the first of six regions to be included in the Study). As a refresher, the purpose of this Longevity Study is to evaluate how many small businesses that received VEF Grants ($150 Grants to the poorest of the working poor) from the timeframe of 2004 to 2008, are still operational. This is to to affirm the health of the program for those providing grants, and also for VEF to get visibility into the long-term success of the grants and where improvements could be made moving forward.

Three of the four Evaluators, from left to right in the photo above, are Duncan, Philip and Mike – see if you can pick me out of the crowd! The team has proven to be all and more than I could hope for – they are very hard-working (we generally spent 12-hour days in the Field which is closer to Silicon Valley working hours than Kenyan), are smart and intuitive, and have been as eager as I to secure valid results for this study. We have all been personally impacted by the people we have met, and the stories we have heard along the way… more to follow later in this blog.

Our goal was to locate and meet with 60 business entrepreneurs in the Kakamega Region in one week; this averaged to each Evaluator visiting 3 businesses per day (I accompany one Evaluator each day). So, you say to yourself, what so hard about that?? Let me attempt to provide a little context… Let’s say you were dropped in the middle of the Bay Area, never having been there before. You are given the names of 60 start-up businesses that were launched between 2004 and 2008. You are armed with the names of the businesses – but you soon discover that either no one actually uses their formal business name (trust me, there are no sign placards on tiny roadside kiosks), or their business type has changed over the years. No worries, you have more information; you have the names of the five original group members – but wait, the names on the documentation are their official names, but no one goes by those names, and community members don’t recognize individuals by those names. And, just in case you are feeling a little lacking in information, you are given a map – but it’s a map of the US which hardly shows the location of San Francisco, let alone Bay Area detail; no maps to the detail you need exist – nor do most of the streets have names. You are only allowed to use public transportation, and you have a total of 3 hours on average to locate a business, find one of the business owners, and conduct a formal interview. I personally think that “The Amazing Race” is out, and I’ll launch a new reality series called “Sleuth” upon my return, with the above as the criteria, set in various exotic worldwide locations – do you think it’ll take off?

OK, now that I’ve painted a pretty dismal picture, can I just say what a rush we get each time we locate a business, given these tough search parameters? And I am very proud to say, that the team has been able to locate almost every business! Granted, some groups have either changed business focus, or have gone out of business over the past 6 years (consider how many in Silicon Valley have gone through this process) – our goal is purely to track down a tie to each business, and after meeting with people originally involved when the VEF Grant was received, to determine (by a number of criteria), if that business is still operational or not (or, to put it more succinctly, if the initial VEF Grant is still benefiting those individuals). Watching the Kenyan “communication network” in action is intriguing –and actually quite effective! Most everyone in rural Kenya is very willing to help out - so imagine women who are planting maize, shouting across fields to their neighbors, asking if any names we are looking for are familiar. Or perhaps the old man on the bicycle who remembers that just a 5 minute piki piki (motorbike) ride away, he recalls seeing a carpentry business that might be the one we are looking for… Or the boda boda (bicycle taxi) guy who suggests we go to the nearby tailor shop to get information about the butcher shop we are seeking… Just locating the businesses has been a wonderful experience and full of fabulous stories! And I know full well that none of this could have been possible, without the help of the local Kenyan team.

And then the businesses owners and their stories…. Of course there are many stories of heart-breaking challenges; family deaths and funeral costs, poor harvests due to weather issues, businesses impacted by the 2007 post-election violence, and the lists goes on. But 3:1, the success stories outweigh the failures; and considering the harsh conditions, I am more than impressed! I could bore you with details of story after story, but I will share only a few highlights… I feel truly blessed that rather than hearing a bunch of statistics, I am getting to personally meet the people and faces behind the statistics – real people with real lives, real hardships, and real dreams.

The first story is of a woman named Flora. She runs a small tailoring business (photo to right). Prior to receiving the VEF Grant, her family had to borrow every basic need from her neighbors, right down to salt. Now that she owns a sewing machine, she is able to be independent, take care of her families’ needs, and can even afford to send her children to school! Flora flashed a gorgeous smile as she shared their small – yet significant – successes.

The second story is of a man named Richard, a Mandazi Distributor (mandazi are fried doughnuts). His business group makes fresh mandazi every morning, and he distributes them to the local community from the back of his bicycle. When I think of the small income he makes, yet the fact that it is enough to give him the push out of absolute poverty so he can now pay rent, feed his family, and buy shoes for his kids, its pretty impressive. I love the sparkle in his eye and look of personal pride, as he shares that he truly is providing for his young family!

The final story is of Margaret – her husband is currently in jail due to a family dispute, and she is responsible for raising their four children on her own. Her small vegetable businesses (started with funds from a VEF Grant) has improved enough that she has been able to buy a cow. Her children have milk to drink, and by selling milk she raised enough money to purchase a goat. Through hard work and perseverance, she is able to provide for her kids and each one is in school. Margaret exhibited such confidence and grace – and pride – as she shared this story with myself and Philip (the Evaluator). I have the utmost respect and admiration for Margaret! I truly don’t think I could be accomplishing what she is, if I were in her same situation… (Picture with Margaret and her kids to the right.)

I am inspired by the individuals I have met thus far, and am encouraged that the work VEF (and many other NGO’s) is doing, is truly making a difference in individuals’ lives.

On a closing note, I cannot imagine a better way to explore a country of vibrant people and beautiful landscapes, than through a study like this! It truly is “Adventure with a Purpose” – the exhileration of speeding through picturesque countrysides on the back of a motorbike, hunting down that elusive business, is an adventure I most highly recommend! I feel that I am getting to know intimately the unique and wonderful country of Kenya – and am loving every moment of it!

VEF Longevity Study Training

Written on March 24, 2010 from Kakamega, Kenya
Christine Rose

I have now been living in the Kakamega Region for over a week, and am settling in very well. I am enjoying life in rural Kenya, and my hosts (Wilson and Nancy) are most gracious and welcoming! I am gearing up for launching the VEF Longevity Study in 6 regions of Kenya, which is the purpose of my stay here. It’s definitely taking some time to adjust to Kenya work pace, as well as to be aware of resources and requirements that impact this Study. The biggest challenge is tailoring the study to make sense in rural Kenya, yet also to have the data collected be valuable for an organization based in Silicon Valley. The first photo is that of VEF Team Members - four Employees, four Evaluators, and one California girl.

This week has been focused on ensuring that we are pulling an accurate random sampling of businesses to be surveyed, and training of the Evaluators. I am working with a team of 4 Evaluators in the Kakamega Region; each day the Evaluators will travel solo to meet with business owners and then we will allreconvene at the end of the day to process the results. For this reason it is crucial that the Evaluators are comfortable with the Survey questions, process, and overall intent of the Study. I am very fortunate to have a team of young, bright Kenyans who are keen on being involved with a project that will ultimately benefit the working poor of their country.

As a perfect example of the importance of data collection such as the Longevity Study, this week VEF received a top rating from Givewell, a New York-based organization that researches and evaluates charities to help donors make better giving decisions. Out of 400 organizations evaluated, only 11 received Givewell’s top rating. VEF “stood out as making a strong, evidenced-based case that [it is] improving the financial situations of low-income people in the developing world.” You can imagine how the Evaluators in training were so encouraged to hear first-hand that evidenced-based data collection (as in our Lonveity Study), really does make a difference both in affirming the reputation of the VEF work, as well as confirming that we truly are making a difference for the working poor!

As part of our 3-day training, yesterday we went out into the Field and put to the test our classroom training; we visited 4 businesses, with each of the Evaluators taking turns being lead at locating the business as well as conducting the interview. Everything changes when you go into the Fie

ld – we feel so validated about the importance of this Study, and were deeply touched by the int

eractions we had in the Field…

Just the ability to locate these businesses is true detective work, with quite a feeling of elation each time we succeed! As we go into the Field, we are armed with the business name, business members’ names, and general community where they are located. The challenge is, that mos

t individuals don’t use/advertise their business name; individual’s names used day-to-day are usually not the same as in the formal documentation; and finally, community members are often suspicious of why this posse of individuals (including a Mzungu aka foreigner) are looking fo

r a neighbor of theirs. Many twists and turns, creative thinking, and just plain luck eventually finds us at the right business

.

It was amazing to hear these individuals’ stories, and how they are making do (and even getting ahead) in the harshest of circumstances. The first business we visited was originally funded as a poultry business (a few chickens); over time one of the group members (there are always a group of 5 who originally receive the grant) passed away – much of the groups’ savings were spent to pay for the funeral. They had enough funds left to get access to a small plot of land, where the group does cooperative farming; not enough for everyone to provide for their families, but it’s a start. This seems to be a typical scenario. Another business we visited was a considerable distance into the rural countryside; a small kiosk selling tomatoes and sardines. These businesses are very humble, but the owners are proud and eager to show us their small inventories and even produce simple hand-written records.

My favorite visit of the day was with Charles who runs a carpentry shop. After much searching, we found Charles’ tiny carpentry shop at the outskirts of the village – his shop is about 7’ x 7’ – this includes his workbench, tools, materials and inventory. Charles, despite some physical handicaps, is the team lead for this carpentry business. Previously he and his peers had a mobile carpentry shop (a few tools on their bicycle), and he is so proud that they

now have an actual store front! Since January, they have saved $20 between the five of them; this is huge progress. He has visions of expanding in the future.

I have included 3 photo's from this visit; the first is one of our Evaluators' talking with Charles as he walks with bicycle back

to his shop; the second is of the Evaluator Team and Charles (L-R: Charles, Duncan, Josephine, Philip and Michael); the final photo is Charles working in his shop, with family standing behind.

As I watched this animated man with a flashing smile, so proud of

the teams’ opportunity and accomplishments, I was deeply touched. I think of all that

we have that we take for granted, and how little these individuals have yet harbor no visible a

ppearance of bitterness. I feel truly privileged and blessed to be able to enter briefly into the lives of these strong and courageous people.

Christine's Arrival in Kakamega

Written on March 18, 2010, from Kakamega, Kenya
Christine Rose

Let me introduce myself... My name is Christine Rose. In my professional life, I life in Silicon Valley and work for a software company as their Corporate Events Manager. In my personal life, I have a keen interest in MicroFinance and it's positive effect on the working poor in developing countries. This spring I have the privilege of living out a dream I've had for quite some time - that of taking a 3-month Leave of Absence from my day job, and working as a volunteer intern in Kenya, Africa.

I am interning with Village Enterprise Fund, who's focus is MicroGrants in rural Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. MicroGrants are very small grants (often in the $150-range), that are made available to the working poor. These grants can make all the difference to a family in rural Africa, bringing them from subsistence farming to having the opportunity of opening small businesses and providing for their families. As an individual having plenty of independent gusto, I really resonate with the pride and independence this affords these families, often women being the ones who run and sustain the family business. Plus, the long-term impact of the success of these businesses can far outlast any short-term philanthropy efforts.

The focus of my time in Kenya will be to conduct a Longevity Study on behalf of VEF. The primary focus of this study, is to determine how many small businesses that received MicroGrants in the past 2-6 years, are still operational. The answer to this question is important not only to those providing the grant funding, but also in understanding the long-term results of the MicroGrant process. Mind you, the answer to this question is not quite as straight-forward as it sounds! Even if the originally-funded business is perhaps not in business in its original state, the goal is to determine if the benefits of the original grant monies are still being realized. I will be traveling with a small group of evaluators through 6 regions of rural Kenya, meeting with a cross-section of small business owners as we conduct this survey. I consider it a true privilege to be able to meet and interact with these hard-working and creative entrepreneurs!

My first few weeks will be spent just outside of Kakamega, in Western Kenya. I am living with Wilson and Nancy Peru and family; Wilson is an employee of VEF, and they have generously opened their home to have me live as part of their family. I am quickly learning the differences of life in Kenya vs. California, and am enjoying the ride!

I am just getting settled in, with today being my first day in the VEF Office, meeting with the staff and beginning to connect with the local evaluators I will be working with. I imagine that over the next few days and weeks, there will be many more experiences and impressions to share over this blog!

I look forward to sharing this journey together with you,
Christine