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
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.
