Succumbing to digital peer pressure, finally a new post from the blogger you hate to love! Many things have been happening, but the main reason my posts are so infrequent is the lack of coherence between my different tasks. My mission has always been to find one big project here in Kenya to commit myself to, but unfortunately this has proven to be difficult. Let me therefore give you people a chronological overview of my doings during the last two months.
The last message was posted after my visit to Maseki. After this, and a couple of days in Nairobi, me and Nelie went to Coast. Here we visited some projects in Kwale district, and Mombasa town. In Kwale we had our first encounter with a working community bank, and I was happy to see that by means of this system the people had unified themselves and have been able to direct their combined forces at starting new businesses and community projects such as orphanages and schools. Afterwards (+-3 days) we stayed in Mombasa for a day or two, after which Sieb joined us (after just coming home from Sudan) and the three of us set of to Bamburi for a small week off at the beach. Eating fresh fish; drinking some beers; sleeping and burning at the beach; the usual.
Once back in Nairobi we reported back on our trip (leaving out the beach/beer/fish part), and for the next two months it was just office work for me. Besides helping out on the incidental IT problem here and there, I have been working on a proposal to include a Fair Trade branch within CIVS. The idea is to found a company that can export handmade ornaments and decorations to the European Fair Trade markets (think Worldshops etc.). I have been working on this proposal for a small while, but it is all still very experimental.
In addition, I have created two websites from scratch that will be online soon. One for Marianne Center, which is a school / daycare center for mentally handicapped youngsters. Nelie co-founded the Marianne center and asked me to help her out with the website.
The other one is for Agenda Africa, the NGO that is being ran by my good friend Tonny. Agenda Africa is the founder of the Nairobi Girls Academy, the school where I have been teaching. The website was only the beginning, since nowadays I try to commit myself more to Agenda Africa since Tonny really seems to be passionate about his work there. We have been over finances and management issues together, and soon I will start writing grant proposals in the hopes of getting some outside funding.
Lastly, two Board Members of CIVS, both Dutch, arrived in Nairobi last week for some assessments. They asked me to join them for their tour through Nyanza / Kisumu. I went there last wednesday by night bus, and arrived just in time to enjoy the sunrise over the beautiful lake Victoria. This doesn't make any sense, since lake Victoria lies in the west and the sun rises east, but at 6am I tend to be very tired so I might have romanticized the spacial sun-lake alignment a bit in my memory.
We traveled around visiting projects all Thursday, and by nightfall I was extremely tired so I found myself a nice hotel (my bosses' was a bit to decadent for my Jan-Peter funded wallet) and went to bed immediately. And by immediately I mean after two hours since no travel experience is complete without drinking a few cold Tuskers in a local pub.
Thursday I received a disturbing message from one of my good friends in Nairobi, who found his father on the floor in the morning, apparently having had a stroke during nighttime. That day I decided to fly back to Nairobi to hang out with the poor guy for a bit. My effective stay in Kisumu was therefore only two days, but I am planning to go back.
Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has been sending me funds. Of course you will be most thanked once I get back, but for now please accept my humble digital gratitude.
PS For those interested, have a look at http://www.agendaafrica.org [content still under construction]
donderdag 22 mei 2008
dinsdag 12 februari 2008
Maseki. This post is rated 18 for explicit content. Parental guidance is advised.
Sorry for lack of updates. I promise you that this one is very interesting.
I just returned from a field trip to Maseki, a rural area around Kitui town.
Together with Nelie and Ken-da-man from Nairobi we planned to visit the community bank that was supposed to exist here, but unfortunately we found out that the community bank was not operating, and that the locals were still waiting for a office-issued training.
What did we do?
1) The Akamba tribe living here is very skilled at fabricating baskets and handbags out of plants. Hawkers from Nairobi however pay them less than production costs, and run of to sell the baskets to rich tourists. With my sharp business eye I immediately noticed that selling below your production costs consistently is never a good thing, so we decided to incorporate them in our fresh Fair Trade Branch. Today I wrote a complete catalogue for their products, and hopefully we can find an organization willing to take them.
2) I beheaded a chicken.
3) I consumed said chicken.
4) We visited a school for orphans. This school looked really professional, so we wrote a project appraisal, and a volunteer application (they need extra teachers).
5) CIVS work camp 2 years ago (of which Ken was leader) was also in this area. For three weeks volunteers from a variety of countries build a few houses for orphans living with their relatives. When we went there all the houses were lying on the ground, completely collapsed (Ken almost cried). Building houses out of clay was a big no-no even in biblical times so I do not really wish for these little orphans to live in one (by the way, when the houses came down the orphans were apparently inside). Somewhere in the near future we will try to find a volunteer with a background in construction or engineering for our new CIVS Professionals branch, and hopefully this person will be able to lead a group of unskilled volunteers in building proper structures. If we can try to get some funds for this (I'm thinking Potje met Bouwfraude), we can hopefully even afford some better materials to work with.
6) We visited the witch doctor. The Akamba are still with one leg in the occult, and even our homeboy Ken (who is part Kamba) was terrified to walk through the dark! Apparently 'nightwalkers', men with sheep-legs, are quite common in those areas. Ken refused my offer to hunt one down for dinner (after killing a chicken I felt like a warrior).
Anyway, the witch doctor own explanation of her skills was 'I can do anything'. After I asked for some specifics, she claimed that she could 'heal anything, mentally and physically'. Very interesting, considering that her son's coughing sounded a lot like tuberculosis to me.
After the initial chitchat I might have taken it too far a bit. I asked the witchdoctor how much it would cost to cast an evil voodoo spell on Ken. Lucky for him, she claimed to be one of the good guys. Ken, however, didn't speak to me for the rest of the day, and refused to share his mango's. That curse backfired right at me.
Tomorrow I will leave for Mombasa, to visit another community, and then take a couple of days of in a private beach-hut.
Was interesting, wasn't it?
donderdag 31 januari 2008
Preparations & Teaching
This weekend I will most probably visit a community bank in a local village, a couple of hours outside of Nairobi. Together with Nelie (Sieb will be in Sudan for 2 weeks to give business training), and a local, we will bring a lot of prepared documents to do a thorough assessment of the bank's current situation, as to be able to write recommendations on its financial strategy afterwards.
When we are back from this community bank I will take a few days to write said recommendations, and after that it's off to more rural areas! We have one bank to visit in Mombasa, and after that one more in Coast. I will probably be gone for about two weeks (including couple of days Mombasa beach, of course).
In addition, I am also helping out a family friend with his school. Due to the current situation, he has some problems getting teachers to the school, so the poor pupils have been deprived of their mathematics-shot for some time now. Last week, and again this morning, I therefore prepared and conducted some classes in math for a few classes. I really liked both the teaching and the students, so I am planning to do it more often, and a bit more structured. We are also trying to make a project out of his school for my organization as to get more volunteers from abroad to help out.
Sorry for the lack of messages lately, I have been kind of hectic. I will promise to write more often, and I swear that somewhere this week I will post a fine piece of prosaic nonsense I'm so famous for.
Kwa heri!
dinsdag 15 januari 2008
Office orientation & emergency aid
Hi everybody,
This week I finally got some idea of what my work here in Kenya is going to be like.
We are currently trying to make the Bengi Investment Group (BIG) concept a separate entity, with its own management structure and policies. James, on of my local colleagues, is almost finished writing a 40-page business plan for BIG, including all the services a community bank can provide for its community. In the +- 8 years that BIG community banks are in existence, there are already some success stories. In one community for example, a small group of villages received a loan to buy machines necessary to produce peanut butter, and are now generating income with their established peanut butter company.
Up to this moment CIVS' sole source of income was the mandatory fee volunteers pay, but with our new business concept there is dire need for money. I think that my main objective in the long run will be to write grant proposals and raise funds for our microfinance initiative. At the moment I am still working my way through the digital world of grant writing, as well as setting up appointments with other, more professional microfinance institute to consult them on proper acquisition of funds.
Besides this I am doing or planning to do some generic office work.
1) Reorganizing the big mess that is our internal network
2) Standardize training materials for new volunteers
3) Create a volunteer-only section on the website meant for internal communication
4) Make the BIG section of the website prettier
5) Writing new volunteer applications for emergency aid
To elaborate on this last point: The current political impasse in Kenya left 500 people dead and over 250,000 internally displaced. The latter lost all their homes, and businesses. Since the areas most affected by the violence are the slums and the poorer rural areas, the developments in the country have been especially disastrous on these people.
For this reason I decided to help a local group of volunteers, coming from a church, to assist in distributing food and clothing to these displaced people.
Last Thursday I went to Dandora, a Nairobi slum. Thousands and thousands and people were waiting for us, so with the little structure we had we provided them with maize, beans, soy, and crackers. All this donated by the United Nations Development Programme, and partially coordinated by World Relief. Since we ran out of food we had to flee, but the local volunteers return almost every day to Dandora and other areas with new supplies. I try to go once in a while as well, in between office work, since there are not enough hands to help even though the food is plenty. Here at CIVS we are now trying to get volunteers to Kenya especially for this purpose, so for these reason I wrote those applications I spoke of earlier.
The political situation is interesting to follow from within, and far more complicated than watching the Dutch news would suggest. Coming weekend I hope to write some more about this.
For now, thank you for reading!
PS For my china loving friends, check out http://www.topix.net/content/ap/2008/01/china-says-democracy-hurts-kenya
This week I finally got some idea of what my work here in Kenya is going to be like.
We are currently trying to make the Bengi Investment Group (BIG) concept a separate entity, with its own management structure and policies. James, on of my local colleagues, is almost finished writing a 40-page business plan for BIG, including all the services a community bank can provide for its community. In the +- 8 years that BIG community banks are in existence, there are already some success stories. In one community for example, a small group of villages received a loan to buy machines necessary to produce peanut butter, and are now generating income with their established peanut butter company.
Up to this moment CIVS' sole source of income was the mandatory fee volunteers pay, but with our new business concept there is dire need for money. I think that my main objective in the long run will be to write grant proposals and raise funds for our microfinance initiative. At the moment I am still working my way through the digital world of grant writing, as well as setting up appointments with other, more professional microfinance institute to consult them on proper acquisition of funds.
Besides this I am doing or planning to do some generic office work.
1) Reorganizing the big mess that is our internal network
2) Standardize training materials for new volunteers
3) Create a volunteer-only section on the website meant for internal communication
4) Make the BIG section of the website prettier
5) Writing new volunteer applications for emergency aid
To elaborate on this last point: The current political impasse in Kenya left 500 people dead and over 250,000 internally displaced. The latter lost all their homes, and businesses. Since the areas most affected by the violence are the slums and the poorer rural areas, the developments in the country have been especially disastrous on these people.
For this reason I decided to help a local group of volunteers, coming from a church, to assist in distributing food and clothing to these displaced people.
Last Thursday I went to Dandora, a Nairobi slum. Thousands and thousands and people were waiting for us, so with the little structure we had we provided them with maize, beans, soy, and crackers. All this donated by the United Nations Development Programme, and partially coordinated by World Relief. Since we ran out of food we had to flee, but the local volunteers return almost every day to Dandora and other areas with new supplies. I try to go once in a while as well, in between office work, since there are not enough hands to help even though the food is plenty. Here at CIVS we are now trying to get volunteers to Kenya especially for this purpose, so for these reason I wrote those applications I spoke of earlier.
The political situation is interesting to follow from within, and far more complicated than watching the Dutch news would suggest. Coming weekend I hope to write some more about this.
For now, thank you for reading!
PS For my china loving friends, check out http://www.topix.net/content/ap/2008/01/china-says-democracy-hurts-kenya
dinsdag 8 januari 2008
Arrival etcetera
After a long debate on whether to go or not, I decided to ignore all parental and governmental advice, and didn't cancel my ticket to Kenya. And what a good decision it was!
The burning buildings outside Nairobi were already visible from the plane, and the airport terminal was filled with cranky tourists waiting for their plane home. Of course all of this wasn't exactly adding to my comfort level. Luckily Maggie (CIVS) and one of her family members were there for me the minute I stepped outside so I immediately felt in safe hands.
First mistake during the cab ride:
Daniel: What's this area?
Maggie: It's a residential district.
Daniel: Oh, are these the slums?
Maggie: Uhm, no this is just a residential area.
Daniel: ...
Oops. In my defence: Four metal plates attached to a fence, with the words 'Sunrise Hotel' written on it, didn't exactly qualify as upper class in my frame of reference.Of course my frame of reference changed by now.
Buruburu, where I live, is relatively safe. Walking after nightfall is never a good idea, but during daytime everything is just fine. There is a nice big supermarket around the corner, and a long market extending all the way over the rail road track (and by 'over' I mean 'over including the tracks themselves'. It looks like they have some rebuilding to do every time the Mombasa-bound train departs from Nairobi.)
Of course the office is in this area as well. Everyone is very nice, and gave me their own introduction of their work in person. (Please visit the CIVS website for more details on persons & task descriptions). I will give a more accurate description of my own work once I know what I am going to to. For now, I am still trying to find my way through the tons of documents on our internal network.
For all of those who tried to contact me: Image that on this blog it takes about 5 days between clicking the post button and the actual posting, and you will have a pretty good idea of how fast our internet actually is. I hope you understand that I will not be able to email much with this 0.0056k0.006 modem of ours, so please understand if I do not reply to your messages. You can, however, text message me! Please try:
xxx
Lastly, I have the nicest host family. I'm not exactly sure how many family members live with me, but I estimate the number to be somewhere in the 10^23 order of magnitude. Nice as they are, I think they already gave up training me to be an efficient bargainer at the market:
Daniel: Mama, look at these pants I bought!
Mama: How much?
Daniel: I got 'em down to 1000 Ksh.! (10 euros)
Mama lauging for approx. 15 minutes.
More details follow once I am able to zip some pictures in 1/2 kB files for uploading.
Everyone thank you for your concerns and please keep following this blog and posting comments!
Daniel
PS. I lost all my hair. Literally.
The burning buildings outside Nairobi were already visible from the plane, and the airport terminal was filled with cranky tourists waiting for their plane home. Of course all of this wasn't exactly adding to my comfort level. Luckily Maggie (CIVS) and one of her family members were there for me the minute I stepped outside so I immediately felt in safe hands.
First mistake during the cab ride:
Daniel: What's this area?
Maggie: It's a residential district.
Daniel: Oh, are these the slums?
Maggie: Uhm, no this is just a residential area.
Daniel: ...
Oops. In my defence: Four metal plates attached to a fence, with the words 'Sunrise Hotel' written on it, didn't exactly qualify as upper class in my frame of reference.Of course my frame of reference changed by now.
Buruburu, where I live, is relatively safe. Walking after nightfall is never a good idea, but during daytime everything is just fine. There is a nice big supermarket around the corner, and a long market extending all the way over the rail road track (and by 'over' I mean 'over including the tracks themselves'. It looks like they have some rebuilding to do every time the Mombasa-bound train departs from Nairobi.)
Of course the office is in this area as well. Everyone is very nice, and gave me their own introduction of their work in person. (Please visit the CIVS website for more details on persons & task descriptions). I will give a more accurate description of my own work once I know what I am going to to. For now, I am still trying to find my way through the tons of documents on our internal network.
For all of those who tried to contact me: Image that on this blog it takes about 5 days between clicking the post button and the actual posting, and you will have a pretty good idea of how fast our internet actually is. I hope you understand that I will not be able to email much with this 0.0056k0.006 modem of ours, so please understand if I do not reply to your messages. You can, however, text message me! Please try:
xxx
Lastly, I have the nicest host family. I'm not exactly sure how many family members live with me, but I estimate the number to be somewhere in the 10^23 order of magnitude. Nice as they are, I think they already gave up training me to be an efficient bargainer at the market:
Daniel: Mama, look at these pants I bought!
Mama: How much?
Daniel: I got 'em down to 1000 Ksh.! (10 euros)
Mama lauging for approx. 15 minutes.
More details follow once I am able to zip some pictures in 1/2 kB files for uploading.
Everyone thank you for your concerns and please keep following this blog and posting comments!
Daniel
PS. I lost all my hair. Literally.
zondag 4 november 2007
Intro
From January until Big Question Mark I'll be working at an NGO in microfinancing in Nairobi, Kenya, as a 'project manager' (you know just as much as I do regarding what that exactly means).
To get this blog started, here some information on the NGO itself. For more info please visit http://www.civskenya.org
---
Our goals are:
-to reach poor people with appropriate high quality financial, investment and enterprise services on a sustainable basis.
-to enhance cultural exchange, by organising a three-week workcamp every month and medium term projects for volunteers who want to stay more than one month, through IVS (International Voluntary Service).
We try to accomplish these goals through
-successfully facilitating the establishment of our microfinance approach - BIG (Bengi Investment Group)
-organising international volunteer projects through monthly workcamps and medium term placements
---
And the (rather vague!) description of my function:
---
-Project identification and appraisal.
-Preparation of host communities and volunteers.• Placement of volunteers and development personnel.
-Project supervision.
-Directly or indirectly conducts evaluation of projects identifies and implements corrections as required.
-Prepares reports for IVS and partners.
-Identify training needs of project leaders, participants and hosting communities.
-Provides internal or external training for relevant target groups following IVS models, and shares results with communities and partners.
-Provide counseling service, social and emotional support for volunteers.
-Updating and maintaining IVS website, periodic publications e.t.c.
To get this blog started, here some information on the NGO itself. For more info please visit http://www.civskenya.org
---
Our goals are:
-to reach poor people with appropriate high quality financial, investment and enterprise services on a sustainable basis.
-to enhance cultural exchange, by organising a three-week workcamp every month and medium term projects for volunteers who want to stay more than one month, through IVS (International Voluntary Service).
We try to accomplish these goals through
-successfully facilitating the establishment of our microfinance approach - BIG (Bengi Investment Group)
-organising international volunteer projects through monthly workcamps and medium term placements
---
And the (rather vague!) description of my function:
---
-Project identification and appraisal.
-Preparation of host communities and volunteers.• Placement of volunteers and development personnel.
-Project supervision.
-Directly or indirectly conducts evaluation of projects identifies and implements corrections as required.
-Prepares reports for IVS and partners.
-Identify training needs of project leaders, participants and hosting communities.
-Provides internal or external training for relevant target groups following IVS models, and shares results with communities and partners.
-Provide counseling service, social and emotional support for volunteers.
-Updating and maintaining IVS website, periodic publications e.t.c.
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