Happy New Year!
In our recent meeting with the Aga Khan Foundation, a question was raised about the effectiveness of external organizations planting seeds for change in Africa without domestic 'ownership' (read: financial endowment and input into operations) of the initiative.
SE101 has taken the approach to initiate our project on a grassroots level, providing the structure, allowing for our students to take ownership of their business learning and planning and to create a network amongst our past participants as our program grows along their business needs. We are primarily funded by independent North American philanthropy and have not made the choice to secure domestic Kenyan sponsorship yet.
While the argument for domestic vested interest is valid and important to long term success, the issue is more over the foundation and gestation of the initiative. Which comes first and which will result in the most durable and successful initiative? Is it more important that the participants feel ownership or sponsors? Should it be built with integrative channels for domestic sponsors to 'make it their own' along the way or should you be working to involve these domestic players from the outset?
Your insight, reference to relevant sources on the topic and opinions would be appreciated! Please feel free to reply with a comment here, on our facebook page, or on twitter @SE101Africa.
Posted by Les Robertson
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Web2.0 and SE101: Is there anybody out there?
After completing the SE101 project on the ground in Kenya, I packed my bags to go on exchange at the Copenhagen Business School (CBS) and finish my Sauder MBA requirements abroad. I felt like this was a great opportunity to further expand on my International Business acumen and broaden my experience as a whole. I planned on taking a few courses in Social Entrepreneurship (SE) and Sustainability at CBS and the timing coming from Kenya to the classroom could not have been better. The CBS SE course offered a dynamic look at how Web2.0 (Social Media and User-driven content platforms like facebook, twitter etc.) is being used by Social Entrepreneurs to generate not only interest and support, but also Social Innovation.
Reflecting on what organizations like MYC4, and Kiva are doing with Web2.0, I started to see a need to integrate more social media into the SE101 strategy. While MYC4 and Kiva allow users to actively engage in (near) direct lending to those in need, this has a limited impact on capacity building. Their model is effective for generating funds because of the nature of their social media use - providing those-in-need place to connect with those-with-funds and vice-versa. Nevertheless, their overall use of Web2.0 is rather static, providing a means for information dissemination not idea generation or knowledge transfer. Since SE101 is not a financier (at this point), this model connecting 'investors' directly with our students is not useful. However, in our effort to build capacity on the ground, we do need to raise funds to deliver our program - in effect we need to be connected to donors and sponsors in the same way these other platforms connect those-in-need to those-with-funds. The difference between our models creates a question of impact: Will an exchange of funds alone successfully grow the recipient's business and drive durability or would on capacity building be a more effective stabilizer in the long term?
I'm not sure anyone has the answer to this question. What I can say is, after spending time in Kenya on SE101 and looking into the primarily negative return on investment (ROI) for the social media based funding platforms, I feel capacity building is the better way to equip those in need. By teaching our students the business skills needed to actively research, estimate, project, and plan their ventures, we are creating real value and equipping them with the skills that not only benefit the actual entrepreneurs of our class, but challenging those that are not the entrepreneurial type. Moreover, while in the classroom, we are creating a diverse and dynamic network of individuals with ideas and drive and connecting them to their future employees, service providers and customers - real social networking.
I believe there can be a better use of Web2.0 resources from existing organizations. What might this look like? Well, Kirby, an SE101 Project Coordinator and Content Strategist for the Business Objects Community on the SAP Community Network, has been developing an online community for our students and student teachers to collaborate and communicate in a similar way to Facebook. This means SE101 can offer our students online post-program support and real time access to Sauder business school students and their knowledge. This is capacity building and what I see as the future benefit of Web2.0 in social development.
Social Media in many ways rests on the laurels of Crowdsourcing, essentially outsourcing tasks to a community and leveraging mass collaboration to reach an ideal result - think monkeys typing on typewriters. While SE101 is developing the typewriter to integrate its Kenyan and UBC students, we also need to inform the public about what we are doing (static) and engage our potential donor networks (dynamic) to help fund our efforts. This is where SE101's integrated use of blogging, Facebook, and Twitter come in. We hope that by using social media we can enhance our venture, engage our stakeholders and generate more significant donations. Only time will tell if using these channels will be more or less effective than traditional fund raising efforts. Ideally, if we could exceed our annual 'project' need and start generating greater income from donors, this would ultimately provide us with a greater ability to create long term ROI in the form of successful, sustainable development in Kenya. Until then, we hope we can at least use these channels to further document and legitimize our existing successful efforts and future goals.
Please feel free to engage SE101 through any of our available Web2.0 channels (blogging, Facebook, and Twitter) or by email, telephone, telegraph, snail mail or carrier pigeon. The point being, we want you to engage us, we have a lot of incredible stories to share with you and we want to show you how your support will make a lasting difference.
Posted by Les Robertson
Reflecting on what organizations like MYC4, and Kiva are doing with Web2.0, I started to see a need to integrate more social media into the SE101 strategy. While MYC4 and Kiva allow users to actively engage in (near) direct lending to those in need, this has a limited impact on capacity building. Their model is effective for generating funds because of the nature of their social media use - providing those-in-need place to connect with those-with-funds and vice-versa. Nevertheless, their overall use of Web2.0 is rather static, providing a means for information dissemination not idea generation or knowledge transfer. Since SE101 is not a financier (at this point), this model connecting 'investors' directly with our students is not useful. However, in our effort to build capacity on the ground, we do need to raise funds to deliver our program - in effect we need to be connected to donors and sponsors in the same way these other platforms connect those-in-need to those-with-funds. The difference between our models creates a question of impact: Will an exchange of funds alone successfully grow the recipient's business and drive durability or would on capacity building be a more effective stabilizer in the long term?
I'm not sure anyone has the answer to this question. What I can say is, after spending time in Kenya on SE101 and looking into the primarily negative return on investment (ROI) for the social media based funding platforms, I feel capacity building is the better way to equip those in need. By teaching our students the business skills needed to actively research, estimate, project, and plan their ventures, we are creating real value and equipping them with the skills that not only benefit the actual entrepreneurs of our class, but challenging those that are not the entrepreneurial type. Moreover, while in the classroom, we are creating a diverse and dynamic network of individuals with ideas and drive and connecting them to their future employees, service providers and customers - real social networking.
I believe there can be a better use of Web2.0 resources from existing organizations. What might this look like? Well, Kirby, an SE101 Project Coordinator and Content Strategist for the Business Objects Community on the SAP Community Network, has been developing an online community for our students and student teachers to collaborate and communicate in a similar way to Facebook. This means SE101 can offer our students online post-program support and real time access to Sauder business school students and their knowledge. This is capacity building and what I see as the future benefit of Web2.0 in social development.
Social Media in many ways rests on the laurels of Crowdsourcing, essentially outsourcing tasks to a community and leveraging mass collaboration to reach an ideal result - think monkeys typing on typewriters. While SE101 is developing the typewriter to integrate its Kenyan and UBC students, we also need to inform the public about what we are doing (static) and engage our potential donor networks (dynamic) to help fund our efforts. This is where SE101's integrated use of blogging, Facebook, and Twitter come in. We hope that by using social media we can enhance our venture, engage our stakeholders and generate more significant donations. Only time will tell if using these channels will be more or less effective than traditional fund raising efforts. Ideally, if we could exceed our annual 'project' need and start generating greater income from donors, this would ultimately provide us with a greater ability to create long term ROI in the form of successful, sustainable development in Kenya. Until then, we hope we can at least use these channels to further document and legitimize our existing successful efforts and future goals.
Please feel free to engage SE101 through any of our available Web2.0 channels (blogging, Facebook, and Twitter) or by email, telephone, telegraph, snail mail or carrier pigeon. The point being, we want you to engage us, we have a lot of incredible stories to share with you and we want to show you how your support will make a lasting difference.
Posted by Les Robertson
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Part 3 - The Way Forward
In part 1 and part 2 of a 3-part blog about Social Entrepreneurship 101: 2009, I discussed the program details and micro-finance options. In this final part of the blog, I share with you the 5-year plan for the SE 101 program.
After four years, while we have a comprehensive and well-tested curriculum for teaching how to write a business plan, we realize that SE 101 could not JUST be about UBC students travelling to Kenya or other African country to co-teach business planning. It is important to have a sustainable and scalable program.
In lengthy discussions with our local business partners and associates, we mapped out a 5-year vision to establish an (youth) entrepreneurship center, jointly supported by the Sauder School of Business and a Kenyan educational institution. The center would have the mandate of teaching youth how to write business plans, providing access to loans at reasonable interest rates, incubating and supporting businesses, conducting research, and providing for-fee consulting and executive education services (to sustain the center’s operations). The Sauder School of Business will take part in student and faculty exchanges, but the majority of the operations will lead by local partners.
In the more immediate future, we will be dividing the program into pre-core, core, and post-core segments. The pre-core program will help interested program participants develop their ideas, gain experience running a business, and learn basic business skills. The core program will continue to teach business planning but will focus on those participants who have had some demonstrated entrepreneurial experience. Clearly, not everyone can or should be an entrepreneur and therefore we must focus our efforts on those individuals who have the highest chance of success. By training and supporting these individuals who have shown a passion and talent for entrepreneurship, we aim to launch businesses that can provide jobs to other community members. Finally, the post-core program will teach intermediate and advanced business skills training. Throughout all the programs, SE 101 will bring in mentors and advisors from the local business community to provide guidance to current and past program participants. In fact, the first post-core program is currently running at our sites, run by our local coordinator, Barlet Jaji.
We have big plans for the SE 101 program, with many details to be worked out, tasks to be completed, and people to speak to, but we are truly excited about the opportunity to have a positive, sustainable impact on (youth) unemployment in Kenya. I will continue to provide updates on our progress and welcome any feedback or suggestions for what we can do to make this vision come to fruition.
Part 2 - Micro-Finance
Part 1 - What a Difference a Year Makes
Posted by Kirby Leong
After four years, while we have a comprehensive and well-tested curriculum for teaching how to write a business plan, we realize that SE 101 could not JUST be about UBC students travelling to Kenya or other African country to co-teach business planning. It is important to have a sustainable and scalable program.
In lengthy discussions with our local business partners and associates, we mapped out a 5-year vision to establish an (youth) entrepreneurship center, jointly supported by the Sauder School of Business and a Kenyan educational institution. The center would have the mandate of teaching youth how to write business plans, providing access to loans at reasonable interest rates, incubating and supporting businesses, conducting research, and providing for-fee consulting and executive education services (to sustain the center’s operations). The Sauder School of Business will take part in student and faculty exchanges, but the majority of the operations will lead by local partners.
In the more immediate future, we will be dividing the program into pre-core, core, and post-core segments. The pre-core program will help interested program participants develop their ideas, gain experience running a business, and learn basic business skills. The core program will continue to teach business planning but will focus on those participants who have had some demonstrated entrepreneurial experience. Clearly, not everyone can or should be an entrepreneur and therefore we must focus our efforts on those individuals who have the highest chance of success. By training and supporting these individuals who have shown a passion and talent for entrepreneurship, we aim to launch businesses that can provide jobs to other community members. Finally, the post-core program will teach intermediate and advanced business skills training. Throughout all the programs, SE 101 will bring in mentors and advisors from the local business community to provide guidance to current and past program participants. In fact, the first post-core program is currently running at our sites, run by our local coordinator, Barlet Jaji.
We have big plans for the SE 101 program, with many details to be worked out, tasks to be completed, and people to speak to, but we are truly excited about the opportunity to have a positive, sustainable impact on (youth) unemployment in Kenya. I will continue to provide updates on our progress and welcome any feedback or suggestions for what we can do to make this vision come to fruition.
Part 2 - Micro-Finance
Part 1 - What a Difference a Year Makes
Posted by Kirby Leong
Monday, November 2, 2009
Part 2 - Micro-Finance
Continuing from Social Entrepreneurship 101 - 2009, Part 1, Professor Nancy Langton and I met with a number of micro-finance institutions and banks in Nairobi, Kenya over the summer.
Group Lending Model
I learned more about the group-lending circle model in which up to 20 members guarantees the loans to individuals in the group. Each member takes turns borrowing money and once he/she pays back the money, another member is able to borrow money. If one member defaults on the loan, no other loans are disbursed until the outstanding loan is repaid. In the end, this model helps to build a credit history for each participant and reduces the need for collateral in that some MFIs perform spot checks of small business assets. For the first loan, the group must pool their savings to cover 100% of the loan, which can be a maximum of 20,000 KSH or about $260 US. Furthermore, all loan recipients must take a 3-day training program on leadership, loan management, recordkeeping, group dynamics, marketing, and business fundamentals. Even more important than basic business training to demonstrate credit-worthiness is actual experience running a business. For those without demonstrated entrepreneurial experience, they must start up and run a micro-business for up to six months before they can qualify for loans. If they eventually qualify for a business loan and their business fails, at least they will have the micro-business to fall back on. Once all the pre-requisites have been met, loan proceeds are typically distributed in 4 weeks. Thereafter, MFI representatives try to meet with loan groups on a weekly or bi-weekly basis but the sheer number of groups makes regular monitoring difficult.
Another Funding Model
Even with these methods to reduce credit risks, loan interest rates can climb close to a crippling 30% and likely contributes to the near 30% default rate (the economic downturn has also played a large role). We spent hours ruminating the possibilities between ourselves and with our Kenyan business associates about other ways to reduce risk, and therefore, provide loans @ lower interest rates to SE 101 participants with viable business plans. One model is a shared ¼, ¼, ¼ model where a local partner (such as a church or school), MFI, and the Sauder School of Business could each deposit a fixed sum of money (for example, $1,000) as security deposits for the loans. The remaining ¼ of the loan would need to be covered by the qualified borrower. We pitched this option to a few MFIs and while in principle they support the idea, we are still awaiting word from the respective decision-makers.
A potential drawback of this model is that those entrepreneurs who are not affiliated with one of our partners could be tasked with raising 1/2 or more of the loan as collateral. A key part of the risk reduction is a community group vouching for the character of the applicant. In rural areas there are a strong community bonds, but in the urban areas we need to find a surrogate community support system for a changing population.
Another way to help reduce loan risk is to help MFIs and banks train their staff in business planning, in order to help them properly evaluate the plans submitted by their clients. Furthermore, we could help them learn how to properly monitor and evaluate a business, to deal with issues early on before they threaten the viability of the business. Currently, many financial institutions simply lack the in-house knowledge and training. Many small business clients are evaluated based on "presence of simple assets", with monitoring sporadic at best. We could collaborate with the financial institutions to identify effective ways to monitor businesses effectively, given the limited resources. In return, not only could SE 101 clients be given lower interest rate loans, but also non-SE 101 clients.
A question to our readers: What other ways are there to reduce loan risk in urban areas of developing countries?
5-year Plan
We spent considerable time in Kenya developing the major parts of the 5-year plan. I’ll describe the plan in my next blog.
Posted by Kirby Leong
Group Lending Model
I learned more about the group-lending circle model in which up to 20 members guarantees the loans to individuals in the group. Each member takes turns borrowing money and once he/she pays back the money, another member is able to borrow money. If one member defaults on the loan, no other loans are disbursed until the outstanding loan is repaid. In the end, this model helps to build a credit history for each participant and reduces the need for collateral in that some MFIs perform spot checks of small business assets. For the first loan, the group must pool their savings to cover 100% of the loan, which can be a maximum of 20,000 KSH or about $260 US. Furthermore, all loan recipients must take a 3-day training program on leadership, loan management, recordkeeping, group dynamics, marketing, and business fundamentals. Even more important than basic business training to demonstrate credit-worthiness is actual experience running a business. For those without demonstrated entrepreneurial experience, they must start up and run a micro-business for up to six months before they can qualify for loans. If they eventually qualify for a business loan and their business fails, at least they will have the micro-business to fall back on. Once all the pre-requisites have been met, loan proceeds are typically distributed in 4 weeks. Thereafter, MFI representatives try to meet with loan groups on a weekly or bi-weekly basis but the sheer number of groups makes regular monitoring difficult.
Another Funding Model
Even with these methods to reduce credit risks, loan interest rates can climb close to a crippling 30% and likely contributes to the near 30% default rate (the economic downturn has also played a large role). We spent hours ruminating the possibilities between ourselves and with our Kenyan business associates about other ways to reduce risk, and therefore, provide loans @ lower interest rates to SE 101 participants with viable business plans. One model is a shared ¼, ¼, ¼ model where a local partner (such as a church or school), MFI, and the Sauder School of Business could each deposit a fixed sum of money (for example, $1,000) as security deposits for the loans. The remaining ¼ of the loan would need to be covered by the qualified borrower. We pitched this option to a few MFIs and while in principle they support the idea, we are still awaiting word from the respective decision-makers.
A potential drawback of this model is that those entrepreneurs who are not affiliated with one of our partners could be tasked with raising 1/2 or more of the loan as collateral. A key part of the risk reduction is a community group vouching for the character of the applicant. In rural areas there are a strong community bonds, but in the urban areas we need to find a surrogate community support system for a changing population.
Another way to help reduce loan risk is to help MFIs and banks train their staff in business planning, in order to help them properly evaluate the plans submitted by their clients. Furthermore, we could help them learn how to properly monitor and evaluate a business, to deal with issues early on before they threaten the viability of the business. Currently, many financial institutions simply lack the in-house knowledge and training. Many small business clients are evaluated based on "presence of simple assets", with monitoring sporadic at best. We could collaborate with the financial institutions to identify effective ways to monitor businesses effectively, given the limited resources. In return, not only could SE 101 clients be given lower interest rate loans, but also non-SE 101 clients.
A question to our readers: What other ways are there to reduce loan risk in urban areas of developing countries?
5-year Plan
We spent considerable time in Kenya developing the major parts of the 5-year plan. I’ll describe the plan in my next blog.
Posted by Kirby Leong
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Part 1 - What a Difference a Year Makes
Youth unemployment is a significant problem in Kenya, where almost 60% of the population is under the age of 35. The country’s GDP per capita is US $375. Kenya’s economy is currently dependent on agriculture, but youth are moving to urban areas in large numbers. Therefore most new entrants to the labor force must choose between working in small-scale enterprises and being self-employed. These factors have led to high levels of youth unemployment. It is estimated that 64% of unemployed people in Kenya are youth.
An effective way of addressing the challenge of unemployed youth is to help them develop their skills in entrepreneurship and small business development. Business literacy helps young people to envision ways of getting out of poverty and doing something to help themselves and their communities, and eventually ensuring sustainable economic self-reliance. Furthermore, the language of business is universal and a tool for communicating and exchanging both products and ideas. It opens people to the world of markets, and promotes exchange and interaction.
Social Entrepreneurship 101: Africa
The Sauder School of Business, through a student initiative, designed the Social Entrepreneurship 101: Africa (SE 101: Africa) program to help Kenyan youth develop small businesses. Based on a program designed by Sauder faculty, and piloted with residents in the downtown eastside of Vancouver (the poorest neighborhood in Canada), SE 101: Africa was first delivered in August 2006 to Kenyan youth. The project helped Sauder faculty and students understand how to effectively exchange knowledge and ideas across cultural borders. Through extensive research and support from the Sauder community, the students involved in SE: 101 Africa designed the course to be practical, applicable, and sustainable in the local context.
How I Became Involved
It was in 2008, while I was in my MBA program at the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia (UBC), that I became involved in the Social Entrepreneurship 101 (SE 101): Africa program in Kenya. I wrote a series of blogs about my experiences teaching a three-week business planning class to a group of 35 aspiring youth entrepreneurs in Nairobi, Kenya. In re-reading the blogs, I more fully appreciate how far the program has come along. Indeed, what a difference a year makes.
What a Difference a Year Makes
Upon returning to Vancouver, Canada last year, Professor Nancy Langton and I met with the Dean to discuss the program achievements. While he was pleased with the progress, he wanted to see an expanded three to five year business plan for the program (now that the program had been running for three years) before giving the go-ahead for the 2009 program. We then spent the next few months developing the SE 101 business plan, and presented it to the Dean in December. He liked what he saw in the business plan and consequently allowed us to proceed with the 2009 program.
Professor Langton and I started recruiting the 2009 Sauder team in January and eventually selected a team of 5 undergraduate and 5 MBA students. Starting in February and continuing to July, the team developed and executed fundraising business plans, reviewed, refined, and taught the curriculum, and presented topics about Kenya. Fundraising is always a challenge, and more so this year given the economic downturn but with some creativity and perseverance, the team managed to meet its goal. In late July, we arrived in Nairobi en masse with a mixture of giddish anticipation, trepidation, and clarity of purpose. The first weekend was spent finalizing arrangements and meeting the Strathmore University students who were co-teaching the program at three locations: Kibera (the largest slum in East Africa), Friend’s Church (just outside Kibera), and International Christian Center (also in Nairobi).
Social Entrepreneurship 101: Africa, 2009 Program
I spent the first few days at different sites to help ensure the program got off to a good start, and while there were some issues with the resource materials and logistics, the UBC and Strathmore University student instructors ramped up remarkably well and quickly. I was impressed by their enthusiasm, breadth and depth of knowledge, and creativity in delivering the curriculum to over 80 student participants. Judging from the participant feedback we received at the end of the program, I was not alone in my assessment.
While the team was teaching the business-planning program, Professor Langton and I met with a number of micro-finance institutions and banks, during which we received a crash course about micro-finance. More about what we learned in my next blog.
Posted by Kirby Leong
An effective way of addressing the challenge of unemployed youth is to help them develop their skills in entrepreneurship and small business development. Business literacy helps young people to envision ways of getting out of poverty and doing something to help themselves and their communities, and eventually ensuring sustainable economic self-reliance. Furthermore, the language of business is universal and a tool for communicating and exchanging both products and ideas. It opens people to the world of markets, and promotes exchange and interaction.
Social Entrepreneurship 101: Africa
The Sauder School of Business, through a student initiative, designed the Social Entrepreneurship 101: Africa (SE 101: Africa) program to help Kenyan youth develop small businesses. Based on a program designed by Sauder faculty, and piloted with residents in the downtown eastside of Vancouver (the poorest neighborhood in Canada), SE 101: Africa was first delivered in August 2006 to Kenyan youth. The project helped Sauder faculty and students understand how to effectively exchange knowledge and ideas across cultural borders. Through extensive research and support from the Sauder community, the students involved in SE: 101 Africa designed the course to be practical, applicable, and sustainable in the local context.
How I Became Involved
It was in 2008, while I was in my MBA program at the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia (UBC), that I became involved in the Social Entrepreneurship 101 (SE 101): Africa program in Kenya. I wrote a series of blogs about my experiences teaching a three-week business planning class to a group of 35 aspiring youth entrepreneurs in Nairobi, Kenya. In re-reading the blogs, I more fully appreciate how far the program has come along. Indeed, what a difference a year makes.
What a Difference a Year Makes
Upon returning to Vancouver, Canada last year, Professor Nancy Langton and I met with the Dean to discuss the program achievements. While he was pleased with the progress, he wanted to see an expanded three to five year business plan for the program (now that the program had been running for three years) before giving the go-ahead for the 2009 program. We then spent the next few months developing the SE 101 business plan, and presented it to the Dean in December. He liked what he saw in the business plan and consequently allowed us to proceed with the 2009 program.
Professor Langton and I started recruiting the 2009 Sauder team in January and eventually selected a team of 5 undergraduate and 5 MBA students. Starting in February and continuing to July, the team developed and executed fundraising business plans, reviewed, refined, and taught the curriculum, and presented topics about Kenya. Fundraising is always a challenge, and more so this year given the economic downturn but with some creativity and perseverance, the team managed to meet its goal. In late July, we arrived in Nairobi en masse with a mixture of giddish anticipation, trepidation, and clarity of purpose. The first weekend was spent finalizing arrangements and meeting the Strathmore University students who were co-teaching the program at three locations: Kibera (the largest slum in East Africa), Friend’s Church (just outside Kibera), and International Christian Center (also in Nairobi).
Social Entrepreneurship 101: Africa, 2009 Program
I spent the first few days at different sites to help ensure the program got off to a good start, and while there were some issues with the resource materials and logistics, the UBC and Strathmore University student instructors ramped up remarkably well and quickly. I was impressed by their enthusiasm, breadth and depth of knowledge, and creativity in delivering the curriculum to over 80 student participants. Judging from the participant feedback we received at the end of the program, I was not alone in my assessment.
While the team was teaching the business-planning program, Professor Langton and I met with a number of micro-finance institutions and banks, during which we received a crash course about micro-finance. More about what we learned in my next blog.
Posted by Kirby Leong
Sunday, October 11, 2009
SE101-2009: Kenya--Memories
A look back at some of the highlights of the trip to Kenya, with song and photos. Nyambura Gichuki is singing with some of her fellow students from the ICC site. Mike Rimoin, one of the UBC team members, accompanies on ukulele.
Posted by Nancy Langton
Sunday, September 27, 2009
You want the good news or the bad news first?
As the only SE 101 participant to not receive their luggage in Kenya, I think I have a unique point of view from which to tell my story. I have yet to receive my bag from KLM or any sort of compensation.
Being in Nairobi for 3 weeks with little more than the clothes on my back, put a definite twist on the trip. I was able to find the things I needed and my fellow SE 101 girls (and oddly the guys too!) were all more than willing to share their stuff with me. Also, I can confirm that the once locally “famous” Woolworths and Bata are still going strong in Kenya!
This added challenge certainly put things into perspective for me. I felt as though being in Nairobi and being a part of SE 101 forced me to let go of the reliance I had on those items in my luggage. After all, they were just “things” and many of our SE 101 students had never seen such “things” in their lifetime. I had so much to be thankful for… I was in Kenya, with an awesome team of friends, with a mission to educate and mentor. And I had my health… or did I?
The second twist was a weeklong run in with Salmonella. NOTE to self and reader: Never eat garlic cheese bread in Africa! This was the most debilitated and humiliated I had ever known myself to be. But I was NOT going to let it ruin my chance to go on safari! Again, NOTE to self and reader: Do NOT go on safari with salmonella! Enough said.
Being back in Vancouver has allowed for many chances to reflect with friends and with myself. Many ask about my trip and it’s so hard to keep their attention beyond the lost luggage and salmonella. But after you get past those events, you’ll see that I truly had a profound experience – not all of it was good, but when is it ever ALL good?
I had my doubts about what role we were playing. I had become so close to many of our students and I was afraid of letting them down. It is quite overwhelming when these “kids” share their hopes and aspirations with you. Few had misconceptions of aid work and thought we would be funding their business plans. Even though we told them from the very first day that we were “educators and not lenders”, it was tough to see the disappointment in their faces. However, the greatest experience was witnessing the growth in each student over the three weeks. Hopefully the student realized the value in this growth - even if it was not monetary.
I feel so privileged and grateful to have been a part of their growth, as both an educator and as a friend.
Posted by Amanda
Being in Nairobi for 3 weeks with little more than the clothes on my back, put a definite twist on the trip. I was able to find the things I needed and my fellow SE 101 girls (and oddly the guys too!) were all more than willing to share their stuff with me. Also, I can confirm that the once locally “famous” Woolworths and Bata are still going strong in Kenya!
This added challenge certainly put things into perspective for me. I felt as though being in Nairobi and being a part of SE 101 forced me to let go of the reliance I had on those items in my luggage. After all, they were just “things” and many of our SE 101 students had never seen such “things” in their lifetime. I had so much to be thankful for… I was in Kenya, with an awesome team of friends, with a mission to educate and mentor. And I had my health… or did I?
The second twist was a weeklong run in with Salmonella. NOTE to self and reader: Never eat garlic cheese bread in Africa! This was the most debilitated and humiliated I had ever known myself to be. But I was NOT going to let it ruin my chance to go on safari! Again, NOTE to self and reader: Do NOT go on safari with salmonella! Enough said.
Being back in Vancouver has allowed for many chances to reflect with friends and with myself. Many ask about my trip and it’s so hard to keep their attention beyond the lost luggage and salmonella. But after you get past those events, you’ll see that I truly had a profound experience – not all of it was good, but when is it ever ALL good?
I had my doubts about what role we were playing. I had become so close to many of our students and I was afraid of letting them down. It is quite overwhelming when these “kids” share their hopes and aspirations with you. Few had misconceptions of aid work and thought we would be funding their business plans. Even though we told them from the very first day that we were “educators and not lenders”, it was tough to see the disappointment in their faces. However, the greatest experience was witnessing the growth in each student over the three weeks. Hopefully the student realized the value in this growth - even if it was not monetary.
I feel so privileged and grateful to have been a part of their growth, as both an educator and as a friend.
Posted by Amanda
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