As he drove us to our appointment in what is known as the “Quarry Slums” Andrew Mnjama spoke passionately about his background in finance, his experience with micro-finance, and his desire to make a difference in the lives of the poorest of the poor in Nairobi’s slums, all the while, effortlessly dodging cars and people and ridiculously large potholes.
“What I have learned,” Andrew said, pointing to the women under the yellow umbrella in the photo above, “is that this women selling her crafts along the side of the road is more likely to repay a loan to help her grow her business than a more traditional business.” He spoke from experience and conviction. He spoke with the kind of conviction that only comes from passion. And he spoke with such kindess and hope that I had to snap the photo to make sure I had a visual record of this conversation. This photograph marks the moment I realized I could never look at the world in the same way again.
How Did I Get Here: From Disneyland To The Quarry Slums
“How did I get here?” I found myself asking this question a great deal as I travelled around Nairobi. In this case, the path to that moment in that car was clear. I was introduced to Andrew by a man from Colorado I have never met, Chuck Blakeman. And I was introduced to him by a woman I met only briefly at a Keller Williams Awards event at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. Her name is Sandra Corrigan. Sandra is an associate of Mariana Wagner, who asked me to attend the event with her as her “date.” It’s funny how life works. We really have no idea where the simplest of decisions will lead us.
Sandra read a Facebook post a few days before I was to head to Kenya with my family and felt compelled to tell me that I should give Chuck a call. I did. And that phone call led to the setting up of a meeting with a woman named Josephine Chavaseki, who, with some help from Chuck’s organization and The1010Project.org, has built the Fairoaks Academy on land located right next to the Quarry (Mathare) slums. The Fair Oaks academy is a Primary School, with several additional rooms dedicated to technical colleges and skills training.
The Recalibrating Continues
Andrew had never been to her project, so he asked me to wait in the car while he made sure we were in the right location. I snapped the photograph on the right as I waited for him to return. This is the entrance to the primary school.
After my educational car ride and my rude awakening to the fact that I had been living with a worldview that was myopic and ignorant at best, my senses and emotions were on overload. Simply put, I was raw. And every step I took around the grounds of the school peeled back another layer of ignorance and preconception.
Josephine is an amazing woman, with a bold vision for Fairoaks Academy. She greeted me instantly as a friend. As we sat in her spartan office talking about her work and her vision, I felt truly connected to this woman and to Andrew, who was sitting next to me. The world suddenly seemed very small.
She was anxious to show me the school. And as we entered the primary school courtyard, the children were playing (photo). When they saw me they all began chanting in unison, “mzungu,” which has come to mean “white person.” They were staring and smiling, and in truth, they were verbalizing what I was feeling. I was out of place, and experiencing the world from an entirely new vantage point. They made me laugh and smile. And comfortable.
One of the projects Josephine was eager to show me was their computer college (photo). In Kenya, colleges and universities are quite different things. But by any definition, before this day, I would never have described what I saw as a computer college. The lone student in the room was diligently working on an assignment as we toured. Josephine was very proud of the college and what it was doing to prepare its graduates to seek work. All I could think while standing there was how woefully inadequate it seemed.
I had more computing power on the phone I took that photo linked above with than all of the computers in that room combined. And yet, the student there appeared delighted to be learning. And what I was delighted to learn, as we walked from room to room, and as I looked at the faces of the children and the teachers, is that the quality of the education being given could not be limited by the weakness of the facilities. It could only be limited by the will to teach and the desire to learn. Neither appeared to be lacking.
Quarry Slum Entrepreneurs
Josephine asked if I’d like to meet some of the business people in the Quarry slum, and I of course, said yes. The walk from her school to the entrance to the slums, a 3 kilometer square that is home to more than 300,000 people, was less than a quarter of a mile. But it was like walking into a alternate universe. Because the government has failed them, the slums have their own rules, their own law, their own feel. And I felt every bit of the mzungu I was. An aimless wanderer.
One of the business owners Josephine introduced me to is named, Florence. I will never forget her. Florence, a graduate of a medical college, runs a chemist shop. It’s a makeshift drug store, where she helps diagnose illnesses in the slums. The “pharmacy” is a tin shed-like structure that is smaller than my bedroom closet. It looks out over the “street” pictured on the right.
There is almost no product on the few shelves Florence could fit in the space. Florence pays $3000 ksh per month for this space, about $36 at today’s exchange rate. Most months, she said, she does not make enough to cover the rent. Her single lightbulb, hanging from a ragged wire, costs $400 ksh per month. The electricity to power that bulb is provided to her via an illegal electrical hookup, and her “security” costs another $200 ksh per month. Paying for security, by the way, is not an option. If you don’t pay for the security, the security company will make sure you pay for it in other ways. This is life in the slums. It was dark and scary, even in the midday sun.
Florence’s husband is a teacher. He teaches at a school outside of the slums and they live in one small room behind the chemist shop. I learned this fact after we had begun to walk back to the school. Even as I write this, I can feel it in my gut. I can’t imagine living in that space. I can’t fathom it. But they can and do. And that realization was just one more nail in the coffin of my old worldview.
Struggling With My New Worldview
Everywhere I looked, from that day forward, I saw business men and women. In the face behind every sugar cane cart, I saw an entrepreneur (photo). I saw a man or woman, striving to make a better life (photo) for their family and doing everything, the only thing, in their power to make that happen. And I’m still processing it all. In fact, I’m not even sure I know why I’m writing this.
What I do know is this, I’m not looking at the world in the same way I did before I met the wonderful people of Kenya. I find myself laughing at the activities we get all worked up about here in our comfortable world. I find myself recoiling from the hype of social media, the same hype I’m quite certain I’ve helped fuel in the past. And I find myself longing to have my family simplify even more than we have each time Rocky has returned from Kenya. I understand her motivations now. I get it.
Her next trip with Mothers Fighting For Others is in April. And while I have always wished I could go with her on each of the trips she has taken, this time I wish it for a different reason. My worldview still needs more recalibrating.
Good stuff Jeff, always thought provoking.
One question I have… I realize that this story comes from a deep slum – a state of living that appears far more treacherous than our worst neighborhoods here in the US. But I wonder – are there communities in Kenya that are – well, middle class?
I hear about abject poverty in Africa constantly. But my naive-optimistic worldview prefers to calibrate from another direction. Are there places in Kenya where things are getting better? A foundation to build upon?
I ask this question in the context of the stories we hear from China, India, and Brazil nowadays. An emerging middle class that is capable of self-determination, participation in the global economy, and an aspirational state of being for the people of the country. Obviously there are still billions of people – and a disproportionate amount of children – affected by abject poverty. But in your journey, were there communities climbing out of that state?
I wrote a long response to your question and decided to erase it. I’m going to see if Andrew Mnjama will come and answer that for you. Thanks, Dave. It’s a very good question.
Re-calibrating, reevaluating and trying to comprehend what we see when we step out of our comfortable perspectives is a process that takes years to understand. For me it is a slight case of post traumatic stress syndrome, in a positive motivational way. I will remember someone, someplace or something I saw while visiting Swaziland, then I have to deal with it. When I have to deal with it, I have to act. Sometimes I write, sometimes we fund raise for a new clinic, and sometimes I just cry. Re-calibrating, honestly hurts a little.
Today I, like you am still processing and longing for the mental clarity I experienced there!
Dave, yes there are places that are seeing prosperity (Swaziland), but not the prosperity you see here. Everything is relative. Rich there is lower middle class here. The cultures can not be compared. People are fighting for survival with little hope of prosperity. I have toured the countryside of China and there is no comparison to Africa IMHO
love this. and get back to Africa as soon as you can! 🙂
This really moved me. What you do is really wonderful. Godlike. I would love to have the courage to help the people of Kenya and other countries. And our own. I see how this would effect your way of thinking and change your life…forever! God Bless you Jeff!
Shannon, I appreciate the comment. I’m just a guy, however, struggling to find a way to balance the two worlds I now know. I want to bring the best of both together in a way that has a meaningful impact on the lives of those around me… wherever that might be, online and off. And when I say struggle, I mean struggle. I tend to over think just about everything.
I couldn’t help but compare your photo of the computer college in Nairobi to a snapshot I took recently when I toured the ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism with my daughter:
http://instagr.am/p/HPhMqeBgqg/
That is just one small section of a $71 million dollar building that is equipped with, “14 digital newsrooms and computer labs, two TV studios, 280 digital student work stations, the Cronkite Theater, the First Amendment Forum and the latest and most sophisticated technology found anywhere.”
Wow. We all need a little recalibrating….
When you figure out that balance, please share! 🙂
My visit to Haiti last year opened my eyes and heart to so many different things & I still struggle with how to make it all make sense… and how to teach my kiddos how to make a difference.
Truly wish there were more awesome people out there like you and Rocky. Thank you for sharing!!
I have made previous donations to microfinance funds, most notably, Vision Fund. A friend of mine just recently did a hike up Mt. Kinabalu (Malaysia) as a fundraiser with proceeds for micro businesses in Cambodia. I really believe in microfinance, because an amount of just a few hundred dollars can be so life-altering for the recipients. While Vison Fund has many international locations, their current strategy focuses on Africa and Asia. I think the work that they do and that MFFO does is wonderful. Thank you.
Really powerful stuff Jeff, thanks for sharing. I spent 3 months in Sao Paulo, Brasil recently and their slums, called Favelas, were like nothing I had ever seen. Makes debating things like iPhone or Android and Facebook vs the Internet seem a bit silly huh? Your wife sounds like an amazing person and that organization is something I will share with my wife as she is always looking for opportunities to help out.
Thanks, Chris. Yes, it makes it all a bit silly. I thought I was prepared for Kenya. Our two daughters are adopted from Guatemala and the slums there are bad. Nairobi simply blew me away. It was overwhelming, as was the spirit and kindness and character of the people I was able to spend time with. And that’s really what I’m struggling with right now. Finding the balance between what really makes this culture move forward and what makes the Kenyan culture so special. Between what I can do here and what I can do there, from 9664 miles away. And thanks for sharing with your wife. It’s greatly appreciated.
This speaks to why it’s often so hard for me to relate to people who haven’t traveled and seen poverty with their own two eyes. Reading stories such as this and even seeing video on tv (or youtube) helps people see reality to a degree. But I don’t really feel the the true re-calibration starts until you’ve seen the reality of life for those living on $2 a day or less (more than a billion people) for yourself. Life is a little different when you’re battling to keep food on the table so you and your kids don’t starve to death tomorrow. To all those that complain to me about their lives in the US and how much they hate their jobs, I seriously just want to plop them down in the middle of a slum and leave them for a week. Maybe then they’d shut up and wake up to how privileged they are living in their 1,500 sq foot house with food on the table every night and the only worry being what reality tv show to watch next. Kinda a joke if you ask me.
There is something to be said for “ignorance is bliss” – if people want to keep their heads in the sand about what the world is really like, that’s their prerogative. They’ll remain happy living in their fairy tale world where their small little group of friends and family is all that exists in the world. But it’s too late for me to do that even if I wanted to — ever since I saw real poverty in Morrocco in 2005 (for one day), and then getting a real good look at life in the Dominican Republic in 2007 (http://www.drewmeyersinsights.com/2007/12/19/life-away-from-the-us/), I can never go back to the way I used to think and live my life in a fantasy world. That knowledge, experience and perspective gained by seeing poverty with my own two eyes is part of who I am now.
Drew, you’ve been to Saint Monica’s (thank you again) and have met the some of the people who’ve had such a profound impact on my life, so you, as well as anyone, know exactly what I’m talking about. This is fresh for me. And I don’t want to miss the opportunity to dwell in this space and allow it to seep in deeper.
I’ll be back in Kenya. I want to help build something…like a school 🙂
I take from this post, first how much we are shelter here in the USA. I grew up very poor on a rural farm in Kentucky but I imagine my idea of poor would be a very rich person there.
Also what a small amount of money I can give a month, say $100 a month, what it can provide for someone in a another part of the world.
I try to give some to Kiva, for they can lend out.
Thanks Jeff for sharing your experiences but also telling us quietly to appreciate what you have.
Mike, thank you. If it’s not too bold, I invite you to visit http://mffo.org/12for12 it’s amazing what $12 per month will be able to do. 🙂
Hey Jeff – Great write-up of your visit to Kenya. Thanks for the wonderful shout-out to The 1010 Project and especially Josephine and Fair Oak. They are awesome partners. I showed Josie and Melissa (Executive Director) your post and they loved it. Keep up the good work!
Tim Brauhn
Director of Operations
The 1010 Project
Thanks, Tim. My time with Josephine was short, but obviously impactful. You’re doing great work in Nairobi. You keep up the good work. 🙂
Hello Jeff,
When I first met you in kenya during the first week of January 2012 i did know what was to be the of the visit.Your story is true we walked in the Quarry slums and saw and listened to the story of florence and afew others.My heart is poured out for my people i want to see them live better lives , children get educated , women empowered and have healthier community. I look at my community and i know God put me here for a purpose.My desire is to have the Fair oak school become a good educational centre for the children in the Quarry community, i desire to help people like florence achieve their dreams. Jeff help us find someone to build the school and provide microfinace to strengthen the small micro entreprenuers in our community. I have the passion but my limitation is the resource to do it. I believe it was not an accident for you to find yourself in Quarry it was divinely connected for a divine purpose.We can be stronger together as we change the world.
There’s a basic negative pathology that infects the world of development, and that’s the obsessive search for victimhood, incapacity and a succulent, sorry tale. Maybe this is how development organisations raise money, but until they recognise that development doesn’t start with hand-outs, but with the people who make commitments of time and their own money, it will just remain an industry more concerned with its own survival than knowing when to declare success and walk away. I have been in the business since 1970 and have worked in Kenyan slums. There’s a huge human and financial asset base and a fundamental hope for the future that needs to be tapped and not shoveled aside because it doesn’t fit the western view of Africa as prostrate and incapable of taking care of itself. The most successful thing I’ve been involved in is promoting the work of savings groups throughout Africa. There are now at least 7 million members in these groups and the magic of it all is that all of the capital come from the pockets of the members – and the average annualised return on assets is 35%. Even better, they are full independent after one year and have a 95% survival rate. This is how development happens: making people aware of their personal potential and collective power when vested in something sensible. safe and rewarding. The reason that so much develoipment fails is that it assumes we have to make things easy and not as hard as the situation requires. Muscles that are aided in their work will atrophy, and so do ‘beneficiaries’.