Optimists that see opportunity in every difficulty

Winston Churchill once said that the pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity and the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. I want to believe that social entrepreneurs are optimists that see opportunity in every difficulty. I am ecstatic about the possibilities that social entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurship can bring to communities.

Here are a few inspirational quotes as shared by some of the great leaders of social change.

According to David Bornstein author of the book How to Change the World : Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Idea, “Social entrepreneurs have existed throughout history. St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan Order, would qualify as a social entrepreneur — having built multiple organizations that advanced pattern changes in his “field.” Similarly, Florence Nightingale created the first professional school for nurses and established standards for hygiene and hospital care that have shaped norms worldwide. What is different today is that social entrepreneurship is developing into a mainstream vocation, not only in the United States, Canada, and Europe, but increasingly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In fact, the rise of social entrepreneurship represents the leading edge of a remarkable development that has occurred across the world over the past three decades: the emergence of millions of new citizen organizations.”

Bill Drayton stated “We need to reverse three centuries of walling the for-profit and non-profit sectors off from one another. When you think for-profit and non-profit, you most often think of entities with either zero social return or zero return on capital and zero social return. Clearly, there’s some opportunity in the spectrum between those extremes. What’s missing is the for-profit finance industry coming in to that area. Look at the enormous diversity of the for-profit financial industry as opposed to monolithic nature of the non-profit world; it’s quite astonishing.”

And Muhammed Yunus had this to say to the young people “I’m encouraging young people to become social business entrepreneurs and contribute to the world, rather than just making money. Making money is no fun. Contributing to and changing the world is a lot more fun.”

With the right mindset, our imagination is the only limit to what we can hope to have in the future.

Changing Kenya through Social Entrepreneurship

Real case examples highlighted at East Africa Social Entrepreneurs Network (EASEN) 3rd breakfast meeting

Almost a month after the end of the Global Peace Convention, some of the achievements celebrated include the opportunity to network with organizations within the various sectors including Government agencies, non-profits and also corporate organizations. It was another great opportunity to make new connections to individuals and organizations of interest.

One such connection was with the East Africa Social Enterprise Network (EASEN) through Carlo Chege, who is the Regional Coordinator for this Network that been seeking to bring together a network of social entrepreneurs within East Africa. Following various post convention discussions with EASEN, I had the opportunity to participate in a breakfast meeting, one of the mediums used by EASEN to develop the network. The breakfast was held at the Panafric hotel.

Among the invited guests were Dr. Sam Nthenya with the Nairobi Women’s Hospital, Ingrid Munroe of Jamii Bora Trust, as well as representatives from the KCA University, who currently host EASEN. Other organizations present included Ashoka, together with one of the fellow selected this year from Kenya Harum Wachira from Akili Holdings.

The breakfast main highlights were from the various speakers, who shared real case examples of social entrepreneurship in action right here in Kenya. I share two of the highlights on a hospital for women and an organization that focuses on micro-finance for the poor.

A hospital that focuses on specialized services for women:

Dr. Sam Nthenya, who was one of the speakers, is the founder and CEO of Nairobi Women’s Hospital. He shared the story of how he had earlier worked within a hospital where his recommendations to start a wing that would specialize on women and children needs, continued to fall on deaf ears. It was on one of the occasions when he made the pleas and got a ‘go start your own hospital’ reply that somehow got him to ‘move from the complaints desk to the action desk’, and that is how Nairobi Women’s Hospital was born.

The innovations at Nairobi Women’s Hospital in addressing social issues:-

• According to Dr. Nthenya, 80% of the population in Kenya seeks healthcare in private institutions. Nairobi Women’s was specially founded to focus on providing packaged services for women and children and is the first hospital of its kind in Kenya.
• In addition to specialized services for women, the Hospital invested in a mammogram unit that has been spearheading cancer awareness while providing the check-up services at half the cost.
• The hospital does not spend the time building the hospital, but instead focuses on leasing the facilities, equipping them with beds, medical equipment and staff thus enabling them to maximize the use of their resources.
• Dr. Nthenya also shared statistics from an IFC report that shows the imbalance that exists between the quantity of trained healthcare workers and the quality. To address this issue, Nairobi Women’s has started a nursing school that will be providing courses in nursing, medical laboratories among others.
• Nairobi Women’s also happens to be the first hospital that has taken an active role in providing a ‘Gender Recovery Centre’ to address the increasing cases of rape. Dr. Nthenya shared the grave statistics of rape cases/victims and the risk in spreading HIV/AIDS. The centre provides a place for the victims to receive treatment and medicine, which if taken within 24hours helps reduce the chances of getting infested with the HIV virus. The hospital also took an active role in influencing the ‘sex offences bill’ and in raising awareness on the blind spots, where most of the rape cases were reported.
• The recent plan by the hospital to purchase a commercial incinerator that will solve two major issues – one, the environmental degradation that currently exists because most hospitals especially the small hospital, clinics and dispensary do not have a process to get rid of the dump off materials from hospitals that include used up syringes, placentas and all the other materials that hospitals have to get rid of. The incinerator will provide the avenue to deal with all these materials in an environmentally friendly avenue. Secondly, by providing incineration services to other hospitals, Nairobi Women’s will be have developed another avenue to build financial sustainability.
• Dr. Nthenya did also mention that part of the success of the hospital is having clear operating procedures.

Jamii Bora Trust in eradicating poverty

Ingrid Munroe has in the last years received recognition in advancing the concept of micro-finance for the poor. At one point when Kenya battled a case of mushrooming pyramid schemes that conned many Kenyans of their hard earned monies, Jammi Bora Trust risked being classified as one among the schemes, but have distinguished themselves and their clear commitment to poverty eradication.

Ingrid Munroe, was able to share during the breakfast the amazing story of Jamii Bora Trust, an organization that is changing the horizon for the poor through micro-finance, better housing options, business academy training school, affordable health insurance and the recent efforts to provide safe and new housing for the poor by purchasing land and building houses for the same target group.

There was no better way to explain the Jamii’s story other than the presence of those that had benefited from the organization. I will share two of these highlights.

From a displaced person to a beggar and now a millionaire

Take the story of Joyce Wairimu, who was displaced from her farm in Molo during the Kenyan clashes of the 1990’s. She found herself in Nairobi with nothing at all except her children. From a farm owner (however small the piece of land), Joyce was reduced to a beggar as she had to beg on the streets in order to fend for her children and herself. Through luck, Joyce met a fellow displaced woman, who had lived in Nairobi longer and now living in one of the slum (shanty-towns) in Nairobi. Despite already having a crowded room with nine children, the woman invited her to stay with her in her ten by ten room. Together with Joyce’s five children, they were fourteen children and two adults living in this tiny room. But for Joyce, this was a true haven for her children and she as it now took them off the street. Living out of this new home, Joyce was able to do what a lot of the residents from slum areas do; go out during the day to look for small menial jobs such as washing houses and clothes. This became her core way of earning money.

Somewhere along the way, her host also got to tell her about Jamii Bora and encouraged to plan a visit to their facility. It was this visit that marked yet another milestone for Joyce – that of saving Kshs. 50 (about $0.625) per day so that she could qualify to receive a loan from Jamii Bank (the micro-financing aspect of Jamii Bora Trust). In order to get to the minimum amount required to qualify for a loan, Joyce had to save for one and a half years. Joyce could have opted to earn and spend all her money considering the everyday pressing needs that they must have had but she kept pushing on. Eventually, Joyce was able to receive her first loan, started a business, repaid the money that qualified her for another loan. To cut the story short, Joyce has so far received over 11 loans and is currently servicing a loan of Kshs. 2.6m ($32,500), has eight businesses and employees eighty people from Soweto slums.

The Kibera General and Deputy General that moved from organized crime gangs to being honest business owners

Another story highlighted was that of two young men, who during the violence that erupted after the disputed election in 2007 were among the gang of hooligans that had been hired to raze down one of the largest second hand market that hosted hundreds of small businesses. Jamii Bora committed itself to rebuild the market as it was one of the markets that was the site for small business owners.

According Ingrid, they made the decision that they had to find the hooligans that had razed the site or otherwise they would rebuild and then it would be razed down again. It so happened that the two young men that had joined us at this breakfast were the ‘General’ and ‘deputy general’ of the gang that had razed them. This would usually be organized gangs that had leaders and followers, thus the titles ‘General’ and deputy lead organized crime and often terrorize others to earn a living.

Jamii Bora staff traced the two young men in Kibera. According to the General, the Jamii Bora staff are lucky that they were not dead because that would have been more the expected result when one tried to reach the leaders of such a group as they usually would hold everyone out of that circle as an enemy. The twist to the story is that Jamii Bora did manage to get the two to consider Jamii’s offer to give them a loan to start a business and earn an honest living. Jamii is aware in investing in the poor, it is a risk, and in this particular case, they were not too keen on the repayment but more in providing the young men to consider a different path.

Ingrid tells all those who are part of Jamii Bora ‘ Do not be ashamed of where you are coming from, be proud who you are now’. And that is how most of them are able to share their stories.

Ingrid Munroe has lived in Kenya for over 25years. You can read some more about her history with Kenya herehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingrid_Munro.

Concluding thoughts

In a conclusion to the breakfast, my own personal observation is that the meeting brought out cases of social entrepreneurship happening right here in Kenya. And it was amazing that there were various categories of social entrepreneurship represented – those that are providing solutions among the very poor and those that are providing solutions at other levels to include the middle class and even higher class. And all these were brought to one forum to share their experiences – each had something to offer, and something to learn. And this forum also provided the opportunity to explore the possible partnerships that can be built across the categories.

My personal belief is that EASEN’s initiative to build a network of social entrepreneurs is ripe and ready for harvest. We are glad for the connection with EASEN. It is indeed a case of a truly timely connection.

Kenya to host the 2010 Global Peace Convention

Glimpse on Kenya: the host for 2010 Global Peace Convention  that will be held at The Kenyatta International Conference Center,  Nairobi, Kenya (November 17 – 21)

So in less than 50 days, the long awaited Global Peace Convention will be here.  And when I say here, I mean here in Nairobi, Kenya.  The Convention will take place at the Kenyatta International Conference Center, Kenya’s premier meeting venue that is named after the first President of Kenya (after we gained independence).

For most people, when they hear of Kenya, they think of it as the land of the wild.  And indeed so, considering the number of visitors the country receives each year to come experience the nature and wonders of our land and wildlife with the goal to go on ‘safari’ , trek up the mountains or experience the beaches.

Kenya is a country with vast mountains and beautiful scenery.  It has a diverse collection of coastal waters, sandbanks, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, and deserts.  It is a land that is home to a staggering diversity of plants and wild animals such as hippopotamus, cheetahs, hyenas, snakes, rhinoceros, lions, and leopards.  There are more than 65 national parks and wildlife preserves Each zone has distinct wildlife.  Twenty hectares of rainforest contain more birds species than the whole of Europe. Much of Kenya´s native flora is not found anywhere else in the world.

Other than the nature and wonders of  to Kenya, you will want to know that Kenya is the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa.  You may also have heard that Kenya is famous for its athletes.

For the Global Peace Convention to be taking place at this point in time in Kenya is truly of great importance.  There are number of things that make the convention truly significant.  Let’s start with the assembly that is expected to bring together dignitaries and leaders of government, civil society organizations and faith based organizations.

Additionally, the convention has received a lot of goodwill and full endorsement of the Kenyan Government with President Kibaki serving as the Patron of the Global Peace Convention and Prime Minister Raila Odinga the patron for the Global Peace Festival.

The Global Peace Convention is themed “Conflict Resolution; peace and development”. For Kenyans, the word ‘Peace’ is one that has in the recent past resonated closely with their heart and minds following the violence and destruction that took place in 2008 after the elections.   This was a painful moment in the history of Kenya, a country that had previously served as the shelter for other conflict torn countries had now become a war zone.   And PEACE is exactly what the convention hopes to bring as it highlights and celebrates the various ways peace has been achieved through a culture of service and innovation.

It is important to also note that the convention will be a culmination of the many programs and events that have been ongoing on the ground that include the Nairobi River Clean-up initiative, character education programs and peace-building initiatives.

It is expected the convention will be like no other.  It will not be another group of people meeting.  The convention is expected to provide the platform to share best practices, discuss and develop innovative ideas that will be adopted and implemented after the convention.

We invite you to stay tuned to all the exciting and innovative initiatives to be highlighted and developed!

Hello and welcome to miradikenya!

Its been about three weeks since my return to Kenya from the recent trip to the US.  Prior to my arrival, I had spent several months thinking about ways through which I could begin to spotlight on recent developments in Kenya with a focus on the social sector.   Of specific interest, have a  focus on the innovative projects, solutions , initiatives and concepts that are driving social change and that are revolutionary.

Miradi is swahili word for ‘projects’ or ‘initiatives’.  Miradikenya is a platform that will seek to highlight those projects and initiatives that are changing the concept of social change and driving community and even national development.

I am personally excited to embark on this journey and invite you all to stay tuned to the  unfolding discovery of Kenya’s social innovations and drivers of social change.