Hannah Wangombe was recently brought onto the KAWBO team to serve as the ABWN Hub Manager; serving as liaison between Vital Voices, the Africa Businesswomen’s Network (ABWN) and KAWBO.  Having recently obtained her Masters in Development Economics in England, Hannah recognizes the essential role that a businesswomen’s organization can play via its support of women in a growing and industrializing economy such as Kenya’s.  She contends that a successful businesswomen’s organization must address the needs of women while simultaneously offering them opportunities and serving as a voice for change and recognition within government and the international business community.   Starting small businesses, according to Hannah, has the potential to empower women economically and socially and pull them out of the “poverty cycle.”  An organization created for these small business owners can serve to ensure that this empowerment is sustainable and far-reaching.

In regards to KAWBO specifically, Hannah sees “immense potential”.  She is excited to be part of KAWBO and to lead KAWBO on a trajectory to increased relevance and credibility in Kenya.  It is her role, as she states it, to take advantage of KAWBO’s strengths (such as its influential membership and international partnerships) to “concentrate on taking KAWBO to the next level.”  In order to do so Hannah and her co-workers at KAWBO will develop new policies and procedures for the organization as well as organize and implement new programs that promise to address the specific needs of KAWBO’s members.  Hannah is confident that KAWBO will soon be a “credible organization to be reckoned with;” she will undoubtedly play a critical role in getting it there.

Watch a video profile of Hannah here:

Hannah (left) with me, Taiyana, and Elizabeth. KAWBO women; past and present.

Alas the time to leave has arrived and this is the last blog that I will write in Kenya.  Needless to say this experience has been an interesting one; filled with adventures and misadventures, many conversations with incredible women, disputes, laughter and a whole lot of learning.

I am eternally grateful to the women of KAWBO who welcomed me into their organization (and in a few cases their homes) to learn from them and support the extraordinary work that they do.  I have little doubt that the future holds wonderful things for KAWBO.  It will be successful because of its components; the people that make up the organization are extraordinary.  The full-time staff partnership of Hannah and Elizabeth, the powerful group of women that make up the board, and the diverse and successful membership all combine to ensure an exciting road ahead.

Although I have learned many things here, a few impressions stand out in my head the clearest:

1) The infrastructural limitations to economic growth for women exist in Kenya, but they are not unmoving—the “ceiling” is penetrable and the members of KAWBO have proven it, again and again.

2) There is a culture of entrepreneurship in Kenya and it is feeding the economy.  Low-income and high-income families alike are involved in micro-lending operations throughout the slums, cities and rural areas of Kenya—and they seem to be making a difference for individuals as well as communities.

3) The opportunities for young Kenyan women are many and they are diverse.  I’ve spoken with and gotten to know beauty pageant competitors as well as university scholarship recipients—they all have big dreams and a willingness to fight for them.

3) First impressions are not always accurate impressions.

4) Generosity is second nature to the Kenyan people.  Although I battled with allowing myself to accept it, when I finally did I was grateful.  I am inspired to give more and give with fewer expectations of receiving in return.

5) Whether from Kenya or South Africa, Norway or the Ivory Coast, sincere friendships are possible.  To those who went camping in the wilderness with me, drove me to the hospital at 4am, protected me from oncoming traffic, walked the beaches along the Indian Ocean by my side, or simply joined me for a cup of tea in a time of need, I am eternally grateful.

There are many more impressions to share, but for now I will end here.  Expect my last profile of Hannah Wangombe, the Hub Manager at KAWBO to be posted within 1 week.  Until then, be well, stay healthy and Kenya, thanks for everything.

a few of my favorite photos from Kenya:

Over the past 8 years Eniphares Gneicho has grown from a relatively small family business to a successful corporation providing promotional materials to multinational companies throughout East Africa.  The founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eniphares Gneicho is Seraphine Ruligirwa-Kamara, a powerful woman and mother of three who emerged from humble beginnings in a rural village in Western Kenya to become a model for successful women in business.   Eniphares Gneicho (EG) stands out amidst a sea of competitors in the promotional materials market thanks to Seraphine’s unfailing commitment to quality, professionalism and exceptional service.

As a young girl Seraphine spent her summers assisting her mother to transport and sell grains at the local market.  It was there that she first established her work ethic and her understanding of best practices in business.  The influence of her mother is maintained in the name of the company itself, as Eniphares Gneicho reversed reveals the names of Seraphine and her mother and mentor Ochieng.

Although Seraphine acknowledges the challenges associated with doing business as a woman in Kenya, she is unwilling and uninterested in seeing her gender as a limitation.  She contends that the obstacles that women face are everywhere, but it is the woman who must choose how to view them; “they can be obstacles that you can (overcome) or they can be obstacles that bar you from getting to the peeks of success that are possible for you.”  Seraphine has chosen to reject the “glass ceiling” which she dismisses as a self-fulfilling prophecy, and that, as Robert Frost would say, has made all the difference.

Watch a video profile of Seraphine here:

These are some of the promotional items that Eniphares Gneicho has produced.

Seraphine and her husband Samson, co-owner of Eniphares Gneicho

As you know from my previous posts I’ve been following the Miss World Kenya competition these past few weeks; assisting at the taping of the reality TV show by the same name and getting the opportunity to get to know the contestants.  Many of these young women are experiencing the capital city of Nairobi for the first time; they are meeting exciting people, learning important life skills and living a life (though temporary) that they otherwise never would have had the opportunity to experience.  Many of them have expressed to me how life changing this experience has been for them; giving them a renewed confidence and an interest in pursuing a professional modeling career.  These young women were selected from over 2000 hopeful applicants and they will return to their villages as celebrities.  One of them will become a competitor in the 2010 Miss World pageant in China.  This experience has been extraordinary for them, and it has offered them new and exciting opportunities.

Just this past week I was invited to attend another event for young women; it was the training conference for the Zawadi girls.  Zawadi Africa is a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to academically gifted girls from disadvantaged backgrounds from Africa to pursue Bachelor’s degrees in the US, Europe and Africa.  The program was founded by Dr. Susan Mboya, the daughter of Tom Mboya, himself a founder along with John F. Kennedy of the Africa Student Airlifts program of the 1960’s.  That program “educated over 1000 bright young East Africans who went on to become their countries leaders in post-independence.”  One of the graduates of the Airlift program was an academically motivated young man from Nyanza Province in Kenya named Barack Obama Sr., our President’s father.

Zawadi girls are taught that they have an obligation to their own country, and that their opportunities should eventually bring renewed opportunity back to their country in hopes of advancing the future of Africa, one educated woman at a time.   Girls from disadvantaged backgrounds are targeted in hopes that they will help to diminish the pronounced rich-poor gap that characterizes many economies throughout Africa.

I believe that Zawadi Africa is an incredible organization and I am inspired by their efforts.

I was invited by the Chairperson of Zawadi Africa (who also happens to be the Chairperson of KAWBO, my host organization) to attend this training because one of these extraordinary girls is headed to Yale.   That’s right, this young woman from a disadvantaged home in rural Kenya is headed to one of the most competitive undergraduate programs in the United States.

She and I spoke extensively about campus life, Yale classes and what she can expect from the Yale community.  I insisted that she come over to have dinner at my house in New Haven whenever she’d like, and she promised to make chapatti for me (a delicious Kenyan flat bread).

I was able to offer some advice to the group of girls about undergraduate life in America, and general cultural/social norms.  Many of them have preconceived notions about Americans and fraternity/sorority life.  I shared with them a story about a guy I know who ended up being arrested while running around his campus naked as a result of his fraternity exploits (cough cough, my brother Noah, cough cough).   I shared that story more as a warning of the potential ridiculousness of Greek life, but I also emphasized the value that it can have for forming a sisterhood and a sense of belonging and family when one is far from home.

All American cultural quips aside; these girls are embarking on an amazing journey.  Undoubtedly, Zawadi Africa has offered these girls an extraordinary opportunity.

My question is; are the opportunities awarded to the Miss Kenya competitors comparable to those awarded to Zawadi girls?  I assume most would say they are not.  The pageant contestants are selected because of their beauty and adherence to a certain size requirement; Zawadi girls are selected because they have excelled academically, often despite the very limited academic resources afforded to them as children.  The pageant contestants are given the opportunity to compete on an international stage, though all but one will return to their respective homes and schools after the Miss Kenya competition in August.  The Zawadi girls are being sent all over the world, they will be attending excellent academic institutions, and they are being prepped to become leaders in their countries.

But isn’t an opportunity an opportunity?  Perhaps it’s not fair to even compare Miss Kenya and Zawadi Africa; they are very different organizations, with very different intentions.  If the Miss Kenya Competition purported to be a non-profit organization with purely development intentions than the comparison would be more founded.   I think that I make the comparison in my head because I was inspired by the girls in both groups; they are all idealistic and hopeful and they all deserve to believe that they can excel and move beyond the confines of what they know.  They all deserve opportunities.

Perhaps, a comparison is founded in that they are both reflective of the growing impact of globalization.  The same international community that favors a Western education similarly produces a culture of voyeuristic reality television shows and beauty queens.   Perhaps it’s not my place to judge whether one or the other is more in keeping with universal ideals.  Perhaps, an opportunity is an opportunity.

I will be posting a new blog entry later this week, for now I thought you might like to see a short movie that I made about my recent trip to Masai Mara.  Enjoy!

I met with the owner of the 4^th largest travel agency in Kenya today, hoping that she would allow me to profile her for my blog and the ABWN newsletter.  After explaining to her what the profile would entail and showing her several of the completed profiles of other members, she decided to decline my offer.  She feels that she has reached a time in her life and career when she has less desire to publicize herself and boast of her successes and more of an interest in committing herself to others—through “actions, not words” (or photos or film for that matter).

In the spirit of her request for anonymity I will not reveal her name, nor her place of business.  I will say that she inspired me—both in her commitment to support impoverished Kenyan girls and her disinterest in being praised or recognized for it.  She has a vision of development for Kenya that is not dependent on external organizations but is reliant on the desire of the successful high-income earners of Kenya to give back to the villages where they came from.

This concept of “indigenous philanthropy” is a burgeoning concept in the development field—though it has been a dominant source of informal income maintaining the livelihoods of rural Africans for decades.    Remittances (money generally sent from individuals in urban areas or the diaspora to family members in their home country or community) have long been a major source of income for many families in the developing world.  When I worked as a waitress in New York City a few years ago I knew that my Ecuadorian co-workers were sending a large portion of their earnings home to support their parents, wives and children in Ecuador.  In El Salvador remittances sent from family members in the US account for 18% of GDP.  In Haiti, remittances account for nearly 30% of GDP.  It’s as high as 45% in Tajikistan.

This trend leads me to wonder; can this culture of giving-back and this sense of obligation to your family be harnessed amongst the wealthy (or wealthier) in the developing world to promote poverty alleviation?

The owner of the travel business that I met with today feels that wealthier Kenyans have an obligation to give back; not only to their own families, but to their fellow country-men in general.  For her part, she has chosen 10 young women from “up-country” to house, educate and employ in her business—a sort of experiment in empowerment.  She feels that the greatest limitation to self-improvement for young Kenyans is a lack of access—not a lack of passion, interest or commitment.   If these girls are given the opportunity to thrive, she believes they will do so, and inevitably delay marriage, pregnancy and financial dependency in the process.

I was invited to meet the 10 girls today, and found that they were quiet and timid; surely overwhelmed by the big city life in Nairobi and perhaps unable to fully comprehend the newly opened doors of opportunity ahead of them.  Not unlike the Miss Kenya contestants that I wrote about last week, these girls come from a very different world than the one they currently find themselves in.  They have been given an opportunity that most of their peers back in their villages will never have.

I asked this woman whether she would be willing to transcribe a plan, a model for her project that could perhaps be replicated by other well-meaning Kenyan women.  She feels that she can do that, and that eventually she will.   We discussed the value of support and inspiration coming from a fellow Kenyan, as opposed to the well-intended though perhaps less meaningful support that an outsider like myself could ever provide.

With each new woman that I meet, I am newly inspired to do the work that I do, and to continue to meet with more and more women.  I would not expect to find any clear answers, but undoubtedly I’ve raised many new questions for myself and for others.  And that is a good start.

*I don’t have photos of this woman, nor of her group of girls (out of respect for her request for anonymity).  However I do have a few recent photos from my travels and work events, enjoy.

Masai Warriors from my recent trip to Masai Mara

The Masai Mara

Me and a few of my KAWBO co-workers

I had the unique opportunity 2 nights ago to observe and lend a hand to the Miss World Kenya competition.  The contestants are aged 18-25 and they were selected from over 3000 applicants to represent their country in hopes of eventually becoming Miss World 2010.

They are all beautiful at the cusp of fame and international notoriety.

In contrast to previous years, the Miss World Kenya competition of 2010 is modeled off of American pageants; girls will not be judged on looks alone but on their personalities, their work ethic, and their ability to be a team player.  Contestants are expected to choose a social issue that they would advocate for if selected as Miss Kenya, and they are trained on the values of poise, cultural respect and civic responsibility.

The organizers of the event are motivated to create something new—not just a singular event that produces a Miss World competitor, but a culture of confident young women and a community of socially responsible peer leaders.

I have decided, as long as I continue to have the permission of the pageant organizers, to incorporate profiles of the pageant and it’s contestants with my broader advocacy work. The 20 remaining contestants (2 are eliminated each week) are representative of all regions of Kenya.  Many of them had never been to Nairobi before this competition and as of last week and for the remaining month they will be living together in a house and starring in a reality show about the competition.

I walked in as a stranger and I was amazed at the extent to which they welcomed me into their community; the contestants, the organizers, even the make-up artists and hair stylist were generous enough to let me interrupt their work with questions and photographs.

I look forward to following their stories, I hope you will too.

Zohra Baraka started Mohazo over 20 years ago and has successfully grown her company from a small-scale handicrafts distributor to an “African lifestyle brand” exporting to retailers in the United States, Japan, Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom.  Her success exporting handmade baskets, soap stone sculptures and wooden masks to international retailers has demonstrated that an innovative perspective on African crafts combined with the benefits of an increasingly globalized economy can lead to lucrative partnerships.

Zohra Baraka, Owner and Executive Director of Mohazo

Mohazo’s products first emerge as an idea from their full time designer in Nairobi, which is then communicated to suppliers employing female and male artisans in rural villages throughout Kenya.  The expertly produced wares are then packed onto containers and shipped around the world until finally they arrive on the display tables of a TJ Max in your average American suburban town.

This chain of production and distribution is a great source of pride for Zohra.  Mohazo has provided a market for many rural producers offering these craftspeople (mostly women) an opportunity to envision distribution beyond their villages and, according to Zohra, “realize their potential” for success.

It was in 1994 that Mohazo had its first big breakthrough when a Japanese company placed an order for 5000 hand-woven baskets—leading Zohra to start a woman’s cooperative and employ 250 women to fill the order.  Zohra continues to support this original group of women, and sends them orders as often as possible.  “In the long run my vision is to have at least 1000 women on board,” Zohra proclaims.  “I am a female chauvinist…I give the women priority (in regards to selecting suppliers and craftspeople) because I say, with us Africans, if a woman gets money, the whole family will eat.”

In regards to the future of Mohazo, Zohra feels that “the sky’s the limit.”  Undoubtedly she will continue to expand her market, diversify her products and employ more and more women.  “We want to be the best company selling handicrafts in this region…that is our vision.”

Patience Nyaoga is the owner and managing director of Tintoria, a laundry company that provides dry cleaning services to individuals and businesses throughout Nairobi.  Armed with an MBA from Nairobi University and a commitment to addressing a “gap in the market” Patience has successfully built Tintoria into one of the most prominent laundry service providers in Nairobi.  With 50 employees and a fleet of delivery vehicles Patience provides dry cleaning services to various hotels, international organizations and corporate offices throughout the city.   The executive services that she offers to individual customers cater to the burgeoning middle class of Kenya—maintaining a level of quality and high standards that has resulted in a loyal and growing customer following.

Despite her many successes Patience is very conscious of her role as a woman in business, and acknowledges the challenges that she and most Kenyan women face in a developing economy.  She notes that women often lack access to collateral and as a result they are unable to access the finance needed to grow their businesses.  “People don’t take you as seriously as they should because they probably think you don’t have the capability.”  Patience is confident that upcoming policy reforms in Kenya combined with supportive networks of women in business (like KAWBO) have the potential to improve the status of women in Nairobi and strengthen the country as a whole.   Although she acknowledges that women in business have a long way to go, Patience also emphasizes that the potential is enormous; “it’s possible, it can be done with focus, determination and setting out the right goals for yourself.  It’s possible.”  Patience, as they say, is a virtue.

Watch my video profile of Patience below:

There is a palpable energy in the streets of Nairobi—partially because the daily traffic is ridiculously chaotic—but mostly because the referendum on Kenya’s new proposed constitution is less than a month away.  This constitution has been in the works for the past several years and represents for many “the most far reaching institutional reforms since independence” (S. Mitra, PKF Kenya).   Every day the Kenyan newspapers display headlines representing the alternating viewpoints of the “yes” and “no” camps—those in favor of the constitution and those opposed.  The highways bordering the center city are spotted with huge billboards asking Kenyan citizens to “Soma. Elewa. Amua.” (Read.  Understand.  Decide.)  Everyone is talking about it, a lot of people are worried about it, and some have even become violent as a result of it.

In the midst of all of this energy and discussion I was able to take the place of my host-mom at an invite-only discussion of the relevance of the constitution for Kenyan business owners hosted at the Intercontinental Hotel several days ago (the priciest and most famous hotel in Kenya—I was reminded by several people that this was where Joe Biden stayed when he was here a few months ago.)  Although presented as an “unbiased forum for information exchange” regarding the proposed constitution, it was clearly organized by and directed towards the “yes” camp.  I spent all day at the conference learning about the ins and outs of the new constitution as well as the failures of the antiquated constitution that it will be replacing.  I heard from various prominent Kenyan CEOs and business leaders representing public finance, manufacturing, banking and investment, land and property, the private sector and more.   It was a fascinating “meeting of the minds” and an exhibition of many of the most progressive, innovative thinkers in modern Kenya.

Me and several female business owners at the conference on the proposed constitution

As an observer, what struck me the most was that the issues deemed most significant in this conference were very different from what the Kenyan media focuses on every day.  Before I attended this conference all I heard about regarding this constitution was abortion and Muslim courts.  According to the popular media, the most controversial reforms in the constitution are the “Right to Life” clause that maintains the illegality of abortion except if the health of the mother is at risk and the constitution’s acknowledgement of the Kadhis’ Courts—which maintain certain Muslim laws apart from Kenyan law.  The “No” party has used these two items to protest vehemently against the constitution.

What became clear during the conference yesterday was that the far more contentious issues that are at the crux of the political dispute over the constitution surround reforms of land ownership and leadership.

Poignantly, it was just one day before the conference that the “Daily Nation” displayed a front-page article with the headline “MPs Give Themselves Hefty Pay Raise.”   The Members of Parliament voted to increase their own monthly earnings from 851,000 KSHs to 1.1 Million KSHs.  Many of the speakers at the conference raised this very news item—pointing out that a new constitution would make this type of corrupt governance a thing of the past.  They contend that the proposed constitution will create independent commissions that determine the salaries of all public officials and ideally diminish the culture of paternalism that has thrived for as long as anyone can remember.

KAWBO members at the conference

As a student of International Relations I couldn’t help but relate this discussion to my own struggles as a development practitioner focused on Africa.  The slow development of the continent is often blamed on the rampant corruption and poor governance that plagues many African countries.  With this new constitution many Kenyans hope to usher in a new era of good governance, a system of checks and balances and a democratic government that is answerable to its people and not to its own pockets.  This new constitution represents what Thomas Dichter calls “development with a small D,” progressive reforms that are brought about by “primary agents for their own societies” as opposed to “secondary agents” –the “Western world”—under the auspices of “aid” or “development assistance.”  This is not to say that the international community has not attempted to sway Kenyan leadership towards a certain decision, made quite obvious by Joe Biden’s most recent visit to the country.

The incentives for Kenya’s international partners aside, I believe that Kenya has the opportunity to do something great with the passing of this constitution.  Honorable Njoki Ndungu, an incredibly powerful speaker at the conference, told those present that the new constitution, if passed, would “change and transform their lives.”  She noted that the constitution would no longer allow the president to be “above the law”, would ensure that it is no longer exclusively the friends of the president who receive government jobs and high salaries, and make sure that all government officials pay taxes.

She also emphasized that the proposed constitution is imperfect.  It will not please everyone and it does not solve every problem.

In the end the responsibility belongs to every Kenya;  Soma. Elewa. Amua.