Back in Mariakani again and had a short time on the internet to connect with the outside world. I feel so oblivious to what is happening globally, as the only news we get here is in Kiswahili and primarily focused on the health of Raila Odinga (the Kenyan PM) as well as the upcoming vote to change the Kenyan constitution. It is quite nice though to disconnect from technology and just enjoy talking to people and spending quality time with others!!

So to quickly summarize this past week, the interns moved into the second chunk of our work here in Kayafungo, where we started with capacity inventories. Basically, we go around our subareas in Kayafungo, mine being Mbalamweni which is soo huge, but absolutely beautiful with palm trees and lush green everywhere. Along with our translators, we just go to different homesteads and ask people about their skills and talents. The point of the capacity inventory is to tap into the resources and assets that community members have, so as to get a better idea of the strengths of the community, as well as meet people that we potentially will establish partnerships with to launch a social business or advocacy project. It has been really incredible to find out about the hidden skills and talents of everyone we met. Nick and I met this incredible man Michael who just talked to us for about an hour and a half while grazing his cattle (and my feet were getting eaten alive by fire ants) about his crazy life experiences doing just about every job. He, along with several other community members I met, were very inspirational because they told us point blank that they didn’t want handouts, as USAID and the traditional aid system has focused on doing, but rather that they wanted the training and knowledge so that they can pull themselves out of poverty. So that was pretty incredible to hear their amazing mentalities and that they want to achieve for themselves…and that is exactly what ThinkImpact and my own personal philosophy on development is, that just handing out money to impoverished people (though out of good intention) ends up being detrimental and creates an atmosphere of total dependency, making it virtually impossible to break the cycle of poverty.

So after we met people and just found out about their skills and talents, the second half the week was asset mapping, where we made lists of the groups, institutions, physical resources and prominent individuals existing in our sublocation, just to get a good overall view of the community and what strengths it has to offer. It is so crazy that we have only been in the community for 2 weeks, since I already feel that I have learned SOOO much about Kayafungo, Giriama tradition, Kenya, and just the daily lives of the people in Kayafungo. And I’m slowly picking up Swahili as my host family patiently drills it every night while we make dinner! It really has been an incredible learning experience.

Okay, really must run now, but everything is going great, feel like I’ve been here forever and definitely feeling at home! Next weekend we are going to an island called Ngomeni, which should be incredible, so I’m already excited for that!!

Kelly Souls

GDI Kenya 2010

Written 6/21/10

We arrived safely in Kenya around 6am this morning with just one bag missing.  Luckily it was filled only with granola bars, candy and other small things we won’t need until Kayafungo next week.  The two days of training in Washington DC were highly successful as the interns learned about the ThinkImpact development model, how to conduct monitoring and evaluation on past projects, our asset-based community development system and what is in store for them over the next 8 weeks.

After an 11 hour layover in London and our arrival in Nairobi, life was non-stop as we checked into the hotel, ate our first Kenyan meal (surprisingly delicious!) and had three consecutive meetings with other non-profit social enterprise organizations and the Director of the Kenyan Ministry of Water.

Tomorrow we will take care of business in Nairobi and then we catch a flight to Mombasa early Sunday morning.

Everyone seems healthy and happy.  Soon the Interns will be posting blogs on our website and you can hear more about life from their perspective.

Cheers,
Lily, Rachael, Rachel and Meredith
Kenya GDI Staff

These are our 2010 Kenya GDIs!

1. Arianna Pattek is a student at Georgetown University

“My name is Arianna Pattek and I am a sophomore hailing from sunny south Florida. I can’t wait to spend my summer in Kenya! I am looking forward to building lasting relationships with my fellow interns and the community members I encounter while learning as much about their culture.”

2. Nick Taylor is a student at the University of the Pacific

“This summer, I’m looking forward to really applying what I’ve learned these last four years of undergrad to a real grassroots operations. It will be an amazing eye opener to what’s really going on in development, as well as hopefully becoming a stepping stone to other life changing possibilities! “

3. Leslie Sadeghi is a student at the University of Tennessee

“I am excited about spending my summer in a place completely out of my comfort zone, learning about a new culture, and meeting so many new people. I hope to learn more about addressing poverty issues, public health, and misconceptions of the developing world.”

4. Lesley Martin is a student at Fairfield University

“I am excited about working in Kenya because I will be challenged everyday.  Each day will be a new and different type of learning experience.  That is why ThinkImpact is so unique because it forces you to think outside of the box in order to face challenges that the village and community experiences.”

5. Kelly Souls is a student at Georgetown University

“I hope to fully immerse in Kenyan culture, form relationships with community members in Kayafungo, and successfully empower the people of Kayafungo to create positive and substantial changes in their lives.”

6. Stephanie Parish is a student at the University of Michigan

“I am extremely excited to immerse myself in the Kayafungo community for 8 weeks. I want to understand better what it means to live there and what changes need to be made. Entering the experience with the knowledge that I am not the expert, I hope to learn enough to assist members of the Kayafungo community in creating their own change. I hope that as a group, we can make an impact through the ideas we develop and the relationships we create.”

7. Patrick McLennan is a student at Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver

“My name is Patrick McLennan and I’m a M.A. Candidate in Global Finance, Trade and Economic Integration in Denver. I’m really excited to complement my academic learning in the classroom with professional experience in the field.  Everyone I’ve talked to that has been to Kenya explains that there is a rhythm to the country and the African continent as a whole, which sounds amazing!  I’m really excited to not only do good work for the people of Kayafungo, but to bring my experience back home to my program and my future career.”

8. Jessie Blekfeld-Sztraky is a student at Mary Baldwin College

“I am looking forward to this upcoming summer opportunity to live, work, and understand the Kayafungo community on a personal level. I am excited to work hands-on and understand the difficulties developing countries face.”

9. Paul Wood is a student at the California College of the Arts

“I’m very excited to be a part of such an interesting interdisciplinary team of GDI’s.  I’m curious of how this trip will will shape me as a designer and person.  I’m especially thrilled to have the opportunity to learn from the local community of Kayafungo, to be open to their way of life, and to discover how design can play a role globally, in addressing extreme poverty.”

10. Casey Anson is a student at UC Santa Cruz

“I am currently a Junior majoring in politics. I have worked on development projects in Mexico and Arizona, and I’m very excited about working in Kenya for the summer.”

11. Anna Gilmer is a student at Tufts University

“I am extremely excited to participate in ThinkImpact’s GDI in Kayafungo, Kenya this summer. This internship will be the beginning of my relationship with Kenya and with Africa as a whole; it is a region I have always wanted to get to know, and I will now have the opportunity to start doing so. The mission of ThinkImpact and the ideology that seems to be behind their model of development work is one with which I identify very strongly. I can’t wait to learn from the people at ThinkImpact, as well as from my fellow GDIs and the people of Kayafungo. It’s going to be a great couple of months!”

1. Clara Brodie is a student at Wellesley College

“I’m really excited about the prospect of seeing another part of the world and learning about healthy, sustainable growth. I think that resource based assessment is a unique and innovative approach to the challenges of the developing world.”

2. Tyler Confrey-Maloney is a student at North Carolina State University

“I am excited to pursue a deeper understanding of how a community can grow in both environmentally and economically sustainable ways. I love to travel and cannot wait to see a new part of the world! I also have a very serious interest in photography and was excited to learn about the photojournalism advocacy path.”

3. Paolo Singer is a student at Harvard University

“I’m excited to do health and education work this summer with Think Impact. I am especially interested in the role of social enterprise and government policy in helping achieve human security in the Manyeleti communities and beyond.”

4. Connor Gillivan is a student at Quinnipiac University

“I am looking forward to this summer and my experience in South Africa with Think Impact because it will be my first opportunity to live and understand another culture. I’m seeking to grow as a person in both mind and heart this summer so that I can help the people I create relationships with in South Africa as well as relay my newfound knowledge and passions to those I return home to.”

5. Justina Towns is a student at Towson University

“I hope to gain hands-on experience that will foster agency in the community we will be working with and also connect with other students who are interested in international development.”

6. Tim Skaggs is a student at Indiana University-Bloomington

“I’m so pumped about going because I can change lives and a community. The change will be long lasting and will grow with the community.”

7. Jimmy Pappadeas is a student at University of Maryland

“I am excited to see first-hand what it takes to be a part of development in another country including both the approach and actual implementation of projects and ideas to help a community. Learning methods that have already been used with success will help me better understand how to effectively tackle the pressing issues people face every day.”

8. Chelsea Coalwell is a student at Regis University

“In the Jesuit tradition of “men and women in the service of others” I look to serve not only those in my immediate community but also those in the global community.  This internship is a way to serve others while learning more about the challenges of global development which stand in the way of alleviating poverty for so many.”

9. Will Smith is a student at Georgetown University

“Having been lucky enough to spend four months in South Africa already, I’m very excited to head back. I’m also looking to begin a career in international development, so I’m very much looking forward to the opportunity to experience a development project on the ground.”

10. Kate Loose is a student at Cornell University

“I am looking forward to an exciting summer where I will be able to gain development experience and get to know and build relationships with people in Africa.  I am excited to learn more about sustainable business models and deepen my knowledge of development projects and microfinance in particular.”

11. Olive Nwosu is a student at Oberlin College

“I am excited about this trip because I look forward to working closely with an organization and community committed to fighting poverty through hands-on, intensive and sustainable business ideas. I
am also particularly enthusiastic to meet college students who share the similar ideas and goal as I do.”

12. Christina Williams is a student at Catholic University Columbus School of Law

(Next week we will publish the 2010 Kenya GDIs)

ThinkImpact would like to welcome our guest blogger, Fehmeen Khan. to BigThink, to tell us about her experience with microfinance and the work she is doing.

–

There are four choices for those who realize we’re in the middle of a microfinance revolution: oppose it, watch peacefully from the sidelines, occasionally support the idea in accordance with one’s personal capacity, or become an active participant of this noble cause.

I chose the third option.

Microfinance Hub was born the day I made this decision and I haven’t looked back since. The aim was to create awareness about the penetrating social implications and remarkable financial returns of this phenomenon, and a website seemed to be the most effective method of achieving this feat.

I had no exposure to this field prior to late January 2010; in fact, all I knew about it was that Professor Yunus, the ‘father of microfinance’, won the 2006 Noble Peace Prize and that my dad had only just joined a local microfinance bank.

But that was enough to get me started and I soon came across ThinkImpact’s blog, as well as a few other valuable resources that welcomed me into the complex yet fascinating world of microfinance. It did not take me long, however, to realize there was a relative dearth of information about this topic, despite the honest efforts of many well-wishers, and I thought I ought to do my part in filling this gap by shifting the focus of my site.

As a result, over the last couple of months, I’ve covered various areas related to trends, challenges, technology, services and the economic impact of microfinance itself, and in effect promoted other people’s efforts as well as my own.  Many people from around the globe drop by my site each day and show their support in their own way; some leave comments, others subscribe, yet I attribute my greatest pleasure to simply being able to help answer their questions about microfinance.

No wonder my dreams continue to flourish. I know one day, maybe after a couple of years, Microfinance Hub will live up to its name and become a central source of simplified information for anyone interested in microfinance. Now, my aim is simply to educate others about this idea, so somewhere down this road, when the World Bank is forced to eliminate the concept of the poverty line because no one lives a life of economic deprivation, I can look back and be glad that I played a part in this revolution – a small part that was commensurate with my individual capacity.

Name: Fehmeen Khan

Website: Microfinance Hub

URL: http://microfinancehub.com

Filed under: Uta Community Center ]]> http://blog.thinkimpact.org/2010/04/06/latest-community-center-pictures/feed/ 0 ThinkImpact Community Hall 002 Community Hall 001 http://blog.thinkimpact.org/2010/03/26/the-walls-are-up/ http://blog.thinkimpact.org/2010/03/26/the-walls-are-up/#comments Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:10:30 +0000 ThinkImpact http://blog.thinkimpact.org/?p=550 ]]> Take a look at the latest photos of the Community and Business Development Center in Uta, South Africa. They broke ground in late December and now the center is well on the way!

ThinkImpact is seeking to fill a full- or part-time Finance and Operations Coordinator position with a highly motivated individual who is interested in combining his/her passion for finance and non-profit operations with global poverty alleviation.

ThinkImpact works to reduce poverty through its unique model of people-powered global development that focuses on the next generation of leaders. ThinkImpact offers college students and recent graduates the ideas, leadership and capital they need to leverage social innovation and local community resources to alleviate poverty. Learn more at http://www.thinkimpact.org.

ThinkImpact is a dynamic work environment with offices headquartered in downtown Washington, DC. The mission-driven social enterprise is growing rapidly and requires a highly skilled individual to fill this vacancy as early as April 2010. The job allows for growth and includes possible national and international travel. We are looking for applicants who are passionate about the issues we deal with including poverty alleviation, social entrepreneurship and youth leadership. We expect to hire someone who enjoys building organizational systems, working with numbers and is committed to excellence in all that they produce.

If interested, please submit a cover letter that includes whether you would prefer to work full- or part-time or are willing to consider either and your possible start date along with your resume (1-2 pages) to Rachael Estess at jobs@thinkimpact.org with your name and the job title in the subject line. No calls please.

Salary Range: $30-37k + benefits

Qualifications

·         2 years of experience in the private or non-profit sector preferred

·         BA required/Masters desired

·         CPA preferred

·         Excellent financial and accounting skills and familiarity with Quickbooks

·         Excellent IT skills, including Advanced Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and databases

·         Excellent English, written and spoken

·         Ability to manage a heavy and fluctuating workload

·         Ability to manage conflicting demands

·         Excellent organizational skills

·         Ability to prioritize own workload

·         Results orientated

·         Ability to handle a steep learning curve

·         Able to work as part of a team

·         Highly developed communication skills

Responsibilities

·         Financial advisor to the executive director

·         Advise on operational strategy, planning, policies

·         Budgeting, cash flow management, reporting to Board of Trustees

·         Managing financial transactions including payables, receivables, bookkeeping, accounting, reimbursements, etc.

·         Managing banking procedures locally and internationally.

·         Managing payroll activities, IRS reporting and donation receipting

·         Office management

Attitude and qualities we seek

·         Enthusiastic, positive, determined

·         Able to work on one’s own initiative

·         Able to prioritize tasks

·         Calm under pressure

·         Flexible

·         Assertive and diplomatic

·         Sound judgment

·         Proactive

·         General interest in poverty alleviation and social entrepreneurship desired

ThinkImpact Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The organization is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.