ICSE Nairobi Cycle 2 - VSO Jitolee

Mambo

ICSE Nairobi Cycle 2

March 2015

Photostream

Contents Welcome to the newsletter

A note from the editors Its been over 6 weeks since two motley groups of volunteers, one from Kenya and one fresh off the plane from the UK met in the dining room of the Strand Hotel, Nairobi West. Cocktail was shared, small talk turned into familiarity and slowly but surely, friendships developed. It was a rowdy and PowerPoint packed few days, and then it was over, the group split and sent into the urban wild with their new Nairobian families. Work began soon after and our next 3 months took shape. The group strengthened as we shared and learned together, over newly discovered Tuskers and Nyama Choma. ACDs, CADs and other acronyms entered our daily lexicon, a new language of this team passing through one of the most cosmopolitan cities on the planet, eyes wide open. Through our relationships with each other and our work we are becoming more active citizens, driven by a vision of more inclusive companies helping to solve societal problems. This newsletter is meant for anyone interested in what we’ve been up to, we hope it gives you an idea of our work, home life and the things we’ve been thinking. It’s as much for the team as it is for others, to remind us of how far we’ve come and how much opportunity lies ahead for us and the businesses we are working with. Thankyou to Mwanaisha and the TLs for helping us get this far, we hope you enjoy it.- Evans, Scott and Giff

9-10//

4// Karibu

Nairobi

Host Home Overviews

5// City Map

11-12// Modern Maasai

6-7//

The Roughest Guide

8// Meet the Team

12-19// The Placement Overviews

20// Counterpart Discussion

21// ACDs

27//Diary of

1 and 2

a volunteer

22-23//

28//

SMSocial Impact

#kenyadiggit

24// ACDs

29-31//

3 and 4

Mid Phase Review

25-26//

32//Still to

Green City

come and The Final Word

Shengctionary Learn local Sheng (slang)/ Swahili and handle Nairobi like a native. 3

Karibu Nairobi Welcome to Nairobi, hot, dusty and hectic, but full of potential.

Uhuru Park in the centre of the city looking towards the CBD

N

airobi is a city bursting at the seams, people, possibilities and enterprise flow from every district. But the explosive growth and rapid transformation from trading post to 21st century metropolis doesn't come without challenges.

First established as a railway hub in 1899 the city became the capital of the British colonial presence from 1907, serving as a centre of administration for the major coffee, tea and sisal (textile fibre) industries across the country. After independence in 1963 it became the capital of the Republic of Kenya and has been leading the charge of a modernising Africa ever since. It’s home to over 3.5 million people and Is a centre of commerce and politics. Over 100 major international companies have their African headquarters here and it is a base for the UN across the continent. Tinted SUVs with skinny latte sipping bigwigs ride alongside the ubiquitous matatus with the Smokie eating masses, often at a crawl in the city’s notorious traffic. In recent years the city has been rapidly coming online, with a new digital boom leading to the clichéd application of a ‘silicon’ title, the Silicon Savannah. The ultra hip incubators are a far cry from the teeming streets of Kibera but the technology being created has the potential to impact everyone on the continent. It’s an exciting time for the city, we count ourselves lucky to be a part of it and call ourselves Nairobians, if only for a few months.

Shengctionary How are you? 4

‘Niaje/vipi’?

5

Money

Weekend Fun

Chilled Pombes

Tasty Eats

Work Placements

Host Homes

Key

This is the city, it’s got something for everyone, from the swanky clubs and bars of Westlands to the forests ofn Karura and savannah of the National Park. The map below gives an outline of where we live and work, with the locations of a few of the places explained in the guide over the next pages.

Nairobi Map

The City

Shengctionary

‘Cheda’, ‘Doh’, ‘Kuda’

The Roughest Guide Where can you get a decent coffee around here?

The Nairobi skyline

Smothers - A safe bet when eating in the CBD, serving all the Kenyan classics and a few western delicacies (read soggy burgers). The carnivores will be drooling over the sizzling rump steak hotplates. Ask for George, tell him we sent you.

Java House - Itching for an iced latte and apple turnover? Relive the chain coffee shops of home with Java House. A good citywide spot for hanging out with decent coffee and tasty eats. Outside the city centre there’s also Wifi, an essential tool for tackling all the last minute emails VSO likes to send. Though be aware, swanky interior design comes with equivalent prices. Zodiak Decent central spot for an easy to get to post ACD team bonding session, with blissfully cold Tusker. Look down on the traffic and commotion of the CBD from the balcony that stretches around the building. Friday is throwback night so expect there to be a lot of “This is my jam!” moments.

Shengctionary How much? 6

‘’Ngapi?’

The Roughest Guide Where can you get a decent coffee around here?

Uhuru Park - Green(ish) grass and plenty of open space make the central city park an excellent team chilling location. Grab a ball and some matoke crisps and settle in for an afternoon of attempting to get a tan, but failing, and contemplating getting a pedalo out. Rock City - A pool, outside, with a bar, and Nyama Choma! Pretend you’re actually on holiday and splash about at this miniature amusement. The pool is small and you’ll be the oldest one in there but it makes for a fun weekend activity.

Soiree - Big beer garden, and various different areas to suit your mood. Cold Tusker and warm Jikos make for a pleasant evening.

iHub - This business incubator boasts good cappuccino and fast wifi and is situated on Ngong road in close proximity to the fun that brings. Add a few more MacBooks and people with stupid haircuts and edgy dress sense and you could be in Shoreditch.

Karura Forest Escape the madness of Nairobi into this insanely great forest up Kiamburu Road. Boasting a mountain biking track, waterfalls and miles of beautiful paths it’s an oasis for those hankering for the countryside and a perfect Saturday out. Though don’t be fooled by the sign saying ‘Butterfly Lake’, there is no lake, and not many butterflies, gutted.

Shengctionary Mlami 7

‘’White guy!’

Meet the Team The cycle 2 Nairobi volunteers and their counterparts, with what they think of each other.

Giff / 23 York “Who?”

Naidah / 26 Loikitokitok

“A Kenyan Nigella Lawson”

Evans / 21 Kitui

Scott / 22 Dumfries

“Life of the party, Imara Kama Simba”

“Easy going and excellent to work

Tom / 21 Colne

Ken / 23 Kitui

Everybody

Jimmie / 23 Kimana

Nina / 21 York

“The greatest Maasai in Embakasi”

“Beautiful, kind, funny social and honest”

“Great, supportive, all that is fun”

“Mischievous but always has my back”

Sunny / 18 London

Sam / 22 Kitui

Swati / 22 / London

Avena (TL) / 21 / Mombassa

“Friendly, outgoing and loves to laugh”

“Supportive and caring, often

“ Swati is the ideal fit for a counterpart ”

“ A great team mate and a friend for life ”

Jacque / 23 Kitui

Minsoo / 22 London

Maureen / 25 Mombassa

Zad (TL) / 24 London

“Fun, friendly, fashionable and totally dependable”

“Talkative”

Shengctionary Fala 8

‘Idiot’

“The perfect match who makes tasty food”

“I couldn't ask for a better co leader for the team ”

Host Homes A summary of the host homes and what it’s like having a Kenyan Mama and Mzee Everybody Maureen

Host homes are one of the most influential determinants in an ICSE participants’ experience. We all have to live by a different set of household rules and therefore we all enjoy different types of cultural exchange. Regardless, host homes are a definite highlight which allow volunteers to experience authentic Nairobi culture and really integrate within the communities in which we live. Here's a little bit about each of the 5 different homes we live in across the city, by the residents themselves.

The Embakasi Massive We live in the most populous part of Nairobi towards the airport. It’s residential but has no end of vendors catering to everyone's needs, along with the requisite Kenyan DVD and music shops. It’s really starting to feel like home and we’re lucky to have a host mum that loves to show us the sights of the city. We’re a tight knit group, cooking and eating together most nights, finished up with the occasional episode on Netflix, it’s good to have some home comforts!

South B Team South B is close to the centre of town, though with the traffic it can be up to an hour. Our host mum is attempting to teach us how to cook, with mixed results but she’s brilliant at making us feel welcome. There aren’t many restrictions, just make sure you clean up after yourself, standard respect really. We’ve got a comfy sitting room and the house is often busy with Mary’s bible group, which has been the source of many a heated discussion. Ity has something for everyone!

Shengctionary Konda 9

‘Conductor (matatu/bus)’

Host Homes 87 Heaven

A summary of the host homes and what it’s like having a Kenyan Mama and Mzee

It was always going to take a pair of strong characters to keep us four cheeky chaps in check. It might have been a stroke of genius from the VSO management or complete luck, but Paul and Shiro are more than capable. Not through a strict, disciplinarian regime with curfews and rules but through flexibility and a mutual understanding of respect– and we as guests are grateful for that and it really feels like home. Everyone gets on extremely well and there is always a fun feeling in the house - until it’s Sam’s turn to wash the dishes!

Everybody

Imara Daiman-ds There is a strong sense of community in Imara Daima, with volleyball and evening aerobics on the field every weekday—sit ups under the stars is quite a surreal experience! We are lucky to have 3 bathrooms between 3 of us, so there is never a queue for the shower luckily. We have a pet chicken and chicks in the front lawn, which scared me at first but now I love them greeting me at the gate! Were going to get involved in the many community activities, such as the upcoming hike to Mount Longonot, our mum is the estate secretary so we’re always in the know which is great.

Women of Wangige The Wangige household…absolutely amazing! We live the furthest from the all the other host homes but we are surrounded by beautiful scenery of nature. We live with a young couple Rachael and Wilson; they spoil us rotten! Recently we celebrated Wilson’s birthday and started the day by pouring cold water on him on the balcony. We stayed up the entire night playing games and cards. It was one of the most memorable moments we have had in our home and our host parents have made us feel like true family.

Shengctionary Kinde, Mbao, Chwani 10

‘Ten, Twenty, Fifty shillings’

Modern Maasai Jimmie Manchoi discusses modern Kenya 1/2

Jimmie Manchoi

Supa Jimmy, so let’s start with where you’re from and a bit about yourself? I was born in Kajiado in 1991 and raised in Loikiitokitok. I basically grew up in Loitokitok. Most of the people are farmers and it’s mostly a Maasai area but it is quite multicultural. Most of the cultures around Kenya end up in Loitokitok because the land is so productive. My parents were pastoralists but they adapted to farming. For my grandfather, he was a really good businessman who moved around a lot – he traded a lot of animals and livestock. He would move from Nairobi, Abeta, Mombasa, Tanzania and back, just doing transactions. He would walk to all these places; he was a nomad. Basically, for us, as Maasai – walking is not something hard. You can walk for distance. He would take his animals with him, and take days just travelling. Normally when he went to trade, he would go with three helpers who would help him fight off lions or other animals that might attack his animals. Literally that is how it is. It’s really a good experience, I walked with him when I was of A recent photo of Jimmies’s grandfather the age 13 and still in primary school, during the holidays I would go around with my grandfather. We would have relatives staying at different places in the region. My Dad was already pretty educated at this time so my granddad wanted me to learn about the culture. How did the transition from your granddad - who was a Maasai travelling with livestock - to your Dad who became this highly educated school principal staying in one place – how did that happen? Basically, my granddad travelled around a lot and came into contact with a lot of educated people, often mzungus. He really wanted to see his children adapt a different life. He decided that he wanted to teach a few of his sons so they can teach their brothers and help them to learn. So my grandfather took my Dad and one of his step brothers to school. My grandfather made him choose between marriage and education, whilst my grandmother wanted him to get married and get someone to help in the house. My grandfather really made him choose, he couldn’t have both, and then my Dad decided to go back to school. Since then, he has been employed in several places. He was a manager in an animal sanctuary in Kimana, a very well known sanctuary where Queen Elizabeth visited… Then after a few years he worked in the postal office in Kenya. So I can gather from the way you are talking you are really proud of your Maasai background. Are a lot of Kenyans proud of their tribal roots. How do you celebrate your family tradition? Each holiday the whole extended family attends a family gathering. It’s quite a large event, if you think my grandfather had 5 wives and each had no less than 10 children, you can imagine how busy it is. What I like about it is that all those kids….

Shengctionary Soo, Rwabe, Punch 11

‘One, Two, Five Hundred shillings’

Modern Maasai Jimmie Manchoi discusses modern Kenya 2/2

Jimmie Manchoi

...are educated now. Not one of them isn’t in education… All of them are eager to take their kids to school. 50% of his grandchildren are either in universities or colleges and the others are in secondary or primary school. I’m really proud of him and we get together and discuss family issues. If one of the members is going astray or struggling, we tend to help family members and if one is under pressure we really support them and help raise them up. What is Kenya’s attitude towards the Maasai tribe? If you’ve noticed, even many people around town you might see them wearing Maasai things. They are so appreciated because they maintain their tradition and beliefs. Most of their beliefs – well one was killing lions but then they realized that didn’t make sense because all you guys come here to see lions. If you were a boy you had to go and find a lion, kill it and come back with its’ head and tail to prove you were a man. The education system has helped to tell people to take care of the animals and the environment. Most of the income from the national parks goes back to the community and they appreciate that because they see real benefits. What do you think of this new modernizing Kenya?

Jimmie with his decorated Maasai walking stick

It’s really good. It’s helping people understand that everyone is equal, it is good but it is also making people change and forget about their own norms and cultures. A kid growing up in Nairobi doesn’t know his own culture, his tradition. Each and every culture has its’ own values and modernization is good –but it is killing a lot of culture. I was born a Maasai so I know my culture. Some things change, and sometimes you need to change but you must take certain behavior with you.

What do you think you can learn from us? And we can learn from you? Most of you guys have a lot of technical know- how. You guys coming over here, and us eager to learn about your skills, it would help me develop. You’re open minded and you work straight towards goals, you don’t go around – I am really eager to do the same. For you guys everything is already exhausted in terms of technology but you can really see how we try to make things accessible to everyone. Maybe we can help you guys understand things in a level where everyone can get access. We can try and bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. Finally, after all this is over, where would you see yourself in 5 years time? I really want to have my own company – I am sure I will have it. I have been thinking about it since I was young. I really love IT and I want to create something that will help everyone. I have the notion that creating your own business can create opportunities for others. I want to have the room to innovate and create good ideas. I would love to have my company where I can have my own ideas and include my colleagues to share any of their good ideas.

Shengctionary Tenje/Nangos 12

‘Phone’

The Placements Women Challenged to Challenge Minsoo and Maureen

I must admit I was nervous of working for WCC as I believe I did not have enough knowledge of disability issues. As I started the placement I felt I have learnt a lot of social issues and the discrimination that is prevalent in Kenya. WCC has been interested in expanding the issue of disability through the means of social media which would highlight the problems and put the issue of disability in focus. There are some aspects which I do not believe are the best course of action but those issues are the ones which can be rectified. For instance, I personally believe bringing awareness of the issue of disability in schools and educating them is the most powerful tool. This method has not been started or adopted in WCC but hopefully they will in future. Overall I believe the issue of disability will not be resolved in the next few years in Kenya but the barriers will slowly be broken down. I hope society will slowly reduce the stigma associated to the persons with disability and be all for social inclusion regardless of gender, sexuality, religion or disability. The law may constitute this but the people must embrace and enforce otherwise it is a meaningless words written on paper. Positives    

Negatives

Independent work management Good support form colleagues Lots of resources to wrk with Surprise visit from Safaricom Foundation

  

Arbitrary restrictions occasionally More field visits would be motivating The office’s are pretty hot!



Aims

Acheivements    

Staff training in market research Reviewed micro financing scheme for womens group Market research on disability employment in corporate Kenya WCC Blog

Shengctionary Msupa 13

‘Lady’

   

Disability inclusion report Improved record keeping of loan statuses Social media training 1 on 1 interviews with major employers regarding disability inclusion

The Placements Animal Minerals and Allied Scott and Ken It is our pleasure to be working for Animal Minerals and Allied - an organization that has both the ambition and potential to change the lives of millions of families in Africa. Hydroponics involves farming without soil. Although this technology has inundated Western agriculture its’ novel introduction to African farmers is particularly exciting… In a continent whose economy is dominated by agriculture – a collective movement to soilless, affordable farming of fodder and vegetables could have ground-breaking repercussions. Convincing those who have farmed with soil for generations to discard everything they know - their family tradition and invest in a transition to soilless agriculture is tricky. People here don’t believe it is possible and it really does require a tactful marketing approach, a challenge which we are really enjoying. We have been asked to challenge the doubt surrounding hydroponics in Kenyan society, but prior to any marketing have addressed fundamental issues in business processes, creating a sustainable model for future success. Positives    

Negatives

High levels of responsibility  Truly exciting enterprise with enourmous potential  Very applicable to our skills and experience  Very supportive colleagues

Aims

Acheivements 

  

Not enough time to meet all of our objectives and ambitions Location is very rural, we literally work on a farm, quite fun though Lack of resources in first couple of weeks, mainly internet

Developing brand identity strategy, they currently have abput 4 different names After sales activities training Website analytics introduced Digitized current incoherent records

  

Develop ‘Model Day’ for demonstrations Create digital strategy, SEO, SMS, Email and Social Media Imprve business and customer tracking.

Shengctionary Supa/Ipa 14

‘Hey’ and the response (Maasai)

The Placements EPTF Sunny and Jacque EPTF is a faith based organization that trains young people and empowers them to become entrepreneurs. There are 14 people in the office, including our driver Dan, our cook Mary and and intern from Sweden. We have a friendly office environment, with 10 o'clock tea, welcome and farewell lunches as well as uesday and Thursday morning bible studies. We are currently mentoring 2 businesses, which is really interesting, especially as they are so young! We also visited a school in Mathare North, which opened our eyes to a completely new environment. We have great facilites , with laptops and WiFi, but not always a huge workload. We hope to get more involved in the high school programs, visiting some of the business clubs and perhaps running sessions.

Positives    

Great working environment Increased knowledge of start up challenges High interaction with many different cultures TEA!

Acheivements     

Business visits to schools across the region Procurment qualification document Meeting minutes Supported SEAL program Reviewed business training program

Negatives  

More field visits would be great Highly structured often at the expense of innovation

Aims    

Updated Alumni databases In depth case studies of successful businesses form the program More engagement with students Improve evaluation of training activities

Shengctionary Mambo/Poa 15

‘Hey’ and the response (Swahili)

The Placements Develatech Giff and Naidah Develatech is aiming to tackle the huge problem of unclean and inefficient cooking methods across Africa. The majority of rural households still use the traditional 3 stone fire, burning wood to heat their cooking pots. Dirty and expensive it’s only benefit is the ease of construction. It gives off hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, particularly when used indoors and has a very low fuel efficiency. Develatech builds efficient stoves at affordable prices, charcoal for an urban market and wood for rural, saving consumers money and health. We’ve been working on anything that needs doing, which is a lot! We’ve created new flyers and marketing collateral for their charcoal Jikos, t-shirts and sales packs for sales people (we need to hire some more!). The main issue now is that there aren't enough channels to sell through so we’re working on establishing new outlets, getting SACCOs to distribute and bringing supermarkets on board. It’s going well, we wish we could devote more time to it but VSO demands a lot of input itself. Next step is to deploy our secret weapon, the Jiko Chap Chap bike (a big billboard with wheels), to get out into the field and build awareness in the most populated area of Nairobi, Embakasi. It’s epic fun, we only wish we could stay for longer. Positives    

Negatives

Autonomy  Excellent offices, and a fun workshop Good relationship with supervisor and other employees Product with a clear benefit and demand

Aims

Acheivements    

Product sales New distribution outlets established Various bits of collateral created Contact established with potential large scale distibutors

   



Shengctionary Mchana 16

Pretty much limitless amount of things to do, though it’s also a positive

‘Lunch’

Sales tracker dashboard Complete website Establish 5+ new retail outlets Distribution from 2+ SACCOs

The Placements Rocac Group Jimmy and Nina Working at Rocac group has taught us so much in the short time we have been there, in ways we did not expect. We feel Rocac captures entrepreneurism at its finest, the drive and passion to succeed is overwhelming. Rocac group produces Nela coconut oil, produced on the coast of Mombasa. Unemployment is rife in Mombasa and Rocac ensures farmers and young people are offered secure livelihoods and a tenable futures. Rocac wants to put Kenyan people at the forefront of their marketplace by ensuring a fair price to the farmers, make use of traditional farming practices and offer training that can be passed through generations and create jobs. Days tend to be pretty varied, but our work predominantly consists of marketing, social media and graphic design. There are only the three of us in the office together so we share a lot of laughs and, unfortunately, Humphreys’ awful music taste which is on repeat from lunchtime! The dynamics are very relaxed between us and we felt very at ease from day one. The best part about working at Rocac is that we believe in the product and the cause whole heartedly. It feels good to be part of bringing about a change so it doesn’t feel like work – especially when our skin feels this good, pardon the shameless promotion but Nela oil really is amazing! Positives    

Negatives

Autonomy, small team means big responsibility Belief in company and product Pushed to improve and supported by supervisor Clear company growth

Website finished Established clear product story and mission, vision values





Very steep learning curve Can be slightly limited resources, but we are learning to work with what we have. Overly ambitious targets, $250k of crowdfunding, in 3 weeks!

Aims

Acheivements  

 

   

Increase asles of Nela oil Grow social media presence Produce 5+ pieces of marketing collaterl (brochures and flyers) Crowdfunding campaign, to hit realistic target

Shengctionary Habare 17

‘How are you?’ (Swahili)

The Placements Buymore Tom and Evans We're working at Buymore, a business the develops and distributes student discount cards and point of sale systems for small retailers. Work here can be quite slow, which can be quite frustrating. But as time has gone on I've come to terms with the fact that organisation and timing just aren't the same or as important here as they are back here - you just have to accept it. Works good, the people are friendly and the job is interesting, it's helped me develop so many personal skills mainly my confidence and thinking on the spot. Through my role in Buymore I sometimes leave the office to attend university open days or committee functions. These visits have developed my personal skills massively, mainly my confidence and communication skills. My most memorable experience was the USIU culture week. A week that celebrates and teaches different habits of each culture that is present in the university, they celebrated Kenyan food with Nyama Chama and Ugali, they celebrated Indian culture with a small Holi festival celebration and the celebrated the Swedish culture with delicious balls of chocolate.. This function gave me the opportunity to experience the traditions and beauty of various cultures first hand. I learnt about each culture and feel that travelling will be easier in the future as I already have an understanding of cultural differences and feel that I'll be able to accept and adapt to them much easier. Positives    

Negatives

Open minded and inclusive team, Interested in our respective Highly appreciative of our work Good out of work activities and off site visits.

 

Created and maintained a coherent social media strategy Integrated well into the work force Signed up over 50 new members through event participation and visits

Shengctionary Tafadhali 18

 

Unclear business structure High workload, often with large tasks given at the last minute Limited interaction with manager Very varied workloads between team members

Aims

Acheivements 

 

‘Please’

 

Sell 15+ POS systems Create clear handover reports for all social channels to ensure the strategy is adhered to after we leave.

The Placements Inkisha Swati and Sam

Inkisha is a start company which will revolutionise Africa. They provide free ecofriendly paper packaging to retailers through partnering with advertisers. Our relative positions are Chief Technology Officer and Chief Finance Officer, however we also have a range of other responsibilities including social media and research. We recently launched the Green City Campaign targeting Nairobi CBD which aimed to sensitise Nairobians on the introduction of free eco-friendly packaging. The event was a huge success after which we were treated to a lovely Coldstone ice cream! The campaign reached 8.4 million people and engaged over 500 retailers. Working with a young CEO has been extremely inspirational and we look forward to much more over the remaining weeks of our placement.

Positives    

Excellent working environment Independent wok management Highly creative, new concept allows for freedom in marketing efforts Lots of skills transfer

Acheivements 

 

#greencity ACD cam,paign reaching over 500 retailers direct and 8.4M people across all channels FB likes up 200 in first week alone Attracted new advertisers

Negatives  

Not utilising all the skills we have Slow start in the first couple of weeks

Aims    

Exceed social media engagement/ interaction targets Grow personal networks Complete company website and push live Attract 5+ new advertisers

Shengctionary Asante(sana) 19

‘Thankyou (very much)’

Catwalking A conversation between counterparts working at Develatech

What was you reaction when you heard of your work placement? (Naidah) I was very happy, I really like the company and product and knew it would give me good exposure to an established business. (Giff) I’d agree, it’s a quality product, that Kenya needs. What was your first thought when you knew we’d be counterparts?

Giff and Naidah

Enthusiasm, I think VSO placed us well as you’re upfront and I knew we could learn from each other, you’re tall, brash and bear a surprising resemblance to Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory. Same here, you were forthcoming in the ICO and had some interesting opinions which I wanted to explore further, let me get back to you on who you look like! How has the partnership been so far? It’s been an eye opener, through your working style and differing perspectives on many topics. Excellent, our skills complement each other and we’re both enthusiastic which is a key aspect of a successful relationship. In work you’ve made me think of different channels to the ones I would use at home to sell products, particularly personal networks. And the challenges? We’ve had to work out how our different skillsets can work together to add the most value to Develatech. I’d agree, we’re still working through it but are learning how to teach and support each other. Plus your propensity for a little mid day snooze! Power nap! Through challenge comes learning though, that’s how we look at it. Tell us something about your counterpart. He loves fashion. Do I? You’re always catwalking about the house. Oh that, shhhhhh. Well she’s an incredible social adventuress, every time we go out she’ll come back with at least 5 new friends and a schedule of all the good places to hang out in the area, it’s very useful! What are you learning from each other? Like all the UKVs, you like working hard. I’m good at looking busy, she’s really teaching me the value of close personal relationships, a cornerstone of business in Kenya, coupled with professionalism. We work well together, and there’s a huge amount of satisfaction in talking to retailers and helping to spread the word of Jiko Chap Chap! Any advice for future UKVs and NVs? Don’t think, just apply. Build your relationships here, they are the core of the program.

Shengctionary Abhana 20

‘No’

Active Citizens Active Citizenship Days Giff, Jimmie, Scott and Ken

The Social Impact of Mobile - Giff and Jimmie A larger proportion of people have access to a mobile phone than improved drinking water supplies in Kenya, reliance on connectivity is almost more pronounced than it is in the UK. Though the technology may not be as advanced, there are some inspiring applications of simple feature phones in use here. Our ACD aimed to show Kenya as a leader in this area, holding it at the iHub accelerator, in the heart of Nairobi's technology district. We had a range of sessions from members of the DOTrust, aiming to improve young Kenyan’s ICT skills, to startups using mobile phones to improve young mothers health (Totohealth) and increase public participation in policy making (Uwazi). Finally we had the participants come up with their own million dollar app ideas for social impact, with a game to encourage the disposal of litter winning the non existent seed funding. Watch out Silicon Valley, Silicon Savannah is coming! The Role of Sport in Development - Ken and Scott Our ACD focused on the role of sport in development, and its physical, psychological and social benefits. It’s a leveler that can involve all members of a community and you only have to look at the Olympic and Commonwealth games to see its importance in international affairs. We visited a local community field and heard about the benefits and challenges of having a population engage in competitive sport, finishing up with a game between a local team and program participants, we won! Our discussion engaged both volunteers and community members, and had a relaxed ambience that encouraged contribution. We believe people were given food for thought on the importance of sport, and the sheer significant impact that sport can have on the physical and mental development of young people. Also, we suggested concerns in creating safe, equitable opportunities and indicated it is not as simple as first thought to create sustainable, successful youth solutions.

Shengctionary Jina Langu Ni... 21

‘My name is….’

SMSocial Impact A volunteers thoughts on the potential of mobile for social impact across Africa

1/2 Giff Hogge

iHub Nairobi, home to numerous companies using mobile for social impact

W

e’re so spoilt for choice in terms of technology in the UK that we often overlook the potential of mobile phones for solving basic societal problems. To borrow an observation from Toby Shapshak we’re all a little too busy playing Angry Birds and Candy Crush to see the mobile phone as a tool for promoting health, wealth and wellbeing. Africa and Kenya in particular is realising the potential of mobiles for positive social impact, due primarily to the rapidly increasing penetration and decreasing cost of the technology. It’s a clichéd image of globalisation but the traditionally dressed Maasai with a phone pressed to his ear really is a common sight across Kenya. Penetration of mobiles stands at over 75% across the country, with smartphone access forecasted to grow at 40% per year over the coming years, exponentially outstripping conventional PC access. Big numbers, big potential. Instead of focussing on advanced services to make your cab home cheaper or irritatingly addictive freemium games, supported with slick design and aesthetically pleasing menus a lot of the entrepreneurial zeal in Kenya is taking a step back and looking at the possibilities with the lowest mobile technology denominator, the SMS. It’s the simplest use of a phone but offers opportunities for affordable and life enhancing services to bottom of the pyramid (BOP) markets, while turning a tidy profit for the service owners. The high penetration and ability to process micropayments means that there is enormous business opportunity in scaleable business models using simple mobile technology. Across the country you will see the ubiquitous green of the MPesa booths… (cont.)

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‘I’m from…’

SMSocial Impact A volunteers thoughts on the potential of mobile for social impact across Africa

2/2 Giff Hogge

This is a mobile banking service that allows anyone to access simple banking from any mobile phone, imagine being able to manage your savings, pay your bills, transfer money to someone and even get a loan, all through your Nokia 3310, and play Snake! This allows families to benefit from remittance with tiny transaction costs, save properly, without fear of theft and quickly have access to finance in the event of unforeseen challenges. Of course, Safaricom are making serious money from all the transactions, being the biggest operator in East Africa. It’s a perfect example of an inclusive service that benefits everyone, properly user centred and it shows in uptake figures. Mpesa’s clear benefits in itself are amplified by the way it has been embraced by other service providers, opening up the floodgates for new services based on its technology. Totohealth uses SMS to help reduce maternal mortality, child mortality and predict developmental disabilities. Using simple questions and warning signs sent out at key moments pre and post natal, it makes sure that all parents are aware of any indicators that could be dangerous, alerting local doctors to address the issue. Over 3000 mothers use the service and it is growing rapidly as more hospitals, NGOs and parents come on board. Texts are just 3 shillings, paid for with MPesa. Uwazi promotes civic participation in policy making by delivering bills that are in draft to members of the service, all through SMS and a simple web portal. Allowing anyone to comment on them from anywhere (particularly useful for people who no longer reside in their home county) and have that feedback aggregated to be passed on to policy makers. Sokotext helps to reduce the poverty premium paid by small vendors operating in slums. Instead of individually going to wholesalers their orders are aggregated by SMS (“10 mangoes please”) then bought in bulk and delivered to a pick up location, users save 20% on average, enough for an extra meal a day. Surprise surprise, its all paid for with MPesa, and it’s growing fast. These few examples illustrate what is possible with the humble feature phone, no touch screens, limited internet access and tiny processing power holds the potential to drastically improve lives. A combination of huge potential scale, widely used micro payment facilities and an underserved population makes Africa a goldmine for those wanting to live the old adage of ’doing well, while doing good’

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‘Good Luck!’

Active Citizens Active Citizenship Days

The Urban Environment - Swati and Sam Our ACD was focussed on the ever visible problem of plastic waste across Kenya. We partnered with Inkisha, a start up encouraging the phase out of plastic bags by getting advertisers to fund the free distribution of eco friendly paper packaging, helping to educate retailers across the city.

Swati, Sam, Minsoo and Maureen

The issue of plastic waste is huge, especially in Africa. The Green City Campaign was a great initiative; reaching over 8.4 million people, contracting over 300 retailers and engaging over 500 retailers, helping us exceed our target. It brought together many organisations and many young adults who can together raise awareness about the importance of the environment and also take necessary action in conserving it, while also helping retailers who will be affected by the forthcoming ban on plastic bags. HIV/AIDS among adolescents - Minsoo and Maureen There are over 1.6 million people living with HIV in Kenya. Of those 1.02 million people are women and children. These are facts which cannot be undisputed; however I personally do not feel any attachment to the sheer number of people affected. It is just a number and this sounds very despicable but these are issues which I have never been personally been highlighted. For this reason I felt it was important to get an understanding as well as get a personal experience in order to comprehend the concerns associated with people living with HIV. Speaking to the Power Woman Group and Everlyne Shiangala gave us an insight into the stigma experienced by the people living with HIV. It was admirable that the women did not let the HIV dictate their lives and decided to embrace their life. It showed courage and belief in them to be open about HIV as well as advocate about the misconceptions of HIV. The debate surrounding contraception to teenagers was a contentious issue which led people to have a heated discussion. I personally believe giving access to contraception to teenagers is not a choice but a fundamental right to the citizens of Kenya. It was interesting to hear the some of the perspectives from the Kenyans but not all had the same view.

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‘I don’t understand’

Green City A volunteers thoughts on INKISHA’s Green City campaign 1/2

Scott Emmerson

Swati talking to the media, including major national channels

I

’ve never been a militant conservationist but I’d rather keep a crisp packet in my pocket for a week than throw it away. They normally end up in the washing machine. I was only here a few days before someone questioned why I put an empty packet of nuts in my bag rather than fling it in a river, brutally illustrating just how contrasting UK/African attitudes can be. Please don’t mistake my broadness for ignorance. I’ve watched many a person throw an empty Greggs bag at their feet back home, but you just have to look around the Nairobi streets to understand the severity of the problem in Africa, this in East Africa’s most cosmopolitan metropolis. IKISHA, one of Africa’s brightest start-ups partnered with VSO to encourage environmental deliberation among retailers in Nairobi’s CBD. Pollution is a problem in Africa, but as I mentioned above, what is more concerning is society’s cynical attitude and reluctance to learn about ecology. Littering is routine. Fumes from burning plastic diffuse throughout communities, ignorantly spreading carcinogenic toxins to the young and old. Geoffrey Mulei, CEO and company founder is an inspirational young entrepreneur whose passion for solving social issues in Africa - whilst shrewdly exploiting business opportunities - is contagious. This is another example of innovation through necessity in Africa - real problems obligate creativity. I can’t help but learn from these young lads creating opportunities for themselves from nothing. They make me feel guilty I didn’t have the conviction to implement some of the largely superficial ideas I’ve had in the past.

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‘Sorry’

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Green City A volunteers thoughts on INKISHA’s Green City campaign 2/2

Scott Emmerson

Working with INKISHA (meaning collaborate in Swahili) we launched a Green City campaign in Nairobi, creating noise in town about the environmental impacts of plastic. The business plan is simple but ridiculously effective – offer free eco-friendly packaging to retailers who sometimes spend nearly 20% of their revenue on packaging, and they can use this saving to invest in business. In many of INKISHA’s successful partnerships, this saving supports parents enough to put a child through school or feed their families a tad more comfortably. When something is too good to be true it probably is, and many of our conversations led to confused, suspect retailers searching for a catch when we suggested collaboration. INKISHA sells advertising space on the paper bags to blue chip companies – Royco, Safaricom, Coca-Cola, creating a sustainable model that aids marginalized and disadvantaged businesses whilst simultaneously promoting environmental sensitivity. There was a conventional aura of jealous appreciation among the UK volunteers as we realized how straightforward yet brilliant this idea really is.

The day was a tremendous success, with #greencity trending on Twitter and national media applauding our collective efforts. We secured a few hundred contracts in an afternoon alone; a strong contribution to Geoffrey’s ambition of supplying 12,000 retailers by the end of 2015. This is definitely a step in the right direction, but idealistically retailers will consciously decide to use eco-friendly packaging because of their commitment to cleaning up their streets, and their dedication in keeping some of the world’s most serene landscapes serene. Autonomously. Without provocation or financial incentive.

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‘Would you like to dance with me?’

Diary of a volunteer

27

#kenyadiggit

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‘Where’s the toilet?’

Mid Phase Review

Escape to the Country

Half way through, time to take a breather, reflect on the program to date, and plan for the second half. The MPR is a chance to escape the city and not only explore what has happened but also have fun as a team, with the advantage of being able to walk home safely at the end of the evening. Activities fall under three broad themes;

Reflect

  

On our experiences so far… How is life on placement / in a host home? What’s been most challenging?

Understand

  

Volunteer circumstances Your own situation How to move forward positively

Support

  

Program improvement methods VSO staff contact time Peer support

At the beginning of our placement we – slightly contentiously - created a social pot; every week we paid money from our allowances into a fund which would support a group excursion. This fund helped subsidise the travel costs in our voyage to Jimmy and Naidah’s home of Loikitokitok, an experience which the group as a whole exceedingly enjoyed and were thankful for. Escaping the madness of Nairobi was a concern for all the volunteers but especially the UK participants who were keen to explore rural Kenya and subvert the developed pretense Nairobi quite often displays.

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‘How do you say?’

Mid Phase Review Escape to the Cultural Issues Country Culture underpins this programme’s most rewarding interactions, escapades and

successes. It is also the source of frustrations and challenges many of the volunteers experience throughout its duration and the MPR is an opportunity to reconcile any irritable habits which have emerged within the group! We created a relaxed forum for constructive conversations which will help shape team dynamics over the next 6 weeks. Changes in perceptions Changes in cultural perceptions were an interesting discussion and really illustrated how far we have come as a group since our initial introductions at In-Country Training:

Kenyan Volunteers

UK Volunteers

Pre-Program Perceptions Of

MPR Perceptions Of

    

Alcohol/Drugs/Clubbing Arrogant Spoilt Sexually Liberal Creative

     

Good ideas/creative Honest Adventurous and eager to learn Team players Future long term friends Generous

  

Laid back Musical Collective,may be difficult to become part of the in-group Emphasis on family

     

Culturally intrigued Supportive at home/work Authentic friendships Warm and welcoming Open to changing perspectives Generous



Issues to Address Involvement It was highlighted that sometimes UK volunteers can be slightly cliquey on weekends. This absolutely surprised the UK team – and a couple of Kenyans - as it was never their intention to act in such a way. It was important to get all these feelings out in the open as these ignorant cultural acts can really deteriorate our group dynamic. Punctuality Kenyan and UK approaches to time vary – a lot. It is UK tradition to be early for gatherings and make appropriate communication if running late. Nairobi traffic is extreme, however sometimes lackadaisical attitudes to meeting can be more stressful and frustrating. This is a complete contrast in culture and the disparity is normal.

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‘I understand’

Mid Phase Review Escape to the Country

There were some cravings for home as to be expected but we kept busy to remind ourselves that we haven't got long left with the group, making the most of our down time.

There were campfires in the shadow of Kilimanjaro (with epic games of wink murder, the Nationals turned out to be astute detectives), morning walks to see the clouds in the valley, copious energizers, good food, cold Tusker, the other ICS group, GoPros, football and Tanzanian border trips to name a few. It was a brilliant weekend and we enter the final half of the program with a renewed enthusiasm and drive.

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‘Cheers!’

Until Next Time What’s to come over the next few weeks and a final word from one of our TLs.

To be covered in the next issue; 

The final weeks of placement



Our remaining ACDs



The Kibera Cup Football Tournament



The Kibera Trade Fair CAD



The Community Farewell



Debrief

The Final Word from Zad Magambo Last December, I travelled from London to York on a 2 hour train. I arrived in a serene and extremely cold area of North England! This was the VSO training weekend. I was looking forward to get to know more about the task ahead but even more so to meet some of my volunteers. I met Swati, Nina, Tom, Scott and later that weekend Giff! Incidentally, I met Minsoo & Sun Hee at the airport in Nairobi. They have been a pleasure to get to know since! My initial thoughts and analysis during the training weekend told me that I had a very capable group! Now to meet the NVs! Fast forward a couple of months and I'm in Nairobi meeting the national volunteers. After the first day with Evans, Jimmy, Sam, Kennedy, Naidah, Jacqueline & Maureen... I immediately knew that this group would connect well with the UKVs (I wasn't wrong by the way!). I have never seen a group of people dedicate themselves to creating a relationship better than this group of NVs & UKs. Despite initial cultural perceptions, which are always natural when meeting people of other nations, this group strived to understand & learn from each other. Myself, Avena & Mwanaisha were in awe of them & have been ever since. Not only have they coupled their objectives to deliver hard work and results for their placements, but they have fully immersed themselves in each other's cultures. In essence, that is what VSO are all about! I look forward to these next 6 weeks. Already I have noticed the growth with every individual, hopefully this continues right to the end of the programme. I'm sure it will!

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‘Welcome’