Excellent! - excellentdevelopment.com

Excellent Development’s new Trust and Public Fundraiser, Benjamin Araud, relates his experience of meeting farmers working with Excellent Development on his recent trip to Kenya.

---

It could be easy to perceive charity work in Africa to be tinted with neo-colonialism, or paternalist guilt. I was struck by Nicolas Sarkozy’s speech in Dakar, July 2007, on his first visit to Africa as the newly elected French President, which underlines the misunderstanding of some Western points of view:

“The African man has not yet entered in History. The African farmer [...] only knew the eternal renewal of time, rhythmed by the endless repetition of the same gestures and the same words. In this imaginary world where everything starts over and over again there is no place for human adventure or for the idea of progress [...] He rests immobile in the centre of a static order where everything seems to have been written beforehand. This man never launched himself towards the future. The idea never came to him to get out of this repetition and to invent his own destiny.”

My own experience tells me nothing could be further from the truth.

“We have a vision”
Jonathan Nganda, from the Ilikoni Beekeepers self-help group, Mtito Andei,
12th March 2009

My first visit in Kenya was a revelation of one of the fundamental principles of Excellent Development: we work in partnership with communities and not for them. Community empowerment, especially of women, and ownership by the self-help groups of their projects have ensured the success of our approach.

I had the rare pleasure to meet and discuss with self-help group members, dynamic and entrepreneurial people, who came together in order to take charge of their own needs and destiny.

First of all, we met with Josephine Kavita, on her shamba (farm) whose luxuriant landscape contrasts with the overall dryness of the Ukambani region in these times of unprecedented drought. In her little Garden of Eden, papayas, pigeons peas and bananas cohabit with goats, cows and chickens.

Josephine, a level-headed business woman started working with Excellent Development five years ago: her farm is now an inspiration for many visitors. She employs a full time worker and has plans for expansion.

“We have a vision” says Jonathan Nganda, from Ilikoni Beekeepers group, situated near the transport hub of Mtito Andei. “We wanted to transform this valley and we contacted Excellent Development for their expertise.”

This vision is now a reality. They built two sand dams in June 2006. Only thirty months later, the valley is completely transformed: the river banks are an oasis of verdure in this semi-arid region.

They have amazingly recreated the river, which feeds a water tank ingeniously coupled with a sand dam. Members of Ilikoni Beekeepers self-help group enjoy the benefits of a continuous supply of clean water and their sand-dams recharge the water table at the same time.

In these times of continuous drought and famine, Jonathan is able to produce significant quantities of food and sell the surplus. He told me that in the past few months, he has generated an income similar to that which a well paid middle manager would earn in Kenya, while some of his fellow citizens are earning less than $1 per day.

However, for these entrepreneurs the community they live in is of prime importance: there is no place for individualism. Co-operation amongst communities is pivotal to Excellent Development’s approach.

We had the privilege of participating in a day of sand dam building and terracing for the benefit of Kithito Kya Kima self-help group. On that day, neighbouring communities came along and joined the party: and what a party!

Nearly 150 people, men and women, joined hands together under a blistering sun to build a sand dam and terrace the steep neighbouring hills, encouraged by the traditional Kamba singing and dancing of the women of the Mwea self-help group. In addition the food they patiently cooked for everyone was simply delicious!

I was amazed by the achievements on the day and the efficiency of the working party. Everything was completed on schedule. (I keep thinking of this when I get delayed in London’s public transport thanks to endless improvement work). Incidentally, it rained a few days later and the sand dam is now filled with water.

These are just a few examples of positive outcomes taken from my very short Kenyan Experience. I met with people who take pride in what they do and what they have achieved. They are also conscious of the challenges ahead, but are very thankful for Excellent Development’s support: this help did not come in the form of money; it was actually much more valuable: they have been given the tools and the skills to take ownership of their future and make the choices which will address their needs.

“The skill we are getting now from Excellent Development is more important than any help that we can be given. You can give us a million, and that million will end up in a month. You will find there is nothing, then we stand where we stay, and start stretching our hands again to borrow. When our mind is filled with a skill, then we will do for ourselves.” Charles Muendo Mdambuki, (Former SHG Member) - now Excellent Development Kenya Field Officer