Let me now share some of the stories of Jamii Bora as narrated by Ingrid Munro at the Global Microcredit Summit in Canada. Stories about love and endurance.

The story of Clarice Adhiambo is an inspiring story. A beggar for 15 years, Clarice was granted by Jamii Bora a loan of US$22. She started her business frying fish and chips for workers who needed cheap lunch. Her business grew and her self-confidence likewise grew. Through hard work and patience, the lady later started her business as a wholesaler of fish catering to many shops, hotels, and restaurants and to the small vendors in town. Truly an entrepreneur, Clarice put up again another business. This time, a restaurant. She did not stop her business ventures here. Clarice also put up market stalls for rent.

Another story: Beatrice Ngendo is a single grandmother. She had eight children. They all died of AIDS. Their spouses too died of AIDS. She was left with 12 grandchildren to feed and educate. Beatrice joined Jamii Bora in 2000 rather than sulk in self-pity. Today, she has three prospering business in Mathare Valley: a grocery store, butchery, a restaurant and a store house. She rents out rooms too. Her oldest grandchild has just graduated as a qualified nurse and has joined the staff in Jamii Bora’s out-patient clinic in Mathare Valley.

One story shared by Ingrid Munro at the closing ceremonies of the Global Microcredit Summit 2006 was about a thief by the name of Wilson Maena. A handsome young man, Wilson is one of the most wanted thieves in Mathare Valley. He joined Jamii Bora in February, 2000. He was greatly touched by the warm and encouraging reception he got from the members when he applied for membership with Jamii Bora despite his criminal record. His first loan was $20 (KES2,000). Today, Wilson’s life has been transformed from that of a thief to a successful entrepreneur. He owns four businesses now. One is a grocery. Another is a jewelry store. But Wilson is not just a successful entrepreneur. He is a good father and a husband too. And more. Today, Wilson goes around Kenya convincing hundreds of young men to stop their life of crime and join Jamii Bora.

The head office of Jamii Bora is in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. All the staff of Jamii Bora are recruited from its own members. Presently, about 45 of them. All the members have a peculiar degree from the University of Life known as “Doctorate of Street Begging.” Jamii Bora was started by Ingrid Munro with 50 members – all beggars. Normally, the initial loan granted to a borrower is not more than US$25.
According to Ingrid Munro, the presenter of the Jamii Bora story at the closing ceremonies of the 4-day Global Microcredit Summit 2006, the credo of Jamii Bora is that “every human being is the creation of God and has equal value.” Ingrid Munro is a Swedish married to a Canadian who started Jamii Bora in 1999. She lived in Kenya for the past 21 years. In 1988, the Munro couple adopted a 7-year-old boy from the streets. Later, the couple adopted two other brothers of the 7-year-old boy. Through her adopted sons, Ingrid came to know the other street children and their mothers – who were also beggars.

Ingrid Munro used to work with the African Housing Fund which was helping the homeless. When she retired, the beggars kept going to Ingrid Munro’s house. The beggars banged her door and said, “You can’t abandon us now, Mum, you are our mother.” This inspired Ingrid Munro to formalize the group of women beggars and called the group Jamii Bora which means “good families in the Swahili dialect. And the battlecry of Jamii Bora is that you can be very poor but you’re still a good family and you still have the talent to get out of poverty.” (To be continued)

Have a joyful day!