Hi all,
I just wanted to let you know that a 3 min video that brings to life the Bank of Hope and Obama experience I talked about below is now online. You'll get to see the women in action, see the Obama bracelets up close, and watch me in Kenya (I host the video).
Here's the url if you want to watch! www.hubhub.org
Happy Sunday!
Elizabeth
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Obama Wins!
At least he does in Kenya...
At a time when banks are failing all over the world, a new bank: The Bank Of Hope was launched in Kenya.
The Bank of Hope was started by HUB members Patricia, Sara, and Shauna. They raised $4000 to help Kenyan women create jewelry... and therefore create a life.
I couldn't believe what happened next... The women decided to make bracelets that said "Hope". Two women began working together that nobody ever thought would or could. They come from "waring tribes" who's men have been consistently battling and killing each other for years. The bank, created to bring hope, was also bringing peace.
Then, one woman looked down and realized that she accidentally beaded "Obama" instead of "Hope" on the bracelet she was making! Without media, without US politics, and without CNN, Obama symbolized this for her. As many of you know, Obama's father was Kenyan.
Here in Kenya, Obama symbolizes not only hope, but proof that dreams do come true. Proof that these women and Kenya can rise above their circumstance and live the life they dream to live.
Despite the outcome of the US election, Barack has won in the minds and hearts of Kenyans. He's given "belief" to many who had nothing to believe in.
I "covered" this story with a small, quick "reporter-like piece" on video. Although the piece was non partisan, a friend here (democrat) is hoping to put it on youtube soon. I guess we'll see...
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
A Loan On Life
In Kenya, HIV drugs are free, but they don't work unless one has food to go with this medicine. Most HIV positive women in Kenya have no money for food... so many die despite having daily access to a drug that could very effectively keep them alive.
Six weeks ago, HUB decided to give a small group of women their first "MicroLoan" to see if we could help stop the problem by assiting women to create a sustainable living for themselves. We wondered if MicroLoans really could release them from this vicious cycle of death (and orphaned children). It was an idea, a theory -- to loan them money so they could start a business that would sustain them. We wanted them to earn money so they could support themselves and not rely on others to feed their families.
We picked women in one of the toughest slums (Korogocho) to start the microloan process. Most of these women facing imminent death. I was not there, but I saw the footage of the day they received their loan. Many of the women were laying still on the ground (barely able to move) and dying. Their spirit was down and they "had nothing to live for".
They received a small loan for materials and they were trained to make beaded bracelets. Today, only 6 weeks later, I got to meeet them. They were eating, taking medicine, and alive with spirit. The loan they received gave them more than we ever thought it would. They talked of the hope they now have for their future, they talked of the joy in their hearts, the positive thoughts in their minds, the food in their stomachs, and the roaring will to live. And most of all, they had pride… pride that they were saving themselves and not just receiving handouts. Their self esteem was alive and growing. It radiated from their hearts.
HUB will be selling these bracelets on the corporate website to generate worldwide distribution for these women. I love thinking about what a huge difference this can make if we actually create major sales!
Here's a picture of me with two of the women. They tell me the woman on my left was near her death 6 weeks ago. She danced for me on this day and told me of her hopes and dreams. Small things really can change lives.
FYI - MicroLoans are paid back by the women after their businesses start. Then additional loans are given to more women in similar situations. There is no "collateral", just their “word” and “honor”. And in African slums, 95% of these loans are paid back. And most of the 5% that aren’t paid back are "not paid" because the borrower did not survive to pay the loan.
Also, I'm falling in love with many of the kids here in Kenya. I snapped a few pictures of kids along the street. I always ask their permission to take a picture and then show them their photo. They smile so big when they see their own faces! I don't think they get to see themselves on a normal day. When I come back to Africa, I want to bring a Polaroid camera so I can leave them pictures of themselves and their families. I’m really excited about the thought of that. Again, they have nothing... yet look at the spirit in their eyes.
Six weeks ago, HUB decided to give a small group of women their first "MicroLoan" to see if we could help stop the problem by assiting women to create a sustainable living for themselves. We wondered if MicroLoans really could release them from this vicious cycle of death (and orphaned children). It was an idea, a theory -- to loan them money so they could start a business that would sustain them. We wanted them to earn money so they could support themselves and not rely on others to feed their families.
We picked women in one of the toughest slums (Korogocho) to start the microloan process. Most of these women facing imminent death. I was not there, but I saw the footage of the day they received their loan. Many of the women were laying still on the ground (barely able to move) and dying. Their spirit was down and they "had nothing to live for".
They received a small loan for materials and they were trained to make beaded bracelets. Today, only 6 weeks later, I got to meeet them. They were eating, taking medicine, and alive with spirit. The loan they received gave them more than we ever thought it would. They talked of the hope they now have for their future, they talked of the joy in their hearts, the positive thoughts in their minds, the food in their stomachs, and the roaring will to live. And most of all, they had pride… pride that they were saving themselves and not just receiving handouts. Their self esteem was alive and growing. It radiated from their hearts.
HUB will be selling these bracelets on the corporate website to generate worldwide distribution for these women. I love thinking about what a huge difference this can make if we actually create major sales!
Here's a picture of me with two of the women. They tell me the woman on my left was near her death 6 weeks ago. She danced for me on this day and told me of her hopes and dreams. Small things really can change lives.
FYI - MicroLoans are paid back by the women after their businesses start. Then additional loans are given to more women in similar situations. There is no "collateral", just their “word” and “honor”. And in African slums, 95% of these loans are paid back. And most of the 5% that aren’t paid back are "not paid" because the borrower did not survive to pay the loan.
Also, I'm falling in love with many of the kids here in Kenya. I snapped a few pictures of kids along the street. I always ask their permission to take a picture and then show them their photo. They smile so big when they see their own faces! I don't think they get to see themselves on a normal day. When I come back to Africa, I want to bring a Polaroid camera so I can leave them pictures of themselves and their families. I’m really excited about the thought of that. Again, they have nothing... yet look at the spirit in their eyes.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The richness of poverty
Kibera is the largest slum in all of Africa. Now stop for just a minute and think of this - the largest slum in Africa, not just Kenya... all of Africa. We headed there to visit children we support.
I was tired and as I leaned my head on the bus window, I began to notice unusual graffiti. Signs that echoed "peace" and "love" were everywhere. I passed the poorest of living situations, and yet they seemed full with a certain sense of purpose. Every 500 feet or so I saw references to peace and love.
One of the women told us that Kibera simply "decided to stand for peace". And now, that's what we see. Amazing, in the darkest of neighborhoods the light of peace shines through greater than any neighborhood I've ever seen in the world.
The graffiti you see here was everywhere: on curbs, on sides of shacks, on fences, in alley ways and more... The part of me that saw everyone around me seeming to be starving couldn't help but wonder - how did they find the paint to feed their soul? For all of you in your 30s who watched afterschool specials... that's one to grow on :)
After much traffic and bumpy dirt roads, we reached "Olympic Primary School". I was greeted by Obama's cousin (no joke see the picture).
And then we spent the day with the kids. This school has room for about 300-400 kids, yet schools 2600. Not one classroom would pass a "fire hazard test" or any sort of personal space limit. The kids greeted us by putting on a huge performance (typical African tradition). They were fabulous. They sat us in the center of the courtyard like Kings and Queens. Uncomfortable in the center, I went to work, capturing everything I could on video. Occasionally I shared my video camera with the students and because they had never seen one, they loved it more than I could've ever imagined.
Remember, this is a public (free) school in the largest slum in Africa. Many of these children come from families who cannot afford to eat. HUB, the organization I helped start, is now feeding every child in this school two times a day. As I interviewed teachers, I found out that the food is what keeps them coming to school and able to focus long enough to learn. One teacher told me these kids are so grateful for food and school that they study very hard and recently the primary school scored well above average on all the standardized tests. They are becoming well known for academics! He looked at me with amazing pride and a glimmer in his eye and he said, "Many are not going on to University and we just found out that one of our own is now a Doctor". It's strange to say, but food is a key ingredient to education here in Kenya. I don't know how to describe the feeling I felt knowing something I helped start was making this sort of impact.
I spent the day with the kids getting to know the kids. They are so smart. I asked them if they had questions for me about the US. They wanted to know who I thought would win the election: McCain or Obama (their words). They wanted to know about our voting booths. And they wanted to know if kids get "beat". I asked them about school, life, everything. I asked them why everyone must wear uniforms and the response was unexpected: so that if we get beaten or hurt, they know where we're from. It's a tough life, yet look at their beaming faces. They are pure love. They are a true testament that our circumstances never create our reality. The kids took turns taking these pictures. None of them had ever used a camera.
I hope you're enjoying the ride as much as I am.
With love,
Elizabeth
I was tired and as I leaned my head on the bus window, I began to notice unusual graffiti. Signs that echoed "peace" and "love" were everywhere. I passed the poorest of living situations, and yet they seemed full with a certain sense of purpose. Every 500 feet or so I saw references to peace and love.
One of the women told us that Kibera simply "decided to stand for peace". And now, that's what we see. Amazing, in the darkest of neighborhoods the light of peace shines through greater than any neighborhood I've ever seen in the world.
The graffiti you see here was everywhere: on curbs, on sides of shacks, on fences, in alley ways and more... The part of me that saw everyone around me seeming to be starving couldn't help but wonder - how did they find the paint to feed their soul? For all of you in your 30s who watched afterschool specials... that's one to grow on :)
After much traffic and bumpy dirt roads, we reached "Olympic Primary School". I was greeted by Obama's cousin (no joke see the picture).
And then we spent the day with the kids. This school has room for about 300-400 kids, yet schools 2600. Not one classroom would pass a "fire hazard test" or any sort of personal space limit. The kids greeted us by putting on a huge performance (typical African tradition). They were fabulous. They sat us in the center of the courtyard like Kings and Queens. Uncomfortable in the center, I went to work, capturing everything I could on video. Occasionally I shared my video camera with the students and because they had never seen one, they loved it more than I could've ever imagined.Remember, this is a public (free) school in the largest slum in Africa. Many of these children come from families who cannot afford to eat. HUB, the organization I helped start, is now feeding every child in this school two times a day. As I interviewed teachers, I found out that the food is what keeps them coming to school and able to focus long enough to learn. One teacher told me these kids are so grateful for food and school that they study very hard and recently the primary school scored well above average on all the standardized tests. They are becoming well known for academics! He looked at me with amazing pride and a glimmer in his eye and he said, "Many are not going on to University and we just found out that one of our own is now a Doctor". It's strange to say, but food is a key ingredient to education here in Kenya. I don't know how to describe the feeling I felt knowing something I helped start was making this sort of impact.
I spent the day with the kids getting to know the kids. They are so smart. I asked them if they had questions for me about the US. They wanted to know who I thought would win the election: McCain or Obama (their words). They wanted to know about our voting booths. And they wanted to know if kids get "beat". I asked them about school, life, everything. I asked them why everyone must wear uniforms and the response was unexpected: so that if we get beaten or hurt, they know where we're from. It's a tough life, yet look at their beaming faces. They are pure love. They are a true testament that our circumstances never create our reality. The kids took turns taking these pictures. None of them had ever used a camera.
I hope you're enjoying the ride as much as I am.
With love,
Elizabeth
Friday, October 17, 2008
A magical day of hope and pride
This trip has been full of what I call "life-astounding experiences". I'm going to start with day 1...
I began the day leading the HUB (Humanity Unites Brilliance) group in a "getting to know each other" exercise. Everyone here shared from their heart. It's an amazing group of people.
We promptly left for "The Abandoned Baby Center" (ABC). Every 10min a baby is orphaned or abandoned in Kenya - many because their mothers have HIV. Most babies are found or brought to this place barely alive. Feed The Children created ABC to help these kids (giving them food, clothing, education, and most importantly hope). I saw literally hundreds of kids whos lives were completely transformed (an understatement). My greatest joy was looking into the eyes of the kids (babies and young kids alike). They have such love and such hope. They are happy to be alive. And beyond that, they are thankful. Some have HIV, many have disabilities... and yet they all seem happy. Do you know that "African spirit" that is often talked about (from Oprah, etc.)? It existed beyond my wildest imagination. It was something I'll never forget.
The journey with the kids today brought out my greatest fears and my greatest love. They were often dirty, with runny noses and such... and many were sick... I worried for a minute about my own health, and then remembering my educaton about HIV/Aids I knew I was safe and I jumped into just loving them.
This first picture is of me reading with one of the boys. I pointed to Larry Jones (Founder of Feed The Children) and said "Larry". Then I closed the brochure. He open it up again, pointed to the same picture and said, "Larry!" He was so smart.
Another thing that happened today was that I re-connected with my passion for photography & documentary filmmaking. Wildly, I began taking pictures and video. I captured so many precious moments. I'm inspired to "document" again. Here's a picture I took of another little boy. I love this one.
There's one last thing I'd like to share. Lately, as the economy turned in the US I hear (and feel) the grim outlook permeating our nation. The government, big business, and my personal least fav - a decline in our "perception" globally. Well, today, I walked into the warehouse at ABC and the entire room was filled with bags of food, not only to feed the kids at ABC but to feed 200,000 kids monthly (each with 2 meals a day). ALL of the bags had American flags on them and said "US AID from the American People".
The thought that we, as a nation, support the world in this way was overwhelming. In the midst of everything going on at home, I felt a giant sense of pride for our country. Just thought I'd share that with y'all :)
E
I began the day leading the HUB (Humanity Unites Brilliance) group in a "getting to know each other" exercise. Everyone here shared from their heart. It's an amazing group of people.
We promptly left for "The Abandoned Baby Center" (ABC). Every 10min a baby is orphaned or abandoned in Kenya - many because their mothers have HIV. Most babies are found or brought to this place barely alive. Feed The Children created ABC to help these kids (giving them food, clothing, education, and most importantly hope). I saw literally hundreds of kids whos lives were completely transformed (an understatement). My greatest joy was looking into the eyes of the kids (babies and young kids alike). They have such love and such hope. They are happy to be alive. And beyond that, they are thankful. Some have HIV, many have disabilities... and yet they all seem happy. Do you know that "African spirit" that is often talked about (from Oprah, etc.)? It existed beyond my wildest imagination. It was something I'll never forget.
The journey with the kids today brought out my greatest fears and my greatest love. They were often dirty, with runny noses and such... and many were sick... I worried for a minute about my own health, and then remembering my educaton about HIV/Aids I knew I was safe and I jumped into just loving them.
This first picture is of me reading with one of the boys. I pointed to Larry Jones (Founder of Feed The Children) and said "Larry". Then I closed the brochure. He open it up again, pointed to the same picture and said, "Larry!" He was so smart. Another thing that happened today was that I re-connected with my passion for photography & documentary filmmaking. Wildly, I began taking pictures and video. I captured so many precious moments. I'm inspired to "document" again. Here's a picture I took of another little boy. I love this one.
There's one last thing I'd like to share. Lately, as the economy turned in the US I hear (and feel) the grim outlook permeating our nation. The government, big business, and my personal least fav - a decline in our "perception" globally. Well, today, I walked into the warehouse at ABC and the entire room was filled with bags of food, not only to feed the kids at ABC but to feed 200,000 kids monthly (each with 2 meals a day). ALL of the bags had American flags on them and said "US AID from the American People".
The thought that we, as a nation, support the world in this way was overwhelming. In the midst of everything going on at home, I felt a giant sense of pride for our country. Just thought I'd share that with y'all :) E
Sunday, October 12, 2008
A day of travel
What an adventure the travel has been. The total trip took me 27+ hours. The biggest lesson for those who want to do the same? Practice your patience: the visa line in Nairobi alone took me 1.5+hrs :)
All my travel for work came in handy today, as I was able to use miles to upgrade myself to business class. It was so nice to sleep.
The best part was the layover in London. I walked off the plane and the first thing I saw in the airport was a bunch of people from all over the world gathered around a TV. I looked up and, yes, they were all watching Sarah Palin give a speech - eyes glued. I had to snap a phone pic (see below).
My first day in Nairobi has been packed meeting with impact partners in the field. One meeting was a mastermind session where we brainstormed new ways of making an impact at an orphanage. The locals told us stories about their culture, including the basic premise that "a man is only a man if he can build a shelter over his family's head". We're discussing how to incorporate shelter into the "total package" we're already giving with HUB (now food, water, education, and mirco-loans). The potential to make a difference here is so great.
As soon as I get my real camera working, I'll begin posting shots of the land and people.
On last thing... I picked up a local paper and the headline was 'KENYA'S VISION 2030'. They dedicated the entire paper to explaining their vision - where they want to me in 2030. It was astounding as it outlined every facet of the state's plan (from political changes, to social changes, to educational goals, to women's rights, and much more). I was quite powerful and made me wonder what would be possible if the USA created and published such a vision for the country. I'm already learning from Africa.
All my travel for work came in handy today, as I was able to use miles to upgrade myself to business class. It was so nice to sleep. The best part was the layover in London. I walked off the plane and the first thing I saw in the airport was a bunch of people from all over the world gathered around a TV. I looked up and, yes, they were all watching Sarah Palin give a speech - eyes glued. I had to snap a phone pic (see below).
My first day in Nairobi has been packed meeting with impact partners in the field. One meeting was a mastermind session where we brainstormed new ways of making an impact at an orphanage. The locals told us stories about their culture, including the basic premise that "a man is only a man if he can build a shelter over his family's head". We're discussing how to incorporate shelter into the "total package" we're already giving with HUB (now food, water, education, and mirco-loans). The potential to make a difference here is so great.
As soon as I get my real camera working, I'll begin posting shots of the land and people.
On last thing... I picked up a local paper and the headline was 'KENYA'S VISION 2030'. They dedicated the entire paper to explaining their vision - where they want to me in 2030. It was astounding as it outlined every facet of the state's plan (from political changes, to social changes, to educational goals, to women's rights, and much more). I was quite powerful and made me wonder what would be possible if the USA created and published such a vision for the country. I'm already learning from Africa.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Packing My Bags...
Well folks, today I leave for Kenya. I feel a rush of excitement knowing that this trip will be a great adventure. My goal is to see, connect, and share with as many people in the field as I can (for me and for HUB). My flight leaves in 6hrs. In typical Elizabeth fashion, I haven't yet started packing my bag :) Off I go to do that. Talk to you soon..
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