Kingdom (ad)Ventures April News

During our 2009 trip to Kenya, we met Simon and Alice in their home/workshop, enabling us to make our first purchase of their glass bead jewelry in person. Now, a year later, we asked Simon for an update on his life and business. His responses are indicative of the impact you, our customers, have had on this community in Kenya. (Note: italics are our additions for clarity.)

Simon writes, "In the past one year we have been blessed to have Fadners as our customers. We (now) have four permanent employees and three additional ones who always come to help make necklaces and bracelets when we get orders from Kingdom Ventures. In addition there are other people who benefit when we get orders. There is benefit to those from whom we buy bottles in order to create our recycled glass jewelry. Additionally we have included single mothers in our casual labor. They come to wash the glass collected from municipal dump site. However, our business is not yet big enough to keep a large number of employees."

Simon & Alice

"We are happy working together as a team. My wife usually goes to market our products mainly in the city of Nairobi. On the other hand I am more technical, handling repairs of our homemade kilns and supervising production and quality. We try as much as possible to make new products while perfecting the old."

"We keep our neighborhood environment clean by asking our neighbors to bring their empty bottles to us instead of throwing them away (on the ground)."

Alice & Rebecca examine jewelry in front of the home

In addition to employment, there are other benefits from Alisim Glass Studio receiving orders from Kingdom Ventures. Simon shares, "We had been having water problems at our home and workshop for a long time. Using the money we received from Kingdom Ventures from the previous orders, we are happy to announce we have dug a well 97-feet deep (on our property). We now have water in our house! And the process for cleaning the recycled glass is not a problem any more."

Last year, we had asked them to share their goals and dreams with us. Now, one year later, we asked them to give us an update on those as well.

Regarding their business goals: "We hope to expand our business by making more products from glass-recycling, and also making utensils and tables that are affordable by low-earning local people. We also try as hard as possible to improve on quality products."

And their dreams: "At the moment our major set back is transport. We always try to save for a station wagon car that can bring (into our workshop our) raw materials and for delivery of the finished products, but (the saved) money finds other uses. We (must) rely on rented means of transport which is very expensive. This year we are praying to God that Kingdom Ventures may get more customers so that our dream (of transportation) can come true."

Simon shares about his family as well. He and Alice have two children Maureen (13 years) and son James (11 years) and himself (Simon). Their children attend school regularly, for Simon and Alice see the value in education and make it a priority for their children.

As we read his report, we were both once again touched by the heart these individuals have for those around them as they too realize the importance of economic empowerment and investment in the lives of the marginalized in their community AND the role that they play in making these goals a reality. We were incredibly humbled to discover our orders placed throughout this year have made such a significant impact on the lives of these individuals and their families. It has fanned the flames of our vision for working toward bringing economic sustainability to marginalized people. It has energized us to consider the action to be taken during this upcoming year. We invite you to join us in influencing and changing the world!