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Greetings!
This summer has been a season of transformation in Kager village. Below are a few updates on some of the life-changing projects going on in Kager village as part of the Jubilee Village Project.
God bless you all for your support and prayers!
Ned |
Kijiji Benki (Village Bank) Opens Its Doors
 Rose Amanyo is a mother of 6 children and the primary income generator of her home. I first met Rose in October 2008 in our first trip to Kager, and it was obvious she was a very enterprising and hardworking woman. She makes ropes by hand out of sissel (cactus) leaves and sells them in towns nearby and faraway from Kager. She participates with 15 women in the village in a "merry-go-round" women's group, a traditional African model for women to save and share monies together.
On July 21st, Rose became the first recipient of a microloan through the Kijiji Benki Microloan Program (Swahili for "village bank"). Rose received a microloan of KSHS 7,500 (US = $100) and will use these monies to take ropes she makes, as well as fruits and vegetables she buys wholesale in Kager, to sell in Kisii (28 kilometers away). She will then take the profits from these sales and bring back rice, beans, tomatoes and millet to sell in  Kager. Rose will pay back this loan over a one-year period (at a 1% monthly borrowing rate) and plans to be able to make a profit of KSHS 11,000 (US = $147). Rose will use these profits to help pay school fees for her children and to expand her business opportunities. If Rose pays her loan back on-time each month, she will also earn another KSHS 471 as 50% of her interest will be repaid to her as a reward for on-time payment.
We are pleased to share that in August, a second microloan of $150 to Jane Anyango so that she can expand her dressmaking and seamstress business. JVP has received three new microloan requests from 3 other individuals and women's groups in Kager village. Our goal for the rest of 2009 is to expand the Kijiji Benki microloan program to ten (10) other lendees. The Kijiji Benki program was designed by Brian Burgess, Economic Development Global Partner, and is administered by Carolyne Kayando, Economic Development Local Champion, in the village. With simple loans ranging from $50 to $300, microloans are designed to spur entrepreneurship for those individuals who lack collateral, steady employment and access to traditional credit and working capital.
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BUV is a Vehicle of Change
The following is a report from Joseph N'yangi, Transportation Champion, on the first month of operation of the Basic Utility Vehicle in Kager village:
 Since July 6th, it has been a great time to learn about the workings of BUV, and familiarise myself with how to drive it, and learn about simple maintenance like changing of oil. In the first month, we were able to generate transportation fees of Kshs 11,990 ($160) and after we paid our drivers wages and operating expenses, we had made Kshs 3,300 ($44). We can use these funds to help pay the operating expenses of the Medical Clinic.
This is all so unbelievable to many Champions as they did not expect this kind of report. This does not count all of the transportation we did for the JVP project and for the villagers on a no-fee basis. Somebody recently made a comment that Kager alone needs about 4 of thse BUVs as 1 will always be overworked. This was wonderful to see people begin to identify with the vision of Jubilee Village Project.
It is exciting to see that the BUV has proven to be a success. In the coming months as small village businesses are funded through the Kijiji Benki microloan program, there will be increased need to transport goods back and forth to the nearest markets. It is good to see how the different solutions from the 8 Holistic Sectors are beginning to work together to help transform Kager village. To read more about BUVs, visit www.drivebuv.org
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John and Charlie Cory Visit Kager Village
In the middle of June, John Cory, Food & Farming Partner, and his son, Charlie Cory (16), spent one week in Kager village. There main purpose was to check on the Model Farm program that John helped start earlier in the year, as well as to further strengthen relationships John made in our first visit in October 2008. Below is are a few highlights from John's reflections on he and Charlie's visit:
 ...Children are everywhere in Kager Village. They love it when strangers arrive. Dozen of kids run behind the truck as it pulls into the compound when new people are arriving. The smiles are priceless, and the youthful playfulness overwhelms any timidity they have. But they pause, with well trained and appropriate restraint when we climb out of the truck. The children's smiles and pent up enthusiasm can hardly be restrained though by their well disciplined manners. When the children see Charlie, they lose all restraint. Manners and self control were not nearly as important as meeting a new kid, someone they knew was from America. They swarmed around Charlie. Charlie began laughing and talking with them and it was like they were all friends for years.
 ...Sustainable Farming Practices are a foundational part of why I am engaged in this Jubilee Village Project. George Amino leads a team of farmers: John, Maurice and Charles. We had outlined a farming program for "test plots" that they used and I was eager to see these plots. The first morning I was there, we all went for a farm walk. These four farmers are not only outstanding in their farm operations, they are also leaders, and they love the Lord.
 ...Heavy rains this past spring caused serious water damage to Maurice's corn crop, and we discussed methods to remediate the issues he has with this. Pineapple is one of the things Charles excels at, and after seeing his recent success, I am convinced that pineapple from this village (through a cooperative farm and processing arrangement) will become the Village's most important cash crop. George Amino's farm was the next stop and I was shocked at how good his corn was. George had grown a test plot whereby he used the "old practice" adjacent to the "new agronomic practice" and it was a visual sight to behold. I'd guess the corn was 5 fold better, probably more than that. George had done an outstanding job with this project. Farmer John's garden was our last stop and I stood amazed at what John had successfully done this past spring. I have John working with the new drip irrigation project for small kitchen gardens. John will be able to probably teach others how to use the bucket drip irrigation for year-round irrigated gardens at every household (in time).
...There were so many things we did, experienced, saw, and were party to. The Kager Village is one of Kenya's exciting new frontiers. The Jubilee Village Project in Kager Village is off to a good start. I was so honored to see what they have done, and that the entire village has bound itself together with all the eight sectors we began early this year. There is a Champion for each of the eight sectors. Incredible, absolutely amazing how this has developed so quickly, and it is clear when you are there, the hand of God is upon His village.... Kager Village.
To read John's entire Reflections from Trip 2, click here to go to the Village Blog page. | |
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East 91st Foundation
Matching Grant
We are pleased to share the E91 Foundation has awarded the Jubilee Village Project a matching gift grant for up to $11,000. This grant will facilitate three new projects for Kager village:
Community Health Evangelism training
Village Greenhouse
Community Center Renovation
Any gifts given to JVP will be matched 1-for-1 by the Foundation.
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