As the holidays approach, I thought it appropriate to share this piece of news with you from our Housing Portfolio. We have an investment in Jamii Bora, a community development organization founded by Ingrid Monro. She has been working with slumdwellers in Nairobi for more than a decade, helping form a community that runs their own microfinance institution and, most recently, housing development company. Our investment is focused on helping to build houses for people who want to change their own lives. Ingrid shares our values and belief in the power of every human being and it was her resolve that enable her to start Jamii Bora with a group of fifty beggars (there are now more than 150,000 members). This is a story about one of them who has literally grown up with the organization.
Dedan, who came to Jamii Bora as a youth, just qualified for the Beijing Paralympics in the short and long-distance cycling category. Dedan had an average speed of 34 km/hours and recently did the short race of 15 km with an average speed well above the qualifying time.
Just to provide perspective on how incredible this feat is, I would love to share a bit about Dedan’s story. Dedan is handicapped with a missing limb and was destined to a life of street begging. When he arrived at Jamii Bora’s doorsteps as a young boy, Ingrid Munro convinced him that he could be an entrepreneur in spite of his missing leg and encouraged him to be a bicycle messenger. Most recently, she discovered that he had been secretly racing his bicycle on the side and was a contender for a spot in the Paralympics. At the trials, he placed in the 15 km race and then in the 58km race.
Ingrid told us that Dedan was probably one of the most problematic of the youths. She nonetheless encouraged him to work with his attributes and find a place for himself in the world. Just shows that an eye for innate gifts and a little patience can go a long way.
We have so much, all of us, to be grateful for during this holiday season. I myself am grateful for the reminder of the human potential to soar in every one of us.
(photo courtesy of Gabriel Kadidi)ÂÂ
For another great take on this story, be sure to read 2008 Acumen Fund Fellow Jon Yates’ take via the Acumen Fund Fellows’ blog, Immersion.Thanks Jacqueline, for reminding me about this!
Reply to Rob