Computers at Covanya!

I am thrilled to announce that Covanya, an Indego Africa partner cooperative, took a momentous step forward last Wednesday with the installation of a new office and computer center! Matt, Anaclet (our in-country employee) and I started the day early by hiring a truck and driver to first transport us to The Gitega Carpentry Workshop (a crazy little place) to pick up our pre-ordered desks and chairs. After some haggling over quality - we had the carpenters eliminate the inevitable wobbles in the legs

 - we commenced the 45 minute journey to Nyamata.  The trip was smooth, despite the many young (and incredibly polite) police officers who insisted that we give them rides to their next checkpoints.

When we pulled into Covanya with the office equipment and laptop computers, the women were overjoyed. We couldn’t even stop them from climbing into the back of the truck and unloading everything themselves! We spent the rest of the day setting up the office, conducting on-camera interviews for our website, and just getting to know the women and their stories better. The women at this cooperative are particularly affected by HIV/AIDS, and their courage in the face of such daunting challenges is inspiring. My favorite part was seeing their beaming smiles when we explained how people all over the world are enjoying their exquisite handicrafts.

I want to also give a special thank you to Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP for donating the laptops. Indego Africa harbors no illusions about how difficult it will be to institute effective computer training in such a remote and poverty-stricken area, but we are confident it will happen, and we are off to a promising start. In fact, through the fantastic NGO Orphans of Rwanda, Indego Africa is already in the process of hiring some of the best students from the National University in Butare and the Kigali Institute of Technology to administer the program.

We have had many adventures since last Wednesday. On Thursday we met with a new cooperative just outside of Kigali that makes stunning necklaces out of recycled paper. This cooperative is particularly noteworthy for their own internal schooling system that they run for the whole neighborhood. On Friday Matt and I decided to treat ourselves to a couple of days in the countryside (the 16-hour days were starting to take their toll). Not surprisingly, our car broke down just outside of Ruhengeri (ie, middle of nowhere). But we made use of our time waiting for

 a mechanic by giving English lessons to the roughly 40 young

 children who gathered around to stare at the mzungus. Yesterday we trekked through the thick jungle to see the famous Rwandan mountain gorillas. We were not disappointed.

Until next time, murabeho!

The Notorious Haggler

The adventures continue as Matt and I criss-cross Rwanda, meeting an array of fascinating people and making great strides on behalf of Indego Africa.

As is the norm, we arose at 6:00 am yesterday and, after a light breakfast, met the renowned Pastor Deo Gashagaza, who is intimately affiliated with the amazing organization Prison Fellowship of Rwanda. Pastor Deo and some of his colleagues requested that we visit one of their cooperatives, Ntibizongere, in the town of Gayonza, and consider adding them as an Indego Africa partner. Gayonza is about 75km outside of Kigali, and the drive was beautiful. Matt and I were more than pleased to sit in the back seat of the Pastor’s truck and watch the stunning Rwandan scenery pass by as the wind whipped at our tired faces.

Ntibizongere is yet another example of the remarkable determination and character of the Rwandan people. Made up of genocide widows working side-by-side with the wives of men who killed their families, their focus is on unity and reconciliation through economic development. Many of you may do a double take at my previous sentence: how can one forgive in such circumstances? I am personally unable to answer this question, but it’s been on my mind quite a bit.

Not surprisingly, the women at Ntibizongere were wonderful, and they even gave me an introductory lesson on how to weave their beautiful and aromatic banana leave baskets! On our way back to Kigali we stopped in for a meeting with the Vice-Mayor of the Kayonza District, Mutesi Anita, a vibrant woman working tirelessly for her constituents.

Now, with regard to the title of this post, I want to discuss what may be my favorite part of this trip so far: Matt’s superhuman – and, in certain Rwandan sectors, infamous – haggling skills. As Matt explained in a previous post – “Frugal, Yet Effective” – Indego Africa intends to turn the common perception of the international NGO on its head, starting first with an intense focus on making every dollar (or Rwandan Franc) count. From taxis to fans, Matt does not settle for prices normally offered to the “mizungu” (which, as a matter of political correctness, I will just say means foreigner). The highlight was late yesterday afternoon when we went to Gakinjiro, the bustling local market, to purchase two cabinets, two chairs and a desk for our partner cooperative Covanya. We were outnumbered, facing off against roughly eight local Rwandan merchants determined to overcharge Indego Africa. But through charm, brains, and toughness, Matt, as he always does, got the right price. I speak neither French nor Kinyarwanda, so my job is to stand by and shake my head disapprovingly throughout the process. The haggle lasted for at least half an hour, with various feigns, jokes, lowballs, highballs, threatened walk outs, actual walk outs, lots of laughter and, finally, an excellent deal for Indego Africa. Matt, I’m in awe.

Today we stayed in Kigali, jumping from meeting to meeting. Our first stop was at the Rwandan Invest and Export Production Agency (RIEPA) to meet with the Handicraft Coordinator, Jean De Dieu Hakizimana. We accomplished a great deal, from training agreements for the women artisans to starting some exciting legal initiatives regarding social enterprises. Indego Africa is thrilled to work closely with RIEPA towards our shared goal of spurring investment in Rwanda.

Our next stop was at the Free University of Kigali, Rwanda’s national university, where we met with Dr. Venuste Karambizi, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, to discuss the possibility of an exciting educational collaboration between Dr. Karamabizi’s students and a Modern Africa class at the University of Houston. Dr. Karamabizi was gregarious and insightful. It was a pleasure to make his acquaintance.

Tomorrow is a big day: installing a computer center and office at Covanya. Time to get to bed…

The Rwandan Whirlwind

To say that it’s been a whirlwind since I arrived in Rwanda two days ago would be a major understatement. All I can do is start at the beginning. On Friday morning Matt and I attended the 40 Days of Purpose Celebration Day at the Itorero Presbyterian Church in Kiyovu, where we met some great people and witnessed some amazing singing and dancing. The energy was infectious, and I often found myself lost in the celebration.

It was then on to our partner ANGE, where we made a new order for their vibrant wine coasters (which you can BUY HERE), finalized some paperwork, and started to compile some media for our website. ANGE is located in a very poor area of Kigali way up at the top of a dusty hill. I have never seen such extreme poverty, and it was very difficult to absorb. But I was deeply inspired by the women and their commitment to the opportunities provided by Indego Africa to help them rise out of such difficult circumstances.

Matt and I also brought some paper and crayola markers for the children at ANGE, which resulted in an explosion of smiles and laughter. It occurred to me later that it this was probably the first time that many of these children have ever drawn in color. It’s hard to wrap your mind around little things like this.

Yesterday Matt and I were invited to attend the dote, or dowry ceremony, for our friend Alexi and his soon-to-be bride Alice. I’ll just take a moment here to note that I never realized how many friends I had in Rwanda! Everyone here is so wonderful and kind. From Alexi to Alfred to Anaclet to Esperance to Issac to Carlos to Welcome to Emmi to many other wonderful Rwandans, it has been great to meet you! The dote, as Matt explained in a previous blog post, is quite a spectacle. The two families haggle (lightheartedly, of course) over a wide variety of issues, such as whether the groom is handsome enough for the bride or the appropriate number and quality of cows offered by the groom’s family. It was a day of laughter and music, and we were very grateful to be part of such a special occasion. To the right is a picture of me, Matt and Alfred in the traditional Rwandan dress mushanana.

Last night, through the profound generosity of Josh and Alissa Ruxin (who own the beautiful new restaurant Heaven and run the Millenium Village Project), Matt and I joined the ONE Campaign delegation to Rwanda for an intimate dinner. The delegation is led by former U.S. Senate Majority Leaders Tom Daschle and Bill Frist and also includes John Podesta (founder of the Center for American Progress), Mike Huckabee (former Governor of Arkansas), and Cindy McCain. To put it lightly, this was a very special night for Indego Africa. I discussed with Susan McCue, former CEO of the ONE Campaign, and Governor Huckabee how Indego Africa contributes to African development in an innovative way: not only returning 100% of profits to its partners - thus engendering in the women a sense of pride and ownership - but also conducting training that imparts essential long-term skills. Then the Governor and I lamented that he hadn’t brought his bass guitar and that I had left my harmonica at the apartment. We were both in the mood to jam. Also joining in our conversation was Senator Daschle, who had just arrived in Rwanda from an incredible trip to the Arctic. Matt spent the evening speaking with Senator Frist about their shared experiences in Africa, including their mutual interest in handicrafts as an income generation tool for poor women and their families. From our delegation to theirs, we want to thank them for visiting Rwanda and focusing attention on a country that many describe as the hope of Africa.

Working for Indego Africa has been a very important part of my life up to this point, but only since I arrived here have I begun to fully comprehend the beauty and promise of Rwanda and the impact Indego Africa is having on so many wonderful people. Keep the donations and purchases coming! This is a cause that you can feel in your heart. I can’t believe I’ve only been here two days!

To see blog photos in high resolution, click on them.

To Rwanda!

Ben Stone here.  It’s been just over a year since I first officially joined Matt, my old college buddy, on his daunting quest to launch and sustain an innovative social enterprise dedicated to attacking poverty with the power of the global markets.  For those of you who don’t know me, I am Indego Africa’s Volunteer Chairman, which is basically just a random title.  In reality, my role is to do whatever possible to help.  The progress Indego Africa has made since its inception is astounding, and I’m proud to be part of the experience.  I’ve been particularly inspired by the number of people who have offered their time, expertise, insight and support along the way.  It is only because of people like you that something like this can truly work.

On Wednesday I leave on a two-week trip to Rwanda (where I have never been) that seems like a long time coming.  I can’t wait to meet and spend time with the women at our partner cooperatives.  I’m excited to get a feel for a country that is awakening to new sense of purpose and pride.  And, most importantly, I’m pumped to hang with Matt, a great friend, whose drive, dedication and talent is a thing to behold.

One extra exciting piece of news: my law firm – Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP – has really stepped up to the plate and donated six laptop computers (and every related accessory you can think of) to Indego Africa, and they deserve a tremendous amount of thanks.  Our plan is set up a computer center at Covanya, one of Indego Africa’s partner cooperatives. Matt assures me that I can’t yet comprehend the magnitude of this potential accomplishment.  We’ll surely keep you updated. 

My main goal right now is to get the computers (and myself) to Rwanda safely. If you are curious about the logistics, I’m flying from New York City to Brussels (about 8 hours) and then from Brussels to Kigali, Rwanda (about 8 hours).  Should be, well, probably not that comfortable.

I hope that you continue to come back to this Blog, check in on how things are going, and even leave a comment here or there.   I plan to take as many pictures and shoot as much video as possible, and expect to post some highlights for your enjoyment.  And, yes, I am bringing a wiffleball bat and ball, because there’s always time for batting practice.

Frugal but Effective

My absence from the blog can best be explained by the variety of great things happening here. Everything is moving right along. I want to announce that we’re about 85% of the way towards partnering with a great organization called Orphans of Rwanda International (ORI). Their mission is to provide university scholarships for the many orphaned children of Rwanda who are smart and incredibly capable, but who lack the fees to go to school. And having met a few of their scholars, I’m simply amazed at their maturity and intelligence. Indego Africa hopes to employ three ORI scholars as interns this Fall to conduct management and computer training at our cooperatives. We’d be lucky to have them.

Sitting on the bus once more, where I do the majority of my strategic thinking, I was reminded of what makes Indego Africa a great place to donate or volunteer. We’re frugal. Why is this important? Let me list the ways:

(1) Trust-Building - Because some of our operating expenses come from sales revenue, it shows our partner cooperatives that we’re trying to bring as much back to them as possible. For every dollar we save, they earn a dollar in capacity-building and training. It’s an issue of good faith.

(2) Breaking Stereotypes - It is easy for foreigners to be seen as money machines. The old development paradigm – simply giving things away – did too little to discourage that notion. When our partners see us traveling or working like them, a new appreciation and a fundamental re-think is occurring.

(3) Stewardship – Donor-investors want to know that Indego Africa will squeeze the maximum social impact out of their donation. When we get the same done on a smaller budget, you know who’s benefiting from your gift – the women in need.

(4) Closer to Reality – To truly understand the reality of where you’re working – for your partners and staff – you have to spend some time doing what they do.

Like what you hear? Consider contributing towards what we do every day: CLICK HERE

Next to Jah: Cleanliness in Rwanda

Sometimes it’s the apparent nonchalance of things that grabs you. Take machine guns. In the last week or so, I’ve seen machine guns of all varieties being handled by the police, security guards and presidential guards. Nobody notices or minds and the wielder of the machine gun is usually pretty casual with pointing it around, directing traffic and slinging it back and forth. It’s not quite as shocking to me because I remember seeing them frequently as a kid in Nigeria – my sister at five years old even handling one after asking a military policeman (presumably without parental permission). I doubt the guns are ever used here, but it still never ceases to register.

Conversely, sometimes it’s the non-existence of things that intrigues you. Take garbage and critters. Everywhere I go in Kigali and the Rwandan countryside, I see ZERO garbage and no other varmints like rats or roaches. Rwanda has even taken the drastic step of banning plastic bags. And I haven’t even seen garbage trucks (Naples – you now have no excuse), so I don’t know how it’s done. The cleanliness is remarkable. Alexi would say that it’s his constant vigilance – he actually takes about 30 minutes a day to drive around the city and look for transgressions – and I’ve seen him call in an unauthorized pile of gravel at 10:30pm without hesitation. But there’s another element at play too. Rwandans seem to be showing an unparalleled respect for themselves and their city. I’m not even sure which number we’re reached, so I’ll just say Reason #73 why Indego Africa made the right call with Rwanda. Learn more about our Hand Up program: CLICK HERE.

Note: One exception might be sticker graffiti but it’s so funky – “Who Jah Bless” – how can you complain?

T-Pain and the Texas Salon

Your trusted correspondent here in Kigali is pressing forward to write after a long day of meetings and journeys. Today we visited the women at Covanya and I had the pleasure of announcing to them that we will be receiving a good number of computers for them this summer. While we’re still working on the details of implementing a computer center and training program, we do have the computers. We’ve really been blessed. Anaclet and I also had a very productive meeting with the Executive Secretary of Bugesera District. He was quite favorably impressed with our program and offered to sponsor some basket-weaving training for Covanya. As usual with the Rwandan government, we’ve been surprised by their forthright and open support.

To get to Nyamata and many other towns, Anaclet and I take the public bus. Indego Africa doesn’t have its own vehicle and we take pride in travelling like everyone else in Rwanda. It’s more than that, however. As they say elsewhere in Africa: “It’s a pleasure.” I’ve noted before that the bus is a time both for reflection and, ironically, joyous merriment. It’s also a form of artistic expression. Rwandan buses are often colorfully-decorated and even more colorfully-named (see photos). I can't explain "Texas Salon". Anybody have an idea? Here is a selection of some of my favorite bus names:

• Shaloom (?)
• Hummer from USA
• Sean Kingston: The Big Up
• Lucky Dube Remembered Forever
• Brandon Lee
  
• New Jersey Nets: Vince Carter
• Yahoo! Express
• Day to Day
• Black Casanova
• Volcano
• Samantha
• T-Pain (?)

Kibuye and Kivu and Cows

Happy Rwandan Independence! Yesterday we celebrated Rwanda’s national holiday by taking a breath-taking trip to Kibuye and Lake Kivu. Alfred, a good family friend and fantastically warm personality, picked us up early at 6am for the three-hour drive to Kibuye and his own cattle farm. The drive took us up and down lush hills, along roads that opened on to vistas of terraced banana and tea farms. Between ditches and bumps, Alfred vividly tried to convince Alexi to remain a public servant his entire career, rather than start a transport business. “We delivered security. We delivered opportunity. We need the next generation to stay in service to Rwanda.” Indeed, it’s a universal theme and no truer anywhere than here.

We arrived atop a very tall hill and looked out over Alfred’s land, more than 50 hectares and probably six entire barren hills – top to bottom. The surroundings took me by surprise – pine trees and cool breezes. Then the pitch began. It took Alfred eight months to clear the trees and plant grazing greens for his cows – of which he has about 50. I’m told that a cow produces 30 liters of milk per day, which can be sold for 3,000 RwF ($5.50) per liter. For as little as $1,000, you can get started with a hearty Holstein cow and be part of the Kayiranga Association – projected to be “at least 2,000 cows”. Alfred clearly has a passion for his cows: petting and cleaning them affectionately with brush, uprooting foul-tasting weeds by hand (yes, he knows which ones), bantering with his eight ranch hands, gulping unpasteurized milk. He’s looking for American investors, so consider yourself apprised of a great investment opportunity (Alfred’s e-mail certainly available upon request – that’s him with a Texas Longhorns hat below).

There are no superlatives sufficient for the next part of the day. We drove down a new Chinese road towards the town of Kibuye, looking out over many fascinating things: an Israeli methane conversion plant, a large Congolese refugee camp, and the incomparable Lake Kivu. Several large islands dot the lake as far as the eye can see, which is quite distant from 9,000 feet+ elevation. In the low and hazy sun, together with a cold Primus and weary legs, there’s no more relaxing sight. Lake Kivu is being developed into a major tourist site and for good reason. I was reminded at times of driving through California to arrive at a more dramatic version of Lake Tahoe. Add one more destination to your next Rwanda trip.