Matt and I found a great place to work here in Kigali when we're not in the field -- Blues Cafe -- with terrific wireless and edible lunch. This afternoon we had a wonderful experience. Jadot and Megan (Indego Africa's in-country employees) had picked up Jacqueline and Beatha -- two of the leaders at Cocoki -- to scout out prices and models for the sewing machine center we will be installing next Monday. After the trip Megan and Jadot decided to bring the women by the cafe to surprise us. This was the first opportunity any of the women we work with have had to see Indego Africa's website, and to say it was a special moment would be an understatement. First, I must explain that (a) they have never seen a computer; (b) they have heard about, but never seen the "internet"; and (c) we have explained that we have a "website" and that this is how people in the U.S. buy their products but, as Jadot explained, they really had no idea what this actually meant or how it worked. Well, they have now been officially introduced. 
We showed them everything. Indego Africa's website, the whole Webstore, the Social Enterprising blog, and all of the pictures and video that I took at Cocoki last week. As I described it all and Jadot translated, their expressions went from confusion to wonderment to excitement to hilarity, the cycle repeating with each new thing. They particularly loved how their products are displayed and described on Indego Africa's Webstore and the comments customers had left for them. They also LOVED the blog, which I described as a series of permanent "letters" to people who are interested in Indego Africa. But my favorite moment was when we showed them the video footage on iMovie from last week. As we all watched Beatha on her sewing machine, you could see her eyes widening with glee. "This is me!?" she exclaimed in Kinyarwanda, and we all exploded into laughter.
- Ben
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