Bright Star Micro-finance Project

     Although not a quote from the Bible, someone once said,

   "Give a man a fish; you fed him for today.  Teach a man to fish and you fed him for a lifetime."

     Bright Star School is located in the Nairobi slum of Fuata Nyayo.  To help the residents of this area earn a living to support their families, we started a micro-finance program in March, 2008.  In this program, money is loaned to residents to start or expand a business.  Lillian Mwangi has been hired to supervise the program.  She developed the program guidelines and together we set requirements for the project.  Lillian attended a seminar and was given methodologies on how to train clients in running a business.

     On the 3rd of April, 2007 she met with the fifteen people who had registered for the project and who were approved by Pastor John.  Of that group, four met the eligibility requirements.   After Lillian explained how the program worked and how the participants would re-pay the loan, the participants agreed to comply with the set procedures and were given loans:

          1. the loan is Ksh10,000
          2. interest is 5%
          3. time limit is six months

     Lillian visited their homes and got copies of their identity cards and passports.  With frequent visits to the businesses, she ensures that the business owners are on the right track.  She reported that three of the participants have "benefited and are working with a spirit of development."  Although two participants are struggling and are slow in making loan payments, they are still sincere in their effort to pay.

     These first four participants are parents of Bright Star students.  With the initial success of the program, we are now offering the program to Bright Star staff members.  Four teachers and three support staff members have been accepted into the program.

     Charity Wawira teaches Class 1 and plans to start a green grocery shop.  Since she and her husband work, her sister will manage the shop.
     Rosemary Kinyanzo teaches the Pre-unit Class.  She has three children and has taken in her niece who has recently been orphaned.  She plans to start selling used clothing.  Her husband will run the business.
     Alice Mukasa, 2nd grade teacher, will start a shop with used items to assist her young siblings.
     Paul Koome is our gatekeeper.  He wants to start a business selling cereals upcountry.  His wife will manage the business.
     Josephine Nthenya teaches 3rd grade.  She is a mother of three and planned to use some of the money to start a second-hand clothing business and the rest of the money to pay her son's school fees.  She later changed her mind and has used the loan to get more teacher training.
    

    Lillian is working with Onesmus, a former student, who wants to sell second-hand clothing.  Much of his loan would be invested in fixing up the kiosk he will be renting.  We previously sent him to driving school and he obtained a driving license, but there have not been any permanent job opportunities for him.