Friends of Ngong Road

Providing education and support to Nairobi children living in poverty whose families are affected by HIV/AIDS.

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M (Mobile) – Pesa (Money)

Ever used Venmo, Apple Pay, Cash App, PayPal or Crypto? 

Digital currency has become second nature to us in 2021, but have you ever wondered how it became so integrated with our lives? What steps and precursors were needed to get to where we are today?

In large part, one answer to these questions is M-Pesa. In late 2000, banks in developed countries worldwide were starting to expand into digital banking and exploring new mediums of financial technology.  Kenya, on the other hand, encountered a reluctant central bank’s response to the new ways of the world. This provided an opportunity for a creative response from a population that is largely unbanked. 

Enter: Telecommunications giant Vodafone and Safaricom, Kenya’s leading mobile network operator.

Thanks to a grant from the UK’s Dept. of International Development, a Pilot was launched in 2006, mostly as means for micro-lending. However, users quickly discovered a feature that allowed for peer-to-peer transactions. They had identified one of Kenya’s biggest needs almost completely by accident. Not only did Kenyans need a faster and easier way to transfer money, but they also needed a cheaper way to do it than bank transfers, which are largely unaffordable for such a poor population. The demand for this service reared its head in the first year of M-Pesa’s launch. Safaricom set a goal for 350,000 users on their micro-finance and loaning program, which grew to the tune of over 1.2 million users, most of which were largely utilizing the user-to-user transfer function.

Upon recognizing the need for their service, M-Pesa realized its need to provide easy ATM functions for its rapidly growing user base. Without the time or resources to open branches at such a large scale, Safaricom utilized what already exists in Kenya; small mom and pop stores and even smaller specialized commerce stands. These micro-businesses were weaponized as hosts for M-Pesa Kiosks across Kenya, and allowed for its meteoric rise to a significant market share of Eastern Africa’s economy. 

M-Pesa’s market penetration is nearly unmatched in any industry in the world, with over 96% of Kenyan households using the service. Today, Sub-Saharan Africa boasts over 150 million active mobile money users thanks to M-Pesa and other similar services, accounting for nearly half of the world’s active monthly mobile money users. 

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Join our worldwide community coming together.

It’s time again for our Annual Gathering. This year we are gathering virtually to review 2021 and celebrate accomplishments. More than just surviving, we are embracing resilience, as has been demonstrated by our whole community responding to recent challenges. Hear stories from and about students, alumni, and staff. Get an update on the progress of the new Elimu Hub. And, learn about insights we discovered when we surveyed our First 100 Alumni. 

Embracing Resilience is about responding to the ever-changing world we live in, focused on our mission to transform lives through education. We hope you will join us at one of our events!

RSVP – Thurs 11/4 – 6pm Central – via Zoom
RSVP – Tues 11/9 – 8am Central (5pm East Africa) – via Zoom

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Changes to the Kenyan School System

Kenya was a British colony until it gained independence in 1963. After independence, many colonial influences persisted in the country, including the old British educational system (long abandoned in Britain). This system is test-based with key examinations that take place at the end of each academic term and then at the end of the equivalent of 8th grade and 12th grade. Students’ scores on these tests determine what secondary and post-secondary school they can attend and the type of job they can get. Teaching in Kenya has almost exclusively revolved around preparing students to take these exams as their entire future hinges on how they score.  The movie “A Small Act” portrays the terrible pressure students feel to succeed in this system.  

The advantage of a test-based system for Kenyan educators is that it is easy for the government to determine where students are able to continue their schooling. For example, if a student scores above 400, they go to a quality government school, or below 250 they go to a trade school. There are however many disadvantages to the test-based system. It rewards students who can memorize the material but it doesn’t encourage any analytical thinking skills. Students are taught not to question the teacher but only to learn what the teacher tells them must be learned. For students who are not good at memorizing, they are viewed as not bright and this reduces their access to a life with better opportunities. Many students are not successful in this system.

Kenyan educators clearly understand some of the downsides to the old British system and the country is now transitioning to a Competency-Based Curriculum. This new educational system will teach students more analytical, critical thinking, as well as practical skills.  There will be many challenges with such a large systemic change, they will be transitioning for the next decade at a minimum.  Few teachers in Kenya have experienced any other system, so to train teachers on how to teach in an entirely different way will be a monumental hill to climb. In addition, this will require the curriculum to be changed at every level and current high school and post-secondary placement processes will need to be redesigned. Our Case Managers in Kenya are staying up to date on the upcoming changes to anticipate needs, and to understand the organizational impact required to support students through the changes.

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Karibu Corner

Business Update 

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt business performance in Kenya and the world at large. At Karibu Loo, the short-term event-based business has experienced the largest downturn due to the restrictions placed on public gatherings put in place by the government. However, with the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, the economy is starting to gain traction, potentially allowing short-term business to sprout once again.

Social Media Marketing

In 2021, we launched a digital marketing campaign, including Google Ads, a beefed-up Google advertising campaign. The aim of this strategy was to establish a robust and diversified online presence. We are also planning on engaging other social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Non-commissionable business (no salespersons attached) accounted for over 80% of our revenue since its inception.

Long-term Business Update

Since the onset of the pandemic, Karibu Loo has survived on long-term business (loos hired for more than 30 days). In our 2021 Plan, we focused on pursuing more long-term businesses, especially construction companies. Our successful online marketing strategy and engagement of all our staff to market our services by making direct calls and sending emails to reach targeted clients has resulted in a continued increase in long-term business.  Thus, the business has continued during these challenging times. Currently, we have about a quarter of our cabins leased out and we are receiving more long-term inquiries as the year progresses. 

Staff Update on COVID-19

Unfortunately, two of Karibu Loo’s staff contracted COVID-19 but later recovered after 14 days of medical leave; they are now back in operation. Currently, we are encouraging all our staff to be vaccinated, with a goal of 100% vaccinated by the end of the year as vaccines are now more accessible.

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Alumni Stories

Lydia is a Call Center Attendant at Zuku Kenya Limited and is Looking Ahead to Graduate School

A Chinese proverb states “A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step” which simply means for a person to reach a goal or destination they have to begin somewhere. This is the story of Lydia, born in the sprawling slums of Kawangware where she could not imagine that she would be a college graduate.

Lydia’s journey has not been easy. In her early years, as far she can remember, her father left the family leaving them stunned and hurt. Being the sole breadwinner, his departure affected the already financially struggling family. Her mother was not able to care for Lydia and her small brother. They barely survived with only one meal a day, if they were lucky. Lydia woke up every morning and went to a community primary public school with no hope of joining a secondary school. Life was unfair and each day things seemed to be deteriorating. She never dreamt of having the life she lives now.

Thanks to Friends of Ngong Road and Ngong Road Children’s Foundation, she was paired with a sponsor who was instrumental in her success. Her school fees were fully paid from primary school through university, including necessary school supplies. This generous support made her work even harder to achieve good grades. 

At 23 years old she prides herself not just for having attained a BS in Economics and Finance but also for being among the few girls in her neighborhood that have transformed their life in this way. Her transformational journey has just started as Lydia now works as a call center attendant at Zuku Kenya Limited, a fiber optic company. Her future aspirations include earning a master’s degree so she can pursue better job opportunities.

Bernard is an Operations Associate at Karibu Loo Limited

Benard is one of our graduates who currently works at Karibu Loo Limited as an Operations Associate, after completing a driving course. He is grateful for how far he has come and is now on the right path to transforming his life. His story is that of persistence and demonstrating a spirit of not giving up. 

He was raised by his aunt, since his mother was in poor health, which made it impossible for her to be involved in his upbringing. Unlike many children, he had a lot of challenges which caused him to enroll in school at an older age than is normal. He and eight of his family members lived in a single-room home, where it was impossible to get any privacy, something that he treasured. Every time he went back to boarding school he had a sense of relief. 

His family situation affected his academics and like most teens, he had his own challenges. But he never gave up and finished high school with the support from his sponsor and program staff. He was even elected school president while in high school. Bernard says, “Learning to have that persistence, letting my ego down a bit, and asking for help is what has made me come this far. Thanks to everyone who helped me through school.”

Brian is a Sales Associate at Platinum Credit Limited

Brian is one of our recent graduates whose life has been transformed by the support he received from our program. His story is one that will be told for generations to come in his family. Despite all the odds in life, Brian has been able to use his experience as a stepping stone to climb the ladder. His mother died after separating from his father which left him and his siblings no option but to stay with their grandparents. He recognized early on that he needed to take school seriously if he was to ever get out of the deplorable living situations he found himself in and help his aging grandparents.

While he was sponsored,​ he gained various skills that helped him develop as a whole person. The life skills learned during school holidays and at camp encourage him to pursue leadership roles in both secondary and post-secondary school. The computer skills he developed through our program have been essential in his journey to acquiring a job. He completed his diploma in Entrepreneurship Development from The Eldoret Polytechnic and currently works as a Sales Associate at Platinum Credit Limited. Even though he’s only been there for a month, he’s already able to understand key marketing tips and handle queries from clients. 

He knows his life was changed for the better because of his education and he is not only full of gratitude but wants to support someone through their education in the future. Brian shared, “Success favors those who fail till they succeed and never let challenges be a stumbling block rather let them be opportunities for growth.”