Who told you Africans don't have money?

"I hate it when people say there is no money.  Who told you Africans don't have money?  Many people hate me for this."

Alex Onino is fighting for Africans... for change.  At the beginning of his training session on Saturday, after a prayer and a song of course, Alex addressed the group, "You think the mzungu will bring you money.  The African mindset was damaged from the donations from the Western world.  We have to change it.  If you are sitting here thinking of money, you can go out."

Energizing with a song -- When Jesus says yes, nobody can say no!

I sat in on Saturday with a group of 12 who is has been through four "business skills" training sessions lead by Alex Onino.  Patricia had told me that Tembo had found an excellent trainer, but the day delivered so much more than I had expected.  Alex is a master trainer with a mission of changing Africa from the ground up.  And I believe he will do it.  What he is teaching truly empowers people to break the cycle of poverty... from within... together.  I intend on putting my energy into seeing as many people through this training as possible.

The training with this first group has gone like this:

Two training sessions of 80-100 people (mostly women and youth, though men are included as well) held two to three weeks apart.  These first sessions focused on an attitude adjustment and driving home the message that YOU can do it YOURSELF -- with the help of your community.  You CAN NOT rely on mzungus to succeed for you.  Alex brings a sense of humour to his trainings and expects a lot from his participants -- he is a gifted facilitator, not a lecturer, which has been the African way with the teacher standing at the front of the class writing notes on the blackboard and the students copying what has been written.

Working together in small groups

The next two sessions, also held two or three weeks apart, are for designated leaders of smaller groups within the original large group.  Sixteen were identified (by the members, not by the facilitator or Tembo).  These sessions focused more specifically on leadership, co-operatives, and some specific project analysis.

At the fifth session, 12 were in attendance and this is where things are really starting to happen.  The group had decided in the fourth session that forming a Co-operative, a legal entity, was the way to go for the best shot at continued success.  The leaders had been tasked with going back to their groups to get consent from their members, choose projects or income generating activities they were interested in or already performing, identify available resources (financial, agricultural land, skills, knowledge), objectives, goals, etc.  It was quite an assignment, but they came back prepared.  At the end of the day, the group had selected an executive and 10 promoters who will see the co-operative come to life.

Tanya with Rod & Patricia and the newly elected Co-Op Executive

Today I met with Alex to discuss next steps.  We will follow through with this group for several more training sessions until they are on their feet.  These will include Management Training, Project Specific Training (i.e. poultry, bee keeping, rabbits), and Resource Mobilization (i.e. fundraising).  Alex believes that after all of this training is when donor dollars would be appropriate to boost the success of all of their work and planning.

We are also going to start with a new group which will include KASFOOC and our fish farmers.  I can't wait to see the growth of the original group and the birth of the new group!  I have high hopes.

Terry is at home with fish, I am at home with people!  Life coaching African style.