Friday, June 29, 2007

No more worries or so i think

I have always wondered how is it to start and run a business in Kenya without money and no titles.

But looking closely these days money is being thrown anywhere

Mkopo wa Salo- Barclays
Unsecured Personal Loans- Standard Chartered
Biashara Account- KCB

But some of us are highly sceptical of loans. Having gone through clients files and seeing how their lives have been doomed by taking loans especially in early years when interest rates were uncontrolled. Banks like StanChart and Barclays charged highs of 34% which i think was crazy.

However the Government, Equity is telling me i have access to Ksh. 7 billion
Seeing this Fanikisha project of UNDP and Equity is giving women access to 5 billion shillings, during the budget reading Kimunya gave women Ksh. 2 billion and the youth Fund Ksh. 1 billion. Yes i am eligible for all this money. How to optimize its use is what i am not sure about. I am told opportunities are everywhere, we just have to look harder.

I am really and madly hoping women of this country are going to join forces and make use of this money. I don't belong to any women/merry go round group myself but hey maybe its time to join one. One day Eve Muraya she of Colour Creations told us the only problem us women have is lack of synergy. Don't i agree more.

When i was watching CNN another day i came accross some interesting hero i.e www.kiva.org. It is interesting that someone came up with a very noble project that for only 25$ you will be able to fund a goat trader in Kenya the way they put it. well i will be looking at their field partners and processing information for some people i think could be in need.

Makutano Junction

Makutano Junction is a programme nobody should be able to miss. It is good, funny and wella this junction has everyone from Mama Mboga (my favourite), the Mchawi, the player Husband, and its very interesting to watch. Disappointing though, is that all the producers have English names meaning most good projects have an English hand to it and is heavily funded by the Ford Foundation and others. Almost truly local though even the language and accents.

Lovely weekend everyone, forgive my little access to technology and the less blogging. Maybe i need a Laptop for one donation myself.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Slumbering and Young Kibet's call

I know many people watched the Budget Speech, some like me watched like a 1/100 of it just to meet young Kibet telling people " I am not into politics, Don't get me wrong" and suddenly the slumbering Mps woke up, only Njenga Karume prolly didn't. There are very few things that excite Kenyans that is The Arsenal, ManU game, you would think Thierry was a Kenyan and recently The Didier Drogba of Chelsea. A ManU fan having lost to Chelsea sent me an Sms to the effect
"There is a Drogba, he has just happened to us"

Anyway, thats besides the point. Budget reading does not compare to 90 minutes of big boys chasing a ball but to say the least it excites nothing in any of us. Until Young Kibet. The boy is handsome no less, eloquent and courageous. Saying things that some of us could have long ago forgotten about like " The greatest risk is not taking risk itself" or something like that. Really you don't have to 13 to believe that. In a long time i haven't found such motivation and this coming from a man more than 10 years my junior.

My plea to Kimunya is:

Please tell them to fix Thika Road, whoever they are. Not even World Social Forum could influence the fixing of this Road that connects to like 4 provinces of Kenya. Maybe this time someone might listen to me..

Developments- Proudly Kenyan
http://www.jahazi.com/
http://www.peupe.net/


What are you proud of?

Kenya Television Network
I don't which channel of news you watch. I find myself watching KTN but these days i am finding it nauseating to watch their news. Its merely demoralizing to watch violence and politics in quick succession every evening. If an accident didn't happen in Kenya then Raila Odinga & his fellow Luminaries (wonder more Kaparo). Look, not all of us are a fan of the Luminaries or even think that they have anything remote to offer Kenyans but it gets to a time you have to offer people news to stay relevant. NTv has fast caught up and is giving KTN a run for their money.

We all sympathised with KTN's raid but that doesn't mean everything good stopped happening in Kenya. We have problems and a man shooting himself and all his kids might do little to uplift our spirits and thats not news for 9 Oclock bulleting