PDF Report

Now if only the top politicians would see things the way the Krep guys do, we would use the word ‘AID’ a lot less.

I couldn’t have put it better myself……change the whole system or improve it so all boats can rise up, don’t just toss some pennies at a kid who can only help himself and his family and exclaim that what you’re doing is working………..

I think this is where a business plan comes in handy so that the management of the ‘village 2030 project’ does not fall to the oldest grandmother in the village who just happens to have bore the most ‘boys’ who are now remitting ‘like crazy’.

Seriously though, I think the next phase requires microfinance entreprenuers in Africa to step up and champion their causes for funding for community transformation but business based projects, and then show progressive results to attract further over time for funding from the diaspora. A little challenging because there is a chicken and egg problem in there especially regarding vetting prospective managers, as well as developing project proporsals that will generate interest from enough prospective micro-investors, but it can be done. Brings us right back to the institution building issue.

Less iffy would be investing to expand businesses that are already doing work in the community, though I imagine this option would probably favour the more urban areas or less needy rural settings.

IMO, governments in Africa need to consider a system for matching dollar-for-dollar private investment in needy areas especially when the investment provides a service that the government was supposed to provide in the first place. Sevices such as running water or even electricity in very remote locations. This alone would spur a lot of ‘remittance AID’.

Ernest, I wondered the same thing too, especially after I first heard about the work that Fidelis Wainaina does, I couldn’t help but wonder, why don’t all AID organizations simply copy and paste that model adapting it to their own situations…..even though Fidelis has long since passed, last time I heard the constituency that she worked in is still a self sustaining banana producer and if we can simply do that for enough constituencies in Kenya we will have eliminated any material barriers to success and can continue Africa up the self actualization barrier.

Interestingly enough, my mother runs a disability and aged care industry and she is the second African to get into the industry with other Africans also seeming keen…..it could be an area where we specialize and make good money…perhaps?

Personally I think the reimbursements are a huge opportunity to do AID and community development the way it should be done…..don’t just send money to school just your kids, come together with other folk from the same constituency, build your own school and run it through reimbursements and include things that can make them more self-sufficient in the syllabus…as an example.