From time to time we like to draw attention to articles that add important perspective to the discussions of justice and poverty alleviation. This is not an endorsement of the viewpoints, but an endorsement of the importance of these discussions

The Wall Street Journal recently asked eight prominent philanthropists and NGO executives how they would spend $10 billion to achieve the biggest and longest-lasting impact on the world’s problems. All eight came up with great ideas, but the clear winner in my opinion came from leading Swedish businessman and philanthropist Percy Barnevik, who said he would use the money to unleash the entrepreneurship of the world’s poorest citizens.

My experience in Africa over the past 27 years has convinced me that this is the only way for people to break out of poverty. People are poor because they have no sustainable income. It’s as simple as that.

via allAfrica.com: Africa: Create Jobs in Continent, and All Else Will Follow.

Working with The 1010 Project allows us to make our own daily bread. – Phaustine Wekesa

Phaustine Wekesa is a mother, grandmother, and our friend in leadership at Tumaini Pamoja (With Hope Together), a community-based organization in the Korogocho slum of Nairobi.

Tumaini Pamoja has a 4-pronged approach to breaking the cycle of poverty in their community:

• Encourage self-acceptance and acceptance by community members of HIV-positive individuals
• Help orphans and vulnerable children
• Provide microfinance opportunities to small businesses
• Break the stigma associated with HIV/AIDs

Phaustine explained recently in an email that her friends and neighbors are really suffering from hunger. Phaustine continued her message with a request for support, specifically for those living with HIV/AIDS. For these courageous individuals she explained, the problem is compounded because it is difficult to take antiretroviral drugs on an empty stomach.

According to the World Food Programme:

“High food prices have taken their toll on the daily lives of Kenyans. Poverty and food insecurity are highest in urban slums and among pastoralists and farmers in remote, arid and semi-arid lands, which comprise 80 per cent of Kenya’s land mass. Many households in these areas are chronically poor, and there are persistently high malnutrition rates among children under five. It’s estimated that around 5.6 million people [approximately 16% of the total population] have been made food insecure in Kenya because of high food and fuel prices. In order to deal with the high cost of food, people are cutting back on the number of meals they are eating, and buying less expensive food items.”

Despite these challenges, Tumaini Pamoja continues to grow and meet needs. This community-based organization has recently expanded into three separate groups with a total membership of 185 individuals. With the most recent income-generating grant ($270 USD) that they received, Tumaini Pamoja was able buy three orphaned children new school uniforms, purchase a small plot of land for farming, and provide two loans of $25 to small business owners.

This Mother’s Day weekend, empower the efforts of mothers and grandmothers like Phaustine with a gift of $10 to The 1010 Project!

Some feel deafness is an embarrassment or a curse and end up hiding their children. These children have no books or shoes, wear torn clothes, and are malnourished, full of self pity, and are often very defensive. A sense of rejection and lack of self worth creates a serious withdrawal syndrome that makes the children less creative and unproductive. – Beatrice Anunda

Humble Hearts School is a child welfare program founded in 2003 in Donholm, Nairobi by Beatrice Anunda. Beatrice has been a partner of The 1010 Project since August 2007.

Humble Hearts aims to promote the welfare of deaf children who come from impoverished families, many of whom live in the slums. Some students have one parent, others have both parents, but quite a few are orphans.

Many in the local community feel that being deaf is an embarrassment or a curse. Their families end up hiding the children at home with no access to an inspiring education. Humble Hearts School provides a support system that feeds and educates these children. After a short time at a caring place like Humble Hearts the students open up – they quickly begin performing well in school, discarding fear and setting aside self-pity.

The mission of the school is to instill moral and quality life into deaf children through the provision of food and education. These students then go out into their communities as responsible and confident learners, working hard to break down stereotypes of the deaf.

Tobias Ochieng is a deaf Kenyan who has had the unique opportunity to complete both high school and secondary school. Most businesses in Kenya are unwilling to employ the deaf due to cultural stigmas. Tobias is a teacher at Humble Hearts School. He has become a mentor to many deaf students who have felt community rejection because of their disability. Tobias has given these students encouragement and hope as they learn that they too can become successful. From the allowance he gets from his teaching profession, Tobias has been able to start a small business selling second-hand clothes in one of the large markets in Nairobi. This expands his income and allows him to take care of his younger siblings.

One challenge for Humble Hearts comes in working with the parents. They think that their deaf children are not capable of learning and becoming independent people. Many parents believe that their children will only be able to do house work, carpentry, or get married.

Since opening the school, the children have really changed. They are healthier, more friendly, and they can read, write, and sign. There are also a number of students who have taken an interest in the arts and through Humble Hearts, they are being encouraged to pursue a wide range of academic disciplines.

The 1010 Project has supported income-generating projects at Humble Hearts including a posho mill, liquid soap making, tomato farming, charcoal sales, and carpentry work.

Last quarter, The 1010 Project sent a microgrant of nearly 71,000 Kenyan Shillings ($900) to Humble Hearts. When Beatrice has prepared a balance sheet for the microgrant, the funds will be distributed to members of the community. In some cases, these funds enable families to send their children to school.