An afternoon at Acholi Quarters

 A highlight of the past few days was definitely the afternoon spent with friends who live at Acholi Quarters. As is always the way, you never know quite who you will catch up, but it’s always an utter delight, and I know my way around well enough now that whichever route I take through the community I always see someone I know, and am found by a little of gaggle of youngsters who take me by the hand and walk some of the way with me.

On this particular visit, part of the time was spent watching one of the lads as he delivered maths tutoring to his peers. Bonyomin has been sponsored through school since Primary 1 (primary goes up to year 7), and he is now coming to the end of Senior 1. He is doing so well, and regularly places top of his year. However, he doesn’t take it for granted, and he recognises that not everyone finds maths as easy as him. So he spends his Sunday afternoons delivering tutorials to his friends, in order to help them perform as well as possible in their end of year exams. It was so wonderful to see him in action today, and to see the response from the others, who totally accept him in the teacher role.

Bonyomin the teacher in action

As well as handing out letters from sponsors to the sponsored children, and getting photos of the children for the sponsors, the other focus was to chat with the ladies about small businesses. This was something that they had requested, and I did my best to oblige with contextually relevant thoughts, and suggestions. It was mainly about teasing out of them the information that they already intuitively know, making some links between different bits of that knowledge, and helping them to find the courage to move from dreaming to making plans for a reality. We will see what comes from the conversations, but it felt very positive, and some of the suggestions that the assembled gathering came up with included a samosa business, a g-nut and sim-sim paste business (our equivalent would be peanut butter and tahini butter), selling second-hand clothes, selling second-hand shoes, and a soap making business. Each of the ideas was proposed by one or two, and then batted around by the others with suggestions on how to strengthen the plans. 

'The assembled gathering'

The stumbling block is that they will each need start-up capital, and that’s where it always falls down. When it's a struggle to find money for the food, the rent, and the school fees, it becomes very hard to think of finding an extra lump sum to start out in a small business, even if there is a savings group that they can make use of. So, I’m mulling over ways to try and help on that front. There are criteria that the ladies need to follow before they can enquire about start up funds. These criteria were proposed by the group, and that’s good, as I didn’t want it to be me who was making the rules as well as potentially being seen as the donor. The group have decided that each business venture needs to be run by at least two or three, so as to ensure accountability, mutual support, a mix of skills, and spreading the load. Also, they need to put together a properly researched business plan. And they need to commit to raising at least some of the start up costs, so that its not all donated money. Together those criteria will demonstrate a commitment to the plans, and a determination to make it succeed.

In all it was a very good conversation, and we parted with hugs and laughter and lots of ‘farewell for now’ rather than ‘goodbye’. Re the business plans - I’ll see what happens next, and then go from there. And am trusting in God to help with the provision – He knows the needs, and He knows how and when to provide it.