Episode #10 -- Indescribable Day!

I had a day that it will be hard to put into words... for a variety of different reasons.

Today we met with WADOKI here in Mwanza. WADOKI is a credit and savings association that works with microbusinesses (1-2 employees), small and medium businesses (SME's with 3 to up to 40 or 50 employees) and large businesses (over 50 employees), in order to make capital available and create jobs for the poor. This is the "vehicle" that is used in most of the developing world to increase opportunities for the poor, because of the high interest rates and collateral requirements of the banks in these countries. It is a concept that I've spent some time researching over the past year, so it was interesting to see it in action.

We started our day by being introduced to the WADOKI staff by the Chairman, Mujid, who I met last week in Kampala at the UCBP Conference... I'm pretty sure I made an impression on Mujid with my African dancing (not totally sure, since he only speaks Swahili), because he referred to it by mimicing me while introducing me to the others... It was surprising to me how many young people work for them, in a variety of roles -- from the manager to the treasurer to credit officers to the tellers.

We then started making visits to various businesses who are members of WADOKI... most of whom are located in the same neighborhood as WADOKI and our hotel. Everything from the restaurant/bar across the street to one of the tailors down the street to the grain mill around the corner to the fish market a couple of blocks away... this is truly what I would call a "neighborhood bank"! These visits were unimaginable when we left and pretty much indescribable now -- the sights, the sounds, the smells... everything! At any rate, here are a few photos... The lady above actually sub-leases space in the restaurant/bar along with 4 others and they all provide the food service for the restaurant -- interesting business model!

After making 4 stops at specific businesses, we entered the fish market... where we must have met 15 or 20 different people who are WADOKI members... all business owners who have a small piece of the process from boat to truck -- fisherman, fish preparers, buyers/sellers, exporters, transporters... you name it we met them... you're probably wondering what kind of fish... stinky, smelly fish! Actually, they are small, minnow-sized fish called Dagaa and they are dried and bagged to send off to fish processing plants to be made into chicken feed. Oh, I also got yelled at by some of the workers for taking this photo... Oops!

After meeting all of these different business owners, we went back to the WADOKI offices, across from our hotel, for their weekly membership meeting. All of us who were there representing Partners Worldwide were introduced (me, Nana Yaa, Lou and Margaret) and put on the spot to say something... which made no sense to the members, because we spoke English and the meeting is conducted in Swahili! Because Margaret had to leave early in the meeting to pick up Lou from the airport, Nana Yaa and I were kind of lost through most of the meeting, although we did have one of the young men from WADOKI attempting to translate for us.

After eating lunch at the restaurant/bar that we had visited in the morning, we met the board members and senior staff of WADOKI... Up until that point, I had been a little discouraged with the visit, thus far -- the language barriers and the types of businesses just didn't feel like a good match.. That changed with this meeting -- we got to see the leadership and senior staff of WADOKI in action. Besides having nearly $250,000 available capital, the board members have initiated their own capital-generating business called WADOKI Enterprises. We were all so encouraged by their vision and financial stability! This savings and credit association is a huge success in the business as mission world, that really no one knows about... Plus, it's an incredible mix of Christians and Muslims -- I kind of see why God placed Muslims on my heart and that I took the class at church

And, yes, it is great to have "outdoor meetings"! Africa is amazing!

Well, off to bed -- we have to catch an early ferry across Lake Victoria to visit the Sengerema Informal Sector Association, another business as mission group.

I thank God for today and the way He continues to reveal Himself to me in new and different ways. I prayed this morning for discernment to know the direction He wants this adventure to lead... I truly believe He is providing that!