Micro Business in Kenya

I received the following email from my friend Tony over the weekend. Tony is the director of the Baptist Children's Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.



I visited the Baptist Children's Centre in May 2007. Tony told our group that the girls in their sewing program were in need of internships in order to find employment . The girls start learning sewing as a trade when they complete the equivalent of the eighth grade in the United States. Not all Kenyan children go to high school.



After learning their trades, the graduates begin looking for employment. However, most textile factories require a three month internship before they offer jobs to anyone. This is very difficult for young girls from the slums, because the internships do not pay and require the girls to move into the city.



Tony told us how expensive it was to provide rent and food for the girls in order to make the internships possible. It was the equivalent of $100 U.S.



I shared this story with my church in Lufkin, Texas. In less than a week, our church collected $3,000 U.S. and provided scholarships for approximately 30 graduates! (That was 15 graduates from 2007, plus extra money for 2008 graduates.)

Click on the "Africa" tag to your right to see additional pictures of Tony and the Baptist Children's Centre.



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Praise to our Lord Jesus Christ!



I am writing to let you know of the progress we have at the TEC Centre- Baptist Children Centre and to thank you for making a difference in some body's life.



Towards the end of last year we enrolled 8 girls and one boy went though industrial tailoring internship. Two have joined hands and started a sewing business in the nearby Dandora estate, the boy is to join one of the export factories and the rest had been promised employment in the sewing factories but the election violence that rocked our country made most textile factories to temporally close down.



We are hoping for quick recovering in all sectors soon, now that there is assured safety and peace after the signing of a peace deal between the two warring camps.



We have more nine girls who will be going through the same internship or start up businesses as it may be fitting for them.



Our regards and love to you, your family and church.



Thank you and God bless.



Tony