Teams and Team Building

 The month of September was a pretty quiet, one might even say BORING month until the 28th when George and I headed to Kenya again as volunteers for Kenya Keys.  This was my 7th trip and George's 2nd.  We were part of a strong team that included our Executive Director, Mark Friess and the Operations Manager for the US staff, China Ageros, plus new US Board members, Heather Cooke and Micah Stolowitz.  The last two members were Dave and Clare Peterson.  They have quite the story.  A number of years ago Dave's mother read about Kenya Keys in the Lake Oswego paper and decided to give Rinda, the founder a call.  She was so impressed with what she learned that she immediately started sponsoring students plus she recruited friends and family to also sponsor.  In total from her efforts 27 students have been sponsored through secondary school and university.

1st Row - Heather, Marilyn, China and Clare

2nd row - George, Micah, Mark and Dave

And here are Clare and Dave with some of the students who benefited from sponsorships thanks to Dave's wonderful mother's diligent efforts. Many of them had made long bus trips across Kenya just to give their thanks in person.

Part of our responsibilities this trip were to prepare and present a 'team building' exercise to the Kenya Staff.  George and I took our turn on the 2nd day and felt good about it.

 It is weird to have people taking notes about what I was saying.  Funny experience – our activity presented two ways of looking at the world.  1^st through a mirror when we saw our own reflection and how everything affected us and a 2nd way where one looks in a window and sees how things affect other.  We talked about ‘hearing, seeing, and respecting other’. HSR.  The plan was for me to do the first part of the training and then George would end.  Last night when he told me what he had planned it was not what I thought he should say.  I wasn’t very nice about it and definitely looked into a mirror and only saw that what he wanted to say was NOT what I had planned.  I wasn’t very nice about it.  I woke up early thinking about this experience and shared it with the team.  Illustrating that I had seen and heard George but not respected him.  Then I said that I had no idea what he was going to say but that I was confident it would be perfect and it was.  Our experience was a really good, real life object lesson.

Speaking of teams and staff - Kenya Keys is so blessed to have a dedicated and hard working team in Kenya.  To make it even better, they are so fun to be around. I just love them all.

First there is Joseph, one of the founders and as the Executive Director, is the heart and soul of Kenya Keys.  Then Clemence whose title is 'Program Director'.  There is a lot on her plate, from sanitary supplies for girls to transporting students to doctors and dentists.  Clemence blesses lives.  Titus is the Kenyan Operations Manager.  I can't even begin to imagine what his job encompasses.  Kenya Keys is a complex organization with many moving parts.  We are lucky to have Titus managing it all. 

Patrick just came on board as the accountant.  He will be a great addition.

Mariam and Stephen are the 'sponsorship coordinators'.  Remember that Kenya Keys has hundreds of students in secondary schools, colleges and universities located all over Kenya.  And each of those students has a sponsor who needs to be kept up to date with their students needs and successes.  It is a massive undertaking. 

Mwanaisha is the librarian.  I work closely with her.  She is a dynamo full of ideas and plans for the new library that is 20X larger than the one she has now.  

Last but not least are the 'Hope Springs' mentors.  This program was the brainchild of the Kenyans and was originally geared to primary school students.  During 2020, the staff developed a series of lessons to be given to young students to put them on a path to success.  The topics range from goal setting to entrepreneurship to global warming.  In the beginning 9 schools were included.  Other principals heard of their wonderful mentorship and begged to be included so now they go to 33 primary schools and 5 secondary schools and reach hundred of students.  Hats off to James, Nelson, Winnie and Betty!  And Clemence who directs this program too.  

George and I are proud to play a small part in this organization. 

'Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.'

Helen Keller