Harambee!

Harambee: (ha-rahm-bay) a Swahili word which means “all pull together” and is also the term for a fundraiser/social/party/auction – a chance to see the community come together to support a cause.

Since moving to Kenya in August, we have been invited to many Harambees – these fundraising parties that are used for everything from church sound systems to building homes to school fees. We hadn’t attended one yet, out of a partial mix of the uncomfortable feeling of knowing that people expect you to give a lot (and are always asking for things) and the challenge of actually traveling out to a village to attend one, what would probably become a full day’s event.  In general, we have given some kind of contribution to the cause, but haven’t gone to the event.

A few weeks ago, there seemed to be a good opportunity for me (Henry) to finally attend one.  A neighbor’s house helper, Eunice, was having a Harambee to raise money for her son to attend Tenwek’s nursing school.  We know Eunice mainly because she makes delicious Ugali Chips (kind of like extra thick and salty tortilla chips), which we buy in abundance. The family that she works for invited me to go along, as well as some other people, so the 12 of us (6 adults and 6 children) piled into a 9 passenger Land Cruiser and made the 20 minute drive to Eunice’s house. Because Eunice is used to wazungu (white people), she invited us to come at 4pm, but everyone else was invited for 10am!

Eunice is a widow, and has raised two children – one of whom is at a teacher’s college and the other is just starting nursing school. This is quite an accomplishment for a widow living in rural Kenya!

When we arrived, we were invited into Eunice’s house for tea, along with some other VIPs.  After tea and Blue Band sandwiches (a local specialty of two pieces of bread with some margarine in the middle), we went to the tent for the party.

Guests having tea inside Eunice’s house.

Me and Dr. Amy Rule in our seats of honor at the front

The Harambee was led by the local village chief, one of Eunice’s distant relations, and an emcee. After speeches from Eunice, the village chief, and Eunice’s mother and father, the fundraising began! Each “group” was invited to come up front and give, starting with the family and a steering committee (set up to help oversee the funding of the nursing school) and continuing through village neighbors, and finally to the VIPs and Guests of Honor (and assistant Guests of Honor). As each person came up, their name was announced along with how much they gave.

Dr. Dino and Eunice – Dr. Dino was a guest of honor

Receiving and counting the donations

Some of the overflow seating for the harambee

After the giving, they had an auction! This even happens in churches here in Kenya when people bring bags of beans or some vegetables instead of money. Everything is sold and the money is added to everything else that has been given.  At Eunice’s harambee, they auctioned off a live chicken, soap, water collecting jugs, bananas, and lots of other donations.

Auctioning off a water jug!

Eventually, and after not too long a time, we had to leave in order to be back at Tenwek in time for a going away party – so we said goodbye and crammed ourselves back into the car (I was sitting in the way back with 4 children).

The next day, I heard that they had raised over 136,000 shillings (or about $1500) to cover the first year or two of nursing school.  That is a pretty impressive number given that most people gave 100 shillings each (about $1.15) and all of the community would be defined as poor.  It was a great example of how the community here really takes care of those in it.  And I’m sure that Eunice and her family will be paying it back by giving generously to all the neighbors’ Harambees in the future!

One thing I took away from this experience was the ability of the community to come together to support something it knew was a good cause.  It is so fascinating to see how differently this culture works when it comes to money, saving, and giving!  They don’t give to “organizations,” they give to individuals that they know are in need.  And the whole thing works on a  “what goes around, comes around” philosophy, where you give generously to others, and when it’s your turn to be in need, they will give generously to you.

Please pray for Eunice and her son as he starts nursing school in a week or so.  And pray for us as we continue to learn how to live and work among the need of the local Kenyans around us.