Archive for 22 June 2009
Bienvenu a Kinshasa!
Not long after my Kenya Airways flight slalomed into N’djili Airport, I began to hear the noise. Drum beats. Cheering. Flag-waving masses of people. “Wow,” I thought, “what a welcome.” I had heard the Congolese were welcoming, but this is a bit over the top!
A Hero’s Welcome – Note the caravan of fans at the top right!
It turns out the ad-hoc parade wasn’t for me (Bummer!) but for the coach of one of the club football (soccer) teams here in Kinshasa. Nevertheless, the conglomeration of people and noise proved to be an ideal introduction to this pulsating metropolis. With 8 million souls, Kinshasa is considered by many to be the largest french-speaking city in the world. It is the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the third largest country in Africa, bordering almost all major conflict regions on the continent.
Usually, when I tell people I’m heading to the “Congo,” I get the same almost-scripted reaction. Puzzlement, worry, doubt – “why would anyone willingly go to the DRC?” I suppose the Congo has come to be seen as a basket case, a land of war, violence and suffering. What I see, however, and what I hope to convey through this blog over the next two months, is Congo as a land of opportunity, a land of hope.
Let me be clear. Congo has issues. Power outages, crime, rampant corruption, the DRC ranks 181st out 181 countries on the World Bank’s “Doing Business” report. But with tremendous challenge lies tremendous opportunity.
Rich in mineral wealth, and relatively stable since elections in 2006, the DRC seems to have finally turned the corner after centuries of violence and exploitation. This is where you (Kiva Lender) come in. By lending directly to entrepreneurs in the DRC through Kiva you are, in a way, reversing history, connecting with the Congolese on a basis of dignity and mutual respect. So be sure to keep an eye out for DRC loans this summer and beyond, as the MFI I am working with, Hope DRC, plans to ramp-up its Kiva lending!
John Soleanicov is serving as a Kiva Fellow with Hope DRC (KF8).
Close to Home
Total chaos can be beautiful. Horns honk at me from left to right and the vibrations jump from one ear to the other. A river of motorbikes (xe oms) race past my taxi window. There appears to be no traffic lights, no speed limits and few rules. I stop to listen and start to see life—life as it is lived in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Having spent some time in Hanoi as an undergraduate, the bustling sounds of the Old Quarter are familiar and comforting. The streets lined with booming businesses of every sort are images that come to mind when I think about microfinance and entrepreneurship in Vietnam.
As I left Hanoi for Thanh Hoa, where I will be based as a fellow during the next three months, I wondered what entrepreneurship would look like in Vietnam’s second poorest province. During the foggy morning as my train rushed by brilliant shades of green across Vietnam’s lush rice paddies, I could not help but be captivated by the tranquil countryside. It’s raining as I leave the train station and my first sight of Thanh Hoa is a gray, damp and serene scene. (more…)
Language Connection
Bonjour from Benin,
I am approaching the two-week mark of my fellowship in Benin and things are off to a good start! I am working for Alidé, an MFI based in Cotonou, the largest city in Benin. Alidé is a relatively new partner of Kiva and is showing great promise. The Kiva Coordinator at Alidé, my main colleague, is committed to strengthening the partnership and teaching the other staff members how to use Kiva. I have a good feeling that we will work well together.
During these first few weeks, I have definitely noticed the language barrier. I came to Benin with a good, working knowledge of French, but there have been inevitable difficulties. People here in Cotonou speak French, but the accent is unfamiliar and conversations also include many words in Fon, the language native to this region. I often find myself struggling to keep up. Unfamiliar languages are common in almost every fellowship. Even if English is a national language, fellows immerse themselves into cultures that use Swahili, Arabic, Samoan, or Cambodian. There is bound to be frustration for everyone due to communication difficulties.
However, so far, I’ve found that learning a language has an incredible power to foster connections between people. Around the office, I greatly appreciate the patience and grace of Alidé’s staff when I do not completely understand something in French. I’ve seen the hospitality of the Beninese people by their willingness to help me out. Also, whenever I use a word or phrase in Fon, people instantly light up and become eager to teach me more. They appreciate the attempt to understand their language and culture. An instant friendship is born. Using Fon is a great way to gain trust and to create a connection with Kiva borrowers.
The power of language is one simple way that Kiva’s mission to connect people is being implemented. When you are forced to find ways to communicate, you gravitate towards shared beliefs and experiences. I find that when communication is possible, the payoff is rewarding. That reward is the knowledge that I have developed a relationship with someone who grew up in a different country and culture, and speaks a different language. Fostering connections is part of the Kiva experience that fellows, lenders, and supporters all share to some degree. Kiva allows us to understand the importance of engaging the global community. I am fortunate to be a part of such an organization.
Andrew Whiteman is Kiva Fellow (KF8) working in Cotonou, Benin.
