Imagine Kenya Inc
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Industry | Non-Profit |
| Location | Nairobi, Kenya |
| Interests | The Genesis of TABASAMU (Meaning – Smile in Kiswahili) Shoe Campaign (Dabbed the “THE TEN BUCK SHOES”) The Tabasamu Shoe Campaign and Distribution started in 2003. I had the opportunity to visit a huge center at the heart of Kibera Slums (with a population of about 800, 000 to 1, 000, 000 people living in 4sq miles: Source – UN Habitat) in Nairobi Kenya. The center known as the Blue House, which received it’s name from the color of the blue Tin-Roofed building. The center operated a meals program for children living in the Slums that were starving and had nowhere else to get food. At the time the Blue House was attracting and hosting about 1, 000 children all the way from 4 years to 17 years. I became very good friends with the founder, Timothy Mulei and had an opportunity to volunteer and teach about 400 teenagers who flocked the center during meal time. The month of December was approaching and I asked Mr. Timothy if he had any plans for giving out any presents during the festive season (Christmas), his reply shocked me because I had just come home from the UK where I lived for four years and had experienced the culture of Christmas presents. At the end of our conversation that day, the concept for the Tabasamu was birthed which was later renamed “The Ten Buck Shoes” project by Adriane and Buck Miller. We were excited about the idea but didn’t realize what a challenge it was going to be mainly because the first time we went out to ask for help, we received all types of shoes. We received over-sized shoes, new shoes, old shoes, expensive shoes, cheap shoes and shoes that not even a child in the Slums could accept. The main challenge came on the day of giving out the “presents”. It became impossible to reconcile or explain to one child why they were receiving an old over sized pair while their neighbor was receiving a new expensive shoes that fitted perfectly. |