http://www.covalentglobal.org/news News, updates, and opinions from Covalent Global Capital Tue, 13 Apr 2010 04:20:12 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en HodI? Anyone Home? ~ Covalent Global Capital ~ Karibuni ~ Welcome Covalent Global is building a greater network of people dedicated to improving communities in Africa (Kenya) and building a solid connection to people in America. Building community is our main focus this year and will consume most of our efforts. We invite you ... http://www.covalentglobal.org/news/index.php/archives/hodi-anyone-hom/ Self-Help Group Helps Farmers Navigate in Turbulent Markets A group of dairy farmers pull together to for a self-help group in Mukurwe-ini, Central Province that helps diversify the market for milk and support the cost of education for its member's children. New Study Suggests HIV Unchanged In Nyanza Province A just released survey ... http://www.covalentglobal.org/news/index.php/archives/kenya-community-news-roundup/ [caption id="attachment_204" align="aligncenter" width="595" caption="10Village Screen Shot"][/caption] Communities are incredible. If you are part of a community you're acutely aware of your needs and those around you. This has been the basis for improvements of all sorts - business, charitable, and personal - in every country. In America, we must first ... http://www.covalentglobal.org/news/index.php/archives/10villages-community-views/ [caption id="attachment_204" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Greg with a family in Thika, Kenya"][/caption] In the last post I said that toys for children was definitely something you should bring to Africa because they are in such scarce supply. The point of gifts is not merely a matter of maximizing the utility of the ... http://www.covalentglobal.org/news/index.php/archives/what-to-bring-to-kenya/ [caption id="attachment_194" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Handmade fleece pillowcases given to kids in Kenya (photo: Boyznberry)"][/caption] I happened to notice a blog post by an aid worker in Ethiopia that recommended that you NOT bring gifts for kids when you visit him. Rather, he suggests, you should make a donation to Save the ... http://www.covalentglobal.org/news/index.php/archives/bring-gifts-for-children/ [caption id="attachment_170" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="Kibera Soweto, East"][/caption] The Kibera slum is slowly upgrading its housing from mud, dirt, sticks, and rusted tin to ominous concrete. Above is a view of Kibera Soweto we took while visiting last fall. In the skyline you see the houses being constructed by the Government and ... http://www.covalentglobal.org/news/index.php/archives/soweto-kibera-upgraded/ In a previous post I expressed my shock at that lack of media coverage over deaths in Mt. Elgon in favor of covering the latest scandal within the Kenyan Government. Since 2006, hundreds have been killed at Mt. Elgon and Human Rights Watch raised concerns of war crimes. Now it ... http://www.covalentglobal.org/news/index.php/archives/mount-elgon-heals/ Covalent Global is still pushing ahead and facing the problems associated with giving to Africa. Our approach, has not been to combat these problems but rather to acknowledge them and work to adequately address them. For us it is about understanding what we can do, while holding true to what ... http://www.covalentglobal.org/news/index.php/archives/moving-beyond-black-boxes-and-profiles/ While in Kenya meeting with groups I made an ambitious goal of starting what I called a Social Capital Network, and would later become Covalent Global Capital, in the second quarter of 2009. The date was chosen because it would mark 1 year since I went to Africa to investigate ... http://www.covalentglobal.org/news/index.php/archives/ants-elephants-and-camels/ In January 2009, we interviewed community members in 10 villages to learning more about the needs and circumstances facing each community, straight from the source. The results are just beginning to be released and are open for public comment. They are particularly relevant to individual donors, who typically follow larger ... http://www.covalentglobal.org/news/index.php/archives/listen-to-soweto-kibera/