Written by Grace Karanja
“Be Good, Do Good”
That is the golden epiphany that countless researchers have concluded on their quest to find both the meaning and purpose of life.
It is with the same breath that we bring you Zuri, a Kiswahili word that translates to "good".
The Zuri Initiative is a social enterprise, based in Kenya, that seeks to elevate the lives of marginalized communities with a specific focus on women and children.
This is achieved through the Zuri Initiative Women Empowerment Programme (ZIWEP) and the Social Capital Credits (SoCCs) program.
ZIWEP allows women of all ages to learn about self-development, financial literacy and the business of sales and marketing of Zuri hair products. It is the kind of learning that builds character, increases the strength of the mind, expands intellect and allows the women independence. In attending this training the women gain knowledge and awareness around what they need to do in order to improve their lives and in turn have a fair chance at gaining employment.
SoCCs was started with a specific geographical target in Asia by the Asia Initiatives (www.asiainitiatives.org). It aimed to encourage women to take care of and improve:
● the environment they live in;
● their children's education; and
● their own lives.
In Kenya, the Zuri Initiative made SoCCs achievable by encouraging women to do social good through uplifting the local communities. This is done by conserving the environment, cleaning it, helping the elderly and recycling imperishable items. By doing such activities the women earn redeemable points. These points are then traded in for beneficial items such as health insurance and school fees.
ZIWEP and SoCCs offer pivotal factors in piloting the youth to become better, leading to more productive lives.
How so? Well, women of all ages are welcome to join both programs. In doing so they will learn about how to build themselves and others across all key aspects of life: financially, mentally, physically and emotionally.
Dr. James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey said "If you educate a man, you educate an individual. But if you educate a woman, you educate a nation." For us to have the world leaders we are looking for, we need to educate women. Which is what the Zuri initiative is doing. We believe that if marginalized women develop their lives, they will strive to enrich and steer the youth into becoming the kind of leaders we need for the next generation.
A vital quality of a good leader is the ability to self grow as is evident in the age-old adage "change starts from within". What better way to trigger constructive leadership than to provide the necessary tools for self-development?
Welcome aboard to the Zuri Initiative.
We hope you will enjoy reading our content, share your thoughts with us, support our causes, purchase our goods, collaborate and partner with us. Together we can Aspire to be Empowered!
Good job Grace!