Two weeks ago, I got a rare opportunity to volunteer for a full day with Send A Cow Rwanda. I had a scheduled trip to do an assignment in Uganda, and Green Micro-finance, which has a working relationship with Send A Cow in Rwanda arranged for me to make the trip, meeting my airline flight from Entebbe to Kigali and back to Entebbe. Green Micro-finance works to merge the environmental and microfinance sectors. They develop environmentally sustainable programs in partnership with local microfinance institutions and non-government organizations. Green Micro-finance working with the Executive Director of Send A Cow Rwanda, James Pimundu, worked out the details for a seamless trip. James already had a scheduled meeting in Nairobi which meant that I did not see him. But he left his wonderful staff that I worked with and traveled with me to the field to capture some of the many amazing development stories in which Send A Cow has been involved. Angelique and Laurent, both senior employees of Send A Cow in Rwanda were involved in the details of the mission.

Without rambling much about myself, my this and my that, I would like to quickly talk about the work of Send A Cow in Rwanda. First, it is important to understand that 10 hours is not sufficient to capture exhaustively the magnitude of the impact that Send A Cow is having on the ground in Rwanda. However, it is also better to have something than having nothing at all. I do take photos better than I write and so I will let the photos do their own taking. But for some useless details, the photo may not speak or the interpreter may miss the message. For example, you would be keen to know that we visited four families, all of which have received a cow from Send A Cow – Rwanda. The concept of Sending A Cow is very simple and multi-edged sword, if there is such a thing. The whole idea is to promote development of family based businesses through agricultural practices that in turn not only generate income, but also ensure food security, better agricultural science and community building. At Send A Cow, they help farmers to access seeds, cows, goats and poultry; to use land more effectively and efficiently; they train the small farmers on business and marketing skills, better hygiene and sanitation, improved nutrition, green energy solutions, and ultimately, all these are pathways out of poverty.

For example, if a cow is given to a home, that translates into food for the home through milk. Milk is a very nutritious product for children. Some families receive up about 20 liters of milk from a single cow every day. They drink some, share some with poor neighbors and sell the rest for an income. The compost manure from the cow is used to improve crop productivity. Very tiny plots of land have been made into highly productive gardens for vegetables that are eaten at home, while others get sold. Manure can also be used for creating green energy, also called biogas energy. This is used for both cooking meals and lighting the home. One of the families said that since they got their biogas installed 2 years ago, they have not used charcoal or fuelwood; not once. This family owns two cows. Deforestation is the single largest threat to environmental degradation in Africa. Albeit initial installation costs for biogas can be high for the rural people, combined benefits and the long terms savings have no price tag. Send A Cow helps its clients to attain these installations, and so does the government of Rwanda, in very highly subsidized deals. As you know, the Rwanda Government instituted the One Cow Per Family Program, of which, Send A Cow is also partner. And for this particular program, the government says of the aim of its ‘One Cow Per Poor Family’ policy is to provide every poor family in the country with good quality, suitable livestock – not just cows – by 2020.” The One Cow Per Family program is partly attributed the drastic decline in poverty levels, cutting it by 12% in just the last 6 years, according to the LA Times.

Send A Cow has been doing this kind of work since the 1980′s starting in Uganda. Every family that receives a cow is supposed to pass on the gift of a first born female cow to another person. And that’s how everyone pays it forward.

Population control needs a national policy framework. In such an environment, the messaging from different groups that have a stake in the future of Uganda would be congruent, understandable and not confusing. Without this, it makes the work of advocates such as UHMG very difficult; because on one hand they are advocating for small families, while on the other, the government of Uganda (read President) theorizes that a large population represents a cheap labor force, an incentive for a growing middle class. Should UHMG then sit and do nothing? Hardly, because there is USAID money to be spent. But there are smarter ways to spend this money. For example, UHMG or any other interested parties could lobby members of parliament, invest in authoring a bill and finding a sponsor/s of this bill in Parliament so that this issue can begin to get to the fore front. The debate that is likely to ensue could have an impact 10 times higher than your current campaign. Moreover, who knows that it would get adopted and then as a country we would have one direction.

Spending money on billboards and television in the english language clearly shows that they also either don’t get it or have a different agenda. By targeting the youth who are 18 – 30, they are right on the money; because this is the demographic that is either about to get married or has been married for a while. Urging this group to have smaller families is therefore a no brainer. In fact, I would take the target age group down to 15 or 14. Because in rural areas, kids are getting married and having children. While 18 is the age of consent in Uganda, so what? Children are getting married younger and no one is doing anything about it, so the campaign could as well include them.

But that’s where this campaign is not relevant to the population growth issue in Uganda. Crafting a massive media strategy that devotes probably more than 70% of the media dollars to the urban and english speaking demographic misses the mark – gapingly. This group already knows what you are saying. If they haven’t read it somewhere, they have heard it in school. That is why in Kampala, or in other urban centers, the number of children in a household, especially for those below 40 years is less. We need a scientific survey, but I would argue that the average is about 3, a far cry from a national average of 7 children. We therefore need to understand why such a huge disparity? And the answer is quite simple because we all know it (may be we don’t); it lies in the economics.

Families – all the way to the rural areas that earn a livelihood through meaningful monetary transactions also are compelled to budget, whether on paper or otherwise. They budget for food (land production), school tuition (private and better performing schools), and independent healthcare (not Mulago or affiliated hospitals). Because they barely make ends meet, they are forced to make sober choices. They consciously ask; if we want our children to inherit a piece of land, what’s a reasonable number we can produce? If we want our children to acquire a quality education since UPE is still crawling (roots for quantity and not quality), how many children can we manage? This internal self reflection and realty checks are imposed by economics; money! And so, here goes the question? How can we begin to reverse population growth in a country of 33.5 million people in which about 30 million are poor, where there are allures of free (substandard) education, free healthcare that doesn’t work, and free land (in the rural areas)? What’s the mindset of the poor person who’s got these attractive advantages? When his village is facing famine because of poor environmental practices, the UN and USAID at the begging of his government come to his rescue.

How can we begin to teach our people that while it’s true that “Children are a blessing (to us) from God”, we have just become a curse to them! We also need to become a blessing to our children. We need to be able to provide, period. That’s the whole duty of parenthood – whether it is providing love, security, education, protection, we must strive to provide. This calls for holistic approach, it calls for a National Security Strategy (which I still argue Uganda doesn’t have) in which we can all operate, with or without our hip messages. Almost two years ago when we did election messaging, I went to the deepest of the villages in Uganda. I realized then that the people of Uganda’s most immediate means were not elections; it was their survival. No wonder that our message would get eroded by the stacks of cash that made rounds in the villages on the eve of election day.

The poor have become the pawn in a chase game. Corrupt governments need them to keep ruling, NGOs and aid agencies cease to be relevant without them; but this gotta stop. Addressing poverty challenges and helping people out of that misery is the most logical way. People need to get integrated into the economy first. And lastly, learn from those who are doing things right. Ask the right questions; for example, how has Rwanda managed to reduce/drop the fertility rate from 6.1 to 4.6 in less than a decade?

Behind sprawling buildings and the dusty streets of Kampala lies Kisenyi, Uganda’s biggest slum of several million people; some living there while several others working there daily. Kisenyi is a sheer contrast of the rising Kampala skyline on its backdrop, but both ends fight for their own significance. Yet, one would argue that Kisenyi, the slum, could as well be an extension of what “the good” Kampala would look like if we were all poor, filthy, dingy and hopeless. In Kisenyi, the future just looks bleak.

I met with Ruth Aine, a Ugandan journalist and blogger and brainstormed on how, through our gifts and talents, we could try to give back. Our mission was simple; organize Kisenyi residents, take their portraits (dignifying), interact with them and show them that some one actually cares. For us to achieve this, we needed to find a partner in the community which Ruth did so ably and quickly, making a connection with another Ugandan blogger, Javie Ssozi, who had some unique connections in the area with the Kisenyi Community Shelter. Then we needed to find volunteers for the project, and we went to find Ugandans on Twitter that would be interested in the initiative.

Again, Ruth mobilized a handful of the twitter community and friends in lightening speed. We needed volunteers to come and interact with the people – interview them and tell their stories, take their photographs, and for us to have the slum experience first hand. Kisenyi is not a place one would ever desire to go, and much less live. Yet, here, children and women live in the most squalid conditions, in a neighborhood smelling of filth, sewerage and drugs, surrounded by heaps of rubbish, protected or terrorized by vice. If one stops for a minute and realize he or she could be the one living in such conditions, they can only shudder.

Unfortunately, having a government that does not care about social services means these forms of poverty and injustice will prevail for a while. Into perspective; if a national hospital can lack drugs or doctors, can there be hope for the slum dweller or the street kid? Yes, there is hope! Since we had our Kisenyi Photo Shoot 2 weeks ago, a good samaritan, inspired by our simple gesture to give back, is going to pay for Madina’s school tuition through medical school. This was in response to Rosebell Kagumire – an award winning journalist and blogger, who volunteered with us on that day. We have also been contacted by our friends at Ruhanga Development School in Kabale, to explore ways in which we can transplant children from these conditions to have an education and develop other skills. Nothing is conclusive yet, but that we can begin seeing such prospects with a simple project like the #KisenyiPhotoShoot means we have the ability to change and transform our communities – through simple acts, may fulfill some dreams.

We inspired ourselves, inspired people on the web, and may be we inspired the community that we served. Evelyn Namara, the Program Coordinator at Solar Sister said that her mind was opened; reflecting on the conditions of the people, she realized how most of us are so blessed and yet we complain so much. I would like to send special thanks to Four by Six Images and Patricia Kahil who offered free prints to the residents of the portraits we took on the day. They also did the make up on the subjects. Please also check out Edward Echwalu’s blog, our other volunteer photographer who captured some amazing shots with us on the day. Thank you to our special volunteers Patricia Twino, Ford Tumwesigye. Lastly, thank you to @VillageServe; our social enterprise. Tweet me here!

Shortly before my latest trip to Rwanda and Uganda, my old friend Royii inquired about the possibility of a family portrait session. Usually, I travel with a mission and it gets difficult to arrange sessions (that’s why I have turned down a few requests), but because he and I had talked before I made travel plans, it was easier to arrange for the session. Things are a little difficult in Uganda; from transportation (Kampala traffic jams) to finding suitable (clean) locations that are conducive for family portraits that are public. It did help a great deal that Royii and I were childhood friends – they came to pick me and my gear from home. Royii and I went to school together (and did all the bad things teenagers do) and have managed to keep the connection. He married his high school sweet heart, Anita, and I remember visiting them in hospital when they had their first daughter – Roanita. As we drove to Entebbe, a small airport town that touches the lake shores of Victoria, I realized how far we have come; from  skipping showers and classes (hehe, gotcha!) and now to having children! Here are some of their portraits. And if you would like to have a SIGNATURE session and are wondering about my availability, please contact me through this page.

Recently, I had an opportunity to visit Rwanda for the second time in 5 years. The last time I was in Rwanda was in 2007. My wife and I had just gotten married, were fresh newbies when we went to explore a bit of Rwanda. We ended up staying only one night, and so did not have the chance to explore extensively. Even then, one could draw a sharp contrast between Rwanda and the rest of the region in terms of organization, discipline and cleanliness. As we sat down quietly and ate away on our plates full of chips and crisp chicken, we gazed at the future of Rwanda and dreamed of being part of it. We enthused inhabiting the country we had just stepped into and had barely spent 24 hours in. Rwanda had put an imprint on our hearts, an indelible mark on our minds. 5 years or so have passed, and the mark hasn’t faded. I got another rare opportunity to visit Rwanda, this reaffirmed my desire. But beyond personal cares, I would like to ask and attempt to answer (in my own way) the question; What Makes Rwanda Tick?

1. Rwanda is a Community

Contrary to what the rest of the world purports to know, Rwanda is a united country. It is united by it’s history, culture, race and language. Whereas Rwanda has a troubled history, the country is attempting to put that behind it. Efforts such as the Gacaca justice system may have it’s flaws but the advantages far outweigh any inherent weaknesses. Rwanda has cultivated communities right from the lowest levels of villages to the city residences. Community initiatives such as Gacaca or Umuganda not only foster the country forward, they bring people closer; moreover, Umuganda promotes a good work ethic. These communal obligations help people to connect, and to appreciate interdependence. This connectedness at the village or cell level means that everyone almost knows everyone, and at the very least, the Umudugudu would know every resident.

2. Rwanda is Secure

Today, Rwanda is more secure than it has ever been. I have heard people say how Rwanda is on the verge of collapse or a tipping point of another conflict of catastrophic proportions. Many of the pessimists base their assumptions on Rwanda’s bloody history and on frequent negative media reports often mentioning Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame or the Rwanda Defense Forces. Rwanda’s security does not lie only in it’s armed forces. It also lies in the rapid development it has undertaken. Rwanda recognizes only too well that without development there is no security, and without security, there is no development. The development that is taking place in Rwanda, both in the city and in the villages would not be if there was an absence of confidence in the security of the country. Likewise, it is very unlikely that the systematic and systemic efforts to foster economic growth can be disrupted, but rather can only further pacify the country.

3. Rwanda is Hungry

Rwanda is hungry. Not hungry for food, but for growth. The Rwandans, as it were, have decided they will never settle for less. Rwanda is purpose driven. From fighting disease, improving household hygiene, and fighting poverty, Rwanda has declared itself as a nation of purpose, choosing to depart from a Rwanda of the past accused of lacking focus which brought on the country the divisiveness that almost totally destroyed the country. The poverty levels have drastically declined, and Rwanda is the first country to achieve the sanitation goal, surpassing it by eight percent, and is poised to meet most of the other millennium targets. President Kagame told Fast Company 3 years ago his views about aid, thus; ”No country can depend on development aid forever, Such dependency dehumanizes us and robs us of our dignity.”

4. Rwanda Trusts its Youth

Rwanda has invested heavily in its human capital. From primary education to graduate education, Rwanda has put a lot of resources in developing its young population and preparing it for the future. A lot of Rwandans study abroad in top schools. They are then ploughed back into the system and lead departments at the highest level.  In fact, the president works with a lot of young people who have energy, zeal and passion to serve the country. On my visit to Rwanda, I met a lot of these young people, some my age and others younger, who are no doubt the engine of the tiny giant. More than half the population of Rwandans is below 18 years. There is no other way of creating jobs for all of them than to give them skills, a good education and prepare them for a competitive economy. The government is doing just that.

5. Rwanda Takes Advice

Proverbs 11:14; Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory. It can be argued that Rwanda took this wisdom literary. The counselors or advisors to the president of Rwanda (Presidential Advisory Council) are not your run of the mill type. They are chief executives of multi national corporations, spiritual heavy weights and global political leaders. They are men that would not be intimidated to look Kagame straight in the eye and tell him as it is. Men such as Tony Blair – former British Premier; Scott Ford – Former President and CEO of Alltel; Clet Niyikiza – GlaxoSmithKline Vice President of Worldwide Research & Development; Kaia Miller – founder of Aslan Global, Inc; Rick Warren – Religious leader, founder Saddleback Church, and PEACE Plan; Donald Kaberuka – President of the African Development Bank Group; They need nothing from Kagame or Rwanda; neither power, nor fame, nor money. They already got it. From the stature of these men, what you see is what you get. In aligning itself with such outstanding global leadership, Rwanda means business; and it listens. Needless to say that I have spoken to people who report to President Kagame directly and they all say; the man is humble, very humble!

6. Rwanda Doesn’t Steal

It is often said that following the second congo war, Rwanda, Uganda and other African countries stole from it’s neighbor, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda may have stolen from her neighbor, but what it doesn’t do is still from her own people. Corruption is the single largest factor that has hampered growth in most of Sub Saharan Africa. After more than 1 trillion dollars in development aid to Africa since Independence, there is little visible changes in most countries. Only about a decade or so after the conflict in Rwanda, the changes are evident. Infrastructural development, functional services, a sense of purpose and clear direction is what one notices. In the rural areas, people have turned fortunes by utilizing very little plots of land to feed their families and sell the surplus. In Kayonza, a model village has been established to pilot a program of bringing people into communities so that it becomes easier to bring social services to them.

7. Rwanda Has Vision

Proverbs 29:18; Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. This piece of scripture sums up what Rwanda is up to. It’s got vision. Without good leadership, Rwanda could be another Somalia hamstrung by chaos, it could be another Uganda plagued by corruption, or it could be another Burundi stuck in it’s own chaotic history. Instead, Rwanda is breaking free of all mediocrity that its leadership just can’t stand. Rwanda, who’s population is too big for its tiny land is poised to become one of the region’s largest exporter of agricultural products to countries in West Africa. Realizing a need for food stuffs (fruits, vegetables and other perishables) in Congo Brazaville, Ivory Coast, etc, Rwanda has opened up air routes for it’s entrepreneurs to take full advantage. On the other hand, Uganda, which owns 48% of all arable land in the East African region had a population facing hunger last year, plus, is auctioning/giving away land cheaply/freely to Asian and European/American “investors.” Where there is no vision, the people perish!

PS: My Rwanda travels were sponsored by Green Microfinance; an organization that seeks to address climate change and environmental justice by providing education and sharing knowledge on microfinance and environment – The Missing Bottom Line.

A few weeks ago, myself and a few other Lancaster Photographers grabbed our gear, went downtown, set up shop, and took portraits in a give back gesture. We also had other volunteers that included make-up artists, hair stylists, and many other volunteers. I grabbed my light and handy Elinchrom Ranger RX battery power pack that makes my on location photography so seamless. For light modification, I took the elinchrom rotalux deep octa 27″ softbox which is also handy; small, but big enough for individual portraits and small group photos. It is not heavy, and if your are shooting inside  where there is no wind, there is hardly any need for sandbags. I am a fun of one light photography, and the elinchrom system gets the results for me. I also had a the Westcott 40″ – 5 in one reflector which I found no need for as I found another photographer with a similar set up (I used their neat brown paper backdrop) for these photographs below.

Back to giving back to Lancaster! When scripture says it is better to give than to receive, it is very hard for us to believe, or even process! For boy, I love receiving. I love gifts, I love free stuff. I love to receive! In fact, if you and I stop right now and reflect a little bit about that, the truth will at first, slowly sift into our minds and then suddenly bring us to the realization that every one loves to receive. To love them, as we are commanded to love one another as ourselves, would imply that we need to give to people, because if we wear their shoes for one passing moment, we will understand only too well what it would mean to them. But that’s not the bottomline. How can giving be better than receiving? Well, if you have ever been on the side of giving; and I don’t mean those instances when you share leftovers or pass on used clothing; the genuine “it costs me something” giving, you realize that the genuine happiness of the recepient gives you some inner satisfaction and joy that one can’t buy. This exactly what happened to most of us when we went out to offer free professional portraits to families and children. Boy, the photos from that event are some of my all time favorite!

I hope that you too will give or continue giving back to your community. Everyone has something to give. I do not have a lot of money to give, but I have gifts and talents and abilities, and so do you. Everyone has something to give. Do not hoard it, give it back. I can’t wait to give back in this same way to my Ugandan community in Kampala, Gulu, Mbale, everywhere, and of course to Rwanda, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, and Burundi, South Africa and Jamaica…oh, I want to give photos, photos, photos! Please continue checking the progress with our new initiative, VillageServe, coming soon. Together, through this social enterprise, we will give back and impact thousands of small farmers in Africa.

We have special connections to all the weddings and the couple’s that we work with, but Kara and Justin’s wedding is very special and unique in so many different ways! I was traveling overseas when Justin and I began communicating back and forth on email about the possibility of working together on their wedding. Before I returned from my trip, he had committed to having Sonya and I shoot their wedding. But that was before Sonya got pregnant with our first child! Thankfully, Sonya didn’t go into labor until the morning after their wedding, and we had for contingency, hired our friend Kayla who usually steps in to come and shoot with us. Justin and Kara do not live in Pennsylvania, but rather somewhere far away in North Carolina. The great distance meant that they had to do not most, but all their wedding planning on phone and email, at least that’s what happened for the wedding photography. I can therefore tell you that we met Justin and Kara for the first time on their wedding day! When we met them, it was like we had been friends for a long time. Time was very limited for pictures and it was aggressively shiny, but we had secured two great locations (we ended up using only one) to shoot bridal portraits in Strausstown, PA, Berks County, the area where Justin grew up. The wedding ceremony was at Zion Blue Mountain Church of Christ, a throw stone away from the little town while their reception took place at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Reading, PA. I wouldn’t want to forget to mention that Justin is an award winning race car engineer and is part of the Penske Racing Team. I will  add on this text later. I kind of did this so quickly because I wanted to keep my promise to Kara to post this before midnight, tonight. Please leave a comment at the bottom of the page cos we dig them. Also, please click the facebook like button at the bottom. The page will be automatically published on your wall (that’s good for all of us

Make no mistake! Africa is the last frontier (read the definition of market frontier here, only that part!)  in terms of investing in Africa, and the time for investing in Africa is now! According to The Next-Web, within the next 4 years, mobile growth and penetration is set to increase by a staggering 60%, bringing the total number of cell phone and mobile computing system owners to about 1 billion people! Now that is phenomenal. It is therefore not rocket science that people who invest in technological applications, data services, mobile apps, etc will reap big. It also means that there is still room for newer or foreign telecommunications companies such as the UK’s O2 to enter the African market and earn a buck. But most importantly, it means that African entrepreneurs, investors and developers are presented with an opportunity of a lifetime.

There are many growth areas in Africa. Agriculture, housing construction and infrastructure development, mining and manufacturing; all these are areas still in their infancy or totally untapped but promise a lot potential. For someone trying to reap big, Africa is no longer that place that you shun as volatile, unstable, etc. Recent history shows us, as Reuters News put it two years ago while quoting the BRIC Report, that it as risky to invest in Africa as it is to invest on Wall Street. So the wise investor will spread their capital across the spectrum but the wiser investor must include Africa in their investment plans. If I were the chief executive of a technology or telecommunications company such as the UK’s O2, I would seriously push to invest in Africa. This Wall Street Journal Report gives as a snapshot on how some investors including big name organizations such as Wall-mart have found their way into Africa even though the same report is quick to underscore how small businesses and enterprises are finding it difficult to raise money.

If you are entrepreneur looking to invest in Africa, regardless of your weight, you could talk to investment advisory firms such as the Africa Maven Group which is made of young African entrepreneurs looking to establishing connections and advisory for business and people looking to invest in Africa. As most of you know, I am working hard to push our non profit social enterprise for Africa called VillageServe that will work to provide opportunities for village communities in Africa through training, providing start up costs and creating vast markets (investing in small farmers of Africa). Please contact me if you have more questions about this program and how you can be involved.

Nikki and Jon are both going to school. Jon is studying to become a filmmaker and Nikki is a communications major at Millersville University. They will both graduate in the spring of next year and they have planned their wedding for the same spring season (May 2012). As you can imagine, they both live busy lives combining school, work, family and romance As such, it was difficult to get to nail a day to do their wedding engagement photos in Lancaster, PA. When we finally did, we had such an mazing time chasing the Strasburg steam engine/train, the Amish baggies, Strasburg ice cream and even Strasburg wines from the Strasburg Winery. Nikki and Jon are both laid back, with Nikki having such a hearty laugh that Jon likes to bring to the fore with his ticklish jokes. They had expressed the desire to do their engagement photos at Lititz Spring Park and railroad, but because we had just finished doing engagement photos at the same location the previous week, we suggested to have their done at the Strasburg Railroad instead (The railroad was operational by 1937). We were also supposed to have some photos taken at a peach farm owned by an Amish Farmer who had given me permission to use it, but the rare unprecedented October snow storm spoiled our plans. In the end, we stuck to the very little and historic Strasburg township and captured Nikki and Jon’s loveness.

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