Jamii Bora is a wonderful example of how people can pull themselves out of poverty if given some guidance and opportunity. Watch the new video, that provides some insight and wise words from the founder of Jamii Bora - Ingrid Munro. It will give you a more textured feel of what is being accomplished on a daily basis, thanks to the network being built by Jamii Bora. 

I have been back in the 'real world' for roughly a week now and am getting acclimated to my regular life. I already miss many of the great people I met during the race. I really am grateful for the experience and am excited to continue forward with Race4Change. I respect how Rally Racing is a community of people who wish to push their limits and test the strength of their will. Things go totally wrong, and you just got to roll with it and figure it out for yourself (with your team of course). You must be strong within to remain humble during moments of excitement and you must remain inspired during times of despair. I experienced both and have learned much. These feelings transcend racing and are very applicable to people universally. Staying even tempered is an important trait to strive for. I hope some of the lessons I learnt on this trip will help make me better off in my life here. I am sure it will. 

More videos will continue to trickle into the site and new updates will come soon. 

FOLLOW, and join the "movement of the poor", as it does 100% have an impact on the world you live in and the world you'll leave behind for your children.

We finished the East African Safari Rally! We were able to get the Peugeot back up on its feet long enough to reach the end. There were 50 to 60 Jamii Borians dancing us all the way to the podium where we celebrated our accomplishment as a community of individuals battling against poverty. I repeatedly use the word 'special' to articulate the conglomerate of emotions beating within my chest during the events of this race. Truth be told, it is not something that can be worded well. It needs to be felt. By the end of the finishing ceremony EVERYONE associated with the race now knew and understood the opportunity and compassion behind Microcredit and Jamii Bora. In fact, racers and organizers were so supportive we have begun initial, although vague and very preliminary, discussions about growing this campaign in the next 2011 East African Safari Rally.

We did not finish as high in the rankings as we might of liked, but the feeling of crossing the finish line with rows of supporters cheering our campaign on, made us feel like champions. More important than any finishing stat is the fact we are continuing to bring attention to Microfinance and Jamii Bora as the 2010 Africa/Middle East Regional Microcredit Summit (AMERMS) rapidly approaches. AMERMS is to be held in Nairobi, Kenya April 7-10 of next year. The more we can do to highlight this pivotal event the better. It will be a momentous moment for the poor of Africa, and it will give them a stage from which they can exhibit to the world if given dignity and hope they can rise up and resolve their own problems.

My boys are excited to get back to a stable system from which they can post the amazing material they’ve captured over the past 3 weeks. I know they have felt frustrated with their ability to upload via spotty or non-existent internet service. Check back, as many visuals will be uploaded. It will bring to life the stories I’ve written here.

The real race is still ON. The race to PROSPERITY…

The sooner the world can wake up and aknowledge through action that by parting with a little and spreading the word, this generation of global citizens possess power beyond their wildest imaginations to create real change.

Be the one to help push this forward, not the one to close this browser window and go about your daily routine.

Today is day 8 and as Travis Pastrana so notoriously said after flipping his rally vehicle end over end multiple times - "WHAT A RIDE". 

We have seen so much of this country and what East Africa has to offer. We've stayed in 5 different lodges in different areas of Kenya. We've interacted with the real locals of this country in ever corner of it. People have lined the trails to see the Rally vehicles pass. It's been magnificent. Our backdrop yesterday, was elephants crossing plains in front of Mt. Kilimanjaro. I mean, you are taking such a thrashing during the day just trying to stay on path and out of the ditch, you really got to take a moment at night when you're mingling with the other drivers and their families to realize how special this race is. It is undoubtedly one of the toughest. That is not hype or anything else. You can go communicate with any experienced rally racer and he'll tell you. On top of being one of the toughest, it is one of the most beautiful races in any circuit. The beauty is not just derived from Mr. Kilimanjaro, the animals, or lush green jungles. It is also derived from the soulful people we meet on a daily basis, who with open arms and wide smiles are offering there assistance. These are not people working at the hotels and being paid. I'm talking about the people like the ones who came to our rescue yesterday when we were trapped in mud, near a village.

Locals from this village stormed our car. At first we were apprehensive, a little confused but within seconds it was clear they wanted to offer help. They didn't know of Jamii Bora, there was no publicity in this. They just saw two fellows from a race in a bad spot and knew they could help. It was pouring rain (which, unfortunately has dominated the forecast of this race) and getting us out was one hell of a messy affair. At least 20 local tribesmen came and helped lift the back end of our Peugeot out of the soft gushy mud and onto a harder surface where we could gain traction. I mean, that kind of stuff tickles me. We come from completely different worlds, have many different values, and certainly have different cultural perspectives...yet when a common man is in need of a hand...there it is - extended out. 

This race has been invaluable for my growth as a human being and has taught an old dog a bunch of new tricks. 

Join us,join us, join us. What other reasons do you need to part with 5$ for a cause. That money is going STRAIGHT to someone who needs it and will not just feed them for a day, leaving them hungry the next. It will help them implement a new life. 

Join us.

Day 1

We had the ceremonial start downtown in Mombasa. The streets were littered with locals eager to see the cars take-off. It was a beehive! Jamii Borians were present and charged up. It was so touching to see them take the time to see us off. Oh, and guess who was there to lead the ceremony? None other than the Minister of Tourism - Najib Mohamed Balala. He gave all of us his best wishes and made a touching speech about the profound tradition of this race. Following his speech he left the podium to personally say farewell to the racers. As he walked by me, I kind of just stood there not expecting him to recognize me. To my surprise, he walked straight up to me and threw out his hand "Good to see you Mr. Funk!". I was stunned and honored...looks like our mission here is leaving an impression.

A half hour later, I was strapped to my car like an F-16 pilot blasting down some of the worst roads imaginable, trying to keep pace with these slippery veterans. I started with butterflies trying to escape my stomach through my mouth but quickly got lost in just making it around the next turn. For any of you out there that have played competitive sports, it was like entering the beginning of a championship game. You look at the other team and begin to doubt whether or not you're good enough to compete against them. They look big, strong and confident. However, shortly after the game begins, you make a few plays, you realize how you got there, and your instincts take over. Jean-Louis and I had a few unfortunate bumps in the road but battled through them to finish amongst the middle of the pact. If it were not for a few mechanical problems, we would have finished amongst the top few racers. That was a significant boost of confidence for us. The first day only consisted of 19km. The starting positions for the following 300km day were decided by your finishing time.

Day 2

Everything I heard about how difficult this race can be was realized during this day. First, we lost a tire. I must tell you, it is an eerie feeling to be driving at an alarmingly fast speed, then feel the front edge of your car sink and begin digging into the ground while watching your tire just roll away before your eyes. I can't help but laugh out loud right now. It was wild. We were buzzing on this day, despite the fact I almost tipped us over on a hill. I think Jean-Louis could have used an extra race suit after that incident. We were challenging some seriously unforgiving roads and doing great. Then, a flash flood! We nearly got washed away. It was like something straight out of the Dukes of Hazard, except this time Luke and Bo Duke do not miraculously make it over the jump. We were able to attain some help from some kind locals and another race team trapped in the same predicament. We got ourselves out and finished toward the end of the pack. BUT, we finished! There were a handful of competitors that could not say the same, and this was the first real day of competition.
 Our mechanics had their work cut out for them that night. I think they were able to get only about 1hr or so of shut-eye.

Day 3

This day had it all. Let me speak of what my kids saw first. Trevor was up at the crack of dawn in order to catch a ride with a helicopter. I knew he was going in the helicopter but I did not know how he planned to get his footage while tucked away in the back. I found out pretty early on into the race. As we are flying down the street, racing to our first checkpoint I begin to hear helicopter blades chopping above. I naturally look up and hovering above us, very CLOSE above us, is my son ratchet strapped into the helicopter hanging out filming us. The door is flung open and he is resting on the landing bars of the helicopter. It was quite the site and I think he got some great footage of us saluting him as he saluted us. Apparently, right after we passed his helicopter, they apparently got a call and were forced to head to another location to medivac another racer who had flipped his car and buggered up his shoulder really bad. Trevor later told me he spent much of the afternoon at the hospital. My other son Nathan was on the ground today. Trust me when I tell you he too will be hanging out of a helicopter in the days to come. Nathan left a brief time after us to follow and seek out good locations for capturing rally cars dashing through the course. Well, within the first hour of Nathan's departure, he apparently was helping rescue a race team member from his flipped vehicle. The vehicle was a service truck. These trucks trail their designated racecars and are on constant call in case anything goes wrong. If it does, the service car can enter the race and attend to the problem. Well, this service car needed it's own service car because it had flipped completely upside down and the driver was bleeding profusely from his head. Nathan spent much of his morning helping this man escape his vehicle and get proper medical attention. AND that is only my son's two stories! We were getting beaten to bits by the course and limped all the way through. We are having a major overhaul of our vehicle tonight and hope the Peugeot will begin to live up to its reputation as the vehicle that built Africa.

I must go check on my mechanics and then grab some rest. I hope you are visiting the site, spreading it and enjoying it. We are racing our hearts out for Jamii Bora and Microfinance and it is a worthy cause.  Join the effort to make a REAL difference.

"WOW!!"


That about sums up my sentiments towards the course I am about to race on, for plenty of reasons.
The past two days have been spent preparing for the race and getting some much needed practice time in with the vehicle and my co-driver Jean-Louis Juchault. The Peugeot has been acting up on us and has caused us to limit our practice time. However, the little bugger was up and running yesterday and good to go. After being granted the "green light" by the chief scrutineer for the race, we got suited up and headed out. We drove 30 minutes down city streets, weaving in and out of chaotic traffic, to get to the start of the course. My two filmmaker sons, Nathan and Trevor, joined along hoping to capture some excellent footage. They got more than they bargained for. Nathan and Trevor were keen to mount a camera within the vehicle. Regrettably, they were unable to get the mount locked in secure enough to trust their camera with it. As they continued to try and find a solution, eagerness to get moving grew amongst the team. After all, first the Peugeot was interfering with our ability to practice and now this, not to mention the race is right around the corner now. Finally, I informed them they would have to abandon their mission and do without. I, of all people, should know you should never tell a Funk that. Next thing I knew the tires were out of the space behind the seats and in my son went, electing to hold the camera with his hand while having his face jammed against a support beam. It was quite a sight. In a matter of seconds we were off. I decided to try and make it worth his while by giving him the opportunity for some excellent footage. Of course, in order to get great footage we needed to go FAST! By the time he swapped out with his brother, he was saying “Well, I definitely knew if something happened it was adios for me and on to the next world...get in and  just make sure you keep the camera rolling.” That only made my other son MORE eager to get in. All in all, I think they got some magnificent footage and I look forward to seeing it posted soon.

It was not all smooth sailing. About half way through the practice run, now Jean-Louis driving and me co-piloting, we ran into a serious snag. On the way up a treacherous cliff climb, our wheels sank into a rut and our car bottomed out. We heard the awful sound all drivers’ ears are accustomed to and knew we needed to pull over to have the mechanics check it out. Once we reached a plateau we pulled to the side and waved in the crew. Indeed, we had knocked off a muffler. We would not be back on the road for 1 ½ hours. The most enjoyable part of the mishap was the location it occurred at. We were up on a hill over looking beautiful ridges and valleys of jungle. Around us was a small farm, apart of a local village somewhere close by. Slowly villagers began to appear, seemingly out of nowhere, and venture closer to us. At first, many seemed alarmed by our presence – I would be too. But, within minutes we were goofing around and sharing snacks. They showed us their homes, small mud structures, reinforced with branches. They were especially interested in the cameras my boys were using. At one point a small army had gathered behind them to see what the viewfinder screens were displaying. Not long after, a woman passed by with a massive sack balancing on her head. The method and logic was not news to me but I could not quite come to terms with the size of the bag. I approached her and kindly gestured to feel how heavy the sack was. She obliged and I was absolutely shocked. I could barely pick it up and she had just walked two km with it balancing on her head…up a hill let me remind you.

Eventually we paid our respects and continued on the road, which consisted of dirt, rocks, sand, and mud. We passed through all kinds of beautiful villages. We saw all sorts of beautiful topography and all the time we were really cooking it in the Peugeot, which held up wonderfully. It was a great day.

 
Something I must say about this race:

WHAT A WAY TO SEE AFRICA!

I want to discuss my trip to the largest slum in Nairobi called Kibera. Kibera is home to approximately 2 million people. I traveled there yesterday, accompanied by a local named Gabriel Kadidi, to see the microfinance operation being run by the local institution – Jamii Bora.

Gabriel grew up in this famous slum, walking to school shoeless and filthy. The other children for being a slumdog ostracized him yet he did not allow that to deter his efforts in school. Today, with the help of Jamii Bora and microfinance, he is a flourishing entrepreneur. Furthermore, he now holds the position as the Senior Information Officer at the Jamii Bora Trust. Gabriel hosts his own radio show that is broadcasted throughout the Kibera slum. His show focuses on encouraging people to empower themselves through Jamii Bora micro loans. He has won several awards, and although he would humbly deny it, he is quite a celebrity, not only in Kibera, but in Nairobi and beyond. Without microfinance these accomplishments could have never been attained. 

During the 2008 post election violence, his life was threatened on numerous occasions. Nevertheless, his sense of purpose and commitment to the philosophy of Jamii Bora enabled him to persevere. Now, many of the people that had at one time desired to kill him are prospering Jamii Bora loan recipients. I met many of these people while visiting Kibera. They spoke of Jamii Bora and Gabriel Kadidi as beacons of hope. Gabriel is living proof of the power of microfinance.

It is true; the slum is a place unlike anything you have probably witnessed before.  Poverty is ugly, BUT, stories such as Gabriel’s are literally multiplying as Jamii Bora grows in strength and numbers. The micro loans being provided by Jamii Bora today are providing people with a sense that they can EARN a better future for themselves and their families.

It is because of the countless stories like Gabriel’s I care so much…and my resolve is so strong. Change comes from the bottom up and we can all do SO much by giving SO little.

This morning I was graciously invited to join a YPO business conference at the Holiday Inn in Nairobi, Kenya. I was honored to join and take part in a round table breakfast discussion with the Minister of Tourism - Najib Mohamed Balala. In attendance were the most prominent businessmen influencing Kenya today.

Mr. Balala arrived briefly after I sat down and proceeded to deliver an insightful summary of the current state of affairs within the Ministry of Tourism. Tourism has suffered in Kenya and reversing this trend has developed into an important policy objective. Under Mr. Balala's mandate, tourism has grown significantly in Kenya. It did not take me long to appreciate why. His poise and outlook on the approach government must take in Kenya to remedy the failures of the past was inspiring. He possessed an impressive knowledge of not only tourism in Kenya, but also the trends of tourism throughout Africa. I was taken back by his eloquence as an orator and common sense as a politician. He presented many arguments for how the government in Kenya can do more to transform their nation into a powerful and stable nation.

He suggested that the crumbling infrastructure and poverty in Kenyan cities and suburbs has damaged the image of Kenya for many foreigners. I found this point to be especially poignant due to its relevance to our cause. The widespread poverty seen in Kenya undoubtedly contributes to the unfortunate climate of deterioration seen in the infrastructure of Kenya.

I've stated it before and will reiterate it again - change starts from the bottom up. Microfinance can do much to resolve issues plaguing the tourism sector by revolutionizing the socioeconomic structure within Kenya. A more prosperous society will, without a doubt, improve the state of Kenyan infrastructure.

Following the engaging discussion, which included many of the most influential businessmen in the country, I had an opportunity to thank Mr. Balala personally for having me. To my surprise, he recognized me from the news clips shown throughout Kenya yesterday and wished us well in our efforts. His support is greatly appreciated. I know he recognizes my efforts are fundamntally aligned with his vision of strengthening Kenya.

We will be posting a link to video excerpts from the meeting this morning later today. I urge you to watch it as it provides insightful thinking on how nations like Kenya need to make fundamental changes in their thinking to create real change. 

The adventure in Kenya has most certainly begun. The team and I are full steam ahead with spreading the word across Kenya and the globe for Race4Change, Jamii Bora and the Africa/Middle East Microcredit Summit. 

Today was a HUGE day for Race4Change!

Shortly after 8am this morning here in Nairobi, I left for the Serena hotel. A joint press conference with Jamii Bora was scheduled there to unveil our mission to the African media. The room was packed already by quarter after 9. A collection of African media and supporters were filling the seats as I entered. Joining me at the podium was Ingrid Munro, a woman of unsurpassable integrity, and the founder of Jamii Bora. We took the stage and explained to the media what Race4Change was all about – mobilizing masses to make small donations to bring an end to one of the world’s ugliest problems! My gut told me the message resonated but I had no idea what was about to follow. 

Later this evening, I received a telephone call from Ingrid. She was overjoyed. She had been receiving countless texts messages and phone calls all evening in reference to the press conference. It exploded all over the local news here in Kenya and excitement for the race and cause is growing exponentially. That is why I say…

The ball is rolling!! But we need YOU to help make it an unstoppable snowball. Spread it, Promote it, and Donate to it! With your help, and only your help, we can produce results previously unimaginable. The sky really is the limit.

SEE VIDEO SEGMENTS OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE HOME PAGE OF RACE4CHANGE.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TRAVIS PASTRANA Joins Race 4 Change in Drive to End Poverty!

November 9, 2009, New York, New York—Nine-time X Games Gold Medalist and Rally legend, Travis Pastrana, is ready to rev up the movement to race to end poverty on this planet. Pastrana, who is already a Rally Racing Champ in America, has entered his endorsement of car #20, Race4Change (www.race4change.org), in the East African Safari Classic - one of the toughest rallies in the world.  He joins the efforts of Race4Change in raising awareness, on an international level, about microcredit and is encouraging people to donate money to two of the worlds leading poverty fighting organizations the Microcredit Summit Campaign (www.microcreditsummit.org) and the on-the-ground Kenyan microfinance legend, Jamii Bora, lead by microfinance eco-pioneer Ingrid Munro. 

 Microfinance is one of the most powerful tools being used to fight poverty. It is finding greater support as a viable, ethical, and socially responsible business model serving the very poor.  Since the birth of the movement in the 1970s many poor families have moved across the poverty line proving microfinance to be one of the greatest innovations for social good ever conceived!
 
Microfinance continues to surge as a massive movement to increase human dignity by providing a tangible means for more than 100 million of the world's poorest families to empower themselves economically. With access to financial services they couldn't get anywhere else, the poorest of the poor have proven themselves to be some of the most creditworthy entrepreneurs in life. 

"We couldn't be more pumped up to have Pastrana join us in our efforts to promote Microcredit," said Steven Funk, an American-born Canadian, founder of Race4Change, Co-Founder of the Dignity Fund, and Chair of the Advisory Board to the Microcredit Summit Campaign.  “Our mission is to drive a movement amongst road, rally, sports enthusiasts, and socially responsible people and organizations so that masses of people can unite, individually, to make change happen.  We are racing towards a revolution that will unleash economic and creative innovation in the lives of millions powered by the engine of microfinance. It is a vital poverty fighting tool that improves healthcare, education, and the environment and moves the world from conflict and need to a more secure place of peace and prosperity.  The prosperity brought by just a $45 loan is profound.  Micro-entrepreneurs are empowered socially, economically and filled with dignity, one of the most powerful and rewarding human emotions.  Better still, they repay their loans with interest, which allows microfinance to re-lend and be the gift that keeps on giving.” As President Barak Obama has so aptly said, “change comes from the bottom up.”  Funk is a co-driver of car #20 in the race.

Pastrana is a living legend when it comes to performance motor sports and we've all seen his fearlessness on his MTV show, Nitro Circus. He lives life to the fullest, planning to set a new world record for a car jump on New Year’s Eve and says, “having been fortunate enough to travel to far off places, I’ve seen poverty firsthand and am glad to be able to lend a hand in the crusade to end it. What I do is sometimes considered dangerous, but let me tell you that there is nothing more dangerous to an individual, a country, or our world than poverty.”

“I can't think of a more perfect superstar for this race and this cause,” says Funk. "His involvement will drive awareness among a younger generation, showing our youth that they collectively have the opportunity to do something HUGE right now – they can lead our children to only know poverty by studying it in history books."

This rally event was first held from May to June, 1953 as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on terrain through Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika. It was later renamed the East African Safari Rally. The event was part of the World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar for many years.  The Kenyan Government and many supporters have now united together in an effort to restore the Rally's rightful WRC status.  

With such tremendous philanthropic involvement from fresh supporters like Race4Change and Travis Pastrana, the Kenyan government and its people stand to benefit significantly from the positive attention that will accompany such a highly charged race and cause. The race sets the stage for the April 2010 Microcredit Summit being hosted in Nairobi.

Top supporters of Race4Change have the opportunity to win two fully paid round trip tickets to Kenya, with lodging and Microcredit Summit VIP tickets.   The Summit has been described as the "Davos" of the movement and will bring several thousand advocates, supporters, and dignitaries from more than 60 countries, including Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Queen of Spain, Queen Rania of Jordon, and many more longtime microfinance advocates to Kenya in April of 2010. Maybe even an American President will bestow dignity to the impoverished with an appearance.

Join www.race4change.org today as a co-driver, a pit crew member and a supporter of microfinance as this world class Rally runs over American Thanksgiving and help race for the end of poverty.  Give a little of your support and thanks and rally together as a force to make a positive impact in the lives of hundreds of millions of the world’s poorest families.  Create a better world.

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For more information contact:

Denise Hughes @ +1.917.549.2621

Denise@creative-connectors.com