In our efforts to educate and inspire, as well as tether the children of the world together with kites and other toys, we understand that a great number of both children and families face profoundly difficult financial challenges in their everyday lives. Consequently we are now scaling-up our kite and toy manufacturing efforts in the very same impoverished communities, bringing dollars and job training directly into the hands of the people who need it most.
To this end, we first partnered with an incredible group of adolescent men and women in the Kibera slum, just outside of Nairobi, to produce our first generation of indestructible kites. In addition to financing school fees, as well as providing extra income, we also strived to work with these talented partners to discovering what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur in our rapidly changing global economy. And among other accomplishments, most notably the first kite manufactured (and sold) from Kibera was later flown on the summit of Mount Everest – another first.
Yet to continue this process, Kitegang led a pioneering undertaking, in partnership with the Jordan Red Crescent and Jumpstart International, in Amman, Jordan to advance vocational training and entrepreneurship beyond conventional offerings for Iraqi refugees and their Arab peers. Between its initiation in October 2008 and completion of the training phase in July 2009, 25 diverse individuals collaboratively created and managed a pilot program that they entitled “Project Creativity.” This toy project focused on core vocational competencies for participants ages 16-24, such as sewing (to make kites), woodworking (to make yoyos and other toys), and mastery of numerous software programs to facilitate the design and construction of kites and yoyos. Yet beyond this, the true training fell to the participants themselves to increasingly make management decisions as a collective business was formed from what began as a very disparate group. Critical thinking, problem solving, and the flexibility to make and learn from mistakes were all central to the entrepreneurial process. In turn, what began as 12 women and 13 men, 10 Muslims and four Christians, and a mix of 15 Iraqis and 10 from neighboring countries, ultimately grew into a collaborative group that was widely regarded as a “family.” This household of sorts proceeded through six months of conflict, drama, empathy, and ultimately redemption in what could be described as the outer limits of what is possible in participatory vocational training. And from this, one further private toy-making business was created.
