NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

By MeiMei Fox

“My faith has always been my driving force. I have a deep love for God and that has always shaped my world view that none of this stuff is ours; it’s all God’s and we are stewards, entrusted to make the most with what has been given to us.”

So says Zane Wilemon, cofounder of the for-impact company Ubuntu Made, which serves marginalized communities in Kenya. The social enterprise arm of the business creates meaningful jobs for women with special needs children through a product line that includes shoes, a collaborative coffee business with Whole Foods Market, and a bottled water business. The profits of these ventures help sustain the Ubuntu Special Needs Centre, which serves to educate and provide healthcare for children with special needs. The goal of both ventures is creating opportunities that empower the local people by growing their skillsets so that they can lead dignified lives.

“I always look back at my life before employment and thank Ubuntu for being the change agent in my life,” says Monicah, an Ubuntu Maker Mum since 2008. “I am now the proud owner of my family’s home, my finances are stable, and my living standards have greatly improved. I am on a savings plan and can access financial credit, something which seemed out of reach in the past.”

Photo courtesy of Alison Wright.