Welcome to the Kenya Innovation Institute! You have made it through the rigorous application process, purchased your roundtrip ticket and you are off on a 747, headed for East Africa! You arrive to Mombasa International Airport to the cheers of your new support team. The Advisors are led by the enthusiasm of Abdallah Mohamed (your new in-country director) and Arielle Molino (Director of Logistics)… “Karibu Kenya!”

Your first week in Kenya is a blur. You become acquainted with the country through your port of entry…Mombasa. Abdallah and your colorful tour guide Madi, introduce you tothe culture, the people and the food of this wonderful country. The day begins with a visit to the old market. You take in the blur of senses that surrounds you before stopping for a quick pick up game on a dirt field below the historic Fort Jesus, ending with an evening of hysterics at a traditional Swahili Restaurant, Island Dishes. Yum.

You begin an intensive training, ThinkImpact University (TIU), where you gain skills needed to thrive on the Institute. A typical day will touch on language acquisition, cross-cultural training and business basics, always leaving time for group reflection. You transition to Weighbridge Drive Inn in Mariakani. This modest Inn will be your weekend get-away for the summer, complete with open aired cabanas, friendly staff and great rooftop views.

The day has finally come! Today the group will wind their way to Kaloleni Town Center, where you will be welcomed by the community members of Makomboani and Chanagande! You are bombarded as you step off the Matatu by a sea of smiling faces. After formal introductions the dancing has begun! You decide you are going to love it here.

You are introduced to your homestay mother, Mama Regina. Her English is minimal but that doesn’t stop you from diving into life on Regina’s compound. You begin the Immersion process by taking part in Shared Cultural Experiences with Regina and herfamily, all the while taking careful note of what life is like here in Makomboani. You settle into your mud hut, ready to get to work.

On the Institute observation is key. During the Fly on the Wall exercise you will take a step back from engaging in daily life and simply observe. You begin the day on your compound quietly taking in the movements of your neighbors. What do they do?  How long does it take them? What are their attitudes? You move around to different main areas in the community, meticulously recording movements and behaviors. You begin to wonder why they do things a certain way.

After taking a day to purely observe your surroundings, you head out with your partner and translator to do a little Fact Finding. Curiosity leads you into dark huts and cheerful cafes, as you seek to understand the details of this amazing microcosm.

You now feel like you have the lay of the land. You start to feel a little more comfortable in your new home, joking with the women at the kiosk each morning and ending the day with a grueling game of volleyball with the local men’s team. You have identified two community members who you will shadow for a Day in the Life. They could be local farmers, businesswomen, mothers, or coconut (mandazi) tappers. The goal is to really see what it is like to live a day in their shoes. You become close friends with your shadowee, paying close attention to the small details that comprise a day in their life.

The real qualitative research begins with Capacity Inventories. In small teams you begin to interview community members with the aid of a friendly translator. CI’s shed light on the skills and resources in the community, this is the beginning of a transformative “Mindshift.” Community members start the process of self-actualization, seeing themselves as active agents in their own development.

Congratulations you have made it to the Inspiration phase of the Institute. You have made it through the intense culture shock that undoubtedly hits during the second week of the program. You have formed relationships and learned a lot about this community. Now it is time to build your Design Team. You want to pick people with spirit, who have entrepreneurial qualities and vision. But you also want to pick people you connect with and who connect with each other. This will be your team for the rest of the Institute.

Your job is not an easy one. You must walk the fine line of a facilitator. This role requires great patience and incredible leadership. It is a silent leadership. You must start the conversation, but not run it. The innovation that you pursue must be a team effort and there must ultimately be great community buy in to get the enterprise up and running. You give your team a classroom and some chalk and are nothing short of humbled by the results.

After long brainstorming sessions with your Design Team, you have narrowed your scope. You have identified some key challenges in the community that you would like to address with your Design Challenge. You chisel this down even finer until you have reached you one sentence, “How might we,” design challenge statement.  This statement has given you a focused framework with which to move into the Innovation phase of the Institute. Your team is pumped, you have even created a mantra together which reads, “Forward ever, backward never!”

You are more than half way through the Innovation Institute.  While there have been plenty of setbacks, your team is more focused than ever. It is the perfect time to get some distance from the project. The group speeds off in a pod of Jambo Wagons, heading for the famous Tsavo West game reserve. At first you are slightly disgusted by the over-the-top scene that is safari. “These other mizungus (westerners) know nothing of the real Kenya,” you muse in the lobby of the Lodge. Then you have your first close up encounter with African wildlife. You happen upon a family of elephants bathing at the watering hole. The scene leaves you astonished.

You have your design challenge and you have decided on a product or service worth prototyping. The $33 Prototype jump-starts your team’s innovation. Each team receives $33 to purchase the materials necessary to bring your vision to life. You fill out a budget and turn it in to your Advisor. Once all necessary supplies are purchased you get to work!

You have tested out the prototype and come to find that it is far from perfect, let alone ready for consumption. Your team returns to the drawing board where you explore mechanisms for Iteration. You may even find that your innovation is not viable or feasible in the local market. That’s okay. You are encouraged to fail often and fast. You realize that it is only through failure that you are truly able to push your team forward.

Your team is smart, they are willing to take risks. But like most entrepreneurs they are not fully competent in financial literacy. Not to worry. The TI in-country team has fostered a collaborative relationship with Equity Bank. Your team begins attending Financial Literacy classes in Swahili at the local elementary school. You attend to boost morale and learn about different training methods.  After a couple of Equitytrainings your team writes a constitution. They are being placed on a path for success should they decide to build a social business based on the innovation.

Time catches up to you and it is soon the final week of the Institute. Your team scrambles to wrap up the innovation and prepares for your departure. Your teammates are invested.  They drank the cool-aid and they are ready to take the reins. To celebrate and showcase your work you all attend the 2012 Innovation Expo at the Kaloleni Social Hall. Your team stands united in front of a group of peers and proudly presents your innovation and hopeful business plan.  The evening is a success and everyone leaves feeling a sense of pride and accountability to the community.

The morning of your departure arrives. You shed some tears and share some laughs with your friends one last time. You have left this community a changed person, ready tocommit yourself to a lifetime of dedication to global development and unity.

Kwa heri Kenya!