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Oct 22, 2023Liked by Melanie Newfield

That's a great story, Melanie, thank you so much for sharing it.

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Thank you. It really made me smile.

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Love this Melanie. I’m curious though. How do all the people with mobile phones charge them without electricity? Solar panels? Thanks. Bernard

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Two ways that I know of. Some do have small solar panels which are enough to charge a mobile phone. But I noticed that some of the mobile phone and M-PESA shops offered a phone charging service. With some of the old-school button phones holding a charge for nearly a week it's probably quite practical.

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Jambo Melanie .. lovely story and yes, the Kenyans are so entrepreneurial !! I know young men who had 2 mobile phones (one Safaricom and one other mobile company )

to get best and widest coverage .. before I owned my first mobile phone age 50 !! One person I know got himself a couple of solar panels on his roof and charged people living near him to use his power or come and sit around watching the TV and Videos for a small charge. Kenya is a wonderful country ,so glad you are enjoying it and see so many positive things .

Safari Njema .

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Asante sana Eleanor. I was so impressed by the things people were doing - more to come, people doing wonderful things to help our their fellow Kenyans.

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A nice story Melanie. I especially liked your point about how a payment application can leapfrog and reduce fraud. Great

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thanks Mark. That was a point I found really encouraging, because corruption is such a scourge for people in such countries.

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Oct 24, 2023Liked by Melanie Newfield

Really enjoying your stories from Kenya. Cellphones weren't a thing when we were there, but the flora was (and clearly still is).Lovely photos, I remember the lobelia and the helichrysums among others. Did you see rock hyrax? Blighters were always trying to get into our food on Mt K!

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Thanks Dave, glad you've been enjoying these stories. I didn't see a rock hyrax unfortunately. I'd have loved to stay up Mt Kenya, but time wasn't on my side.

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I loved learning about this! More business should be conducted in these ways - do what makes sense where it makes sense, don't feel the need to replicate clunky old-world infrastructures.

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Thank you for this uplifting story! A favorite picture of mine, clipped from a magazine and hanging at my desk for the past 15-20 years, is of a Maasai warrior in full regalia talking on a bag phone slung over his shoulder. Your story explains that photo and the good events that have happened in the intervening years since it was taken. Thank you!

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Thank you. Sounds like a cool photo. Mobile phones have made such a difference.

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