Beggars, Savers and Borrowers: the ‘Good Families’ of Jamii Bora

It stands to reason that an organization that does remarkable work would have a remarkable history. Jamii Bora, which counts beggars and former thieves among its 170,000 members, is now the largest microfinance institution in Kenya.

In 2011, the Microcredit Summit Campaign commissioned Daniel Karslake and Helen Mendoza to produce Climbing the Ladder:  The Story of Jamii Bora. This short film tells how Jamii Bora, a microfinance institution founded by Ingrid Munro and 50 women beggars, is revolutionizing microfinance in Kenya. Climbing the Ladder illustrates how Jamii Bora is solving some of the most difficult problems in the Nairobi slums by providing the means for thieves and alcoholics to reform and for beggars and prostitutes to become business women and men.

Jamii Bora members have access to financial services (savings and credit), health insurance, business education, an Alcoholics Anonymous-like program, and "the promise land, Kaputei," a sustainable housing complex in the suburbs of Nairobi.

"In Jamii Bora, we don't say no to the poorest, most aggressive beggar, ... we don't exclude even criminals, we don't exclude prostitutes. We don't look down on anyone and say, 'You're a bad person.' We say, 'There is a life for you, as well.'"

-- Ingrid Munro, founder, Jamii Bora

Jamii Bora's founder, Ingrid Munro, has driven the MFI’s revolutionary projects, including a “get sober” program, a housing project, and an in-house health insurance product. The most extraordinary of Ms. Munro’s accomplishments, however, is the creation of an institution through which some of the most destitute members of society have built dignified lives for themselves and their families. The following interview with Ms. Munro offers a glimpse into how Jamii Bora evolved, its current operations, and why microfinance is important for the poorest.

Click here for the transcription of an interview Microcredit Summit Campaign Director Sam Daley-Harris conducted with Jamii Bora founder Ingrid Munro in October 2007.

Listen HERE to a great RESULTS interview with Ingrid Munro from November 2008.

View videos about Jamii Bora on our YouTube channel.

Click here to listen and follow along with Ingrid Munro's powerpoint presentation she gave at USAID.

Ingrid is also featured in our 2009 State of the Campaign report. Click here for ordering or download infomation.