Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Dignity

In overlooked corners of the world, women who have been sorting through garbage for years are beginning to imagine a different life.

As the United States celebrates its 250th birthday, I’ve been reflecting on the American Dream: the conviction that people can work, save, and build something better for their families, regardless of where they started. 

That’s what we’re seeing in Kenya. Starting last year in the settlements around the Dandora dumpsite, mothers and grandmothers of our scholars (and a couple of dads) have formed small groups of five and have been saving $1 to $2 each week, proving their credit-worthiness, before taking on a loan to start their own small businesses outside of the dumpsite.

The businesses range from buying and raising piglets to starting kiosks selling fruits and snacks. Some women have even become aggregators–people who buy and then resell the recyclables that others have collected instead of collecting it themselves. It is thrilling to see people older than me begin to dream about what life could be like, and then working together to make it happen.

(Left) After joining a savings group, a grandmother has started her own business making hair pieces. (Right) A mother of one of our scholars rents a sewing machine and has started a small business making reusable shopping bags. 

The pivotal moment in this process comes at the first savings group meeting. Team leaders, such as Mercy Gichu in Kenya, look at a room full of women and tell them, “You CAN save money.” For many, this lands like being told they can fly. Everything they’ve experienced in life has pinned them into deep ruts of daily survival.

In these moments, Mercy is reminding the women that they were made in the image of God. As bearers of His image, they are worth investing in. The beauty of this work is seeing the impact that inalienable fact has on them, and seeing them begin to save for the first time in their lives as a result. 

Their success is contagious–I have personally become a much better saver over the last year, inspired by their discipline.

Our Program Officer in Kenya, Mercy Gichu, instructs the groups and checks in with them on their savings, loans, and overall group progress.

Alexis de Tocqueville said, “The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.” I would argue that our greatness also lies in the conviction that we can forge a better life. That was certainly imprinted on our souls by God at conception, not determined by philosophers or subject to national boundaries.

Samaritan teams in all seven nations are expanding these savings groups and small businesses this summer because a doctor and his wife, who emigrated to the U.S. and built their own clinic from the ground up, have given that same opportunity to the parents of all our scholars by making a huge investment. They are a beautiful reflection of the American Dream. 

I love America, not just because it’s my home, but because our founders had the wisdom to enshrine the principles of the American Dream in our governing documents, and we continue to work to bring those principles to life. International Samaritan is a living testament that good people across America are doing just that for strangers across the world.

Happy Birthday, America! May God continue to crown us good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea, and beyond!

Mike Tenbusch, President

Mike joined International Samaritan in 2018 after two decades of leading social change in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. He’s a University of Michigan Law grad. He and his wife, Maritza, are the authors of A Better Life: 8 Life Changing Habits to Enjoy the Greatest Adventure on Earth. 

International Samaritan is a Christ-centered organization built on Catholic Social Teaching. Our mission is to walk hand-in-hand with people who live and work in the garbage dumps of developing nations to help them break out of poverty.

We support students with education from kindergarten through college, and we’re currently supporting close to 1,000 scholars in Central America, the Caribbean, and East Africa.

Would your church or school group like to partner with us? Learn about our Learn, Serve, Grow program.

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