We were lucky to catch up with Vicki L Jones recently and have shared our conversation below.

Vicki L, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

I took a mission trip to Kenya in 2006, my first international trip. I fell in love with the country. I met women of all ages. I returned to the States with new insights about the substandard living, working and health care conditions that a major percentage of Kenyan women faced on a daily basis. I wanted to do more that get off a place and hand out baggies of personal items. A few trips…a few years later, and after much prayer, I established Bahari Sisters Inc., a Baltimore based non-profit which works to uplift Kenyan women and girls by offering programs focusing on education, healthy living and career training.

Kenya is a beautiful East African country. 50% of the population are women – brilliant, resourceful, beautiful women who work hard…when work is available. Women who raise families and provide for their families…even when provisions are scarce and prices are steep. These women sew amazing garments, weave beautiful kyondos (baskets), and make fabulous jewelry. These women are artisans who would be business owners…if financial assistance were available.

Kenya has schoolgirls who study hard. Many, especially in rural counties, do class work and homework without the benefit of a laptop or even classroom computer. Many girls work long distances over unpaved roadways, or maneuver streets avoiding whizzing motorbikes. These young women attend school regardless, only missing during that time of the month due to the lack of sanitary items. These girls have dreams and visions too. And their goals are achievable…with assistance.

These are the women and girls whom Bahari assists.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Bahari Sisters Inc. is a Baltimore based non-profit committed to uplifting the status of Kenyan women and girls by engaging in targeted and sustainable initiatives focused on education, health living and career training. We recognize that the survival of Kenyan women and girls is increasingly challenged by economic dependency, illiteracy, sexual based violence and marginalization.

Bahari is a small organization doing major things across the bahari (ocean.) My Board of Directors oversees my recommendations. On the other side of the ocean, Bahari has a small office where our Program Manager Audrey Ochieng and Project Assistant Cate Muturi work.

Our programs include a monthly food distribution to up to 15 women, distribution of AFRIpads reusable sanitary products to schoolgirls throughout the year, a yearly Menstrual Health Forum (with distribution of AFRIpads) to up to 150 women, funding to two Bookshine High Schools for computer and STEM equipment, and funding for rural schools for computer assistance. We have provided AFRIpads to over 500 women and girls in the last few years, and distributed food to 120 women this year at our food pantry.

I travel yearly to Kenya to meet with Audrey and Cate, discuss our successes and challenges and to meet with the women whom we serve.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I love the use of social media for business. For those of you who have non-profits with small advertising and marketing budgets, and especially if you are like us – US based and working overseas, social media is your best friend. I’m outgoing in real life, so I use those same skills in the virtual world. I’m always reading things related to our mission and seeing who those persons are who might be interested in assisting our efforts, or donating to the cause or partnering in the work. I’m always jotting down names of people and organizations, and then finding them on platforms to “follow.” We actually now have partnerships with folk that I met by being connected on social media, and did not meet in person until over a year later.

SM enables you to share you mission, program updates, fundraising initiatives, any hour of the day or night. In my case we are 7 to 8 hours ahead of Nairobi. I have Zoom meetings with my staff between 8 and 9am, it’s afternoon for them.

I can post late in the day on FB and it will be just the right time to catch our supporters on the West coast. I can post on LI early in the morning and my East African contacts will see it when they’re ending their day. And, if you’re doing a virtual fundraiser, which we have had success with, there is no better way to get the word out than by utilizing social media.

The key is to know what platform works for which purpose. Networking – LI is the one. Sharing videos – IG/FB/Threads are best bests. And, it’s essential to have a YouTube channel for your business.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Non-profit founders, let me encourage you regarding funding. My experience is that in the beginning your passion for the mission is what will attract supporters. People are willing to support “you” if they respect you and believe in you, even if your particular mission isn’t one with which they are familiar. People want to give to worthy programs. Don’t be afraid to take every opportunity to share why you do what you do. Let them know how their support will impact the mission. Your integrity will speak volumes.

Remember there are no “small” donations. Small monthly donations are the groundwork of your budget. We have monthly donors who have supported us for years. We also have what I call “Special” donors. These are supporters who write larger checks one to two times a year. Both these types of donors are essential to small non-profits.

It is only now, after 10 years of operation that Bahari is at the point to apply for grants. It takes awhile, but it will happen.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.baharisisters.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baharisisters/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baharisistersinc2015
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bahari-sisters-inc/?viewAsMember=true
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@baharisistersinc.7355