Mark Agwonah Memorial Fund
From Kivapedia
The Mark Agwonah Memorial Fund and Mama Mark Fund were established by his Kiva Friends to honor his memory and continue to assist those people and causes important to him.
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[edit] Who was Mark Agwonah?
Mark Agwonah lived in Kayole/Kenya and lived only to the age of 30. He was an only son and took care of his mother as well as two children from his extended family, one of whose parents had died of HIV/AIDS and the other having been abandoned in land riots of 1992. Mark owned a tailoring business as well as a mobile phone repair shop that also sold accessories. He employed three orphans in his businesses, whom he thus helped to earn a living. In addition, probably most notably, Mark was the founder of a group called Youth Empowerment Centre, which educates young women and men to help them start small businesses and supports them with small loans.
He successfully applied for a loan with the MFI Action Now: Kenya (AN:K) that was funded by Kiva lenders. The loan was intended for his phone business and was disbursed on July 3, 2007.
[edit] The Death of Mark Agwonah
On July 26, 2007, Irene Kamau of AN:K posted on his entrepreneur page that Mark had died in police custody on July 15, 2007. Mark had been on his way towards an open field in Kayole, where he liked to spend his Sunday afternoons. When he was talking to some friends, a police car stopped. The friends were being told to go away. This was the last time Mark was seen alive by anyone other than the police. The next day, a cousin of his was called by the police to inform him that Mark was dead. People who had seen him, reported signs of torture on his body. Some of the youth from the Youth Empowerment Centre approached the district officer about the matter, but were turned away in a hostile manner.
[edit] The Kiva Friends Response
That same day, Kiva Friend Diane posted the link to Mark’s borrower page informing the community about his tragic death. Within hours, the common grief and pain about having lost a fellow Kivan in this manner was transformed into plans on how to become active. The response was intended to be two-fold: on the one hand, a lending group in Mark Agwonah’s name was being considered, on the other hand options to help Mark’s mother were being explored.
After deliberations with AN:K, it was decided to start the lending group. Within half an hour the Mark Agwonah Memorial Fund was set up and running on July 30, 2007. As of September 3, 2007, 13 Kivafriends have contributed a total amount of $700 to the fund. These contributions are considered donations. The money is being invested in Mark’s name and to Kenyan businesses only, preferably youth connected. In this way, we want to keep Mark’s legacy alive, a fellow Kivan who was less fortunate than we are. He was an inspiring example, helping others wherever he could and was an asset to his community who will be greatly missed. To us, this lending group seemed a fitting response. We believe in the Kenyan people and a better Kenya to come.
You can find more information and join the Mark Agwonah Memorial Fund at the Kiva Friends discussion.
[edit] The Mama Mark Fund
Apart from the lending group, a fund was established to provide a direct financial contribution to Mark's mother, known as Mama Mark. These funds will be sent to her through Irene Kamau and the AN:K bank, and will give her a start on fulfilling the dream of opening a children's home, which she and Mark had planned for.
To learn more about that fund, visit the Kiva Friends discussion, Fund for Mark Agwonah's mother: the Mama Mark Fund.
[edit] External links
- Mark Agwonah Memorial Fund Kiva lender page
- Mark Agwonah Kiva entrepreneur page
- Kiva Friends discussion: Mark Agwonah Fund -- history and status
- Kiva Friends: Mark Agwonah Fund -- discussion
- Kiva Friends discussion: A sad event, noted in the Journals today: Mark Agwonah
- Kiva Friends discussion: Fund for Mark Agwonah's mother: the Mama Mark Fund.
