Eric Kimani — transcript

Palmhouse

This transcript is generated automatically by YouTube and has not been checked by a person. It misspells names and mishears words, particularly around Kenyan English and company names, so read it as a guide to the conversation rather than a quotable record. Each timestamp opens the video at that moment.

0:05 Greetings ladies and gentlemen and welcome to episode 41 of the African Do podcast where we talk about excellent Africans executing excellently. It's a privilege today to have with us Mr. Eric Kimmani uh founder of uh Palmhouse Daries and Palmhouse Foundation. Uh Eric welcome to the African Do podcast. Thank you.
Yes. So Eric, we were speaking earlier about where you come from and um you tell me that uh in in [clears throat] the early '90s you you set up a daily.
Maybe you can tell us a bit more about that and your journey of transitioning out of a corporate environment into a a a dairy in what is a very competitive environment in a Kenyan context.
Thank you uh Leonard. Um that's a You want us to be here for 2 hours or three? [laughter]

1:02
No, we can give us the summarized version. Yeah. [snorts] Yeah.
I told you this morning I was jogging at uh Nairobi Crab.
Yes.
Uh and I remembered my days there in 1992.
Mhm.
I was finance controller then quick finance director of Williamson T.
Yes.
And I was taking a photo of the building that is Williamson House. It was the tallest building
at that time.
At that time it looks like a mini
has been dwarfed by everything else. Yeah.
But the nostalgia that came to me was that um at that point I wanted to leave employment. Um and uh I wanted to go and set up business and the business that was central in my mind was to set up milk processing. There was only one process at that time KCC.

1:54
Yeah.
Full stop. And uh I was imagining myself being a a processor of milk or selling milk. There was shortage of milk in 1993 94.
Yes.
And here I am we are looking for money. I'm working at that time. I'm trying to look for who can f me.
Yes.
And but to cut a long story short on 13th of June 1996
Mhm. I opened the door to Palm House Dies.
Wow. Uh-huh.
With 100 L of milk. Yes.
And I thought that was the most milk I could have produced that night.
Of course, we've gone on to produce tens of thousands after that.
But that's how we started the business.
Yeah.
And uh the business Palm House is based in Gdongori.
Yes.
Just opposite Fresher, my competitor.

2:51
Like I tell you, I have no competitors. They all players in the same market
and uh [clears throat] we complement each other with everybody in the market
and we've done that now for 30 years
uh we've been in that business but
to come back to where the story
of palm house foundation is that here we are
yes
located in the rural areas of Kenya and uh those days there were no uh these foundations and these scholarship shapes that you hear about. In fact, I cannot if you went to the newspaper.
Yes.
In 1996,77 even early 2000 and you look at the newspaper on the 1st of January and see the cry of parents and children looking for school fees. They've passed well. They can't go to school.

3:43
Yeah. So I'm sitting here and every time I see now that we've set up a small processing in Gongurori, people think we are very wealthy. They're coming and saying my son, my daughter is in school, I couldn't pay. We give 5,000, 2,000, 3,000. But we soon realized that when you give your 2,000 or your 3,000, the child still misses school because it was required as 15,000
and they paid only your 2,000 and we felt we are wasting our money. So why don't we we sat back with my wife and said why don't we get a small f uh we are now settled in this environment we are making a bit of money why don't we get a small f and then select three students and commit to the four years in high school rather than support this who doesn't finish and we announced around the village that we will be selecting

4:44 three students we announced annually
it was the first In December of 20002, we went to the churches and announced that we'll be helping and 100 students stand up for the three positions. We were overwhelmed. We took six. The first time we ever selected in December uh in January of 20003 to go to school 203. Now, um, Eric, you have let the cat out of the bag,
but allow me to. So, we're not here today to speak about daily.
No,
I think the the way that we introduced Eric, you may have thought that we are speaking about daily, but you were here to speak about African philanthropy.
Yes.
And um I maybe from my layman understanding I can tell you about how I heard from heard of Palm House D.

5:39
Mhm. So [clears throat] I I I was privileged enough to serve as the chair of the board of my alma ma Nairobi school
between 20 20 I think it was it was a threeear stint 2017 2016 2017 and 2018
and in that time our our alumni association uh were looking to start uh a basary fund because [clears throat] the need like you say is great particularly when you go to this uh historic national schools environment
the need is great
and that's when I first got to hear of Palmhouse Daily
Palmhouse Foundation sorry not Palmhouse Daily
and it intrigued me because it was not really
I consider myself well read in a Kenyan context I am I'm well versed in what's happening in the business environment

6:32
um
and what struck what stuck out for me is I felt that who these people because this is this is a daily. Yes. And I've heard of them and like you said, you like we were discussing earlier, you supply my industry, my trade, hospitality a lot. You have a lot of business clients there. [clears throat]
But I'm like,
it's not really an in yourrface business, you know. It's not
um unless you look for it as a layman walking the streets, you might not come across it, you know, unless you're from Gunguri and you drive past it. But they have started a foundation and at that time I think if I'm not wrong if my memory serves me right Palmhouse Foundation had about um those years about 14 or 15 students in Nairobi school that they were paying for

7:24
their their their education and that
joged my piqued my interest. So African philanthropy
Mhm.
you've done well for yourself
if I say so myself.
Thank you.
But you you you're you're not in the list
of I don't think you would make the list of
Oh, don't make me feel small. I'm a I'm a big man.
You're a big man. Yes, you are. And I think you're more big in mind and thinking.
Yes.
But we we know wealthy Kenyans.
Yeah. and this and maybe even I dare say we know wealthy Africa.
Yes, you do.
And from those humble beginnings, what is that thought process before we dig into Palm House Foundation properly?
What is that thought process that makes you say
I'm not sure that there's a thought process that I can lay out and tell people practice this you will be like me.

8:20
But I think in telling this story of the Palmhouse Foundation uh the listener may pick for themselves. Yes.
And I'll start by making a very audacious statement.
I don't think there's anybody richer than me in this country.
Mhm.
No. No. Not many. I don't know any. I am a very wealthy man.
Yes.
I may not have the thousands of dollars or the hundreds of thousands. But I understand abundance.
Mhm.
And I am I I've come from a background where I've understood that and I want to pass it on. Palmhouse Foundation was not founded with millions. It was founded with a three students desire to help three students. But when we came and selected the first six, the next
he was your classmate or or in the same school. I think JD Kabi was in your school or something.

9:17
Yes, he was.
Yes, he was.
Joined us and we we selected 10 the following year.
Mhm.
And this time we went as far as Mombasa. We went as far as um um the lift valley but still quite local. But from 204 to this day to 2025 we have selected students from every corner of this country. Not my money.
Mhm.
I'm only got an abandoned heart.
Yes.
Not my money.
Yeah. 99% of the money comes from other people. [clears throat]
I may contribute the 1% and my free work to the foundation. Yeah.
So I think that is very important to understand so that as we do this interview people understand that you can leverage my name has been leveraged by a lot of people putting their trust and their money into palmhouse because they can see what we do. They can see the impact. They can see the the the transparency, the accountability. And yes, in your school, your former school is one of the best national schools has produced some of

10:33 our best graduates.
Today, they are back in the foundation themselves, running the foundation and giving to the foundation because many of them are now working.
Yes.
Yes. So um to to perhaps come back to what thought process I think the message for me is very simple. If there's a nagging idea like this nagged me
what what can we do to help this one two three is what has translated to 1,330 students so far.
Mhm.
But my idea was three. Many people want to do something like Eric Kman day 1, day two, day three. It's not possible. Start with the three. Start with the one elderly person. If your desire is to help the aged, start with one person who is suffering from malaria. If your desire is to help medical issues, start with one.

11:31
Just start
and then move and the rest will happen. So that is perhaps my story. I I wouldn't want to say that there's a magic word that you can do this.
But if you want to leverage other people's money,
Yeah.
which they give me in the millions.
Mhm.
They give the foundation in millions. Why? Because they can the the Palm House Foundation is a public company. Right now go online, you will see how much we raised trust here, what we did with it, who we support with it, and it is Kenyan money. Once people see that, I think they will walk with you.
So, do you think that there's a what I'm hearing a lot from you is that state of mind?
Yeah.
Yeah. It's a choice and and and uh we hear um it's it's interesting that I'm hearing it from you for the first time.

12:25
Uh we hear a lot of conversations as Kenyans around a scarcity mentality, but you're now talking about an abundance mentality. Yes. So maybe if we if we are to um um interrogate the numbers. Yeah. You started with an with an intention to educate three students
um and you moved that to six by sheer demand of the numbers who showed up. But what are you what is the Palmer's Foundation just to to show the impact on average today in 2025? Yes.
How many students are you are you onboarding into?
Thank you. Um like I said we started with a three which became six. Uh and by the way one of the students of the first six of 203
is my vice chair of the board
of the foundation
of the foundation. She

13:16
one of the six she is the vice chair of the board working for one of the very reputable uh Isuzu East Africa. Yes,
is West Africa is one of our most variable partners because they recognize what we do. They see what we do. They've employed many of them over the years and um yeah just to to to go back uh what was the question now I lost my how many students are you on board?
Yes. Yes. So we moved on the first national class was 204. Yes.
Where we selected 34 students. Mhm.
The 34 students went on to Alliance, Nairobi school, Maseno,
the big 18 schools then that were called national schools.
Of course that has changed over time. Now you have extracurricular and the national schools together.

14:09
So the that year we selected 34 and this is the formula I want people to understand. One of the reasons we endear ourselves to support is our national outlook. Okay. When we started this, we were ai based uh organization wanting to help the village. But when we opened our abundance, our mind to abundance that you could do this for the country, people came in and from that time we select on an equal basis. So if we had 34, we divided by the eight provinces of Kenya
and went to Nyanza, went to coast and went everywhere. We do that every time every year and we select depending on the money we've raised.
Okay.
So to bring you forward there are years we selected 50.
Mhm.
There are years we selected 80.

15:03
Mhm.
Right now last year we selected over 100 students
and this year I can tell you as we start the KJC formula the CBE
we have more sponsors willing to we could select 100 150.
Wow. So it has moved progressively progressively from the three
and we've now transitioned 1,331
wow
students
from the inception of those first six
from the inception cumulatively 1,3 but for me that's not the big story
the big story for palm house is the inspiration it has provided
yes
many Kenyans to do what we are doing even in a bigger than we do ourselves
even more better than we do maybe not better but in a bigger way. So we opened the mind of Kenyans and there are so many people who will tell you farmhouse inspired us

16:02
and that you speak about other foundations or other forms of giving is that what you speak about they have been inspired by you to do the same
to do the same and maybe to do other things I don't know but those in education
today I challenge a Kenyan who can tell me that a child cannot go to school to high school because of why they Tens of palmhouse foundations. There is equity. There's KCB foundation.
KCB worked with us for years.
They were our no not contributor. They gave us the avenue to reach the whole republic.
Okay.
Because in in reaching their own bank branches,
they were our our method of getting to the everywhere in Kenya.
Yes.
But they went on to form a foundation which is much bigger, more impactful. Yes.

16:55
Then Palm House.
Yes.
I can almost tell you for nothing that if you look at their paperwork, they didn't have to reinvent the wheel.
Mhm.
Now we work together.
Let's talk about this paperwork a bit
because I would say that Palm House Foundation has been this successful
because you took um I mean you're sitting here because uh on the recommendation of one of your board members. So it's clear that governance was important to you
uh from the very beginning. Yeah.
So maybe tell us your thinking around this. It's one thing to have abundance.
Um it's another thing to take the money of those that give
but it's an entirely other thing to account for it routinely year after year

17:41
such that it continues coming. So tell us about your thoughts about governance. I think governance is a subject that I love talking about because if it was not for the governance structure of Palmhouse Foundation that I wouldn't attract a tenth of the money or the fing it receives
perhaps because of my training as an accountant as a lawyer and also being in corporate world
it helped me to structure the governance. If you look at the board of Palmhouse Foundation, it has been consistent. Uh the likes of Joseph Moa, former partner KPMG been there with me for more than 20 years
in the governance. The likes of Marion, the CEO now of CMCA of Inship. Yeah.
Yes. Yeah.
And Misho, he was our lawyer from the beginning. So we we did it right. We we formed a proper structure with people who can call me even as a founder to account [clears throat]

18:49
and ask me to account.
Mhm.
But I even went beyond that. The person who recommended me to come here is on the board of advisors.
Yes.
We set up a board of advisors of 13 very honorable Kenyans. I would want you to go and read the list for yourself.
Yes. because it's who is who in Kenya the among them Rose was was one one of them
as an advisory nobody asked us to form that board nobody requires us to form it but we want to go to them and account to them what we are doing so I did that specifically to put another structure that can make the board of directors feel there is somebody else watching
yes
but the interesting thing is this if If you look at our funding, most of the money is leveraged from the circle of influence of these advisors.

19:49
Yes.
That's a no-brainer.
Yeah.
If you have a good board,
Yeah.
a good board of advisors, good names who trust you and they know you cannot embarrass them.
Mhm.
They will unlock fing. And that's what has happened for Palmhouse Foundation. The governance structure is spot on. [clears throat]
We every once a year we sit with a board of advisors and a big screen and analyze to them what we have done. As to the cost of running our foundation, I am sure it would rate among the top three in this country,
the cost of running it.
Yes.
Because we are efficient.
Mhm.
Yeah.
So you now have governance at the top.
Yes.
But let's come down into the foundation itself.

20:34
Yes. the foundation um the numbers you're now talking about of students there's um quite a burden of administrative work
to interview to select
so what kind of following this uh governance structure that you have at the top what kind of structure did you then design at the bottom administratively to ensure that you meet timelines people are and and what does that journey look like? Yeah, that is um quite a quite something quite a question because I don't know how it will go with my listeners who run who run foundations.
Yes,
we have only two employees.
Wow.
Two sur employees.
An administrator
and his assistant.
We try to enroll the help of uh to enlist the help of our sponsors. If you decide to sponsor for argument sake two children through school, we will invite you to come with us to Kisumu or to Kifi or wherever we are going to interview so that you also have a hand in it

21:44
and um we will use public institutions like when I go to Kisumu the governor of Kisumu um the honorable he he's given us the premises for free over the years. The Grayango Hall
before that we were doing it in Kenyata Stadium is a a public uh place.
Yes. So we try to keep cost low and list the help of all our sponsors and our sympathizers and at every selection there's a trustee or two or three in attendance
to help those people who are selecting and we select there and announce there so that the possibility of cheating
is very minimal is very minimal. So to come back to your question, our administrative structure I guess also as a family our giving is that we house the foundation for free. We have housed them and paid for all their utilities and a lot of many things for them.

22:50
Yes.
Uh as a show of our own commitment
and those things show on the record. So uh I guess those people who f us can see that our cost and I don't expect that to be the case in every foundation. Okay.
Yeah.
I I like there's something you mentioned that I want us to build up on a bit. You said that you started out of a need to educate what do what you could to have a greater impact and you selected three
and you encouraged younger not necessarily younger but Kenyans from all walks of life to just start
and I want us to flesh out that just starting
because the need is great you touched some of the topics you know um our our cultural structure is shifting you know there's a lot of need for old people um there's always in a Kenyan context a health care need of some shape or another.

23:45
There's no you you can't [clears throat]
so maybe speak to this and and and I would assume that even for you when you are starting with those three you didn't have this bold vision to see a big palmhouse foundation that's moving from Kisumu to the rest. So let's speak about that power of starting and what it gave to you
and how others who want to borrow can can learn from it.
Yeah.
And I think yes that's what I was trying to emphasize and thank you for asking the question again.
The power to start
and start where you are
is what you have
with what you have is what works. When people talk about quote and quote God God will not come and do anything for you. God will look at your heart and what you are trying to do

24:43
and see that you have had the power to start with that one one problem that you are solving.
If it's cleaning your street, start it and then talk about the bigger dream later.
So the power to start and to believe that you want to make a difference. Don't be I was not motivated that I'll form a national foundation. It only happened in year three of the 23 years. I was going to do what I can with what I have with the people I have who was my family.
But this is what happened. So the power to start just listen to that thought praying in your mind that you want to help old people like I said or you want to help disabled children or you want to help the needy in this area. The needle will always be with us

25:35
that we can't finish. It's an opportunity for us.
Decide
but start with the first step.
Stop dreaming about
grand and and you know a big thing before you have done the small thing.
But the small dream is good. But let me also add
Mhm.
that from then on we then went to very good structure because in 2000
four we went for a strategic retreat.
Mhm.
To do a strategic plan
facilitated by Joseph Mura himself.
Yes.
The managing partner who kept
at that time. Yes.
At that time. And we sat for a whole weekend and said, "Let's dream 20 years from now. If we educate a girl or a boy, where would we want to see that boy or that girl?"
I've seen it with my own eyes. Everything we dreamt in 204 has happened by 2025. Wow. We have revised the strategy twice after that.

26:37
No major change except improving livelihoods. And I can tell you once you have a strategy and you keep looking at it, it will help you. So once you move from the 1, two, three, sit down again and decide where would I want to go. Dream. We dreamed Bruce Sky dreaming. We have no idea where we are going. But I'm telling you 23 years later we are there.
Nice.
I want to now pick another topic that you have raised. Um it is evident from the way you've structured Palmhouse Foundation
that networks are are crucial for you. They have served you well in your governance structure. They serve you well administratively by keeping your costs low.
So um and they also speak to the ethos that you have of starting with what you have.

27:28
But I find that in a Kenyan context, we're not very good at curating the power of our networks.
Yeah. and you have uh whether it's intentionally or unintentionally done that very effectively with the Palm House Foundation. So maybe we can speak a bit about that
these networks that we all have everyone knows someone else everyone works somewhere
everyone
so what what have you seen as the value of building a network or leveraging your network
to achieve goals of this nature? Yes, thank you for that question and I I repeat what I said that the money that is now in palm house and by the way I hope we have time to talk about a major success we've had not setting up an endowment which I challenge you there's no Kenyan

28:17
organization out there who can tell us that they have an endowment we'll talk about that
but the point is um
networks you are as good as your networks M
yes I have a very good network but a network is built and I'll say this to a lot of people who will listen to this people don't give to causes you may be dying here of malaria
but I will not donate to malaria I'll donate to palm house foundation
I will not donate to you I will donate to the other cause
and you are dying
people don't give to causes
yes
people give to people
people have given to pal Palm House Foundation because of you Leonard being part of it because of Eric being part of it because of because because they don't give because Palmhouse Foundation is the neediest thing. So your networks are the most important because you need the fing. But how do you build a network? One, networks are very reciprocal in life. You do me good, I do you good, he does him good. You do. You rub my

29:30 back. I rub yours. You rub my back. I
So at the end of the day, you your own heart must be open to help people.
Yes.
Today I spent more than maybe 70% of my life in philanthropy. Forget the Palm House Foundation alone and many other philanthropic things I do. Yes. Why? How can I do that? It's because I've understood this this principle that if you support me, I support you. You support him, I support each other.
The whole thing just keeps coming out.
It is the same people who will support you. I will support is the same people who will look for you when there are good things to do. So networks are very important. But how do you get a network? Your name is your network. If you have a good name, people will follow you. If you mess your name, it doesn't matter who you are, nobody will want to touch it.

30:30
Yeah.
So I I do not wish to praise myself. But my the level of trust that people place in what we do is quite high.
Exactly.
And once you get that then the networks will flow. People will flow. People give you you go and ask for 5 million, they'll give you 10. Yeah. because they know you are helping them achieve their own goals and also remember it is not about your goals. It's about everybody winning.
If the people who give palm house money, why do they give them? Why do they give us takeu take inm foundation? Take NCBA. Why do they give us the money? to achieve their goals,
not to achieve our goals,
their goals,
their goals.
So you must demonstrate to people
what is in it for them.

31:32
Yeah.
And life is about that. What is in it for me?
Yeah.
If there is nothing for me, nobody you must demonstrate that. But many people want to say, you see how people are suffering, feed them. M m
nobody will feed them. Is there a bit am I hearing that part of this is asking because you have a wide network but you also then sought out people like Ruse Kimo, sort out people like Joseph Mura and you asked of them and maybe sometimes we are scared of asking and and is asking part of that and you know you know Leonard you you you inspire me when you talk of the power of asking. I talk about that all the time
and I tell people if you don't ask you don't get there somebody who said you miss 100% of the shots you don't try take yeah Michael Jordan

32:29
precisely isn't it
I I am I'm very good at asking and I've been told very many nos
but I get very many yeses
yes
a lot of people don't ask and you'll be surprised that the person you fear, what will they say if I ask? They will surprise you because they will say yes.
When I decided to set up that board of advisors many years ago,
none of them said no. I was shocked myself.
Everyone you asked said yes.
I was shocked because these were CEOs and business owners in this country.
And I'm wondering what power who am I to go? In fact, even today if you ask who is Eric Kimmani? Yeah.
To go and ask James Dea of NCBA group
to become a board of advisor. Who am I?
Yet he's one of the best of them all because

33:30
it aligns with what he wants to do.
And many people we don't ask because we fear what people will spot. A lot of people have come and asked me, Eric, would you join my board? I said no because of A B C D a lot of people have asked me would you join our board I've said yes I've joined the board quickly
if it aligns with what I'm trying to do
but the main we think the main thing we need to understand is take the no and take the yeses
they will they will cancel out and I can guarantee you there will be more likely more yeses than the nose
okay now let's jump into the the topic you brought up about an endowment fund.
So tell us, I'm assuming that Palos Foundation has set up an endowment fund.

34:20
Yes.
So walk us through that. What is it first and how is it impacting the work of the foundation?
Yeah. An endowment fund is a fund. You said I see Kenya as a country is creating one. Yes.
So wealth it's something like that. Yes. But for a foundation
you are keeping money for future generations to use and for people for
for continuity
that even today if you stop completely
yes
fing foundation
it will run like the rocker foundation or the Ford foundation
okay
the people who founded them
set up endowments and those endowments are what run Harvard University and all those things so About 12 years ago, I wrote a book in 2011
and I want to tell you the story of the foundation of the endowment quickly.

35:14
Yeah.
I wrote a book in 2011 and uh I decided I'm going to be wealthy selling books. Little did I know and I'm sure there are many publishers and writers out there to confirm this.
You can never be rich by selling a book.
Yes.
But I'm sure that's something else. But anyway, I wrote this book. By the way,
it explains my [clears throat] principles and my thoughts process. It's called wisdom for abundant living.
Wisdom for abundant living.
Wisdom for abundant living. And I write a lot on Facebook about it and on other circles.
But when I realized the book is not selling as fast as I thought I would get rich,
I decided to to to bargain with God. So I told God, and I'm sure he he had I'll stop selling this book for myself. It sells for a,000

36:06
shen. I I'll give every thousand of this book that is sold to the Palm House Foundation because I want to raise an endowment fund of uh um 100 million shillings in the next 10 years.
Okay. My board of directors thought I was crazy. 100 million. we struggle to get 20 million every year to educate the students. Now you're talking about 100 million in 10 years. I said yes we can do it and we began we hit the ground. I started selling the books wherever I went to speak. Those days I used to speak in many forums the institute of accountants of lawyers of wherever
and I would carry the books and sell them and I was very motivated. I'm telling this story not to demonstrate how good I am but to demonstrate a principle I was talking about of abundance and how it multiplies. Mhm.

37:05
So we began the journey year 1 we have 2 million 5 million. My wife is climbing Mount Kiraro for for sponsorship to raise money. We are doing stuff to raise this endowment and uh um we start the years year 1, year 2, year four, year five, we are 20 million. You know now it is 12 years since that declaration. The foundation has more than 250 million Kenya sharings
in the fund
in the fund. How did that happen? One, it is expressed desire. I express the desire in my heart. Then I began work on it. Uh but more important is other people own it. You know the current CEO of Isuzu Lita.
Yes. Kavashi.
Kavashi. M we met at treasury that time I was in a corporate world I had not I had not left completely part of the corporate work and I don't know how she had come across the book but to cut a long story for short she was with her Japanese owners of Isuzu from that conversation at treasury

38:26
Isuzu has raised out of the 250 million Isuzu has raised 28 million.
What?
How Isuzu would give a copy of my book to every buyer of an Isuzu truck for free?
What?
And they would give the money to the foundation. I mean that's a miracle. You [clears throat] talk of miracles. [snorts] Yes.
And then others came along and slowly that is how the money has been raised. Today I wouldn't be surprised this year we'll cross at 300 million plus.
Wow.
I have now taken another challenge and I hope you will contribute yourself.
Yes.
I want to raise it to half a billion.
Yes.
By another 10 years.
No 2030.
Okay.
By 2030.
Okay.
I don't know whether we will but I know it is possible. It's not ne my money or yours but we will raise it.

39:21
Yes. Yes. But that's what I mean then
even after I'm dead and gone.
Yes,
the foundation can continue doing the good things they do for infinity to infinity if people run it well in the years to come to continue like a rocka or a Ford or the trust. Yeah.
Yes.
Yeah.
So let let's let's talk a bit about the students
who have been the biggest beneficiaries of the work that you have done. you're now talking about um from uh [clears throat] 2002 uh to date, we're now talking about 23 odd years uh 24 years of doing this.
Uh so 1,331 students as you as you told us earlier.
So let's speak about these people. Where are they? Um you've mentioned to us your current vice chair of the foundation is a former beneficiary. So what has the real impact? Maybe share with us some insights and some examples

40:26
of people who were part of this pro beneficiaries of this baseries and have gone on now to impact themselves make changes in their [clears throat] lives and their families. You know, a thought goes through my mind. L and how about you calling here
one of them to speak to these themselves. I'll give you references.
I have one in the on the cards.
Okay. I'll give you the [clears throat] references because it's better the story come from the horse's mouth.
We will definitely
but having said that,
yes,
one of my commitments and our commitment as a foundation is to build an aluminina. I heard you speaking very proudly about the Nairobi school aluminina.
Yes, we Yes, we do. Yeah. The Palmhouse Foundation Alumini is in the works. We have now been formally meeting for almost 5 years.

41:15
Uh this year we meet for a weekend in Mombasa.
Mhm.
I'm sure they will be
to 120 or 150 of them. Again remember they are all over the world. They are many of them are still universities. Some of them are still in schools or colleges. But there are many who are now working families with many children now. Uh so we want to build the aluminina because the alumini is the future. Uh my desire is to multiply Eric Kmani by many multiples
that long after I'm gone
there will be 10 20 other Eric Kmani. It's not necessarily in palm house. They can be out there doing stuff.
So we still inspire them. We work with them. uh this is a formal program of the foundation and this is in fact what sets the the palm house foundation apart

42:12
from the many in Kenya.
Okay.
The way we hold our aluminina and work with them because we want to help them realize their dreams, help their families to break the cycle of poverty and become responsible citizens. So we have that program. We we contribute some of them contribute. I remember one who actually paid for 10 of the half of the fair to Mombasa for 10 of them
who couldn't afford because now they are [clears throat] some of them have the money.
Yes.
So yeah, we are building that.
Wow. And even if we get a 1% success rate of the 1,300, if you only get 13 of them turn out to be the right Kenyan,
yes,
it will change this country to change the many things. So we are committed

43:05
and we are doing that deliberately.
Okay.
Yeah.
So allow us to dream a bit
and dream a bit about the future.
Yeah. [clears throat] and um uh this this topic which I would say is in it's in its infancy in an African context.
Let's dream a bit about African philanthropy.
Yeah.
Um now you've started Palmer House Foundation. It's thriving. It has structures. It's continuing to grow. It's innovating alumni and other things. But let's talk a bit about what's the potential for African philanthropy. What can it be? Where can it go and what can it do for us as a continent?
Well, I think the answer is not too difficult to imagine because if today you are sitting here with me because of a thought that started

43:59
20 years ago. We are very young country and I can guarantee you there are many Eric Kimmanis out there.
Yeah. It's just that we haven't heard about them or they haven't had the opportunity to come here. If you did, if we talked what we are talking today 20 years ago, people tell us you're living in the moon.
Yes.
Nobody would believe.
Yeah. They would tell us we are crazy. But here we are.
As I took that walk today and I was looking at Williamson House
as the tallest building
and now it looks like a miniature.
Yes. 30 years later.
Yes.
That's a demonstration of progress.
Mhm.
I know Kenyans we love to think very
cynically. [laughter]
Cynically and negatively.

44:45
Yeah.
This country has seen progress Leonard. Not because of our leaders, not because of
who. So nobody takes a credit. It is time.
Time has allowed us progress that these young people can come here and work with us the way they are working with us.
Yes.
This was not there 30 years ago. Agreed. 30 years from today there will be many many Eric Manis out there. There will be many more than Eric Money. Bigger than Eric Money, better than Eric Money. All we need to do is keep giving an opportunity to talk and inspire the way you have. This is [clears throat] your contribution to the country's progress.
Yes. by inspiring a young person there to take the three students or the three cows or the three gods or whatever it is they want to do

45:32
and knowing that you can build it.
Yes.
And that's what happened even in the west. People are they came from the same background.
Yeah.
So I dream and I see a future where everybody will look back and think that money how could they have thought this small? Yeah. Yeah.
There is no limitation to what can be achieved.
God has provided or the universe. Those of you who don't those people who don't believe in God, the universe has provided for you.
Yeah.
Everything there is.
Yeah.
There is nothing you need to bring along.
Yeah.
It's only our own minds and challenge our own thoughts.
We don't need to bring anything new. Show me anything man has created. It was all there from the beginning of mankind. So progress will happen. It's going to happen. We just need an abundant mentality, an abundant way of thinking,

46:31
knowing that you are able. You can do it.
Okay.
Yes.
Okay.
You know, I I I like what Let me tell you what I admire about what you're doing.
Yeah.
Um I'm I'm a big believer in the power of seeing yourself.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yes. [clears throat] And uh one thing that makes me very proud even to have you on this podcast is that you look like me.
Yes.
You know, and because um enough respect to Rockefeller Ford Foundation, but there's a um there's a possibility that they are viewed as these things come from there,
you know.
But here you are.
Yeah. a Kenyan businessman who has started your business and out driven by a need to see a change first in his community started something that has grown into a national foundation and when a young Kenyan listening to us today looks at you they I hope the seed that is planted is that oh

47:38
even I can do that
in in my own way maybe my my area has an eye disease that's prevalent I can do something about this, you know.
Being able to see yourself
in someone else and like you say, multiply E eranis or the ethos of what it is you're doing. Take it, tweak it to your own needs and your own challenges and go out and do. And the more of us that go out there and do, I think the greater the impact.
And the problem, Leonard, is we have such a scarcity thought
that I think if Leonard does it, there is no opportunity.
Yeah. [clears throat]
Yet I have just demonstrated that 30 years ago everybody thought the biggest building is that.
Today there are hund [clears throat] tens of them. We are nowhere.

48:37
There is so much opportunity. M
stop getting worried what your brother or your sister is doing. [clears throat]
Nobody can finish doing the stuff that is awaiting to be done in the next thousands of years.
So let's get on with it and have faith in yourself and don't compare yourself too much with other people. You are who you are.
Yes.
I mean I can't begin mourning that I could do better if I had this or that.
I will work with what I have.
Excellent. Yeah. And I think I really love the way you're doing this because it's like church, you know, they say, "Is there anybody to be born again today?" [laughter]
Right here in your podcast,
African Jew,
there is somebody today.

49:22
Yes.
Sitting watching this.
Yes.
Who will remember 30 years from today that Eric Man Leonard spoke about this.
Yes.
And if that be then this is more than worth it.
Excellent.
Let's keep doing it. So Eric, I know I know there are there there are thousands of corporates there um in in in the country, different sizes, you know, uh who want to give. Maybe they don't feel like they they they want to go through the effort that you have put in for whatever reasons, but they do want to give. So I'll give you a chance to speak to the the audience and to anyone out there who's listening. Where can they find the Palmhouse Foundation? How can they contribute? Uh websites, uh social media handles, how can they connect with you? And if they want to give through you, how can they do that?

50:17
Excellent. Thank you for that opportunity. Yes, I would love to give that opportunity to anyone who would want to partner with us to achieve their own goals, to help us achieve ours and um all that. The Palmhouse Found Foundation is a national educational trust that finances the secondary education of needy and deserving Kenyans all over the country in Kenya's best public schools. Uh it is not private. We are in about 100 of the best Kenyan schools. And what we do is that we take your money. uh we ask you to give us between 80 to 100,000 per year for a student and we will look after the student school fees uh and anything related to the school and we will give you a report. We will allow you to come and select with us the students. Come and mentor with us twice a year uh the students that are your program if you so wish. If you just want to support and then the support can

51:24 come as general support to the foundation um I think the most the best way to get this is to go to our website or Google um Eric Kimmani you will find many many pages with Eric Kimmani my addresses are never private they I'm a public person if you want to reach me on um phone my phone is also public 0722 2 516 223. I'll repeat that. 0722 516 223. And uh or send me an email in the Palmhouse Foundation, eric palmhouse foundation.org, eric palmhousefoundation.org, and I'll connect you. uh even if you just need help for me to help you
start your own. You don't have to just support me. My commitment to philanthropy is to all of us. So if you if you think there is a way I can help you, you can ask for help, you know.

52:30
And your website is palmhouse foundation.org. Yeah. Yeah.
Excellent.
There you'll get everything. [clears throat]
Excellent.
Thank you. So ladies and gentlemen, that was a that was a fabulous and inspiring uh episode for me. Uh I think I have learned a lot about what uh philanthropy is in an African context and it's great to see an African philanthropist who's actually living what he speaks to and is actually impacting lives of Kenyan students who are going on to impact their families to eradicate poverty
and to grow this country because I believe like Eric does
that as Africans we have the ability to do it
yes
on our own on our terms and as we see fit for our people and for the benefit of ourselves. Not negating anyone else who wants to come and help us

53:23
but recognizing that in us is the ability, the networks, the connections
to do whatever we need to do and to dream whatever dreams we want to dream for this nation, for this continent and impact. So ladies and gentlemen, that was episode 41 of the African Doof podcast. Uh we look forward to more guests. I will take up Eric on the offer to reach out to him and find some of the alumni of the Palmhouse Foundation and hopefully in future episodes we can have them with us. But thank you very much for sparing your 1 hour to listen to us and what we're trying to do here at African Do podcast and we look forward to having you in future episodes. You can find us on YouTube. Uh we have taken a small break from Spotify uh but we we should be back. Uh, thank you very much and look forward to you in the next episode.