Aug 9/10, 2012 - Marketing, structure experimentation, and exec selection

On Thursday (the 9th), Clara and I left the team to work mostly on their own as we did some planning for the next few days. The team constructed eight more shower heads on their own and Davies bought two more valves.

Davies, Isaiah, and Vivian did some more marketing to individual households, talking to 15 families and quoting a price of 4500 KSH. Out of those 15 households, 10 gave positive feedback about the product and price and showed interest in buying the Eco-shower. However, unfortunately, the times that the team is available to go talk to households is when most of the heads of households aren't at home, so none of the people they met (mostly women) could make a solid decision.

Before we got there on Friday, the guys started experimenting with the structure design based on marketing feedback. They'd bought some pieces of hardwood on Thursday and were already working hard on constructing a stand when we arrived.

The team had good and bad news for us. Bad news first: the first family we'd installed a shower for had said they weren't using it because the wife didn't feel comfortable showering in such an exposed structure (when Clara and I talked to her earlier, she'd said she used it and enjoyed it), so the team took back the shower. There was a general desire for a more sturdy structure from the households surveyed, which is why the team decided to try out a wooden stand. The good news: they installed the first shower we built in George's home nearby, all tried it out, and loved it! George said he may even be our first customer.

Later, when Daniel was free, we talked with him about contacting other youth groups. He showed us this directory of organizations in the area called Mukuru on the Move.

We set up meetings with Hope Medical Clinic and G-Thamini Youth Group in Kwa Njenga on Monday and then Hope Worldwide and the Heshima Disabled Self-Help Group in Kwa Reuben on Tuesday. We're hoping to talk to Sanergy's marketing team as well on Tuesday.

Daniel also explained to us how Amusha is organized and the leadership structure currently in place. He's the chairman, with Davies as treasurer and Richard as secretary.

Our shower project falls under the project committee category. We decided that the exec team would consist of a chairman, vice chair, treasurer, secretary, vice secretary, head of marketing, and head of design. In the afternoon, we called everyone together for elections. Each nominee had 3 minutes to give a speech and then 2 minutes to answer questions. Some great discussion about the future of Eco-shower as a business rather than just a group sprung out of the Q&A sessions.

We were really happy to hand over leadership to our new exec team, whom we have a lot of confidence in!

George, Donga, Isaiah, Richard, Daniel, and Davies (listed left to right) introduced as the new exec team. Emmaculate, sitting next to George, is taking minutes as vice secretary.

Chairman: George Okoth

Vice chair: Richard Wekesa

Treasurer: Davies Maina

Secretary: Isaiah Odiso

Vice secretary: Emmaculate Ngesa

Head of marketing: Paul Danga

Head of design: Daniel Otieno

The first order of business that we brought up after exec selection was branding. We asked everyone to think about a logo and color(s) to paint the pumps. Before we start selling, we'd like to make sure this is settled so our product is recognizable and memorable (and as aesthetically pleasing as possible).

Since Davies is now the treasurer, he's in charge of handling the project funds, so we handed over 3000 KSH to him for paint and whatever materials are needed next. He has plenty of experience as the treasurer of Amusha, so we trust that he'll do a great job managing the money.