Chris Kestner, Senior Project Manager -- I cut my construction teeth in the masonry business, and it provided my living until 2004, when I joined Tarlton (another one of those chance encounters we may talk about someday). Motivated by potential for extra income and more than a little nostalgia, I held onto many of my masonry tools, most notably a mortar mixer. After five years, my wife finally convinced me to sell it in December. I turned to craigslist, the online garage sale, and posted pictures, a short description and an attractive price. Almost immediately, there was a flood of interest. As I said, the price was right.
One message in particular caught my attention. The inquiry indicated the mixer would be used for a training program in St. Louis, teaching tuckpointing as part of a larger program. Upon further investigation, I learned there is a summer program within Restore Saint Louis called Harambee that utilizes physical work and skill training (tuckpointing, in this case) to deliver a greater message of faith, work ethic and camaraderie. Harambee is a Swahili word that means “let’s work together to get this task done.”
Through the program, at-risk youths earn a wage and are part of something larger than themselves. Many return every summer to continue their training. They also improve their neighborhoods, West End and Hamilton Heights, by tuckpointing the homes of mostly low-income residents. During the rest of the year, they have access to after-school tutoring and life skills instruction.
A program that began on a shoestring in 1996 and helped a handful of young people has blossomed into an organization that helps close to 100 each summer and approximately 30 throughout the year. This year, for the first time, Harambee has gathered a group of former participants in the program and embarked on a for-profit model. They have realistic expectations, a loyal, skilled workforce, and a true belief in what they are doing. They’ve found a truly innovative way to improve lives AND the neighborhood. Now they’ve got me thinking about what Tarlton might do to help.
And all I wanted to do was sell a mixer.