On Friday Kelvin the Executive Director of Inepd International visited the Makeni Women's Community Centre in Sierra Leone. In this visit Kelvin explored women's issues and the functioning of micro-credit programs of the Inepd International program in Sierra Leone. I hope you find the tweets from his visit as informative and uplifting as I did:

Live Tweets from Field Visit to Makeni Women's Community Centre Sierra Leone

Running a little late here. Just finishing off breakfast and then off to the Makeni Women's Community Centre in Sierra Leone in about 15 min: Oct 30

Right now we are just about to leave: Oct 30

Had a great last night at a small bar in Makeni by the market. Makeni is a small town in the center of Sierra Leone. It is incredible hot: Oct 30

We had some beers with the staff here who manage a women’s community development program. Fascinating work they are doing: Oct 30

They help poor women with lots things to help become un-poor. Women are so important in the family being the main child bearers: Oct 30

Women also play in important role in the town's economy by working and helping all the time: Oct 30

Right we are just getting in the Inepd Land-Cruiser to visit the Inepd Women’s Community Centre: Oct 30

Samantha my Personal Assistant will be tweeting for me on the visit so I can concentrate fully on the great work of Inepd international: Oct 30

She has been fantastic on the trip such a vivacious young lady. Reminds me of a girlfriend back at University: Oct 30

Fantastic summer of 83, Spandau Ballet and the Cote d'Azur. Pity father was a GP. That was before I met my wife Cynthia. A long long time ago: Oct 30

Right, Now handing the tweets over to Samantha: Oct 30

Hi I am Samantha. I am Kelvin's personal assistant and I will be tweeting for @InepdKelvin while we visit the Inepd Makeni Women’s Center here in Sierra Leone: Oct 30

Just getting in the Land-cruiser. Only a short drive to the centre: Oct 30

Oh it is next door, we are just pulling up at the gate: Oct 30

Kelvin is wearing a traditional Sierra Leonean suit made of the local designed cloth (Gara) he received from the Inepd staff here last night: Oct 30

It is bright orange bursting in a constellation of exploding stars with purple nuclei: Oct 30

He also has a traditionally carved wooden staff/walking stick and white Inepd baseball cap and dark brown boating lofas: Oct 30

We have now stepped out of the Inepd LandCruiser. We are met by the Centre Director Mrs Kadiatu Tureh: Oct 30

Kadiatu tells us about the history of the centre. How it was formed after the war to help women get back on their feet: Oct 30

The centre gives literacy classes and supports women with income generation activities: Oct 30

The centre is also an information and referral service to support victims of domestic violence: Oct 30

Kadiatu now asks us if we would like to see the centre and meet some of the staff and women: Oct 30

We walk into a small room a bit dark with natural light. The house has mud brick walls with cement rendering and thick yellow paint: Oct 30

There are around 10 women in beautiful dresses of all colours and matching head wraps or scarves: Oct 30

Kadiatu introduces us to the women. There are 2 staff and a savings group who are particpants in an Inepd Program: Oct 30

Kadiatu explains the savings group has 6 women and they save together and take turns to access credit from the group savings: Oct 30

The credit usually goes to support an income generation activity of one or more of the women: Oct 30

We are asked if we would like to sit  down and ask the women about the centre and it's activities: Oct 30

Hi I am Samantha. I am Kelvin’s PA and I am tweeting for @InepdKelvin while we visit the Inepd Makeni Women’s Center here in Sierra Leone: Oct 30

We all begin to sit on the mats: Oct 30

Kelvin has walked off to the corner of the room, there is a table and chair and he picks up the chair and walks back to his place: Oct 30

He stays standing for a while seeing us all sitting on the mats. The women start to stand again: Oct 30

Kadiatu says it is no problem for him to sit on the chair and everyone sits down again: Oct 30

Kadiatu asks if he would now like to so say anything to the women: Oct 30

Kelvin then stands and says that he is so happy to be here in the presence of so many beautiful ladies: Oct 30

He then goes on to say he knows that being a woman is not easy; it takes hard work and patience: Oct 30

He then says in poor countries like Sierra Leone it can be even harder for women, but with perseverance and Inepd support they can make it: Oct 30

He then thanks them for the opportunity to visit them in their natural surroundings: Oct 30

Kadiatu then asks Kelvin if he would like to ask some questions to the women: Oct 30

Kelvin ask the women what they use the money they make from income generation activities: Oct 30

One women in her early 20s Sarah says that she uses money she makes for school fees for the children and any emergency medical expenses: Oct 30

Kelvin asks how much she has made from one of the income generation activities: Oct 30

Sarah says she made 30,000 Leones in 3 months. This has helped her family a lot; it is their only savings: Oct 30

Kadiatu says that this is around $10: Oct 30

Kelvin now looks a little disappointed and says to Sarah, don't worry once this financial crisis is over business will bounce back: Oct 30

Kelvin asks Kadiatu why doesn't Inepd just pay for school fees for the kids and support a clinic if that's what the women spend the money on: Oct 30

Kadiatu starts to reply but Kelvin interrupts: Oct 30

Kelvin goes on to say, that this business model for the savings group looks pretty marginal: Oct 30

He asks Kadiatu if all the savings group women are as poor: Oct 30

Kadiatu then says that Inepd targets women with little means for our programs. However it is difficult to target the poorest women: Oct 30

Kelvin's advice is to broaden their portfolio, try and get some local businessmen etc. in the program to expand the capital base: Oct 30

Kadiatu, thanks Kelvin for the suggestion. Kadiatu suggests that we move on and look at some of the women work: Oct 30

Hi I am Samantha. I am Kelvin’s PA and I am tweeting for @InepdKelvin while we visit the Inepd Makeni Women’s Center here in Sierra Leone: Oct 30

We then move the to a Tukul at the back of the office. The Tukul sits in the middle of a neat and simple garden with some fruit trees: Oct 30

Kadiatu explains that this where women come to work and socialise when not caught up with family matters: Oct 30

It is an important place because our staff and volunteers can also provide information on services that women can access to support them: Oct 30

The women have brought some of their handicrafts to show the type of work they are able to undertake with the support of Inepd International: Oct 30

Kelvin sees one piece that he says is exquisite. It has been made by a widow Zaria with 3 school aged children: Oct 30

She has just finished the piece: Oct 30

Kadiatu explains that the piece is an intricately beaded bag with accessories(belt and ear rings) and has taken Zaria 4 months to make: Oct 30

Zaria explains that because of Inepd the Inepd Savings Group she has been able to purchase materials that she could not otherwise afford: Oct 30

When Zaria sells the beaded bag and accessories she will enough for her children’s school fees: Oct 30

Kelvin tells Zaria that Cynthia his wife would absolutely love a bag like this. She just loves handicrafts: Oct 30

Zaria tells Kelvin he can have the bag for his wife. Kelvin then asks how much: Oct 30

Zaria tells him not to worry. : Oct 30

Kelvin accepts the bag and thanks Zaria: Oct 30

Kelvin then walks to admire one a wall tapestry hanging by the entrance of the tukul: Oct 30

Kadiatu and Zaria are having a heated discussion in their local language.  Kelvin then asks which woman made this tapestry: Oct 30

No woman comes forward. Kadiatu steps towards Kelvin and explains that the hanging was done by a woman who is absent: Oct 30

Kelvin says that it was just what he would have wanted for his office back at work: Oct 30

Kadiatu asks if we would like some morning tea with the women.  Kelvin says he would love to but we need to be back in Freetown tonight: Oct 30

The UN Womens Auxillary is performing “A Street Car Named Desire”: Oct 30

He promised to attend as one of his colleagues from the Royal Bank of Scotland wife is performing: Oct 30

We head towards the Land-Cruiser. I am now handing back the tweets to @InepdKelvin Hope you enjoyed my tweeting. Here's Kelvin: Oct 30

Thanks Samantha so much for tweeting what was a fascinating visit: Oct 30

Each time I come on a visit I learn so much. When I am also able to use my financial background to give some advice to support a program: Oct 30

Well a long drive now back to Freetown: Oct 30