In Kenya, I am learning, that nothing is as it seems. I am also learning that I can't do everything... but I can do something. So that's what I am doing with Frederick. Something to give him and his young family a foot hold in life. Terry's also written about the gong show we went through to get to his compound today to meet his wife and mother. And also his little girl. In all of our meetings over the past couple of weeks he never mentioned he had an 8 month old baby girl! She is a little darling. Terry urged him to put off having any more kids until their situation improves. But, by the way he giggled, I don't think the message computed.
Anyway, what we thought would be a quick 10 minute walk to Frederick's turned into an hour and a half of hopping in and out of vehicles, on and off bodabodas and walking on dirt roads. I have put a lot of energy into this one young family and I am doing it for myself as much as for him. Since we have been here I have met and seen organizations that help girls go to school, high achieving boys go to school, widows, orphans, women with literacy and in new businesses, and of course street boys. But what about the HUGE population of young people who have made it only to class 8, are now too old for high school, but have no marketable skills. So, that is how I chose Frederick.
We have some well wishers from home that are asking to help change a person's life and I am realizing that that is much easier said than done. The worst thing we could do is nothing, and the second worse thing we could do would be to hand over a sum of money (no matter how large or small) and disappear. The best help takes time and energy... training, money and on-going support. So, what we will do with any further donations -- and please pledge if the spirit moves you!!! -- is hand it over to groups that we trust that are here in Kenya that can distribute the money in a meaningful way for lasting support and most of all self sufficiency! As I told Frederick and Josephine (his wife), I will make sure that they have a good start and the rest is up to them. They need to work hard, together, to ensure their support. Right now I understand that they need money to get started, but after that, they must save and grow their businesses to ensure a good future for themselves and little Brenda.
So, I have a couple of favourite groups:
KASFOOC which helps widows and orphans; I will direct funds from anyone interested in food sustainability (fish and bananas)
Maji Mazuri which has three projects directly supporting residents of the Mathare Slum in Nairobi (HUGE NEED HERE), just let me know if your interest is women micro-finance, youth micro-finance and leadership training, or special needs children and orphans
WEBB which is a Kakamega based organization providing micro-finance and training for women in small business
And then of course, all the proceeds from the jewelry sales will support a women's adult literacy program in the rural village (name escapes me right now) where the artist is from.
Oh yeah, and if you want to send a child to high school, I've got great contacts for both girls and boys.
Whatever your fancy, we can put your money to good use! I'm just not going to try and do it all myself :-) though it is definitely worth all the hub-ub.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Frederick Home Visit
Its 1:30 pm on a hot Friday afternoon. Tanya is off at her 3rd meeting of 5 today. This morning she met with Rebecca at the CHES office to discuss how to go about training Frederick’s wife (Josephine) in a small business (ad cash handling and saving) while he is apprenticing as a carpenter for the next 1-2 years.
Tanya got home in time for us to meet Frederick at 10am. He told us he lived about a kilometre from here so we figured we had enough time to visit his family and home (i.e. check him out) before a lunch meeting with a Technical college and good old Nora (I’m not sure what Tanya is up to with the technical college, I think its just to learn ‘how it all works’).
Well we met Frederick; he was late, trying to find a place to store his bike while we took a matatu to his ‘area’ (Msala). Hmm, didn’t sound like a 1 km trip to me…and it wasn’t. We stood by the road waiting for an unfilled-to-the-brim matatu to pass by. No luck, so I suggested, since it’s so close, let’s just splurge on a taxi, what’s $4 round trip? We jumped in a taxi after negotiating too long only to discover the taxi was boxed in and had no gas. Then we found a mini mini van willing to act like a taxi. After a jumpstart we were on the road. Five minutes later we pulled over because cops were ahead. The plan: boda boda around the cops and then meet the mini mini van on the other side. We did and off we went (that’s the short version). About 10km up the road we stopped and got out, time for a boda boda ride along a dirt road. A few kilometres in we had to stop. New road construction (if you can call it that, basically the road was impassable). So we walked for 10 or 15 minutes along paths until we reached Frederick’s tiny little home- a mud shack with grass roof. What a commute Frederick must make but he does it all by bike.
Incidentally we may have broken a record today: 21 people in a 14 passenger van.
We had chai. His wife and Mama (all aunts are mamas too, so it took awhile to figure out who was who) served white bread with margarine and ground nuts. Thankfully no soda. We had the interview and let them know the game plan and took some pictures. Our friend gave us a 100 USD to change a life. Frederick qualifies. His Aunts said he was a very good boy, “perfect”.
Next, after Tanya gets back from the college, we meet David Enkombe, he is one of the 16 year old Rotary boys my club is helping, he asked to meet me for some reason; I’m not sure what that is about.
After that its “pizza night” at SheyWey House where we hope to meet with Maria. She doesn’t know it yet, but we are going to ask her to steward some of the money for the ongoing projects we leave behind.
KASFOOC update
Tomorrow at 10am I get to see the final final KASFOOC budget, wish list. This is my favourite project because the focus is fish farming for widows and orphans. One pond, a little training (ongoing, hands-on, not just at the beginning) and start up money can create a source of income that exceeds the rest of their lands harvest. The extra money raised goes to school fees, which of course breaks the cycle of poverty. The women work together and save money so that they can survive droughts and life’s problems, rather than lurching from one crisis to the next. They can use the money for oil, paraffin, soap and other necessities.
We are not trying to create any new relationships, but it’s hard. This is the home stretch. We have 13 projects we are supporting with friends and Rotary. There are many loose ends to tie off and people to meet.
I suppose Tanya has told you about the things we see on the back of bicycles? We have seen milk crates of soda pops stacked 4 high, car tires, 2 3 year olds, huge bundles of wood and a coffin. Today on the way here I saw guys hauling bags of cement. It rained a few days ago so near one of the construction sites they dammed the puddles and all day long there are men and children filling buckets of water and hauling over to the brick layers. I hope no ones drinking it.
Its strange now that some of these bizzare sights don't stop us in our tracks anymore. They just keep coming, one mind-boggling sign of poverty and ingenuity after another.
Tanya got home in time for us to meet Frederick at 10am. He told us he lived about a kilometre from here so we figured we had enough time to visit his family and home (i.e. check him out) before a lunch meeting with a Technical college and good old Nora (I’m not sure what Tanya is up to with the technical college, I think its just to learn ‘how it all works’).
Well we met Frederick; he was late, trying to find a place to store his bike while we took a matatu to his ‘area’ (Msala). Hmm, didn’t sound like a 1 km trip to me…and it wasn’t. We stood by the road waiting for an unfilled-to-the-brim matatu to pass by. No luck, so I suggested, since it’s so close, let’s just splurge on a taxi, what’s $4 round trip? We jumped in a taxi after negotiating too long only to discover the taxi was boxed in and had no gas. Then we found a mini mini van willing to act like a taxi. After a jumpstart we were on the road. Five minutes later we pulled over because cops were ahead. The plan: boda boda around the cops and then meet the mini mini van on the other side. We did and off we went (that’s the short version). About 10km up the road we stopped and got out, time for a boda boda ride along a dirt road. A few kilometres in we had to stop. New road construction (if you can call it that, basically the road was impassable). So we walked for 10 or 15 minutes along paths until we reached Frederick’s tiny little home- a mud shack with grass roof. What a commute Frederick must make but he does it all by bike.
Incidentally we may have broken a record today: 21 people in a 14 passenger van.
We had chai. His wife and Mama (all aunts are mamas too, so it took awhile to figure out who was who) served white bread with margarine and ground nuts. Thankfully no soda. We had the interview and let them know the game plan and took some pictures. Our friend gave us a 100 USD to change a life. Frederick qualifies. His Aunts said he was a very good boy, “perfect”.
Next, after Tanya gets back from the college, we meet David Enkombe, he is one of the 16 year old Rotary boys my club is helping, he asked to meet me for some reason; I’m not sure what that is about.
After that its “pizza night” at SheyWey House where we hope to meet with Maria. She doesn’t know it yet, but we are going to ask her to steward some of the money for the ongoing projects we leave behind.
KASFOOC update
Tomorrow at 10am I get to see the final final KASFOOC budget, wish list. This is my favourite project because the focus is fish farming for widows and orphans. One pond, a little training (ongoing, hands-on, not just at the beginning) and start up money can create a source of income that exceeds the rest of their lands harvest. The extra money raised goes to school fees, which of course breaks the cycle of poverty. The women work together and save money so that they can survive droughts and life’s problems, rather than lurching from one crisis to the next. They can use the money for oil, paraffin, soap and other necessities.
We are not trying to create any new relationships, but it’s hard. This is the home stretch. We have 13 projects we are supporting with friends and Rotary. There are many loose ends to tie off and people to meet.
I suppose Tanya has told you about the things we see on the back of bicycles? We have seen milk crates of soda pops stacked 4 high, car tires, 2 3 year olds, huge bundles of wood and a coffin. Today on the way here I saw guys hauling bags of cement. It rained a few days ago so near one of the construction sites they dammed the puddles and all day long there are men and children filling buckets of water and hauling over to the brick layers. I hope no ones drinking it.
Its strange now that some of these bizzare sights don't stop us in our tracks anymore. They just keep coming, one mind-boggling sign of poverty and ingenuity after another.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Shopping
I can't remember what I wrote yesterday, so forgive me if I repeat myself today. We are sitting in a frustrating cyber cafe (the same one at the gas station that the goats walked past last time... no goats today, though). I keep getting kicked out of gmail, so will take this time to blog. We just finished shopping for the Musingu Boys. We were able to buy EVERYTHING on their lists and still have 1000 or so shillings left over! Terry wasn't too pleased with my buying books used on the street (no receipt), but I know his Rotary Club knows we are good for it. And I think it saved just enough so no one had to be disappointed!
Walking in to town today Terry was saying that he was much more brash (is that a word? I'm not sure if he actually said brash) in India about taking photos. We have been quite shy about it here, because we LIVE here and are now worrying that we might not have enough! So, we'll be a little more in your face about it for the next few days. Oh, I know, we are heading to Eldoret on Monday... they don't know us there!
For example, it is one thing for me to write about all the things we see being carried on the back of a bicycle, but it is quite another to see it! Do words do justice to this:
A red velvet coffin
A HUGE, wide, high load of sticks
8 Twenty litre water jugs
Enormous bundles of... hay, clothing, fruit, vegetables
One or more live chickens, on the back or on the handlebars
People in suits, dresses, old, young, fat, skinny, you name it
People with babies or briefcases
Long pieces of metal or timber (like REALLY really long)
Oh, there go the goats... there's a whole herd of them today. Just paused to take a picture :-)
Walking in to town today Terry was saying that he was much more brash (is that a word? I'm not sure if he actually said brash) in India about taking photos. We have been quite shy about it here, because we LIVE here and are now worrying that we might not have enough! So, we'll be a little more in your face about it for the next few days. Oh, I know, we are heading to Eldoret on Monday... they don't know us there!
For example, it is one thing for me to write about all the things we see being carried on the back of a bicycle, but it is quite another to see it! Do words do justice to this:
A red velvet coffin
A HUGE, wide, high load of sticks
8 Twenty litre water jugs
Enormous bundles of... hay, clothing, fruit, vegetables
One or more live chickens, on the back or on the handlebars
People in suits, dresses, old, young, fat, skinny, you name it
People with babies or briefcases
Long pieces of metal or timber (like REALLY really long)
Oh, there go the goats... there's a whole herd of them today. Just paused to take a picture :-)
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Memories of Maasai Mara
I did promise an entry (an exciting, detailed, entry I believe is what I said) about our trip to the Maasai Mara. It seems so long ago and since our trip will be a memory before you know it, I thought I’d better deliver. So, with some help from my written journal, here it is:
February 4, 2009
What a fantastic day! We all got up and were ready to go on time. Two of Jeremiah’s employees picked us up in the Tour Africa Matatu. Jeremiah had put in two captains chairs, so it really was quite comfortable. We drove off in the dark early morning with Dolly Parton love songs playing… too much.
Even at 6:30am, the streets were busy with people walking. On the whole drive from Kakamega to Kisumu, the road was lined with kids wearing every colour combination of school uniform one could imagine. On several occasions, we had to stop to let herds of cattle, sheep, or goats cross the road. A little farther in to the drive it was donkeys.
Note: We heard from Jeremiah today how he got his start to success. He had known Alinda and her husband for some time. Jeremiah used to have a very old car that he used as a taxi. He told us it was not uncommon for him to break down with four flat tires on one trip. Alinda asked him one day if she bought him a decent car would he be able to pay her back. The answer was yes, and so she bought him a car. After some time he was able to pay back the loan, he then sold the car, which left him enough for a down payment on the café.
The scenery was spectacular… gorgeous bright green fields of tea, dotted with colourful pickers; crowded, noisy, colourful market days; donkeys. I was so enamoured by the donkeys that I barely noticed the change in scenery. It was getting dryer. Cactus fences replaced the barbed wire. The soil turned from red to light brown. The roads were now lined with sandcastles. Huh? Who is making sand castles in the middle of the desert? Oh wait, those are ant hills.
After several hours which flew by like minutes, Cody spotted the first animal (other than the goats, cows, pigs and donkeys previously mentioned). Giselle, then antelope and then 3 giraffes, and we are not yet officially in the park! Next were the wart hogs, who would come to be my favourites. Jeremiah told us that wart hogs are “very shallow minded”. They get scared and run very fast, which seems pretty smart to me; but soon they forget why they are running and simply stop. Lion sausages are what they are known as here. We witnessed this over and over again – warthogs with tails standing straight up, take off with a quick prance for maybe 5 seconds and then abruptly stop and look around. Ugh, just adorable. A little pathetic, sure, but totally adorable.
Next in my journal are some bullets:
- herd of 13 giraffes
- 2 elephants
- Huge hyenas, such a treat
- Wart hogs, often a pair will be hanging out with other animals, who hopefully remind them to keep running!
- The ostriches are HUGE, bigger than zebras if you can imagine
- Buffalo; look quiet enough, but Jeremiah says are very dangerous.
Coming through the gates at the Mara, the Maasai women were selling necklaces, bracelets, and carvings. And believe me, they do not take NO for an answer. “O.K. Mama, this one, this one, 700 for all.” They would put things in my lap and say “O.K. O.K., it’s no problem.” Like, I mean they were AGGRESSIVE. It worked though, Cody bought a mask and a statue for 500 shillings. Later they offered me two statues, 2 masks and a giraffe for 700. They told me this is the “mama price”.
To be continued…
February 4, 2009
What a fantastic day! We all got up and were ready to go on time. Two of Jeremiah’s employees picked us up in the Tour Africa Matatu. Jeremiah had put in two captains chairs, so it really was quite comfortable. We drove off in the dark early morning with Dolly Parton love songs playing… too much.
Even at 6:30am, the streets were busy with people walking. On the whole drive from Kakamega to Kisumu, the road was lined with kids wearing every colour combination of school uniform one could imagine. On several occasions, we had to stop to let herds of cattle, sheep, or goats cross the road. A little farther in to the drive it was donkeys.
Note: We heard from Jeremiah today how he got his start to success. He had known Alinda and her husband for some time. Jeremiah used to have a very old car that he used as a taxi. He told us it was not uncommon for him to break down with four flat tires on one trip. Alinda asked him one day if she bought him a decent car would he be able to pay her back. The answer was yes, and so she bought him a car. After some time he was able to pay back the loan, he then sold the car, which left him enough for a down payment on the café.
The scenery was spectacular… gorgeous bright green fields of tea, dotted with colourful pickers; crowded, noisy, colourful market days; donkeys. I was so enamoured by the donkeys that I barely noticed the change in scenery. It was getting dryer. Cactus fences replaced the barbed wire. The soil turned from red to light brown. The roads were now lined with sandcastles. Huh? Who is making sand castles in the middle of the desert? Oh wait, those are ant hills.
After several hours which flew by like minutes, Cody spotted the first animal (other than the goats, cows, pigs and donkeys previously mentioned). Giselle, then antelope and then 3 giraffes, and we are not yet officially in the park! Next were the wart hogs, who would come to be my favourites. Jeremiah told us that wart hogs are “very shallow minded”. They get scared and run very fast, which seems pretty smart to me; but soon they forget why they are running and simply stop. Lion sausages are what they are known as here. We witnessed this over and over again – warthogs with tails standing straight up, take off with a quick prance for maybe 5 seconds and then abruptly stop and look around. Ugh, just adorable. A little pathetic, sure, but totally adorable.
Next in my journal are some bullets:
- herd of 13 giraffes
- 2 elephants
- Huge hyenas, such a treat
- Wart hogs, often a pair will be hanging out with other animals, who hopefully remind them to keep running!
- The ostriches are HUGE, bigger than zebras if you can imagine
- Buffalo; look quiet enough, but Jeremiah says are very dangerous.
Coming through the gates at the Mara, the Maasai women were selling necklaces, bracelets, and carvings. And believe me, they do not take NO for an answer. “O.K. Mama, this one, this one, 700 for all.” They would put things in my lap and say “O.K. O.K., it’s no problem.” Like, I mean they were AGGRESSIVE. It worked though, Cody bought a mask and a statue for 500 shillings. Later they offered me two statues, 2 masks and a giraffe for 700. They told me this is the “mama price”.
To be continued…
Locked out (again)
February 25, 2009
I was just about to sit for an hour before my next appointment after a busy morning. Terry was reading comfortably in the shade on the grass and I just wanted to ask him something quickly before I could relax… there was a nice breeze and then, the door slammed shut. ARGH! Our door locks automatically. We are locked out. I am wearing short shorts and we have only one pair of flip flops outside the locked door. One of us will have to go to Sheywe Guesthouse to try and get our keys. Since I’m typing, I guess you know who has gone. He’s not at all pleased about it, but one must be flexible in Kenya!
This morning got off to a bit of a frustrating start when the Musingu Boys were over an hour and a half late for our shopping day (there was a mix up with their school bus). But once we got started, it all went very smoothly. The 8 boys arrived with their list of wants and needs and we got them all sized for shirts, trousers and shoes. Rotary has granted $50 for each boy to top up some of their lacking educational needs. I think we will be able to manage most of what they are asking for. Even though I have done the shopping myself, it is still hard to grasp that $200 will outfit 8 high school boys in uniforms, text books and math supplies! We bought everyone sodas, mandazi (doughnut type things) and a full lunch afterward (9 people) for 20 bucks, I KNOW you couldn’t do that in Canada.
Julius came by to drop off the first order of jewellery. He is so happy. I will pick up the rest next week when it is ready. It was gratifying to hand him all those 1000 shilling notes and listen to him talk about the possibilities it brings for him and his family. He spoke of planting, beginning to save for more land and of solar panels so that his children can study at night. He is excited about the women’s literacy program that Patricia will begin in late September when she returns. I wish I could be here for that.
Right now I am waiting for Frederick to come by at 4:00pm. Things are working out so well. I was asking our friend, Williamson, who has been making the desks for Daisy School, about a school I had checked out for carpentry – did they have a good reputation, does he hire graduates of that school, etc. He told us that he has promised himself that he will help at least two boys a year. He trains them on the job, feeds them lunch and pays them a small wage until they are fully trained when he employs them until they are eventually ready to go on to open their own shop. He interviewed Frederick yesterday and has agreed to take him on! The training wage will not be enough to carry him through, but I can look at perhaps getting his wife and mother into a small business to make up the difference in the short term and hopefully begin a real lift towards a life of something more than just barely surviving.
Terry just came back with Sammy who was able to pick the lock and get us in! Hey, so much for high security.
I was just about to sit for an hour before my next appointment after a busy morning. Terry was reading comfortably in the shade on the grass and I just wanted to ask him something quickly before I could relax… there was a nice breeze and then, the door slammed shut. ARGH! Our door locks automatically. We are locked out. I am wearing short shorts and we have only one pair of flip flops outside the locked door. One of us will have to go to Sheywe Guesthouse to try and get our keys. Since I’m typing, I guess you know who has gone. He’s not at all pleased about it, but one must be flexible in Kenya!
This morning got off to a bit of a frustrating start when the Musingu Boys were over an hour and a half late for our shopping day (there was a mix up with their school bus). But once we got started, it all went very smoothly. The 8 boys arrived with their list of wants and needs and we got them all sized for shirts, trousers and shoes. Rotary has granted $50 for each boy to top up some of their lacking educational needs. I think we will be able to manage most of what they are asking for. Even though I have done the shopping myself, it is still hard to grasp that $200 will outfit 8 high school boys in uniforms, text books and math supplies! We bought everyone sodas, mandazi (doughnut type things) and a full lunch afterward (9 people) for 20 bucks, I KNOW you couldn’t do that in Canada.
Julius came by to drop off the first order of jewellery. He is so happy. I will pick up the rest next week when it is ready. It was gratifying to hand him all those 1000 shilling notes and listen to him talk about the possibilities it brings for him and his family. He spoke of planting, beginning to save for more land and of solar panels so that his children can study at night. He is excited about the women’s literacy program that Patricia will begin in late September when she returns. I wish I could be here for that.
Right now I am waiting for Frederick to come by at 4:00pm. Things are working out so well. I was asking our friend, Williamson, who has been making the desks for Daisy School, about a school I had checked out for carpentry – did they have a good reputation, does he hire graduates of that school, etc. He told us that he has promised himself that he will help at least two boys a year. He trains them on the job, feeds them lunch and pays them a small wage until they are fully trained when he employs them until they are eventually ready to go on to open their own shop. He interviewed Frederick yesterday and has agreed to take him on! The training wage will not be enough to carry him through, but I can look at perhaps getting his wife and mother into a small business to make up the difference in the short term and hopefully begin a real lift towards a life of something more than just barely surviving.
Terry just came back with Sammy who was able to pick the lock and get us in! Hey, so much for high security.
Busy, busy
The last few days have been a whirlwind of meetings; it’s been a bit like work- fun work, but work. As we consider project after project and how to make them eligible for specific types of Rotary grants I am spending lots of times reading downloaded Rotary manuals and sending emails to various clubs and our District Grant coordinator and Rotary Activity report centre.
We met with RC Vihiga on Monday and introduced them to KASFOOC in the hopes the RC becomes a Host partner to a grant. We then met with Vihiga and a few government officials to look at the dam they want to build to create hydro power and a fish farm. Later on we met with KASFOOC again to help them make a Rotary-friendly (i.e. highly specific) budget. That was fun; I can talk about fish farming forever.
I am having a few good runs these days. This morning was probably the least reaction I have received while here. Although yesterday I sent my first small child shrieking home – I was running uphill from a gully and kind of emerged from the trees into their small lane where the little gaffer, about 4 years old, was heading off to school. There was man shaving in the next yard looking on with a big smile. That little guy was scared for his life.
I wish I had a dump truck of soccer balls. All the schools have sports immediately after classes from about 3-5. We go by the fields and see about 4 or 5 games going on simultaneously, tons of kids. Each group has a “ball” made of plastic bags wrapped tightly. I think out of the dozens of schools we have passed we have seen one group with a real soccer ball.
As I post this we are waiting for Misingu High School boys (8) to meet us so we can buy them school supplies (compliments of RC Strathcona-Sunrise). So far they are an hour and a half late. Tanya’s gone to check again and she’s not back yet so that’s the signal she may have found them. We have found the Africans to be very punctual, so this was not expected. This afternoon we meet Julius to buy jewellery, and Frederick who has been accepted as a journeyman compliments of our desk carpenter (that’s very cool- I’ll let Tanya describe the story).
Oh yeah, I better go.
We met with RC Vihiga on Monday and introduced them to KASFOOC in the hopes the RC becomes a Host partner to a grant. We then met with Vihiga and a few government officials to look at the dam they want to build to create hydro power and a fish farm. Later on we met with KASFOOC again to help them make a Rotary-friendly (i.e. highly specific) budget. That was fun; I can talk about fish farming forever.
I am having a few good runs these days. This morning was probably the least reaction I have received while here. Although yesterday I sent my first small child shrieking home – I was running uphill from a gully and kind of emerged from the trees into their small lane where the little gaffer, about 4 years old, was heading off to school. There was man shaving in the next yard looking on with a big smile. That little guy was scared for his life.
I wish I had a dump truck of soccer balls. All the schools have sports immediately after classes from about 3-5. We go by the fields and see about 4 or 5 games going on simultaneously, tons of kids. Each group has a “ball” made of plastic bags wrapped tightly. I think out of the dozens of schools we have passed we have seen one group with a real soccer ball.
As I post this we are waiting for Misingu High School boys (8) to meet us so we can buy them school supplies (compliments of RC Strathcona-Sunrise). So far they are an hour and a half late. Tanya’s gone to check again and she’s not back yet so that’s the signal she may have found them. We have found the Africans to be very punctual, so this was not expected. This afternoon we meet Julius to buy jewellery, and Frederick who has been accepted as a journeyman compliments of our desk carpenter (that’s very cool- I’ll let Tanya describe the story).
Oh yeah, I better go.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
So good to be feeling good
I am falling in love with Courtenay, BC by being here in Kakamega, Kenya. Not for the reasons you might think -- sure it is beautiful, and the roads are smooth and the internet is fast! But what has my heart fluttering is all the encouragement we are receiving from home. You just never know who is watching... especially with blogging. We have been so pleasantly surprised by the response to our blog and to our call for jewelry orders. Some people have even sent spontaneous donations along with their jewelry orders. There is so much good to be done here!
Yesterday was my first day of not feeling up to par. It really started the day before when my tummy was not all that comfortable and it was showing in my mood -- which translates to: I wasn't being very nice to Terry! So, yesterday I slept most of the day and watched a light, fluffy movie -- cried and laughed in all the right places -- while Terry enjoyed his first day of not being accountable to anyone. More than not feeling well, I was worried about having something more serious (our friend after taking $2,000 worth of Malarone, got malaria). So, waking up and feeling healthy was a great relief physically and mentally!
I'm feeling back to myself again and we had another good day today. Terry rented a motorcycle and after watching him practice some, I trusted him to carry me about the town. We managed to swerve our way around potholes, cattle and marketeers and found our way with some assistance to Julius' place. Actually, we had a tiny run-in with a ditch and used that as our opportunity to call Julius. His phone wasn't working, but we happened to have a picture of him with us and asked a local woman if she knew Julius. We were directly in front of the turn to the dirt road to his place. I love how things work out. So, a young boy with very good english hopped on the back of the bike with Terry to direct him there as I walked behind. We gave him a little soccer ball for his help and he was very happy.
Because of the orders that are coming in for jewelry, Julius will be able to plant and buy fertilizer... not sure what his plan b was, but people go on faith here.
We had a very minor run-in with a bodaboda on the way home... no injuries, I lost a shoe, a little village girl picked it up and ran it to me. I did lose my free and easy feeling after that though, which made for extra squeezing and a little nattering at Terry.
Earlier in the day I met with Frederick, the bodaboda driver I am considering helping, again and learned more about him and his family. He lives with his mother, three brothers and his wife. He is 21 years old, the youngest in his family. His mother is "only at home" with no job; sometimes she digs other people's shamba for 50 to 100 shillings a day -- the current exchange is around 60 shillings to the dollar, so there is the less than a dollar a day we in the west so often hear about. Here is a text message I received from Frederick yesterday. It will be clear why I want to help him:
Dear my sweet heart,
i would if you can request i go to driving school
then if u can also like to help those childrens
who are orphans through u if you will
request please late me take care of them
if I said what is wrong
please I beg u forgive me
reply
When we were speaking today he was worried that I would be angry at him if he told me his idea for helping the orphans. Imagine.
Yesterday was my first day of not feeling up to par. It really started the day before when my tummy was not all that comfortable and it was showing in my mood -- which translates to: I wasn't being very nice to Terry! So, yesterday I slept most of the day and watched a light, fluffy movie -- cried and laughed in all the right places -- while Terry enjoyed his first day of not being accountable to anyone. More than not feeling well, I was worried about having something more serious (our friend after taking $2,000 worth of Malarone, got malaria). So, waking up and feeling healthy was a great relief physically and mentally!
I'm feeling back to myself again and we had another good day today. Terry rented a motorcycle and after watching him practice some, I trusted him to carry me about the town. We managed to swerve our way around potholes, cattle and marketeers and found our way with some assistance to Julius' place. Actually, we had a tiny run-in with a ditch and used that as our opportunity to call Julius. His phone wasn't working, but we happened to have a picture of him with us and asked a local woman if she knew Julius. We were directly in front of the turn to the dirt road to his place. I love how things work out. So, a young boy with very good english hopped on the back of the bike with Terry to direct him there as I walked behind. We gave him a little soccer ball for his help and he was very happy.
Because of the orders that are coming in for jewelry, Julius will be able to plant and buy fertilizer... not sure what his plan b was, but people go on faith here.
We had a very minor run-in with a bodaboda on the way home... no injuries, I lost a shoe, a little village girl picked it up and ran it to me. I did lose my free and easy feeling after that though, which made for extra squeezing and a little nattering at Terry.
Earlier in the day I met with Frederick, the bodaboda driver I am considering helping, again and learned more about him and his family. He lives with his mother, three brothers and his wife. He is 21 years old, the youngest in his family. His mother is "only at home" with no job; sometimes she digs other people's shamba for 50 to 100 shillings a day -- the current exchange is around 60 shillings to the dollar, so there is the less than a dollar a day we in the west so often hear about. Here is a text message I received from Frederick yesterday. It will be clear why I want to help him:
Dear my sweet heart,
i would if you can request i go to driving school
then if u can also like to help those childrens
who are orphans through u if you will
request please late me take care of them
if I said what is wrong
please I beg u forgive me
reply
When we were speaking today he was worried that I would be angry at him if he told me his idea for helping the orphans. Imagine.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Renting a motorcycle
I can almost taste freedom. There are no rental agencies, but a guy I know, knows a guy and in about 2 hours I will be BORN FREE. For $20 I can have my own wheels for a couple days.
This may fizzle, as I will be VERY rusty, but I'll practice tonite in the compound and stick to back roads as much as possible. And I wil even wear a helmet- heck with long sleeves I may even blend in a tich.
Tanya is home feeling tired and Im in town getting some photos made so we can hand them out before we leave. Iam also photocopying some (Tilapia) fish farm material to give out to farmers and Rotaracts.
It almost feels like a "day off" as we have no tours or appointments. Yet we are booking them all day for next week. Tanya is meeting with a boda boda driver she likes. Iron Ron gave us $100 US to "change a persons life", Frederick is a candidate. His big dream is to sell clothes in the market. Boda bodas earn nothing. He looks about 14, but he's married living in a shack. He has completed junior high but had no money to go further (they say school is free here but there are tons of fees- including for school maintenance) so he has looked into a driving course (to get a license) and will meet with Tanya tomorrow. Meanwhile Iam setting up some trips for next week to revisit some places with the resident Tilapia expert Hussein. We have lots of loose ends to tie off before we leave.
Sigh, there is the word, "leave". We don't want to come home yet. 2 months felt like a long time 5 weeks ago, but has dwindled to 2 weeks so fast.
to do:
-get quotes for custom made desks for Daisy school
-make plaques for RC Cumberland and my club projects
-arrange ceremony for Daisy desks- presentation of plaque
-meet w/ Julius for jewelry order (weee! thanks everybody) then revisit to pick up
-plan good bye tour
-plan 2 day Eldoret trip (cancelled today, Tanya is not feeling great)
-pick up Misungu boys wish list, shop
-back to Vihiga on Mon and Tues, to look at proposed project with local experts
-distribute photos to the many people we visted because a) they love photos, b) we said we would and c)so they remember us
and so on....
ok, time to ride off down the dirt roads.
This may fizzle, as I will be VERY rusty, but I'll practice tonite in the compound and stick to back roads as much as possible. And I wil even wear a helmet- heck with long sleeves I may even blend in a tich.
Tanya is home feeling tired and Im in town getting some photos made so we can hand them out before we leave. Iam also photocopying some (Tilapia) fish farm material to give out to farmers and Rotaracts.
It almost feels like a "day off" as we have no tours or appointments. Yet we are booking them all day for next week. Tanya is meeting with a boda boda driver she likes. Iron Ron gave us $100 US to "change a persons life", Frederick is a candidate. His big dream is to sell clothes in the market. Boda bodas earn nothing. He looks about 14, but he's married living in a shack. He has completed junior high but had no money to go further (they say school is free here but there are tons of fees- including for school maintenance) so he has looked into a driving course (to get a license) and will meet with Tanya tomorrow. Meanwhile Iam setting up some trips for next week to revisit some places with the resident Tilapia expert Hussein. We have lots of loose ends to tie off before we leave.
Sigh, there is the word, "leave". We don't want to come home yet. 2 months felt like a long time 5 weeks ago, but has dwindled to 2 weeks so fast.
to do:
-get quotes for custom made desks for Daisy school
-make plaques for RC Cumberland and my club projects
-arrange ceremony for Daisy desks- presentation of plaque
-meet w/ Julius for jewelry order (weee! thanks everybody) then revisit to pick up
-plan good bye tour
-plan 2 day Eldoret trip (cancelled today, Tanya is not feeling great)
-pick up Misungu boys wish list, shop
-back to Vihiga on Mon and Tues, to look at proposed project with local experts
-distribute photos to the many people we visted because a) they love photos, b) we said we would and c)so they remember us
and so on....
ok, time to ride off down the dirt roads.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Other People's Money
Oh, we are having such fun spending other people's money! We went today to Daisy School to see the kids who need custom desks. We only have a small amount set aside for this, so when the deputy provided us with a list of 19 children that needed desks, it was really tough to say that we could only manage 4-6...
So, we took measurements for 15 and will try to do a little finangling to find the money. Our friend mentioned that Windsor Highschool in North Vancouver is interested in supporting Daisy, so I will plant the seed there!
Thanks to everyone who is ordering jewelry -- I know I have confused the pricing, so basically, tell me how many pieces you want and how much you want to spend and I will take it from there. Or send me a note with specific questions and I will make sure you, the jeweler and the community benefits!
As I am sitting here in this tiny cyber cafe, looking out the door at the SomKen petrol station, a mama and baby goat just walked by and a women wandered in to see if I would like to buy some ground nuts or a drink. Terry and I wonder what we will do without seeing cows in the most unusual places when we leave! A young woman just walked in wearing an Obama t-shirt.
Just before we left a good friend gave us a moderate sum of money and asked us to change someone's life. I think I have met that someone. We have been taking bodabodas for over a month now and for the first time a couple of days ago, the driver spoke to me. He asked where I was from and whether I thought Kenya was good or bad. I told him that the people, the food and the sunshine are good and the dust, the roads and the leadership is bad. He told me that he had a problem, he wondered if I could help him with... He was able to go through Class 8 in school and then did not have fees for highschool (a common problem). He is wondering if I could help him with some training, perhaps driving school.
Now, before we got here everyone warned me that we would hear many sad stories and people would see us as walking piggy banks. And it is true, we have heard many sad stories and we have been sold to. But this is the first time that anyone has approached me directly asking for this kind of help. I think he is a good candidate.
We met today and he told me his ideas of either driving training or perhaps a business selling clothing. I told him I was also meeting with a friend who runs a training college in carpentry. I asked him to get more information, like costs for training, costs and potential for success of selling clothing and we will meet again on Monday. Frederick lives with his wife about a kilometer from town, has no children yet and no other family. He is afraid that when he is old he will not be able to be a bodaboda driver as it takes a lot of energy and at the end of the day he is very tired.
I'll keep you posted as I learn more about him. I get a good feeling, but of course, I almost always have a good feeling about people.
We are going to try another safari (means journey) this weekend to Eldoret, the mother of running. This means another long, cozy, bumpy matatu ride.
So, we took measurements for 15 and will try to do a little finangling to find the money. Our friend mentioned that Windsor Highschool in North Vancouver is interested in supporting Daisy, so I will plant the seed there!
Thanks to everyone who is ordering jewelry -- I know I have confused the pricing, so basically, tell me how many pieces you want and how much you want to spend and I will take it from there. Or send me a note with specific questions and I will make sure you, the jeweler and the community benefits!
As I am sitting here in this tiny cyber cafe, looking out the door at the SomKen petrol station, a mama and baby goat just walked by and a women wandered in to see if I would like to buy some ground nuts or a drink. Terry and I wonder what we will do without seeing cows in the most unusual places when we leave! A young woman just walked in wearing an Obama t-shirt.
Just before we left a good friend gave us a moderate sum of money and asked us to change someone's life. I think I have met that someone. We have been taking bodabodas for over a month now and for the first time a couple of days ago, the driver spoke to me. He asked where I was from and whether I thought Kenya was good or bad. I told him that the people, the food and the sunshine are good and the dust, the roads and the leadership is bad. He told me that he had a problem, he wondered if I could help him with... He was able to go through Class 8 in school and then did not have fees for highschool (a common problem). He is wondering if I could help him with some training, perhaps driving school.
Now, before we got here everyone warned me that we would hear many sad stories and people would see us as walking piggy banks. And it is true, we have heard many sad stories and we have been sold to. But this is the first time that anyone has approached me directly asking for this kind of help. I think he is a good candidate.
We met today and he told me his ideas of either driving training or perhaps a business selling clothing. I told him I was also meeting with a friend who runs a training college in carpentry. I asked him to get more information, like costs for training, costs and potential for success of selling clothing and we will meet again on Monday. Frederick lives with his wife about a kilometer from town, has no children yet and no other family. He is afraid that when he is old he will not be able to be a bodaboda driver as it takes a lot of energy and at the end of the day he is very tired.
I'll keep you posted as I learn more about him. I get a good feeling, but of course, I almost always have a good feeling about people.
We are going to try another safari (means journey) this weekend to Eldoret, the mother of running. This means another long, cozy, bumpy matatu ride.
Too Bogged to Blog?
So much has happened since I last posted 6 days ago that I think I better go point form rather than story form, but even that poses a challenge because there are many categories from Rotary to Running to Food to Friends and in between.
Last Sunday….egad, even after looking in my journal I have drawn a blank. We did SOMETHING, I know. Must-remember-to-journal-every-day. [bing! Now, after writing all of the below, I remember. We went with Rod and Patricia (RC Victoria) to Shisalachi to meet Julius the Jeweler and see a protected spring and well projects. Quite an experience in Rod’s car 4 wheel driving down paths that may rarely if ever see a vehicle. We had to move some logs and Rod did some amazing, 45 degree angle driving to get around. Patricia conducted a How To Use Cow Dung for heat seminar with all her students balancing water jugs on their head while they listened, swarming with kids of course. Amazing to see these barefoot little girls walking up steep slopes carrying water and laughing at us. Those jugs are heavy (10-20L).] Then Rod and I spent what seemed a lifetime acting as jewelry demo racks while Patricia and Tanya hummed and hawed- all in a tiny grass mud hut that was his workshop. It was great to meet the kids and orphans that benefit from the jewelry sales.
Last Monday we had a long meeting with KASFOOC (the widows self help program) and that was followed by a meeting with Daisy School, where we checked out the new desks. The KASFOOC meeting was basically us looking at their books to see how they are funded and how they track their support. They had been audited and had some great grant proposals. They passed with flying colours. At Daisy School we saw the kids sitting in their new desks. Amazing how just a few weeks ago they sat on the concrete floor or 4 to a desk, but now they are all seated. Very gratifying. We see they could use some custom desks and thanks to our Humanities Team back in Courtenay I think we can get a few built (e.g. For a girl with no arms).
Last Tuesday we had a full day with the Rotary Club of Vihiga and looked at their earth dam proposal and another proposed fish farm location. This was followed by a big afternoon feast of Ugali. We also saw their dairy goat and dehydrator projects. About 6 members of the club escorted us around in two cars. Much sharing and chatting in between stops. We saw pictures of other projects such as protected springs, wells and adult literacy classes. They also explained how tea and sugar cane farming was not paying off, a mugs game due to crazy low prices to the farmers. They are very funny too: how can you spot a Kenyan drunk driver? He is driving in a straight line, through, not around, the potholes. We are going to introduce them to KASFOOC, and Hussein, next week
Last Wednesday was actually a tough day due to the heat; or should I say, our lack of water. We walked for hours going from farm to farm (shambra to shambra) talking to members of KASFOOC (who were digging their fields and ponds in bare feet) and their neighbours. Joining us was Hussein the local Tilapia farming expert. As we walked around more people wanted us to inspect their land to see if they had potential for a fish pond. I learned a lot as Hussein advised each one. Jackson was great as he just kept the information about each person place or thing coming on. There were 8 of us in our group, with several members of the KASFOOC board. Cars cannot reach these areas and many people had never seen a misingu in real life. This tour was followed by a big ugali and chapatti and Fanta feast. Tanya and I were knackered and filthy when we got home. Very dusty. We had about 2 hours before the Rotaract (college age Rotarians) meeting that night. It was great, even greater because my club released the funds to send two members to RYLA (youth leadership conference on the coast- this is a big deal). Tanya gave a leadership talk, by asking two members, male and female, to tell us about what drew them to Rotaract. Very interesting talks- no Canadian I have ever met went through what these kids did to get to college- man was I ever a spoiled brat at that age! Because they were so brave by standing up (most Kenyan youth we’ve met, and it’s been a lot, are very shy) I awarded, from my club, each speaker, Leah and Felix, with a trip to RYLA in Malindi. They were VERY excited. The president was thankful he did not have to choose.
Yesterday, Thursday, was another great-to-be-in-Rotary day because my club also gave us the OK to buy some supplies for our 8 high achiever, but very poor, boys at Musingu High School. So off we went, with Nora Harrison, on an incredibly cramped, hot, dusty matatu ride to the boonies to meet with the headmaster. The power was out all day so we didn’t know if he would be there. Thankfully he was, and after about a ½ hour wait we sat down to discuss how to a) determine what the boys need vs. want and b) how to distribute it without causing jealousies etc. He gave us a good plan and we went with it. Another long wait by a dusty road, and then another bumpy trip into town and we went for lunch. Due to the power being out, our options were limited, but we eventually found a place that served chai (me) and ugali (Tanya). I did some gift shopping as we met our first souvenir-touting tout in Kakamega. This is NOT a tourist town. Then we swung by Rotary High School, to see what they needed. Unbeknownst to them, and I hope they are not reading this blog, my club has given the OK to buy them up to 30 desks - I am pretty sure they need more , but this would be a big boost. I just need to confirm. Unfortunately the principal, Zachary, was busy teaching.
The power came back at 5pm so we cyber café’d it until the Kakamega Rotary Club meeting started at 6pm. It was well attended with a speaker: the District Children Officer. The topic was street children. After being assaulted our first day by street urchins, it was good to hear that things are happening, namely the establishment of a Rescue Centre.
Today is looking not so busy; we met Williamson at Daisy School to do some measuring for some custom desks. We measured 15, oh the need! We are also looking to get some plaques done for both Strathcona Sunrise RC (desks) and Cumberland RC (windows and shutters).
We also met with Zachary from Rotary High and said we MIGHT be able to address his needs. We asked his priorities:
1. about 40 desks (1000 CDN)
2. a printer ($50 CDN?) (they are charged 10 shillings a page (alot), old printer died
3. small photocopier ($200 CDN?)
4. textbooks-currently has 1 per 4 students. To get 2 per student, 11 subjects, 350 shillings per book would cost 1200 CDN (200 books at 300 ksh/ book at 61 ksh/ 1 CDN$)
Then perhaps plan a weekend pilgrimage to Eldoret- the capital and birthplace of long distance running (according to Runners’ World magazine). I’ll save my running stories, of which I have several, for the CVRR forum (www.cvrr.ca).
It is HOT today!
Last Sunday….egad, even after looking in my journal I have drawn a blank. We did SOMETHING, I know. Must-remember-to-journal-every-day. [bing! Now, after writing all of the below, I remember. We went with Rod and Patricia (RC Victoria) to Shisalachi to meet Julius the Jeweler and see a protected spring and well projects. Quite an experience in Rod’s car 4 wheel driving down paths that may rarely if ever see a vehicle. We had to move some logs and Rod did some amazing, 45 degree angle driving to get around. Patricia conducted a How To Use Cow Dung for heat seminar with all her students balancing water jugs on their head while they listened, swarming with kids of course. Amazing to see these barefoot little girls walking up steep slopes carrying water and laughing at us. Those jugs are heavy (10-20L).] Then Rod and I spent what seemed a lifetime acting as jewelry demo racks while Patricia and Tanya hummed and hawed- all in a tiny grass mud hut that was his workshop. It was great to meet the kids and orphans that benefit from the jewelry sales.
Last Monday we had a long meeting with KASFOOC (the widows self help program) and that was followed by a meeting with Daisy School, where we checked out the new desks. The KASFOOC meeting was basically us looking at their books to see how they are funded and how they track their support. They had been audited and had some great grant proposals. They passed with flying colours. At Daisy School we saw the kids sitting in their new desks. Amazing how just a few weeks ago they sat on the concrete floor or 4 to a desk, but now they are all seated. Very gratifying. We see they could use some custom desks and thanks to our Humanities Team back in Courtenay I think we can get a few built (e.g. For a girl with no arms).
Last Tuesday we had a full day with the Rotary Club of Vihiga and looked at their earth dam proposal and another proposed fish farm location. This was followed by a big afternoon feast of Ugali. We also saw their dairy goat and dehydrator projects. About 6 members of the club escorted us around in two cars. Much sharing and chatting in between stops. We saw pictures of other projects such as protected springs, wells and adult literacy classes. They also explained how tea and sugar cane farming was not paying off, a mugs game due to crazy low prices to the farmers. They are very funny too: how can you spot a Kenyan drunk driver? He is driving in a straight line, through, not around, the potholes. We are going to introduce them to KASFOOC, and Hussein, next week
Last Wednesday was actually a tough day due to the heat; or should I say, our lack of water. We walked for hours going from farm to farm (shambra to shambra) talking to members of KASFOOC (who were digging their fields and ponds in bare feet) and their neighbours. Joining us was Hussein the local Tilapia farming expert. As we walked around more people wanted us to inspect their land to see if they had potential for a fish pond. I learned a lot as Hussein advised each one. Jackson was great as he just kept the information about each person place or thing coming on. There were 8 of us in our group, with several members of the KASFOOC board. Cars cannot reach these areas and many people had never seen a misingu in real life. This tour was followed by a big ugali and chapatti and Fanta feast. Tanya and I were knackered and filthy when we got home. Very dusty. We had about 2 hours before the Rotaract (college age Rotarians) meeting that night. It was great, even greater because my club released the funds to send two members to RYLA (youth leadership conference on the coast- this is a big deal). Tanya gave a leadership talk, by asking two members, male and female, to tell us about what drew them to Rotaract. Very interesting talks- no Canadian I have ever met went through what these kids did to get to college- man was I ever a spoiled brat at that age! Because they were so brave by standing up (most Kenyan youth we’ve met, and it’s been a lot, are very shy) I awarded, from my club, each speaker, Leah and Felix, with a trip to RYLA in Malindi. They were VERY excited. The president was thankful he did not have to choose.
Yesterday, Thursday, was another great-to-be-in-Rotary day because my club also gave us the OK to buy some supplies for our 8 high achiever, but very poor, boys at Musingu High School. So off we went, with Nora Harrison, on an incredibly cramped, hot, dusty matatu ride to the boonies to meet with the headmaster. The power was out all day so we didn’t know if he would be there. Thankfully he was, and after about a ½ hour wait we sat down to discuss how to a) determine what the boys need vs. want and b) how to distribute it without causing jealousies etc. He gave us a good plan and we went with it. Another long wait by a dusty road, and then another bumpy trip into town and we went for lunch. Due to the power being out, our options were limited, but we eventually found a place that served chai (me) and ugali (Tanya). I did some gift shopping as we met our first souvenir-touting tout in Kakamega. This is NOT a tourist town. Then we swung by Rotary High School, to see what they needed. Unbeknownst to them, and I hope they are not reading this blog, my club has given the OK to buy them up to 30 desks - I am pretty sure they need more , but this would be a big boost. I just need to confirm. Unfortunately the principal, Zachary, was busy teaching.
The power came back at 5pm so we cyber café’d it until the Kakamega Rotary Club meeting started at 6pm. It was well attended with a speaker: the District Children Officer. The topic was street children. After being assaulted our first day by street urchins, it was good to hear that things are happening, namely the establishment of a Rescue Centre.
Today is looking not so busy; we met Williamson at Daisy School to do some measuring for some custom desks. We measured 15, oh the need! We are also looking to get some plaques done for both Strathcona Sunrise RC (desks) and Cumberland RC (windows and shutters).
We also met with Zachary from Rotary High and said we MIGHT be able to address his needs. We asked his priorities:
1. about 40 desks (1000 CDN)
2. a printer ($50 CDN?) (they are charged 10 shillings a page (alot), old printer died
3. small photocopier ($200 CDN?)
4. textbooks-currently has 1 per 4 students. To get 2 per student, 11 subjects, 350 shillings per book would cost 1200 CDN (200 books at 300 ksh/ book at 61 ksh/ 1 CDN$)
Then perhaps plan a weekend pilgrimage to Eldoret- the capital and birthplace of long distance running (according to Runners’ World magazine). I’ll save my running stories, of which I have several, for the CVRR forum (www.cvrr.ca).
It is HOT today!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Ask and It Is Given
One deeply moving experience for me was our visit to Maji Mazuri Care Centre in Nairobi. I know I have mentioned the project, but I don't think I have shared how moved I was. This was Cody's last day in Nairobi. We went with Julie to meet the children at the Care Centre. This project was started 20 years ago when Wanjiku heard of a fire where two children perished -- these children were special needs and had been tied up inside the house. Wanjiku was horrified and knew that if these two children were hidden away, then there must be others. So began the care centre for special needs. The stories of these children are absolutely heart-wrenching, but that is not what I want to focus on today.
As soon as we arrived at Maji Mazuri, a boy, not a small boy -- he was maybe 10 or 12, jumped into our arms for a hug. We spent several hours there and everytime he saw us, he would throw his arms around whoever was handy. Julie told us just to peel him off when we'd had enough. I will never forget him, Miguel is his name.
Another girl, whose name I do not know, had a very sober face most of the time. Every now and then something would tickle her fancy and she would have a good laugh and then turn serious again. She is a young woman, perhaps 16 or so. Cody sat down to rest on a bench in the shade after playing with the kids from the nursery school for hours in the hot sun. This girl in the soft blue sweater sat right down beside him, took his arm and put it around her. She sat like that with a straight look on her face as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Just hangin' out with Code.
And then of course there were the little kids from the nursery school. As far as I can tell these kids are "normal", whatever that means. These kids come for school each day and I believe pay a small fee to help support the care centre. We each had our favourites. One little girl in a green sweater took hold of my hand and followed me for the whole day. She wasn't interested in playing games, unless I was playing and was content to be held and just be near me. Terry was adopted by a little boy, about 4 years old. He was a little more in your face about the kind of love and attention he was looking for. He would grab hold of Terry's (or Cody's) arm and just start swinging. His name was Boney (short for Bonface). At one point Terry was giving him a shoulder ride and was ready to put him down. When he went to lift him off, Boney squeezed his legs tight around Terry's neck, clearly not ready to be put down. It took some assistance to release the grip. Boney lost both his parents to AIDS. He is HIV positive.
What so moved me about our day with the children was how they just took the love that they so needed.
It is with this spirit of unabashedly asking for what you want, that I have sent the email taking jewelry orders. And it is this spirit in Terry that I am so proud of. He asked Rotary for some support, with no expectations, and I am so grateful to say that Rotary said YES! And because Terry asked, we are now able to send two university students to a leadership weekend, the 8 boys of Musingu Highschool will have their educational needs met with uniforms, calculators, mosquito nets and books and we will be able to assist the 160 students of Rotary Highschool with furniture and sports equipment.
So, thank you to Rotary for responding to our shot in the dark! And thank you to those children who have shown me how to go after what I want. My heart is full.
As soon as we arrived at Maji Mazuri, a boy, not a small boy -- he was maybe 10 or 12, jumped into our arms for a hug. We spent several hours there and everytime he saw us, he would throw his arms around whoever was handy. Julie told us just to peel him off when we'd had enough. I will never forget him, Miguel is his name.
Another girl, whose name I do not know, had a very sober face most of the time. Every now and then something would tickle her fancy and she would have a good laugh and then turn serious again. She is a young woman, perhaps 16 or so. Cody sat down to rest on a bench in the shade after playing with the kids from the nursery school for hours in the hot sun. This girl in the soft blue sweater sat right down beside him, took his arm and put it around her. She sat like that with a straight look on her face as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Just hangin' out with Code.
And then of course there were the little kids from the nursery school. As far as I can tell these kids are "normal", whatever that means. These kids come for school each day and I believe pay a small fee to help support the care centre. We each had our favourites. One little girl in a green sweater took hold of my hand and followed me for the whole day. She wasn't interested in playing games, unless I was playing and was content to be held and just be near me. Terry was adopted by a little boy, about 4 years old. He was a little more in your face about the kind of love and attention he was looking for. He would grab hold of Terry's (or Cody's) arm and just start swinging. His name was Boney (short for Bonface). At one point Terry was giving him a shoulder ride and was ready to put him down. When he went to lift him off, Boney squeezed his legs tight around Terry's neck, clearly not ready to be put down. It took some assistance to release the grip. Boney lost both his parents to AIDS. He is HIV positive.
What so moved me about our day with the children was how they just took the love that they so needed.
It is with this spirit of unabashedly asking for what you want, that I have sent the email taking jewelry orders. And it is this spirit in Terry that I am so proud of. He asked Rotary for some support, with no expectations, and I am so grateful to say that Rotary said YES! And because Terry asked, we are now able to send two university students to a leadership weekend, the 8 boys of Musingu Highschool will have their educational needs met with uniforms, calculators, mosquito nets and books and we will be able to assist the 160 students of Rotary Highschool with furniture and sports equipment.
So, thank you to Rotary for responding to our shot in the dark! And thank you to those children who have shown me how to go after what I want. My heart is full.
Fish Farms, Springs, Widows and Dreams
Terry has gone off for his run. Yesterday I went with him for the first time in perhaps two weeks. It was lovely, more of a shuffle than a run, but I am glad I went. The pointing, yelling and laughing has calmed some. Terry has been running every morning so we are less of a spectacle – even the ridiculous becomes normal when seen often enough.
The past two days have been wonderfully full. On Tuesday we met with the Rotary Club of Vihiga. We took a matatu to Mbale (about 40 minutes from Kakamega over the pot-holed, bumpy highway) and met with four members of the club; Paul Gimode, Jack Anduvate, Karani and Mama Avedi. After chai, we took two cars to visit a project that has been a dream of Jack’s for years. On the way I had quite a conversation about Christianity, divorce, Heaven and hell with Paul. The missionaries have done a very good job of ingraining Christianity in this region – EVERYBODY belongs to a Christian church of some flavour or another. Paul seemed quite intrigued and a bit concerned that I don’t attend church or believe in Hell. Everyone is surprised that I have two practically grown up boys – I look like just a girl myself, or so they tell me And when I told Paul that Terry & I were just married this year, he hoped for me that Terry was a virgin! “It could happen,” he said. As for Heaven and Hell, we decided that we would find out when we get there and in the mean time Paul will pray for me.
We arrived at Ingudumani Valley where Jack has a vision of damming the valley to make a lake for fish farming with a potential for hydro electric power. Of course, he would have to have buy-in from the families that are farming on that land (it is public land), but he feels it would be an easy sell. A project of this size would have to be done in stages; the first stage being to build the dyke which Jack estimates would cost about $30US. This may be a potential matching grant opportunity for Terry’s Rotary Club.
We then visited Avedi’s shamba where Rotary has rehabilitated a spring for fresh water for the community. The spring is down a VERY long, steep hill. Seeing young women and children carrying 20 litre buckets of water on their head up this hill is sobering, no matter how many times we see it. Apparently before the spring was done, the area was just marshy and people were basically getting their drinking water from a big puddle. Now the water runs clean and fresh constantly. The Vihiga club has done a lot of water projects and have decided that the springs are the best way to go. Bore holes are expensive and wells break down if not properly maintained. Springs can be put in for $500-$700 and require no maintenance.
Talking to Avedi, who does so many good projects in this community, the most urgent needs here are clean water and sanitation. We saw a typical family bathroom as we walked along the shamba (farm) property line – a falling down mud shack with little to no privacy, a hole that is not deep enough, no where for the gas to escape… just a mess. This causes so much illness as the flies go down the hole and then are free to fly around and land on your food. Proper latrines and sanitation education; another good project potential.
Our Rotarian friends suggested that we have a little snack before they took us back to catch a matatu. So, we stopped to pick up a few sodas and went to Avedi’s house. This is by far the most beautiful house we have been to. She lives in a large colonial style, dare I say, mansion with lovely grounds. I asked what she did to become so successful, to which Paul answered, “She worked very very hard.” As we are becoming used to, our snack was a full course meal of eggs, ugali, beans and maize, cabbage, chicken and fish. Avedi is a good African Mama, she did not sit down with us, but she knows we will not finish everything, so will eat after we go.
We promised to meet again and to do some good work together.
Yesterday we had another tour with the KASFOOC folks. This time it seemed like the whole board came out with us – Matano, the Secretary and his wife Joy, Jackson, the Chairman, Amos, the Manager, Moses the Co-ordinator and Esther the Treasurer and Hussein came along to advise on fish ponds. We all piled into a matatu and drove to the Shilonga village where we were to tour widows and impact farmers’ potential fish ponds. Yesterday was the hottest day so far, so after 4 hours of touring farms in the hot sun, I was pooped and thirsty. We walked between 12 farms and saw everything from little puddles, to large holes ready for fish.
It is hard for us to understand how with all this land, they can be struggling to feed their families. Matano explained that they lack education. Many of the fields are full of maize or sugar cane, or grass for feeding cows. If the cows die, as happened to one widow who had expensive dairy cows, then there is no food for the children. KASFOOC educates and supports food sustainability, changing the mindset from cash crops to food for a balanced diet. Many of the widows are established in bananas, cassava, sweet potatoes, cow peas, skuma wiki and are now ready for either poultry or fish. We hope to help with the fish farming, through Rotary. We will introduce the chairman (they like to call each other by title rather than by name) and the secretary to the Vihiga Rotary Club.
The tour ended with soda, a meal and lots of laughs. Terry was saying that it is hard for us to get used to being fed spontaneously so well. Hussein laughed and said, “In Canada you have to apply to be invited for a visit, that’s so funny.” I love the warmth and hospitality of this country.
The past two days have been wonderfully full. On Tuesday we met with the Rotary Club of Vihiga. We took a matatu to Mbale (about 40 minutes from Kakamega over the pot-holed, bumpy highway) and met with four members of the club; Paul Gimode, Jack Anduvate, Karani and Mama Avedi. After chai, we took two cars to visit a project that has been a dream of Jack’s for years. On the way I had quite a conversation about Christianity, divorce, Heaven and hell with Paul. The missionaries have done a very good job of ingraining Christianity in this region – EVERYBODY belongs to a Christian church of some flavour or another. Paul seemed quite intrigued and a bit concerned that I don’t attend church or believe in Hell. Everyone is surprised that I have two practically grown up boys – I look like just a girl myself, or so they tell me And when I told Paul that Terry & I were just married this year, he hoped for me that Terry was a virgin! “It could happen,” he said. As for Heaven and Hell, we decided that we would find out when we get there and in the mean time Paul will pray for me.
We arrived at Ingudumani Valley where Jack has a vision of damming the valley to make a lake for fish farming with a potential for hydro electric power. Of course, he would have to have buy-in from the families that are farming on that land (it is public land), but he feels it would be an easy sell. A project of this size would have to be done in stages; the first stage being to build the dyke which Jack estimates would cost about $30US. This may be a potential matching grant opportunity for Terry’s Rotary Club.
We then visited Avedi’s shamba where Rotary has rehabilitated a spring for fresh water for the community. The spring is down a VERY long, steep hill. Seeing young women and children carrying 20 litre buckets of water on their head up this hill is sobering, no matter how many times we see it. Apparently before the spring was done, the area was just marshy and people were basically getting their drinking water from a big puddle. Now the water runs clean and fresh constantly. The Vihiga club has done a lot of water projects and have decided that the springs are the best way to go. Bore holes are expensive and wells break down if not properly maintained. Springs can be put in for $500-$700 and require no maintenance.
Talking to Avedi, who does so many good projects in this community, the most urgent needs here are clean water and sanitation. We saw a typical family bathroom as we walked along the shamba (farm) property line – a falling down mud shack with little to no privacy, a hole that is not deep enough, no where for the gas to escape… just a mess. This causes so much illness as the flies go down the hole and then are free to fly around and land on your food. Proper latrines and sanitation education; another good project potential.
Our Rotarian friends suggested that we have a little snack before they took us back to catch a matatu. So, we stopped to pick up a few sodas and went to Avedi’s house. This is by far the most beautiful house we have been to. She lives in a large colonial style, dare I say, mansion with lovely grounds. I asked what she did to become so successful, to which Paul answered, “She worked very very hard.” As we are becoming used to, our snack was a full course meal of eggs, ugali, beans and maize, cabbage, chicken and fish. Avedi is a good African Mama, she did not sit down with us, but she knows we will not finish everything, so will eat after we go.
We promised to meet again and to do some good work together.
Yesterday we had another tour with the KASFOOC folks. This time it seemed like the whole board came out with us – Matano, the Secretary and his wife Joy, Jackson, the Chairman, Amos, the Manager, Moses the Co-ordinator and Esther the Treasurer and Hussein came along to advise on fish ponds. We all piled into a matatu and drove to the Shilonga village where we were to tour widows and impact farmers’ potential fish ponds. Yesterday was the hottest day so far, so after 4 hours of touring farms in the hot sun, I was pooped and thirsty. We walked between 12 farms and saw everything from little puddles, to large holes ready for fish.
It is hard for us to understand how with all this land, they can be struggling to feed their families. Matano explained that they lack education. Many of the fields are full of maize or sugar cane, or grass for feeding cows. If the cows die, as happened to one widow who had expensive dairy cows, then there is no food for the children. KASFOOC educates and supports food sustainability, changing the mindset from cash crops to food for a balanced diet. Many of the widows are established in bananas, cassava, sweet potatoes, cow peas, skuma wiki and are now ready for either poultry or fish. We hope to help with the fish farming, through Rotary. We will introduce the chairman (they like to call each other by title rather than by name) and the secretary to the Vihiga Rotary Club.
The tour ended with soda, a meal and lots of laughs. Terry was saying that it is hard for us to get used to being fed spontaneously so well. Hussein laughed and said, “In Canada you have to apply to be invited for a visit, that’s so funny.” I love the warmth and hospitality of this country.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Beautiful, unique jewelry for you; Education for teens and women in Kenya
These are some pictures of the jewelry I was telling you about in a
previous blog entry. I will be selling this jewelry as a fundraiser
to support an adult literacy and micro-finance program for the women
of Chavakali (please don't quote me on the village name, I think
that's it). I am purchasing the jewelry from a man, Julius, who
supports his own four children, plus two total orphans, plus helps
with his brothers' children. He needs funds to send them to school.
Purchase a necklace and earing set for $15 (long necklace will be $20)
to support sending these kids to school.
Purchase a necklace and earing set for $30 (long necklace will be $35)
to support sending kids to school AND an adult literacy and micro
finance program for women.
Just send me an email to tanyainkenya@gmail.com and let me know how
many sets you would like and at what price. I will do my best to
match your taste. These will be wonderful gifts and a wonderful way
to give and receive something beautiful at the same time.
Thank you for your kind support! I will need to get orders in by
March 1st, so please respond a.s.a.p.
previous blog entry. I will be selling this jewelry as a fundraiser
to support an adult literacy and micro-finance program for the women
of Chavakali (please don't quote me on the village name, I think
that's it). I am purchasing the jewelry from a man, Julius, who
supports his own four children, plus two total orphans, plus helps
with his brothers' children. He needs funds to send them to school.
Purchase a necklace and earing set for $15 (long necklace will be $20)
to support sending these kids to school.
Purchase a necklace and earing set for $30 (long necklace will be $35)
to support sending kids to school AND an adult literacy and micro
finance program for women.
Just send me an email to tanyainkenya@gmail.com and let me know how
many sets you would like and at what price. I will do my best to
match your taste. These will be wonderful gifts and a wonderful way
to give and receive something beautiful at the same time.
Thank you for your kind support! I will need to get orders in by
March 1st, so please respond a.s.a.p.
Monday, February 16, 2009
KASFOOC and Daisy School Updates
As I type, Terry is beside me sending a note to his Rotary Club asking for a few hundred dollars to top up some projects here. The desks for Daisy School are complete, but there were no custom desks built for the special needs students. Drat! We think they will only cost $30 or $40 each, so we are hoping to get enough to have half a dozen or so built before we go home. Regardless, it feels good to see the 55 desks in use -- now there are three children to a desk as opposed to five to a desk with many children sitting on the floor.
We also hope Rotary will provide some money to send a few of the Rotaract University Students to a Youth Leadership Convention that is taking place March 21st. It costs about $100 per student for registration, transportation and accommodation for the weekend event. You may remember me writing about the high energy of this club. The Rotary Club of Kakamega is sending two students (there are 100 in the club); it would be wonderful if more could have the opportunity to attend.
I think he is also asking for a few dollars to buy uniforms for the high achiever boys that are being sponsored by his club through four years of high school. Seeing these boys, top in their class in torn uniforms is very humbling.
We had a meeting scheduled this morning with Matano and Jackson from KASFOOC (the Widows and Orphans Self Help group focusing on food sustainability). Terry and I were talking about it before hand. Terry was worried about us wasting their time. I said it is never a waste of time because there may be a project we can do a matching grant through Rotary with, or just having us talk about their project may lead to a connection to donations down the road. Terry's dream would be to do a matching grant for a fish farm project and this morning he said it would only work if a keen Kenyan came to him and said, "We are ready to do fish farming, can you help?" Guess what KASFOOC said this morning? So, now our task is to sell the idea to a Rotary Group here. Our fingers are crossed.
My passion is women's empowerment and Terry's is fishfarming. This one meets both.
I also hope to meet with someone about the street boys. I am still uncomfortable... o.k., let's be honest, I'm still scared and angry every time I pass them. Angry at them for harassing me, angry at myself for being afraid and angry at a community that would allow their children to be swept away by drugs. My intense emotional response to these children tells me that this is my greatest opportunity for growth. So we'll see what comes of it.
This is definitely a different kind of holiday. We are thinking about maybe choosing one more touristy kind of thing to do that won't break the bank. Maybe the coast, maybe Mt Elgon to see caves with bats and elephants, hiking and waterfalls... or maybe just more lounging in the sun in our backyard. I am most fulfilled when I am visiting projects and seeing the difference that can be made.
My other goal for this trip is to have one walk through town where I feel completely comfortable. Hasn't happened yet, but I'm getting closer. I know it is all in my head!
We also hope Rotary will provide some money to send a few of the Rotaract University Students to a Youth Leadership Convention that is taking place March 21st. It costs about $100 per student for registration, transportation and accommodation for the weekend event. You may remember me writing about the high energy of this club. The Rotary Club of Kakamega is sending two students (there are 100 in the club); it would be wonderful if more could have the opportunity to attend.
I think he is also asking for a few dollars to buy uniforms for the high achiever boys that are being sponsored by his club through four years of high school. Seeing these boys, top in their class in torn uniforms is very humbling.
We had a meeting scheduled this morning with Matano and Jackson from KASFOOC (the Widows and Orphans Self Help group focusing on food sustainability). Terry and I were talking about it before hand. Terry was worried about us wasting their time. I said it is never a waste of time because there may be a project we can do a matching grant through Rotary with, or just having us talk about their project may lead to a connection to donations down the road. Terry's dream would be to do a matching grant for a fish farm project and this morning he said it would only work if a keen Kenyan came to him and said, "We are ready to do fish farming, can you help?" Guess what KASFOOC said this morning? So, now our task is to sell the idea to a Rotary Group here. Our fingers are crossed.
My passion is women's empowerment and Terry's is fishfarming. This one meets both.
I also hope to meet with someone about the street boys. I am still uncomfortable... o.k., let's be honest, I'm still scared and angry every time I pass them. Angry at them for harassing me, angry at myself for being afraid and angry at a community that would allow their children to be swept away by drugs. My intense emotional response to these children tells me that this is my greatest opportunity for growth. So we'll see what comes of it.
This is definitely a different kind of holiday. We are thinking about maybe choosing one more touristy kind of thing to do that won't break the bank. Maybe the coast, maybe Mt Elgon to see caves with bats and elephants, hiking and waterfalls... or maybe just more lounging in the sun in our backyard. I am most fulfilled when I am visiting projects and seeing the difference that can be made.
My other goal for this trip is to have one walk through town where I feel completely comfortable. Hasn't happened yet, but I'm getting closer. I know it is all in my head!
Water, Education, Now what about the women
This afternoon we went with Patricia and Rod to a rural area (less than an hours drive) to visit a water project Rotary put in about two years ago. The well is at the primary school and is needing a little attention, but still working well (no pun intended). We drew quite a crowd as we waited in our white jeep for Julius to meet us. Thank God for cell phones. Rod wasn’t quite sure of the turn, so called Julius to say we were at the police station – “I think he said he’d come to meet us,” Pat said not too confidently.
We waited for a bit as children and adults gathered around the jeep watching us intently. Terry commented that they must not have much excitement in their lives if we are that fascinating. I don’t know, I could spend hours just watching the children here, so I can see where they are coming from. Tired of waiting and with no cellular reception, we decided to go down the street a ways. It was a pretty narrow, pretty bumpy road (again, as we are getting used to) and we were following a procession of the PAG (Pentacostal something). It wasn’t looking good, or familiar… and now behind us there was another church parade. We pulled over as best we could to wait for Julius some more. The church members were trying to assist saying that Julius lived “over there” and he was “not around”. We followed them to the church where we could turn around. Rod did some pretty fancy manoeuvring to get the jeep turned around and we did eventually meet up with Julius, though we were on the wrong road.
Julius hopped in and directed us to the Primary School where the well is located. The well serves about 200 families and was very busy. Children cranked and filled buckets of water. Each family pays 20 shillings per month to use the well and this is enough for maintenance. Rod had a look at the well and it is in need of some attention – new washers, oil, some tightening and adjusting here and there. The women wanted a picture with the well, so we obliged. I don’t need to be asked twice to snap pictures of adorable children. This is obviously a poor area as the children’s clothes were all pretty ragged.
Next we went to Julius’ home. He lives in a large house that is almost finished being built. Construction is on hold for now until he pays school fees for his teenage children. He has four of his own and is guardian to two orphans and, it seems, may also pay fees for his brother’s children. Julius is a jeweller and has done quite well for himself. He used to sell his jewellery in Nairobi, but his market stall was destroyed – we have heard of this happening before. He didn’t have enough to rebuild, so he was forced to come home to his village. There is no market for jewellery around Kakamega (no one has an extra 500 shillings for adornments, everything goes to survival here). Mainly it is the mzungus (I just learned how to spell it) that he sells to. Patricia always buys a bunch and sells them in Canada at a profit (proceeds going back to the community of course).
On his property we saw the tiny banda that was his first home beside his next small two room house and now his large house. He proudly told us that he can receive 52 people in his sitting room and holds town meetings and other groups there.
As we were having soda in his receiving room, his nephew and the oldest of the children in Julius’ care greeted us. He told us that he was very happy to see us and that, in a nutshell, he hopes we buy lots of jewellery so that he will be able to finish Form 4. Julius kicked in that one day he will be fat because his children will take care of him when he is old. Victor is a born salesman!
After soda we walked down to the second water project, a spring that serves maybe 300 families in the area. He also has a fish pond (one of 8 along the river) that he has dug, along with his sons, for Hussein (remember Susan Thompson’s right hand man) to inspect and will hopefully fall under the Fish Farmer’s Co-operative. We always here that women and children have to travel long distances to collect water. Even with the spring and the well, seeing small children (as young as three or four) carrying containers of water on their head up a steep bank and a long dirt road is … well, there aren’t words for it. At least this water they are gathering is clean!
Patricia told us that the well was put in for about $2,100 and the spring only cost $500.
At the top of the hill, overlooking the fish pond and the spring, there was an impromptu meeting between Patricia, Julius and the women of the surrounding village. They wanted to thank Patricia for bringing clean water and were telling her that the women here are forgotten. There is a need for adult literacy and with water and education available in the village, they are ripe for micro finance. Patricia promised to talk to them about it when she returns next time in about 6 months. In the mean time she encouraged one of the women who can read to begin teaching the others; she could perhaps even pay a salary. She also gave them a quick lesson on using cow dung for cooking fuel as opposed to buying charcoal. This is all taking place in the hot sun, with at least two dozen children around. Beautiful.
I have told Patricia about the Pajomah Women’s Development microfinance institution as a possibility for the next step for these women.
Now, back to Julius’ to see his jewellery and his workshop. His work is unique, genuinely African and lovely. I purchased 5 sets (necklace and earings) for 800 shillings each (about $14). I may keep them, use them for gifts, or auction them at my next women’s event. I will try to load some pictures for you to see… if anyone would like to buy some I can certainly bring them home and you can pay me when you get there. Julius is a good man that cares for his community. Last year he sold his cow to support his campaign to run for town counsellor. Patricia tells us he is very popular and a natural leader. On voting day, his name was left off the ballot. Patricia says someone must have bribed the printer to keep his name off; he would have won. It is 5 years until the next election.
So, a necklace and earring set goes between $15 and $20 (depending on the length). They are mostly black and brass with African symbols and beads. They would likely sell between $60 and $200 in Canada. How many do you want? Just send me an email to tanyainkenya@gmail.com and I will bring some back for you at cost. Ones that I bring back without and order I will sell for a minimum of $30/set with proceeds going to support the women in this community. So, either way, this is a great way to contribute and get something beautiful for yourself or for gifts. I know it’s tricky without pictures, but for this price you can’t really go wrong. You can give me an idea of what you like (colours, squiggles, triangles or spirals, animals, etc.) If you don’t like it, I’m sure you’ll know someone who does.
We waited for a bit as children and adults gathered around the jeep watching us intently. Terry commented that they must not have much excitement in their lives if we are that fascinating. I don’t know, I could spend hours just watching the children here, so I can see where they are coming from. Tired of waiting and with no cellular reception, we decided to go down the street a ways. It was a pretty narrow, pretty bumpy road (again, as we are getting used to) and we were following a procession of the PAG (Pentacostal something). It wasn’t looking good, or familiar… and now behind us there was another church parade. We pulled over as best we could to wait for Julius some more. The church members were trying to assist saying that Julius lived “over there” and he was “not around”. We followed them to the church where we could turn around. Rod did some pretty fancy manoeuvring to get the jeep turned around and we did eventually meet up with Julius, though we were on the wrong road.
Julius hopped in and directed us to the Primary School where the well is located. The well serves about 200 families and was very busy. Children cranked and filled buckets of water. Each family pays 20 shillings per month to use the well and this is enough for maintenance. Rod had a look at the well and it is in need of some attention – new washers, oil, some tightening and adjusting here and there. The women wanted a picture with the well, so we obliged. I don’t need to be asked twice to snap pictures of adorable children. This is obviously a poor area as the children’s clothes were all pretty ragged.
Next we went to Julius’ home. He lives in a large house that is almost finished being built. Construction is on hold for now until he pays school fees for his teenage children. He has four of his own and is guardian to two orphans and, it seems, may also pay fees for his brother’s children. Julius is a jeweller and has done quite well for himself. He used to sell his jewellery in Nairobi, but his market stall was destroyed – we have heard of this happening before. He didn’t have enough to rebuild, so he was forced to come home to his village. There is no market for jewellery around Kakamega (no one has an extra 500 shillings for adornments, everything goes to survival here). Mainly it is the mzungus (I just learned how to spell it) that he sells to. Patricia always buys a bunch and sells them in Canada at a profit (proceeds going back to the community of course).
On his property we saw the tiny banda that was his first home beside his next small two room house and now his large house. He proudly told us that he can receive 52 people in his sitting room and holds town meetings and other groups there.
As we were having soda in his receiving room, his nephew and the oldest of the children in Julius’ care greeted us. He told us that he was very happy to see us and that, in a nutshell, he hopes we buy lots of jewellery so that he will be able to finish Form 4. Julius kicked in that one day he will be fat because his children will take care of him when he is old. Victor is a born salesman!
After soda we walked down to the second water project, a spring that serves maybe 300 families in the area. He also has a fish pond (one of 8 along the river) that he has dug, along with his sons, for Hussein (remember Susan Thompson’s right hand man) to inspect and will hopefully fall under the Fish Farmer’s Co-operative. We always here that women and children have to travel long distances to collect water. Even with the spring and the well, seeing small children (as young as three or four) carrying containers of water on their head up a steep bank and a long dirt road is … well, there aren’t words for it. At least this water they are gathering is clean!
Patricia told us that the well was put in for about $2,100 and the spring only cost $500.
At the top of the hill, overlooking the fish pond and the spring, there was an impromptu meeting between Patricia, Julius and the women of the surrounding village. They wanted to thank Patricia for bringing clean water and were telling her that the women here are forgotten. There is a need for adult literacy and with water and education available in the village, they are ripe for micro finance. Patricia promised to talk to them about it when she returns next time in about 6 months. In the mean time she encouraged one of the women who can read to begin teaching the others; she could perhaps even pay a salary. She also gave them a quick lesson on using cow dung for cooking fuel as opposed to buying charcoal. This is all taking place in the hot sun, with at least two dozen children around. Beautiful.
I have told Patricia about the Pajomah Women’s Development microfinance institution as a possibility for the next step for these women.
Now, back to Julius’ to see his jewellery and his workshop. His work is unique, genuinely African and lovely. I purchased 5 sets (necklace and earings) for 800 shillings each (about $14). I may keep them, use them for gifts, or auction them at my next women’s event. I will try to load some pictures for you to see… if anyone would like to buy some I can certainly bring them home and you can pay me when you get there. Julius is a good man that cares for his community. Last year he sold his cow to support his campaign to run for town counsellor. Patricia tells us he is very popular and a natural leader. On voting day, his name was left off the ballot. Patricia says someone must have bribed the printer to keep his name off; he would have won. It is 5 years until the next election.
So, a necklace and earring set goes between $15 and $20 (depending on the length). They are mostly black and brass with African symbols and beads. They would likely sell between $60 and $200 in Canada. How many do you want? Just send me an email to tanyainkenya@gmail.com and I will bring some back for you at cost. Ones that I bring back without and order I will sell for a minimum of $30/set with proceeds going to support the women in this community. So, either way, this is a great way to contribute and get something beautiful for yourself or for gifts. I know it’s tricky without pictures, but for this price you can’t really go wrong. You can give me an idea of what you like (colours, squiggles, triangles or spirals, animals, etc.) If you don’t like it, I’m sure you’ll know someone who does.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Valentines and Virtues
SWEETHEART
To be frank with
you I have
no word strong
enough to
show how I feel
about you
Now, imagine this poem written on a bright orange piece of paper
attached to a lime green teletubby-like little guy with a plastic
velvety rose coming out of his back. This was my valentine from
Terry, purchased at the Valentine Love Centre in downtown Kakamega for
200 shillings. I love this town.
I was walking home yesterday from town with Caroline, a young woman I
met at the Virtues Project training, and her brother Tony. I asked
Tony if he had a valentine to which he answered, "Of course." When I
asked if he was going to buy her flowers, he said in Kakamega if you
give a girl flowers she will wonder why you have given her something
useless that will only wilt in a day. If you give her something
useful like a dress or a pair of shoes, she will remember you forever.
So who is buying all these teletubbies then? Kenya continues to
baffle me.
I tagged along with Patricia Crossley yesterday (from Victoria, living
in Kenya for 6 months a year for the past 10 years or so) to sit in on
her Virtues Project training for teachers. The Virtues Project was
started by a Bahai woman from Saltspring Island in BC and has since
been sanctioned by the UN as a model program for families of all
cultures. The Virtues Program is being offered to educators,
counsellors, social workers and youth leaders to awaken their young
people to their innate spirituality and qualities of good character.
The Virtues are described as the qualities of God that can be and are
reflected in each of us. The training yesterday was the first of two
days to about 30 teachers.
We had quite a drive out to the village where the training would take
place. There was Patricia and myself as well as Caroline, who works
for Patricia as a teacher in her computer training school, Florence, a
recently retired principal, and Bibianna, the only elected female city
counsellor in Kakamega. I had a hunch I should where a skirt to this
event and I chose correctly. The women were all dressed to the nines
– suits of turquoise, burgundy and purple. My favourite was
Caroline's iridescent full length gown and white shoes – she makes all
her own clothes. The women put scarves over their head to protect
their hair from the dust.
We arrived at the church after about an hours drive over every kind of
road imaginable – smooth highway (built by the Chinese, no one know
why as this road doesn't really go anywhere), paved road spotted with
potholes, huge invisible speedbumps (we were tossed around quite
violently a couple times when Patricia forgot about the speedbumps –
they are not painted or signed), dusty dirt roads and the final road
that looked more like a riverbed (we got out and walked this last
part). The teachers had been told to arrive at 8:00am for the
training – we arrived at 8:45am and the first participant came around
9:30am. The church has an orphans feeding program on Saturdays, so
the grounds were filled with children singing and playing. Some of
the boys helped us rearrange the pews in the church in a U-shape so
everyone could see the screen. Patricia had all her high tech gear
(screen, powerpoint, projector, etc.). The children were gathered
around the windows of the church because they wanted to see the
'cinema'.
Eventually shortly after 10:00am the training got underway with
latecomers trickling in until noon or so. The material seems quite
basic from a western perspective, but it is revolutionary to African
schools where caning is still a common disciplinary practice.
Patricia assured the teachers that this training would not require any
additional marking and can be used in their current curriculum. She
also stressed that this was a disciplinary model and does not mean
that you allow children to run wild or do whatever they want. It
does, however, ask for a new way of approaching children and others
whereby the entry point is always on the positive side.
Quite a bit of time was spent discussing how shaming a child
undermines the virtues and hardens the heart. A story was told of a
child that was accused of stealing. He was made to wear a sign around
his neck that read, "Beware I am a thief." This is the kind of
behaviour the Virtues is trying to address.
This was day one of a two day training. The second day will be in two
weeks and I think I will attend. Most of the day was spent with the
facilitator reading from the power point (Patricia is training new
Kenyan facilitators) and there was very little participation. At the
end of the day, a few people stood to give thanks for what they are
learning. Everyone was given homework of virtues to practice and to
acknowledge someone they have never acknowledged before for small
progress – especially a most difficult student. I am looking forward
to hearing from those who do their homework.
The Virtues Project is not an NGO – it is run completely by volunteers
and is offered free of charge.
To be frank with
you I have
no word strong
enough to
show how I feel
about you
Now, imagine this poem written on a bright orange piece of paper
attached to a lime green teletubby-like little guy with a plastic
velvety rose coming out of his back. This was my valentine from
Terry, purchased at the Valentine Love Centre in downtown Kakamega for
200 shillings. I love this town.
I was walking home yesterday from town with Caroline, a young woman I
met at the Virtues Project training, and her brother Tony. I asked
Tony if he had a valentine to which he answered, "Of course." When I
asked if he was going to buy her flowers, he said in Kakamega if you
give a girl flowers she will wonder why you have given her something
useless that will only wilt in a day. If you give her something
useful like a dress or a pair of shoes, she will remember you forever.
So who is buying all these teletubbies then? Kenya continues to
baffle me.
I tagged along with Patricia Crossley yesterday (from Victoria, living
in Kenya for 6 months a year for the past 10 years or so) to sit in on
her Virtues Project training for teachers. The Virtues Project was
started by a Bahai woman from Saltspring Island in BC and has since
been sanctioned by the UN as a model program for families of all
cultures. The Virtues Program is being offered to educators,
counsellors, social workers and youth leaders to awaken their young
people to their innate spirituality and qualities of good character.
The Virtues are described as the qualities of God that can be and are
reflected in each of us. The training yesterday was the first of two
days to about 30 teachers.
We had quite a drive out to the village where the training would take
place. There was Patricia and myself as well as Caroline, who works
for Patricia as a teacher in her computer training school, Florence, a
recently retired principal, and Bibianna, the only elected female city
counsellor in Kakamega. I had a hunch I should where a skirt to this
event and I chose correctly. The women were all dressed to the nines
– suits of turquoise, burgundy and purple. My favourite was
Caroline's iridescent full length gown and white shoes – she makes all
her own clothes. The women put scarves over their head to protect
their hair from the dust.
We arrived at the church after about an hours drive over every kind of
road imaginable – smooth highway (built by the Chinese, no one know
why as this road doesn't really go anywhere), paved road spotted with
potholes, huge invisible speedbumps (we were tossed around quite
violently a couple times when Patricia forgot about the speedbumps –
they are not painted or signed), dusty dirt roads and the final road
that looked more like a riverbed (we got out and walked this last
part). The teachers had been told to arrive at 8:00am for the
training – we arrived at 8:45am and the first participant came around
9:30am. The church has an orphans feeding program on Saturdays, so
the grounds were filled with children singing and playing. Some of
the boys helped us rearrange the pews in the church in a U-shape so
everyone could see the screen. Patricia had all her high tech gear
(screen, powerpoint, projector, etc.). The children were gathered
around the windows of the church because they wanted to see the
'cinema'.
Eventually shortly after 10:00am the training got underway with
latecomers trickling in until noon or so. The material seems quite
basic from a western perspective, but it is revolutionary to African
schools where caning is still a common disciplinary practice.
Patricia assured the teachers that this training would not require any
additional marking and can be used in their current curriculum. She
also stressed that this was a disciplinary model and does not mean
that you allow children to run wild or do whatever they want. It
does, however, ask for a new way of approaching children and others
whereby the entry point is always on the positive side.
Quite a bit of time was spent discussing how shaming a child
undermines the virtues and hardens the heart. A story was told of a
child that was accused of stealing. He was made to wear a sign around
his neck that read, "Beware I am a thief." This is the kind of
behaviour the Virtues is trying to address.
This was day one of a two day training. The second day will be in two
weeks and I think I will attend. Most of the day was spent with the
facilitator reading from the power point (Patricia is training new
Kenyan facilitators) and there was very little participation. At the
end of the day, a few people stood to give thanks for what they are
learning. Everyone was given homework of virtues to practice and to
acknowledge someone they have never acknowledged before for small
progress – especially a most difficult student. I am looking forward
to hearing from those who do their homework.
The Virtues Project is not an NGO – it is run completely by volunteers
and is offered free of charge.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Valentines Day Kakamega
Here I sit, in our yard, plastic chair,laptop open, nice breeze, overlooking a tiny valley, back in Kakamega. Tanya is off to a nearby town to help teach leadership qualities to High School teachers. I’ll let her fill you in. I watched with admiration as she looked back and smiled at me from the back of the boda boda that carried her up the dusty hill this morning. Is this the same painfully shy (as she described herself) girl I met from Vancouver only 8 years ago? Just as I wrote this last sentence I remembered its Valentines Day today, so very appropriate to be feeling moved by her nice smile.
Speaking of moved, here is a list of the projects we have visited so far. I wish there was a dud. I wish I smelled a rat and I could close my mind (and wallet) to a few, but I have asked all the tough questions. I have even looked through account books; I have interviewed the participants when the leader was not in earshot. And they are all good, and all doing much more than I can detail below, without writing a book.
1) KASFOOC- supports widows who have land by teaching them how to farm and giving them small loans and seeds. Thirteen widows supported.
2) Musingu High School- this is my Club’s big project, supporting 8 super high achieving boys through 4 years of boarding school.
3) Bukura Tailoring School- a Tailoring school where a private Canadian pays the rent and teachers salary to train young women (about 15 per year) and men-soon to be self sustaining
4) Bukura Fish Farm Organization- a group of farmers (20) that meets each Thursday at a member’s farm to do work and discuss operations. RC Whitehorse will provide training $$ so this group can expand to teach others to profitably farm
5) Majimazuri.org- we toured the slums, the preschool, the school for the handicapped and went over the books of the microfinance arm. Awesome.
6) OikoCredit- we met the manager of their regional Office and toured one of the Micro Financial Institutes they support (PAWDEP). Due diligence as my Club and Cumberland club (as well as Tanya and I) are shareholders.
7) PAWDEP.org- This is one of the MFI’s Oikocredit supports. We talked to members who went from no cow, water or electricity to profitable dairy farms.
8) Rotary High School- a much needed high school near central Kakamega, very, very poor, not many students (50?) due to fees being high.
9) Friends Care Centre- we did due diligence at this orphanage as it is being supported by Valley View Elementary School. It supports local Grandmothers (100?) raising AIDs orphans. Also met at Directors house.
10) Daisy School for the Handicapped- this is the school being supported by my club. As I write this we have 50 of the desks built, 15 more desks to go. On time, on budget.
11) Rotaract Club of MMUST (a college sans text books!) - very enthusiastic group of about 60, we will meet with them a couple more times and join them on a tutoring session at Rotary High School.
12) RC of Nairobi South- we met them in Nairobi this past week. Two potential matching grant opportunities for my club here: cyber café for students or part of a major project- both in a dry little town of Meru.
13) RC of Vihiga- they have an earth dam project that they want to show us- a very good group in a very small village. We will meet them again this week.
14) RC of Langata- This was the liveliest of groups we met in Nairobi last Thursday- it was almost a party. Hope to connect them to Maji Mazuri (www.majimazuri.org), but they are booked solid with matching grants.
15) RC of Kakamega- a funny little club here, also booked with matching grants, but may have an open slot by end of year.
16) KEEF- a group of Canadians gets together and pools enough money to send a few boys to school-it’s about $500 CDN/ year / per boy. Managed to get enough to get about 8 boys into school.
17) CEDAR- this is a Canadian philanthropy group that interviews and puts hundreds of girls through school every year. KEEF was created in response to the need from boys.
That’s enough for now. Oh to be a millionaire and just be able to hand out money to all of them.
After I saw Tanya off this morning I went for a run. I was in the mood for a quiet one so I headed to the local soccer field to do laps. I couldn’t get there; hundreds and hundreds of men with sticks were screaming and whistling, blocking the street and "sidewalk". I asked what was going on, I was told “bullfight”. The crowd was blocking the main road. It just looked like a mob antagonizing a bull; one guy had a weird hat and a whistle, everyone seemed to be having a good time, except the bull [apparently they get two bulls to fight I learned later].
I turned and headed to the stadium across the road, to do laps. About 10 laps later I heard the mob approaching a nearby field and I saw 2 men chasing another bull onto the track I was running on- the bull turned off the track and walked on by with the two guys in tow. In the field next door to the stadium it looked like thousands of men were now screaming; one tree, about 20 feet off the ground must have contained 20 people. It wasn't a big tree. I assume the game was tormenting the bull until it charged and then trying to get away. I resumed my laps and eventually they all went away. No such thing as a boring run in Africa.
Speaking of moved, here is a list of the projects we have visited so far. I wish there was a dud. I wish I smelled a rat and I could close my mind (and wallet) to a few, but I have asked all the tough questions. I have even looked through account books; I have interviewed the participants when the leader was not in earshot. And they are all good, and all doing much more than I can detail below, without writing a book.
1) KASFOOC- supports widows who have land by teaching them how to farm and giving them small loans and seeds. Thirteen widows supported.
2) Musingu High School- this is my Club’s big project, supporting 8 super high achieving boys through 4 years of boarding school.
3) Bukura Tailoring School- a Tailoring school where a private Canadian pays the rent and teachers salary to train young women (about 15 per year) and men-soon to be self sustaining
4) Bukura Fish Farm Organization- a group of farmers (20) that meets each Thursday at a member’s farm to do work and discuss operations. RC Whitehorse will provide training $$ so this group can expand to teach others to profitably farm
5) Majimazuri.org- we toured the slums, the preschool, the school for the handicapped and went over the books of the microfinance arm. Awesome.
6) OikoCredit- we met the manager of their regional Office and toured one of the Micro Financial Institutes they support (PAWDEP). Due diligence as my Club and Cumberland club (as well as Tanya and I) are shareholders.
7) PAWDEP.org- This is one of the MFI’s Oikocredit supports. We talked to members who went from no cow, water or electricity to profitable dairy farms.
8) Rotary High School- a much needed high school near central Kakamega, very, very poor, not many students (50?) due to fees being high.
9) Friends Care Centre- we did due diligence at this orphanage as it is being supported by Valley View Elementary School. It supports local Grandmothers (100?) raising AIDs orphans. Also met at Directors house.
10) Daisy School for the Handicapped- this is the school being supported by my club. As I write this we have 50 of the desks built, 15 more desks to go. On time, on budget.
11) Rotaract Club of MMUST (a college sans text books!) - very enthusiastic group of about 60, we will meet with them a couple more times and join them on a tutoring session at Rotary High School.
12) RC of Nairobi South- we met them in Nairobi this past week. Two potential matching grant opportunities for my club here: cyber café for students or part of a major project- both in a dry little town of Meru.
13) RC of Vihiga- they have an earth dam project that they want to show us- a very good group in a very small village. We will meet them again this week.
14) RC of Langata- This was the liveliest of groups we met in Nairobi last Thursday- it was almost a party. Hope to connect them to Maji Mazuri (www.majimazuri.org), but they are booked solid with matching grants.
15) RC of Kakamega- a funny little club here, also booked with matching grants, but may have an open slot by end of year.
16) KEEF- a group of Canadians gets together and pools enough money to send a few boys to school-it’s about $500 CDN/ year / per boy. Managed to get enough to get about 8 boys into school.
17) CEDAR- this is a Canadian philanthropy group that interviews and puts hundreds of girls through school every year. KEEF was created in response to the need from boys.
That’s enough for now. Oh to be a millionaire and just be able to hand out money to all of them.
After I saw Tanya off this morning I went for a run. I was in the mood for a quiet one so I headed to the local soccer field to do laps. I couldn’t get there; hundreds and hundreds of men with sticks were screaming and whistling, blocking the street and "sidewalk". I asked what was going on, I was told “bullfight”. The crowd was blocking the main road. It just looked like a mob antagonizing a bull; one guy had a weird hat and a whistle, everyone seemed to be having a good time, except the bull [apparently they get two bulls to fight I learned later].
I turned and headed to the stadium across the road, to do laps. About 10 laps later I heard the mob approaching a nearby field and I saw 2 men chasing another bull onto the track I was running on- the bull turned off the track and walked on by with the two guys in tow. In the field next door to the stadium it looked like thousands of men were now screaming; one tree, about 20 feet off the ground must have contained 20 people. It wasn't a big tree. I assume the game was tormenting the bull until it charged and then trying to get away. I resumed my laps and eventually they all went away. No such thing as a boring run in Africa.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Back in Kakamega
A long but easy bus ride has delivered us safely home to Kakamega. The country side was just beautiful and a breath of fresh air after the big stinky city. My mind was filled with pictures of shiny happy little faces and the odd flash of the slums. What a contrast, only it is all happening simultaneously.
Now, off to our familiar haunt, The Tour Africa Cafe for a cup of chai and chapati and veg. Then a quick trip to the market to see our friend and trusted vendor for some pineapples, bananas and mangos and then home for a much needed shower!
Tomorrow I am spending the day with Patricia Crossley (another do-gooder from the island). I will be sitting in on her "Virtues Training" -- can't wait! The training is centered around the idea that we are all born with virtues and how we can bring them out in others.
Now, off to our familiar haunt, The Tour Africa Cafe for a cup of chai and chapati and veg. Then a quick trip to the market to see our friend and trusted vendor for some pineapples, bananas and mangos and then home for a much needed shower!
Tomorrow I am spending the day with Patricia Crossley (another do-gooder from the island). I will be sitting in on her "Virtues Training" -- can't wait! The training is centered around the idea that we are all born with virtues and how we can bring them out in others.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Mathare Slums
I've got some catching up to do on the blog, but I'll start with today and fill in the rest of the week when we return to Kakamega.
We are still in Nairobi, catching the bus for the 9 hour ride back to Kakamega tomorrow. We decided to stay a couple of days longer than planned after meeting Wanjiku Kironyo, Director of Maji Mazuri (see www.majimazuri.org). We went this morning with Julie to visit the Maji Mazuri Project in the slums.
How do I get this across? A sigh doesn't quite do it. A gasp is closer. It was intense. The Mathare Slums are home to close to 700,000 people. This is only one of the slum districts in Nairobi, so perhaps as many as 2 Million people in Nairobi alone are living under these conditions. Imagine a sea of filth, tin and cardboard shacks, open sewers, garbage, children (and I'm talking wee little angels) with runny noses left alone to 'play' and fend for themselves in the grime while their parents (if they have any) are either drunkards or trying to eek out a living. Who is profiting from this place???? A one room tin shack rents for 1000Ksh/month and a business front for 4,000Ksh. What kind of person or corporation could collect payment, I can't even imagine.
We walked through the slums escorted by three members of the Maji Mazuri Organization, Emily who oversees the micro-finance program for youth, Wanjao, manager for the "Old Mavuno" Program (the micro-enterprise program for adults), and MC who is the youth co-ordinator.
Yesterday Wanjinku gave us the history of Maji Mazuri. Wanjinku began in 1987 by helping three women who had been taken to prison for prostitution and brewing shang-a (illegal brew, highly addictive and dangerous). The judge happened to be a former student of Wanjinku and she was able to use her influence to have these women released so they could care for their children. The condition of release was that if they were brought in again, they would be sentenced to 7 years in prison. The women were less grateful then you might think for they knew that they had to feed their children and all they knew was brew and prostitution. Wanjinku took these women and their children into her home and began asking them how their way of life was working for them. She encouraged them to look beyond their challenges and their history (poverty, slum, abuse) and look toward the possibilities. She asked how far shang'a has moved them forward. As a group they looked for alternatives. They started with a small enterprise as a group making chai (Kenyan tea) and selling it on the street. This was quite successful and grew into providing biscuits as well. As the business grew, they separated into smaller groups and this was the start of the micro enterprise. There are now over 500 members receiving initial loans of 200Ksh (about $4), then 3,000Ksh ($50), then 6,000Ksh, 9,000Ksh, etc.
The program is called Mavuno which means harvest. Members are supported in three pillars: 1) economic with micro loans and training in business and cash handling 2) social counseling in socially acceptable and legal activities and 3) spiritual whereby some members are even 'saved'. With the success of this program they saw a need for care for the children. Now that the parents were working on their new businesses -- some we saw today were laundry, chapati stand, hotel (which is a local eatery) -- the children were being neglected. Maji Mazuri started a "Head Start" school where the children from the ages 2 up to 13 could be fed, cared for and schooled from 7am to 5:30pm. The parents pay only a very small fee; it is important that they feel the pinch of educating their children.
The next step was the youth of these members. It is a huge problem for the youth in the slums to be idle. There are youth groups that meet on the weekends to share ideas in how they can improve their community. They organize camps so they can see their own country, they do community clean-ups. We saw one of their projects which is a public toilet and shower in the slum. The structure was donated by volunteers from the Netherlands and the youth maintain it by keeping it clean. This is also a water source for the community. There is a micro finance program available for the youth.
... There is so much more. But I've exhausted myself again in this busy cyber cafe. We visited the Head Start school and saw the 170 children with runny noses and bright smiles singing and greeting us with the familiar "How are YOU?" These crowded, dark, tin shack classrooms run by dedicated teachers and volunteers are providing them with their first step toward a happy, safe, clean life that everybody deserves.
Please visit www.majimazuri.org for more information. We have lots of pictures and more stories that we look forward to sharing when we come home. I'm in awe again.
We are still in Nairobi, catching the bus for the 9 hour ride back to Kakamega tomorrow. We decided to stay a couple of days longer than planned after meeting Wanjiku Kironyo, Director of Maji Mazuri (see www.majimazuri.org). We went this morning with Julie to visit the Maji Mazuri Project in the slums.
How do I get this across? A sigh doesn't quite do it. A gasp is closer. It was intense. The Mathare Slums are home to close to 700,000 people. This is only one of the slum districts in Nairobi, so perhaps as many as 2 Million people in Nairobi alone are living under these conditions. Imagine a sea of filth, tin and cardboard shacks, open sewers, garbage, children (and I'm talking wee little angels) with runny noses left alone to 'play' and fend for themselves in the grime while their parents (if they have any) are either drunkards or trying to eek out a living. Who is profiting from this place???? A one room tin shack rents for 1000Ksh/month and a business front for 4,000Ksh. What kind of person or corporation could collect payment, I can't even imagine.
We walked through the slums escorted by three members of the Maji Mazuri Organization, Emily who oversees the micro-finance program for youth, Wanjao, manager for the "Old Mavuno" Program (the micro-enterprise program for adults), and MC who is the youth co-ordinator.
Yesterday Wanjinku gave us the history of Maji Mazuri. Wanjinku began in 1987 by helping three women who had been taken to prison for prostitution and brewing shang-a (illegal brew, highly addictive and dangerous). The judge happened to be a former student of Wanjinku and she was able to use her influence to have these women released so they could care for their children. The condition of release was that if they were brought in again, they would be sentenced to 7 years in prison. The women were less grateful then you might think for they knew that they had to feed their children and all they knew was brew and prostitution. Wanjinku took these women and their children into her home and began asking them how their way of life was working for them. She encouraged them to look beyond their challenges and their history (poverty, slum, abuse) and look toward the possibilities. She asked how far shang'a has moved them forward. As a group they looked for alternatives. They started with a small enterprise as a group making chai (Kenyan tea) and selling it on the street. This was quite successful and grew into providing biscuits as well. As the business grew, they separated into smaller groups and this was the start of the micro enterprise. There are now over 500 members receiving initial loans of 200Ksh (about $4), then 3,000Ksh ($50), then 6,000Ksh, 9,000Ksh, etc.
The program is called Mavuno which means harvest. Members are supported in three pillars: 1) economic with micro loans and training in business and cash handling 2) social counseling in socially acceptable and legal activities and 3) spiritual whereby some members are even 'saved'. With the success of this program they saw a need for care for the children. Now that the parents were working on their new businesses -- some we saw today were laundry, chapati stand, hotel (which is a local eatery) -- the children were being neglected. Maji Mazuri started a "Head Start" school where the children from the ages 2 up to 13 could be fed, cared for and schooled from 7am to 5:30pm. The parents pay only a very small fee; it is important that they feel the pinch of educating their children.
The next step was the youth of these members. It is a huge problem for the youth in the slums to be idle. There are youth groups that meet on the weekends to share ideas in how they can improve their community. They organize camps so they can see their own country, they do community clean-ups. We saw one of their projects which is a public toilet and shower in the slum. The structure was donated by volunteers from the Netherlands and the youth maintain it by keeping it clean. This is also a water source for the community. There is a micro finance program available for the youth.
... There is so much more. But I've exhausted myself again in this busy cyber cafe. We visited the Head Start school and saw the 170 children with runny noses and bright smiles singing and greeting us with the familiar "How are YOU?" These crowded, dark, tin shack classrooms run by dedicated teachers and volunteers are providing them with their first step toward a happy, safe, clean life that everybody deserves.
Please visit www.majimazuri.org for more information. We have lots of pictures and more stories that we look forward to sharing when we come home. I'm in awe again.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Hakuna Matata
Hakuna Matata means no worries. Don't worry, I'm in love with Kenya again. We are just having a quick stop in a very speedy cyber cafe in Nairobi before we head off with Julie (our friend from Courtenay) to visit the orphanage she is volunteering at for the next 3 months.
We had a great meeting with Oikocredit this morning and will be visiting one of their microfinance institutions who support women tomorrow. Will write more later. Just didn't want to leave the Nakuru entry as a lasting impression. I am definitely safe and happy now.
A little blue that Cody is leaving tonight... I'll sign off now so we don't spend our last day together in a cyber cafe. WOULD LOVE SOME NOTES FROM HOME :-)
We had a great meeting with Oikocredit this morning and will be visiting one of their microfinance institutions who support women tomorrow. Will write more later. Just didn't want to leave the Nakuru entry as a lasting impression. I am definitely safe and happy now.
A little blue that Cody is leaving tonight... I'll sign off now so we don't spend our last day together in a cyber cafe. WOULD LOVE SOME NOTES FROM HOME :-)
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Nakuru... not my favourite town
It's been a rough couple of days. Amazing safari in the Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru. Nakuru town... not so great. I haven't been able to bring myself to blog yet. But I have taken very good notes and will have a thorough, happy, exciting entry on the Maasai Mara soon.
Right now we are in a very speedy cyber cafe in Nairobi just for a quick stop until we meet our friend Julie, from Courtenay, who is volunteering on a project in the slums for 3 months. We will be staying with her here for a couple of days.
This morning I ventured out for the first time on my own. 7am, Sunday morning. Figured I was safe. Terry was off for a run. I hopped on a boda boda and asked him to take me somewhere that was open for chai. We had only gotten about a block away when I saw men ahead at the cross street, pointing, running and yelling. As we got closer I saw a man on his knees in the middle of the street and another man standing over him with a machine gun... he did not look like a police officer, but it all happened very fast. I tapped my boda boda driver and asked him to turn around. He dropped me at a restaurant that looked barely open, but there was a nicely dressed lady inside, so I figured I was o.k.
When I came in, they asked me the usual, "How are you?" To which I replied, "Very scared, there is a man down the street with a gun." No response. Sometimes "How are you" is as far as the english goes. I orded a chai, bought a newspaper and tried not to cry.
I was sitting near the door and a really drunk man came in. Another man inside the cafe was hitting him with a jacket on the back... It looked like they could have been kidding around, I just couldn't tell. I moved further in to the restaurant and asked the staff if everything was o.k. "O.K." they assured me. The jostling stopped and the drunk guy just kept staring at me, with the odd creepy hello.
Now my heart was pounding and all I could think about was how I was going to get home. I looked at one of the women in the restaurant and asked her again if everything was o.k. She told me he is very drunk, but don't worry. He ordered a chai and I took that as my opportunity to leave. I hopped on a boda boda and asked him to ride me the 1/2 a block back to the hotel. Then I walked the five flights of stairs up to our roof top room and cried until Terry got home.
I'm feeling better after an uneventful 2 hour busride to Nairobi. And now we are meeting a friend, so all is well.
Finding out what I'm made of here. This place is breaking my heart, pissing me off and seducing me all at the same time. We met an Australian medical student last night, Adam. He says he loves and hates Africa. Me too.
Right now we are in a very speedy cyber cafe in Nairobi just for a quick stop until we meet our friend Julie, from Courtenay, who is volunteering on a project in the slums for 3 months. We will be staying with her here for a couple of days.
This morning I ventured out for the first time on my own. 7am, Sunday morning. Figured I was safe. Terry was off for a run. I hopped on a boda boda and asked him to take me somewhere that was open for chai. We had only gotten about a block away when I saw men ahead at the cross street, pointing, running and yelling. As we got closer I saw a man on his knees in the middle of the street and another man standing over him with a machine gun... he did not look like a police officer, but it all happened very fast. I tapped my boda boda driver and asked him to turn around. He dropped me at a restaurant that looked barely open, but there was a nicely dressed lady inside, so I figured I was o.k.
When I came in, they asked me the usual, "How are you?" To which I replied, "Very scared, there is a man down the street with a gun." No response. Sometimes "How are you" is as far as the english goes. I orded a chai, bought a newspaper and tried not to cry.
I was sitting near the door and a really drunk man came in. Another man inside the cafe was hitting him with a jacket on the back... It looked like they could have been kidding around, I just couldn't tell. I moved further in to the restaurant and asked the staff if everything was o.k. "O.K." they assured me. The jostling stopped and the drunk guy just kept staring at me, with the odd creepy hello.
Now my heart was pounding and all I could think about was how I was going to get home. I looked at one of the women in the restaurant and asked her again if everything was o.k. She told me he is very drunk, but don't worry. He ordered a chai and I took that as my opportunity to leave. I hopped on a boda boda and asked him to ride me the 1/2 a block back to the hotel. Then I walked the five flights of stairs up to our roof top room and cried until Terry got home.
I'm feeling better after an uneventful 2 hour busride to Nairobi. And now we are meeting a friend, so all is well.
Finding out what I'm made of here. This place is breaking my heart, pissing me off and seducing me all at the same time. We met an Australian medical student last night, Adam. He says he loves and hates Africa. Me too.
Tourist Part of the Trip
Lets see, we have 20 min to kill before meeting Julie - a Courtenay friend from Fitness Excellence - who is working on a project in Kenyas biggest slum.
ALOT has happened since last Tuesday.
All day Wed Feb 4th we drove from Kakamega to Masaii Mara. We got there about 5pm and before we even reached our accomodation we had giraffes and zebras crossing the road in front of us. Gazelles, ostriches, secretary . Its amazing. Its like a display, its like being in Lion King.
All day Thursday Feb 5th we drove around. We are staying at a ridiculously fancy lodge. Saw a cheetah hunting (unsuccessfully) a gazelle about 5 minutes into our day. Later it was several groups of elephants and hippos swimming in a river. Ended the day watching lions lolling around their freshly killed water bufafalo. Wow.
Fri Feb 6th we drove all day again to Lake Nakura. Here we saw Rhinos and flamingoes and got attacked (almost) by a couple baboons. One opend the back hatch and jump. Many flamingoes and pelicans and zebras, and , and...
Sat Feb 7th we hiked into a volcanoe crater. Got a bit lost. Cody got almost ill from dehydration. 4 hours later we climbed out. Cody bounced back quickly. Tanya killed 4 hours waiting for us talking and shopping with locals at crater edge.
Now, Feb 8th we are across the street from Hilton. Heading to Gumo estates. Tommorrow we meet Oikocredit representative and see a microfinace project or two.
Them's the facts. Plenty more. Gotta go.
ALOT has happened since last Tuesday.
All day Wed Feb 4th we drove from Kakamega to Masaii Mara. We got there about 5pm and before we even reached our accomodation we had giraffes and zebras crossing the road in front of us. Gazelles, ostriches, secretary . Its amazing. Its like a display, its like being in Lion King.
All day Thursday Feb 5th we drove around. We are staying at a ridiculously fancy lodge. Saw a cheetah hunting (unsuccessfully) a gazelle about 5 minutes into our day. Later it was several groups of elephants and hippos swimming in a river. Ended the day watching lions lolling around their freshly killed water bufafalo. Wow.
Fri Feb 6th we drove all day again to Lake Nakura. Here we saw Rhinos and flamingoes and got attacked (almost) by a couple baboons. One opend the back hatch and jump. Many flamingoes and pelicans and zebras, and , and...
Sat Feb 7th we hiked into a volcanoe crater. Got a bit lost. Cody got almost ill from dehydration. 4 hours later we climbed out. Cody bounced back quickly. Tanya killed 4 hours waiting for us talking and shopping with locals at crater edge.
Now, Feb 8th we are across the street from Hilton. Heading to Gumo estates. Tommorrow we meet Oikocredit representative and see a microfinace project or two.
Them's the facts. Plenty more. Gotta go.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Last nights Rotary meeting in Vihiga (an insane 45 minute drive, our friend said tha the had seen geese swimming in the potholes after a rain) was awesome, organized with the usual Fanta, but this time warm ground nuts (peanuts). They invited us to their goat roast and we brought many brave frown-smiles when we said we were vegetarians. they then asked "what about eggs?". Cody bluntly said "I dont like eggs". Tanya and I made little soft frown smiles to soften the blow, "we dont really do eggs either". "But these are happy eggs!Happy eggs" We had no reply(free range we found out later).Then it was "Do you like Ugali? More frown-smiles: "Um we have tried it a few times". peace was found when we committed to trying THEIR ugali.
We made a date to visit their water project in a couple weeks, which could involve fish farming they said. That may have been for my benefit. Either way we will go and see. They were a very warm knowledgable bunch who have got alot done in this tiny village, a cute little meeting room that wouldn't be out of place in Dresden Germany in 1945, before the electricity came back on.
this ams run was delish. no hat, shirt, screen or bug juice just pure running through the tea fields I discovered the other day. T running through the tea as it were. At the end of the fields I saw trails leading off to more hills-forested even. I may have to boda boda to this departure point to enjoy a long run in them thar treey hills, pref with tanya. After yesterdays 1:17 my goal was an easy 50 minutes max. However lulled by the beauty and the warmth, smiles and endless winding soft roads i got lost again in the labrinth (sp?) of roads separating tiny little lush farms. I passed a primary school, twice, each time 1000 kids went apopoleptic. I mean there was a ROAR. I was escorted by gaggles of cuties. I am not sure if im gonna be able to run with out a herd of cuties laughing all the way. I took an extra turn or two and wound up on a good wide road with not too many people (ie not hundreds) and ended up "on the wrong side of town". This was a true challenge of boda bodas and buses, people and goats and a road like a swiss cheese. The town had awakened while I was enjoying my run on sleepy roads. Total run time 1:15.
Im feeling good, feel like im building base that will allow me to start Pfitzinger when I get home.
Like you say Wayne Im hoping hills and altitude work their magic.
we leave 630 am tommorrow for a 9 hour BRUTAL road car ride to masai mara down down south of Kenya- with Rhino and hippo stop in Kisumu.
We made a date to visit their water project in a couple weeks, which could involve fish farming they said. That may have been for my benefit. Either way we will go and see. They were a very warm knowledgable bunch who have got alot done in this tiny village, a cute little meeting room that wouldn't be out of place in Dresden Germany in 1945, before the electricity came back on.
this ams run was delish. no hat, shirt, screen or bug juice just pure running through the tea fields I discovered the other day. T running through the tea as it were. At the end of the fields I saw trails leading off to more hills-forested even. I may have to boda boda to this departure point to enjoy a long run in them thar treey hills, pref with tanya. After yesterdays 1:17 my goal was an easy 50 minutes max. However lulled by the beauty and the warmth, smiles and endless winding soft roads i got lost again in the labrinth (sp?) of roads separating tiny little lush farms. I passed a primary school, twice, each time 1000 kids went apopoleptic. I mean there was a ROAR. I was escorted by gaggles of cuties. I am not sure if im gonna be able to run with out a herd of cuties laughing all the way. I took an extra turn or two and wound up on a good wide road with not too many people (ie not hundreds) and ended up "on the wrong side of town". This was a true challenge of boda bodas and buses, people and goats and a road like a swiss cheese. The town had awakened while I was enjoying my run on sleepy roads. Total run time 1:15.
Im feeling good, feel like im building base that will allow me to start Pfitzinger when I get home.
Like you say Wayne Im hoping hills and altitude work their magic.
we leave 630 am tommorrow for a 9 hour BRUTAL road car ride to masai mara down down south of Kenya- with Rhino and hippo stop in Kisumu.
Long walk around Kakamega
It's Cody's last day in Kakamega today. Terry and I did a quick market and chai trip into town this morning while Cody was sleeping and then came back home to do a little laundry and get ready for the day.
Worth noting before I forget... on the drive last night to Vahiga for the Rotary meeting we passed the usual shops along the road. This time it was the coffin storefronts that stood out most for me. We passed many of them; some with elaborate, red velvet covered coffins, others plain wood. There are new sights and sounds everyday, some more welcome than others.
Given that it is Cody's last day, we wanted to give him the full tour of the neighbourhood -- so far he has only taken the direct route into town on the main drag. Terry has done lots of exploring on his runs, so we let him lead. We took the quiet road around our compound and were invited by some workmen to have a look at the well they were building. Today is an exceptionally hot day (and we left for our walk around 1pm, not our smartest move) and I wished I had some maji baridi (cold water) to give the men. The well was 30' deep and I do believe it was dug by hand (don't quote me on that though). The bricks, cement and gravel were made by hand. Terry may have mentioned in one of his posts that we have seen dozens of men digging a trench in the hills behind our place. The workmen today told us they were digging for building materials. Looking that way we could see kids with hammers sitting in the shade breaking down the rocks.
And yes, with all I've seen, I still managed to complain that I was hot and thirsty. I've never heard anyone complain here.
The walk was fantastic, even in the heat. We walked down little paths around houses and housing blocks. Saw lots of little kids... even a couple of bare bottoms as they were being given a bath by their moms in the front yard standing in a bucket. It felt a little invasive, almost as if we were walking right through someone's yard, but we were always met with a smile. The women doing laundry in the creek thought we were terribly funny and were shouting after us in Swahili, laughing.
Tomorrow morning we leave early to begin our safari with Jeremiah, who is also the owner of our favourite restaurant, The Tour Africa Cafe. We will stop in Kisumu to see Lake Victoria and hopefully the hippos, then make several stops on the way to the Masai Mara (about an 8 hour drive). We'll have two nights in the Mara and then drive about 6 hours to Lake Nakuru where the flamingos live.
We will leave our computer at home, but will check in in a few days.
Worth noting before I forget... on the drive last night to Vahiga for the Rotary meeting we passed the usual shops along the road. This time it was the coffin storefronts that stood out most for me. We passed many of them; some with elaborate, red velvet covered coffins, others plain wood. There are new sights and sounds everyday, some more welcome than others.
Given that it is Cody's last day, we wanted to give him the full tour of the neighbourhood -- so far he has only taken the direct route into town on the main drag. Terry has done lots of exploring on his runs, so we let him lead. We took the quiet road around our compound and were invited by some workmen to have a look at the well they were building. Today is an exceptionally hot day (and we left for our walk around 1pm, not our smartest move) and I wished I had some maji baridi (cold water) to give the men. The well was 30' deep and I do believe it was dug by hand (don't quote me on that though). The bricks, cement and gravel were made by hand. Terry may have mentioned in one of his posts that we have seen dozens of men digging a trench in the hills behind our place. The workmen today told us they were digging for building materials. Looking that way we could see kids with hammers sitting in the shade breaking down the rocks.
And yes, with all I've seen, I still managed to complain that I was hot and thirsty. I've never heard anyone complain here.
The walk was fantastic, even in the heat. We walked down little paths around houses and housing blocks. Saw lots of little kids... even a couple of bare bottoms as they were being given a bath by their moms in the front yard standing in a bucket. It felt a little invasive, almost as if we were walking right through someone's yard, but we were always met with a smile. The women doing laundry in the creek thought we were terribly funny and were shouting after us in Swahili, laughing.
Tomorrow morning we leave early to begin our safari with Jeremiah, who is also the owner of our favourite restaurant, The Tour Africa Cafe. We will stop in Kisumu to see Lake Victoria and hopefully the hippos, then make several stops on the way to the Masai Mara (about an 8 hour drive). We'll have two nights in the Mara and then drive about 6 hours to Lake Nakuru where the flamingos live.
We will leave our computer at home, but will check in in a few days.
Cody Feb 2
Today, I woke up really late because I didn’t get such a good sleep. So Mom and Terry went into town and I just kept sleeping. When they got back, I was pretty hungry so me and Mom went to the Tour Africa Cafe. I got the chapatti with the vegetables that we always get and they even brought one for Mom, even though she didn’t ask for it. When we were done eating we had to hustle a little bit because we were supposed to meet someone at the Rotary high school. So we took a bodaboda down there and met up with Terry and the person we were meeting, I can’t remember her name. So we went into the principals’ office and talked about the school, like how many students were there, the new computers they got, and we also talked about the free public schools and how Rotary High was loosing money because the kids wanted free education. So we looked at the computer room, the form 4s and the form 3s, and there was an English class going on with the form 2s and they only had 7 people in that class. I have like 30 kids in all my classes so I thought that was pretty funny. Another thing was that they had a soccer field, but on the field there were cows eating it up. So the field looked pretty bad because the cows ate all the grass on it. So after the tour of the school, I took a bunch of pictures of everybody and of the signs, and then we left. Terry wanted to check out the prison, so we did. It didn’t look like they had it locked down very well; I think I could’ve escaped in like 20 seconds. Terry took some pictures, even though I don’t think he was supposed to. On the way back to… where ever we were going, we walked through this mini-market. The one thing that stood out the most was that some of the people were cooking fish and it looked NASTY! They cooked the crap out of it, and the ones that weren’t cooked yet had flies all over them. I would never have even smelled it, it looked so bad. So we quickly walked past and we went to the Cyber Cafe for a couple minutes before going to meet up with Patricia to go to a stupid Rotary meeting. So we got in Patricia’s car and were on our way to the meeting. The road was terrible, as always, and on the way we saw our first Kenyan runner. He was in shorts and everything. Another thing we saw on the way was some guys doing some road work, and they didn’t have any machines. It was all hand made roads. I think that’s why they were so terrible. Anyways, when we got to the meeting, we sat down and they handed us drinks, like they do at all the meetings we’ve been to. But they also gave us some ground nuts/peanuts. But they were warm this time and they were delicious. Another thing was that the meeting didn’t even suck that bad. I didn’t have to give one of my mini-speeches or anything, and the president of that specific rotary club was pretty funny, and it didn’t take like 5 hours. It was by far the best meeting I’ve been too. We had to leave before it got dark so I think we cut the meeting a bit short and we were on our way back to our house. When we got home, we sat down and decided to watch one of our 72 movies. We decided on Bourne Identity, because I’ve never seen the whole thing before, and it was pretty gangtsta. After the movie, I brushed my teeth, put in my headphones, and went to sleep.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Rotary High School
This afternoon we had a tour of the Rotary Highschool. It is a very small, very low performing school, with a well equipped computer room and science lab, compliments of Rotary. Originally it was built as an inner city school with very low fees intended to make High School accessible to all children. Then last year the government pronounced free education for all (of course, nothing is really free, but the fees for government public day highschools went down to 4500/= (the /= means Kenya Shillings like our dollar sign). Needless to say, enrolment dropped significantly as the fees at Rotary High are 12,000/=. It’s hard to tell if the project is a great success or a miserable failure, depending on who you talk to. The school at full registration has 160 students, one class of 40 students each Form 1 through 4. Today as we toured the school, the Form 1’s had not yet arrived, there was about 20 Form 4’s and a class of only about 7 Form 2’s. Apparently this is not unusual as parents are still scraping together the fees. We will visit again in a couple of weeks and will hopefully see more students.
Right next door is Kakamega Primary School, attended by over 2,000 students. Of course the school was not built to support that many, so there are tents serving as portable classrooms all over the grounds. Last year during the violence, apparently UNICEF did very good work here providing “Schools in a box”, tents and latrines for displaced students. They are still up and running now. It feels really good to see the impact first hand.
Have I mentioned it’s between 25 and 30 degrees here everyday? Have I also mentioned that all the school uniforms include a sweater. We see babies wrapped in fleece blankets and people in toques is not an uncommon sight. I’m in love with the babies sweet little faces. Today there were two little ones (maybe three years old) on the back of a bodaboda, cheek to cheek, holding on all on their own. Too much.
Right next door is Kakamega Primary School, attended by over 2,000 students. Of course the school was not built to support that many, so there are tents serving as portable classrooms all over the grounds. Last year during the violence, apparently UNICEF did very good work here providing “Schools in a box”, tents and latrines for displaced students. They are still up and running now. It feels really good to see the impact first hand.
Have I mentioned it’s between 25 and 30 degrees here everyday? Have I also mentioned that all the school uniforms include a sweater. We see babies wrapped in fleece blankets and people in toques is not an uncommon sight. I’m in love with the babies sweet little faces. Today there were two little ones (maybe three years old) on the back of a bodaboda, cheek to cheek, holding on all on their own. Too much.
KASFOOC Field Tour
February 2, 2009
We met Matano and Jackson (Secretary and Chairman of Kakamega Supporting Families of Orphaned Children Self Help Group – KASFOOC) at the KASFOOC office at 10:00am on Sunday. Everyone was on time. We had been told that the Africans have little regard for time, but this has not been our experience. Matano told us that it is only for us, visitors, that they are keeping time. Visitors are very highly regarded in Kenya , perhaps for our large wallets, I’m not sure. My first instinct is to trust everyone, so I find myself in constant internal conflict having been warned by so many Canadians here that the Kenyans simply cannot tell the truth; it is not in their nature. They always follow with, “not to say that there aren’t many good people and legitimate organizations,” which I know must be the truth since every Mizungu we have met is here for their umpteenth year in a row doing good work. Kenya gets into your heart and, in my opinion, that can only happen through love of the people.
Jackson Boge Ominde is the Founder, Chairman and eldest member of the group. And, oh my, he is adorable. He was dressed up in a baseball cap, suit jacket, bright orange dress shirt and a red tie with snowflakes and Santa’s reindeers on it. Beyond the cuteness is a dedicated and passionate man with a heart for the people of his community.
We climbed into a tiny matatu, hired as a town car for the day and headed to visit one of the widows’ shambra (farm in Swahili) down some of the most brutal roads yet. I was amazed this little mini van could make it. Usually they would walk, but for our sake they hired a car. It is hard knowing that the little available resources are being spent on us, but that is their way… no point in arguing. At least we haven’t actually DONE anything yet to warrant a gift, like a goat or eggs or chairs as some of our friends with projects have received.
Just to clarify, a child is considered an orphan when one parent dies. So, the orphans in this program, for the most part still have their mother, thankfully. KASFOOC currently supports 9 widows and one guardian (to children who have lost both parents) with a total of 30 orphans. Their main objective is sustainable food. The program started 4 years ago. The widows are all landowners and yet they and their children were starving and had no money for school fees, uniforms and other daily necessities. KASFOOC provided education on how to use the land for personal food security as well as commercial to provide money to meet other needs.
The farms we visited ranged in size from ½ an acre to 2 acres and all were producing very well. They have trained them to plant a balanced diet – fruits, sweet potatoes, cassava, cow peas (you can eat the greens and make a porridge from the seeds, also used to treat HIV), sukum (local kale) and sugar cane. Bananas have been the mainstay of the program. KASFOOC would like to expand adding poultry and fish farms (poultry where there is no river access).
Being a Sunday, one couldn’t help but notice all the churches. We even saw a Pentecostal parade down the main street. Matano said this is another huge problem here – there are churches everywhere, but no access to medical clinics, clean water or even communications. Only two of the widows have cell phones. But, of course, none of them have electricity, so it means a long journey into town to have the phone charged. The churches all pass a basket, but it is the bishops that benefit the most. I say that knowing that many churches do good work too. Canon Ndunga told us that “a dog cannot give a bone to another dog.” Makes sense.
We were able to meet all but one of the widows who lives some distance away. They each introduced themselves and told us how KASFOOC had helped them. They each started their greeting with, “Praise the Lord and Praise the Lord again.” They talked about how they had nothing, their land was dormant and their children were hungry. Now their children are in school and they don’t even know the cost of food anymore because they grow their own. The only thing they need to buy now is meat. They meet every week and also have a Merry Go Round micro lending program – this one I am just beginning to understand, so I’ll write more later as I learn more.
Another inspiring day.
FORGOT TO MENTION A FEW THINGS...
The meeting at Margaret's shamba was at the head of her husbands
grave. KASFOOC originally was going to require the death certificate
as proof that the children were in fact orphans, but such records are
not always easy to attain here. So the gravesite serves as record
enough.
There is also talk of drought here, though since we have arrived it
has rained every night. There is some rain harvesting, but usually
only enough to last a day or two, so even a week without rain is
considered a drought.
Yesterday afternoon, on our way into town, we ran into two of our
Mizungu friends – Sandra who is here for her fourth or fifth year
teaching at the university (she has been with a different project each
time) and Kirstie from Finland who is with Save the Children – we
joined them on the walk into town on a new route, down a trial, across
a creek and up and over a hill. The scenery was gorgeous and we
passed groups of children, some playing in the creek and others
rolling bicycle tires with sticks as we have seen in so many movies.
We passed a pretty seedy part of town where there are still remnants
from last years violence. We passed one building complex that was
burned in the violence and down the path a bit was another building,
this one Kukuyu that was burned down in retaliation. Many people are
wearing t-shirts that say Amani Kenya (amani being Swahili for Peace).
Today is the first day the schools are back on after the strike and it
is wonderful seeing all the kids in their uniforms. Now that the
strike is over, the headlines have switched to two tragedies in the
last couple of days. The Nakumat (Kenyas version of Walmart) in
Nairobi burnt down, with over 100 people dead and close to 200
hospitalized. And then the next day there was a tanker explosion in
Nakuru. The tanker trunk crashed and locals rushed to the scene to
try and scoop up the expensive petrol. The story is that someone was
annoyed and lit a match, though that has not been confirmed. Many
lives were taken.
We met Matano and Jackson (Secretary and Chairman of Kakamega Supporting Families of Orphaned Children Self Help Group – KASFOOC) at the KASFOOC office at 10:00am on Sunday. Everyone was on time. We had been told that the Africans have little regard for time, but this has not been our experience. Matano told us that it is only for us, visitors, that they are keeping time. Visitors are very highly regarded in Kenya , perhaps for our large wallets, I’m not sure. My first instinct is to trust everyone, so I find myself in constant internal conflict having been warned by so many Canadians here that the Kenyans simply cannot tell the truth; it is not in their nature. They always follow with, “not to say that there aren’t many good people and legitimate organizations,” which I know must be the truth since every Mizungu we have met is here for their umpteenth year in a row doing good work. Kenya gets into your heart and, in my opinion, that can only happen through love of the people.
Jackson Boge Ominde is the Founder, Chairman and eldest member of the group. And, oh my, he is adorable. He was dressed up in a baseball cap, suit jacket, bright orange dress shirt and a red tie with snowflakes and Santa’s reindeers on it. Beyond the cuteness is a dedicated and passionate man with a heart for the people of his community.
We climbed into a tiny matatu, hired as a town car for the day and headed to visit one of the widows’ shambra (farm in Swahili) down some of the most brutal roads yet. I was amazed this little mini van could make it. Usually they would walk, but for our sake they hired a car. It is hard knowing that the little available resources are being spent on us, but that is their way… no point in arguing. At least we haven’t actually DONE anything yet to warrant a gift, like a goat or eggs or chairs as some of our friends with projects have received.
Just to clarify, a child is considered an orphan when one parent dies. So, the orphans in this program, for the most part still have their mother, thankfully. KASFOOC currently supports 9 widows and one guardian (to children who have lost both parents) with a total of 30 orphans. Their main objective is sustainable food. The program started 4 years ago. The widows are all landowners and yet they and their children were starving and had no money for school fees, uniforms and other daily necessities. KASFOOC provided education on how to use the land for personal food security as well as commercial to provide money to meet other needs.
The farms we visited ranged in size from ½ an acre to 2 acres and all were producing very well. They have trained them to plant a balanced diet – fruits, sweet potatoes, cassava, cow peas (you can eat the greens and make a porridge from the seeds, also used to treat HIV), sukum (local kale) and sugar cane. Bananas have been the mainstay of the program. KASFOOC would like to expand adding poultry and fish farms (poultry where there is no river access).
Being a Sunday, one couldn’t help but notice all the churches. We even saw a Pentecostal parade down the main street. Matano said this is another huge problem here – there are churches everywhere, but no access to medical clinics, clean water or even communications. Only two of the widows have cell phones. But, of course, none of them have electricity, so it means a long journey into town to have the phone charged. The churches all pass a basket, but it is the bishops that benefit the most. I say that knowing that many churches do good work too. Canon Ndunga told us that “a dog cannot give a bone to another dog.” Makes sense.
We were able to meet all but one of the widows who lives some distance away. They each introduced themselves and told us how KASFOOC had helped them. They each started their greeting with, “Praise the Lord and Praise the Lord again.” They talked about how they had nothing, their land was dormant and their children were hungry. Now their children are in school and they don’t even know the cost of food anymore because they grow their own. The only thing they need to buy now is meat. They meet every week and also have a Merry Go Round micro lending program – this one I am just beginning to understand, so I’ll write more later as I learn more.
Another inspiring day.
FORGOT TO MENTION A FEW THINGS...
The meeting at Margaret's shamba was at the head of her husbands
grave. KASFOOC originally was going to require the death certificate
as proof that the children were in fact orphans, but such records are
not always easy to attain here. So the gravesite serves as record
enough.
There is also talk of drought here, though since we have arrived it
has rained every night. There is some rain harvesting, but usually
only enough to last a day or two, so even a week without rain is
considered a drought.
Yesterday afternoon, on our way into town, we ran into two of our
Mizungu friends – Sandra who is here for her fourth or fifth year
teaching at the university (she has been with a different project each
time) and Kirstie from Finland who is with Save the Children – we
joined them on the walk into town on a new route, down a trial, across
a creek and up and over a hill. The scenery was gorgeous and we
passed groups of children, some playing in the creek and others
rolling bicycle tires with sticks as we have seen in so many movies.
We passed a pretty seedy part of town where there are still remnants
from last years violence. We passed one building complex that was
burned in the violence and down the path a bit was another building,
this one Kukuyu that was burned down in retaliation. Many people are
wearing t-shirts that say Amani Kenya (amani being Swahili for Peace).
Today is the first day the schools are back on after the strike and it
is wonderful seeing all the kids in their uniforms. Now that the
strike is over, the headlines have switched to two tragedies in the
last couple of days. The Nakumat (Kenyas version of Walmart) in
Nairobi burnt down, with over 100 people dead and close to 200
hospitalized. And then the next day there was a tanker explosion in
Nakuru. The tanker trunk crashed and locals rushed to the scene to
try and scoop up the expensive petrol. The story is that someone was
annoyed and lit a match, though that has not been confirmed. Many
lives were taken.
Cody, on the farm...
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Today, mom woke me up at around 9 o’clock so I had time to get ready because we were going on a little field trip with Matano. I didn’t want to get up at all. I had such a hard time falling asleep because of my sunburn that a got on my arm the day before. But I finally got up and got dressed, ate some food, brushed my teeth, and before I knew it, we were out the door. We only had to walk for like 3 minutes before we got to where we were meeting with Matano. So, we got there and went in a mini-matatu, and were on our way to the first stop. We stopped first at a farm owned by a lady named Margret. She planted banana trees, avocado trees, pawpaw trees, sukuma plants, and sugar cane. It was a very lovely farm. A whole bunch of other people were there as well, but I can’t remember their names. So we talked for a bit, and were on our way to the next stop. We traveled to another farm. This one had pretty much all the same foods, but she had a pineapple bush. It was like the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, because the pineapple wasn’t hidden at all by the bush. It was just growing right out in the open. She also has a passion fruit tree. But the fruits weren’t even close to maturing so it didn’t really look very appealing. We had a tour of her farm, and on the tour I spotted this enormous bird. We didn’t have a clue what it was. Terry thought it might be a heron, I thought it might be a stork, and mom thought it might have been one of those horned-billed birds. We never really found out what it was, so we kept on walking around the farm. The next stop, we stopped at another farm. Yea, 3 farms in one day. But this one also had animals, like cows and chickens and I might of even saw a pig, but it could have been a goat, it was like in the bushes. So we sat down and chatted with Matano about KASFOOC and some other stuff. The owner of the house brought in drinks and these little cookies. It was WAY better then that nasty cream mom, me and Terry got that one time. I drank my Fanta, and started eating those little cookies when a baby chick walked right into the house and started exploring. I watched it for a bit, before it left. So a little while later, the owner of the house walked back in, with the baby chick and just handed it to me. I was a little surprised that it didn’t try to peck my eyes out of anything. So I let it walk around on my lap a little bit before I put it down. When I did, it made a break for it under the table. It was pretty funny. So after our little snack we walked down the road a little bit and saw some guys burning bricks. I thought it was pretty cool, and so did everyone else, so we stopped in and talked with the guys doing the burning. They said you have to let it burn for 7 days before it was ready for use, or something like that. So we talked for a bit then got back into the mini-matatu and he drove us back home. When we got back to our house, I felt pretty hungry and thirsty at the same time. So I had an orange, then I went on the computer to do this half of the blog. So I’ll write a little more later on in the evening.
Today, mom woke me up at around 9 o’clock so I had time to get ready because we were going on a little field trip with Matano. I didn’t want to get up at all. I had such a hard time falling asleep because of my sunburn that a got on my arm the day before. But I finally got up and got dressed, ate some food, brushed my teeth, and before I knew it, we were out the door. We only had to walk for like 3 minutes before we got to where we were meeting with Matano. So, we got there and went in a mini-matatu, and were on our way to the first stop. We stopped first at a farm owned by a lady named Margret. She planted banana trees, avocado trees, pawpaw trees, sukuma plants, and sugar cane. It was a very lovely farm. A whole bunch of other people were there as well, but I can’t remember their names. So we talked for a bit, and were on our way to the next stop. We traveled to another farm. This one had pretty much all the same foods, but she had a pineapple bush. It was like the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, because the pineapple wasn’t hidden at all by the bush. It was just growing right out in the open. She also has a passion fruit tree. But the fruits weren’t even close to maturing so it didn’t really look very appealing. We had a tour of her farm, and on the tour I spotted this enormous bird. We didn’t have a clue what it was. Terry thought it might be a heron, I thought it might be a stork, and mom thought it might have been one of those horned-billed birds. We never really found out what it was, so we kept on walking around the farm. The next stop, we stopped at another farm. Yea, 3 farms in one day. But this one also had animals, like cows and chickens and I might of even saw a pig, but it could have been a goat, it was like in the bushes. So we sat down and chatted with Matano about KASFOOC and some other stuff. The owner of the house brought in drinks and these little cookies. It was WAY better then that nasty cream mom, me and Terry got that one time. I drank my Fanta, and started eating those little cookies when a baby chick walked right into the house and started exploring. I watched it for a bit, before it left. So a little while later, the owner of the house walked back in, with the baby chick and just handed it to me. I was a little surprised that it didn’t try to peck my eyes out of anything. So I let it walk around on my lap a little bit before I put it down. When I did, it made a break for it under the table. It was pretty funny. So after our little snack we walked down the road a little bit and saw some guys burning bricks. I thought it was pretty cool, and so did everyone else, so we stopped in and talked with the guys doing the burning. They said you have to let it burn for 7 days before it was ready for use, or something like that. So we talked for a bit then got back into the mini-matatu and he drove us back home. When we got back to our house, I felt pretty hungry and thirsty at the same time. So I had an orange, then I went on the computer to do this half of the blog. So I’ll write a little more later on in the evening.
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