Saturday, 19 January 2013


Greetings from Kenya, after almost 4 weeks Melanie and I have experienced and seen so much, it feels like we have been here for months… The fun started when we arrived, the heavens opened and a tropical storm pounded the tarmac and dirt roads on our taxi ride to our hotel in Nairobi. Our taxi driver, looking at a fully misted windscreen, took one wrong turn and we entered a puddle – which turned into a small lake - and my feet were getting drenched, “Driver – reverse!”

After a quick connecting flight the next day we arrived in Kisumu (see pic) our home for the next 6 months, it is the third largest city in Kenya. To our Western standards there are some modern amenities like big supermarkets and nice restaurants, but there are also things that we are not so used to like huge open-air markets, and slums. 

We are staying in a nice complex our apartment even has cable TV (every English match is shown live!) initially we stayed with some other volunteers; Doug, Matt, and Matt’s family for a short time. They kindly showed us the ropes of where to go and where not to go, and also took us out on a few day trips, including a day in the Kakamega Rain Forrest; the only remaining rain forest in Kenya with huge trees and many of types of Monkeys swinging around (see pic)

We also hiked the nearby Nandi hills, which was tough, especially due to it being baking hot that day. When hiking past the rural homesteads on the way up the locals were very  welcoming, it was humbling to see the simple way that they live; with a couple of banda’s (see pic), a small crop and a couple of chicken and goat, this family invited us in to see their home.
Melanie and I also took a New year’s trip to the Masai Mara, where we stayed in in tented camp (this isn’t a fancy way of saying that we camped in a 2-man tent out on our own – it was a permanent tent with a bed and bathroom, even a hot water bottle magically appeared in the bed each night!). We saw Lions, Giraffe, Zebra, Elephants etc. The scenery was spectacular.

After settling in, and seeing a few of the sights, we are now working (volunteering) during the week. Melanie works for Ogra Foundation, and I am working for Ujima Foundation as well as Ogra.

Ogra foundation, are focused on treatment and prevention of Malaria, TB and HIV/Aids. For Ogra I am helping some of their projects become sustainable. For example, they run a feeding centre for orphans and vulnerable children in a rural area (see photo), where the kids are served breakfast and lunch. Currently their modest tomato and cabbage crop supplies the feeding centre and they sell a small amount to hotels, I would like to build upon this - any ideas? . Each Ogra project is located upto 3 hours’ drive away, getting around is sometimes challenging there are many dirt or mud roads.

Ujima Foundation work with 18-25 year old orphans who have younger siblings or kids of their own to look after - there are 2.5m orphans in Kenya 2/3rds are orphaned due to HIV/Aids. They help over 200 orphans get jobs each year, by a program of employability skills training followed by work experience - and I think that they do a very good job at it. At the moment I am learning the ropes by sitting in during the training sessions and visiting trainee’s on work experience. I am also helping in their marketing both in Kenya and to potential international partners. 

In summary we are getting used to life in Africa, aided by the hot and sunny weather, the incredibly friendly people of Kisumu, and the prospect of more adventures to come.

P.s. the Kenyan elections are happening now. People are very passionate about them – much more so that at home, this picture shows a governor candidate leaving in his helicopter.




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