The Hardest Day

For the past 3 weeks, Amanda and I have been teaching at a secondary school near our regular placement, Kerith Brook. The students and teachers here are really wonderful and welcomed us right in. I've loved having a opportunity to teach health. We planned a 4 session curriculum based on the curriculum I use back home at Social Health and then Amanda taught a lesson on mental health.

Session 1 - Goals and Dreams
Session 2 - Healthy Relationships
Session 3 - STDs including HIV
Session 4 - Unhealthy Relationships and Rape
Session 5 - Mental Health and Drug/Alcohol Addiction

The first two lessons went really well, the students need some coaxing to share and discuss, but by the end of the first lesson, they were much more open with us. The third lesson was the hardest day of teaching I have ever experienced. There were a few times during the lesson where I was holding back tears as the students asked questions. There were 3 girls who visibly had tears in their eyes as we talked about the challenges of living with HIV. 

There is still a huge amount of stigma surrounding people with HIV. While the students were very knowledgeable about HIV, there were still many myths, especially when it comes time to talking bout the origins of HIV and how one child in a family may be infected and others not. 

There were questions about rape and HIV infection and what if a woman wants to have a baby and is HIV positive. There were questions about whether there is a pill to prevent HIV after rape like there is a pill to prevent pregnancy. Even though they all know HIV is no longer a "death sentence" the way it used to be before antiretroviral (ARV) drugs were widely available. However, HIV is still a huge barrier to living a successful life due to the stigma. People still lose their jobs if they are suspected of being HIV positive. Women are considered damaged and no longer desirable wives. 

We spent a long time talking about ways to reduce stigma. We talked about the importance of testing and knowing your status. We talked about that if everyone made HIV testing routine, there wouldn't be the belief that every time someone walked into a testing clinic that they are automatically HIV positive. We talked about the importance of not judging those who are positive, especially without knowing their story. There are many ways and reasons that someone becomes HIV positive. 
This was such an eye opening day of teaching. 

I'm so glad I had opportunities to discuss HIV with the women's group before teaching. They have helped me understand more of the personal elements of HIV infection beyond the facts of infection. There is still much work to be done but I think progress is being made in the right direction. 

Love these kids. I will miss them all. 

Family

Family

The main reason I came to Kenya was to volunteer. It's been a lifelong dream of mine. But, I also wanted to come to Kenya specifically, because I knew I would get to see family. One of my New Years resolutions his year was to connect more with extended family. I love that this trip has allowed me to do that.  

Mostly, I spend time with my cousin Ben and his wife Gladys. We always have such an amazing time. They are so welcoming even though I hadn't seen Ben in 6 years and I hadn't ever met Gladys. But I suppose, family is family no matter how long it's been!

We've been on scenic drives through tea and coffee fields and filled me in on some Kenyan history especially around colonization and tea. We reflected on the fact that our parents lived during colonization and independence and how that may have shaped their lives. I have talked to my father a little bit about Kenya's independence, but I think I'll keep asking! 

Ben also took me to the farm where my father grew up. I have been before, but the last time was 20 years ago. Some of the things were the same as I remember (or at least what I saw in pictures). It was so nice being in the place where my dad was raised. It's such a peaceful environment and all the people we passed along the way were so kind and welcoming. I could stay in those tea fields forever (not really), but a summer perhaps. 

We also visited my Tata (aunt) Margaret, Ben's mom, she made us food... I'm a mostly vegetarian and definitely not adventurous about animal products other than cheese. So, I scooped what I thought was greens onto my plate, then I noticed something unfamiliar in it, so I asked Ben what it was, and completely straight faced said, "intestines." Needless to say I didn't eat it. It's a traditional food, just not one my parents make! Maybe at another point in my life, I'll be more adventurous with food, but right now, I'll stick to other non culinary adventures! 

They've also welcomed me in to some comforts of home that I miss. Things like wifi and hot running water. When I was sick, they let me stay at their house snuggled up on their sofa while I recovered! Family is the best! 

I have also been out to see other cousins and an aunt and uncle. My cousin, Wairimu and her husband hosted many of us for lunch eve though though they have new twins at home. They live in a beautiful home in a suburb of Nairobi. It was so nice sinking my feet into grass for the first time being here! 

This past weekend, my uncle drove me out to visit another auntie, Tata Wambui. She's the aunt I'm named after. We had lunch and then she gave me a tour around 

her compound and introduced me to her cows! There are a few things that run in my family, teaching, a love of plants, studying human behavior (specifically child development), and cats. Well, at least Wambui's love cats. Tata Wambui has 3 cats and a tiny kitten. The oldest cat is 16! They are mostly outdoor cats, but they do get to come in the house on occasion. They love when the cows have milk. Currently the cows aren't milking because both are pregnant. But when they have milk again, Tata says the cats will follow her to milk the cows and will sit by her feet while she boils milk and then wait (almost) patiently until she puts some in a dish for them! 

I got about a dozen a avocados from her and her neighbors and have been eating avocado on everything for a week! We also picked yellow guavas. I have only ever had guava juice before. I love guava. It's sweet and tangy kinda like kumquats.  This was the first time I've ever spent time alone with Tata Wambui. I knew I liked her before, but she's even more fantastic than I realized. I hope in the near future I can spend more time talking to and learning from her

I'm looking forward to spending more time with my family. I think I could live here (don't worry, though, I will come home at the end of this trip).

Transportation

I love Kenya, but if I could snap my fingers and instantly change one thing about Kenya, it would be the public transportation. The only thing I like about it is the price....when you don't get charged the muzungu price. In the last few weeks, I have been really quite lucky with public transport. I've been able to catch busses without too much trouble and have made it safely to all my destinations. These last few days, have not been quite as lucky. 

Usually, I ride the Citi Hoppa busses. I can catch the 4W from my neighborhood and ride to Junction (the closest mall to our house) and to the city center. It typically costs 20 Kenyan shillings (20 U.S. Cents) per ride. If you go to cit center, it can cost 50. Still. Not bad. I have not had any truly bad experiences on the Citi Hoppa. Other volunteers have been pick pocketed. This past week however, I had my first experience with a terrible conductor. Every bus has a driver and a conductor. The conductor is responsible for collected fares from passengers and signaling the driver to stop to let people off. A few days ago, I got charged extra and the conductor didn't stop the bus at the stop I requested. Ugh. There are very few official bus stops and you can flag a bus down if it passing you want to get on. There are other busses like he blue aka as busses and City Shuttle, but they don't serve my neighborhood. 

The primary mode of public transport are the matatus. These are mini busses/"14" passenger vans. I say 14 very loosely. It's not uncommon for the. To be so packed that the door doesn't close and the conductor is barely inside the van. Matatus are also really inexpensive and the price varies depending on the distance. I hate riding in matatus. Unfortunately, they go more places than the busses do. I have not been pick pocketed in a matatu, but many volunteers and Kenyans end up loosing valuables on matatus. I will wait extra time for a bus, before taking a matatu. matatu drivers rarely follow the rules of the road. It's not uncommon to see drivers passing each other and honking incessantly just to make slightly better time. 

In my opinion, the WORST type of public transport are the big matatus. We have begun calling the 

big matatus the "party busses." If you get on, again prepare for them the be packed. You will also likely be deaf from the booming music and want to gouge your eyes out after wat hing vulgar music videos. They are the "cool" busses. One day, I had 2 bad experiences and have sworn never to ride one again. They first one of the day was coming back to city center from elephants. It was a long drive so we expected to pay 50-100 shillings. The conductor charged us 200 and the rest of the passengers 100 - just because we were muzungus. You can't really argue or you risk being thrown off the bus, so we paid it anyway. Later in the day we got on another one. We told the conductor where we were going and he confirmed. Part way into the ride, we noticed we were going the wrong way so we asked again and he said yes. A little further down he road, he proceeded to tell us to get off. We were no where near home. We ended up walking for about an hour and half, winding our way toward our house. Not fun. All we could do was laugh. At least we got good exercise and it was daylight!

The last mode of public transport (besides taxis and private drivers) is the piki piki. These are little motor bikes. By law the driver is supposed to wear a helmet, jacket, and reflective vest and is supposed to provide the passengers with the same. This law is rarely (if ever) enforced. My dad told me not to use the piki piki drivers, because they often speed and swerve in and out of traffic and are involved in many accidents, however, there are places you just can't get to on other forms of transport  - you would have to walk. Amanda and I have ridden a few piki piki. And have 2 favorite drivers. We like the drivers who go slower than most and who don't jerk us around. When we go to see Jane, we have to piki piki otherwise the walk is about 45 minutes each way. We also would have to walk through a neighborhood that isn't as safe fo foreingers. We have two rules for ourselves when we ride, wear pants and choose a driver who looks to be at least 30 or older. The young ones like to show off their muzungu passengers and tend to drive much faster than we like! 

Community Health Work in Kawangware

For a week, I had the opportunity to work with Jane. Jane is a volunteer community health worker (CHW). She works on average 60 hours per week, and it's all volunteer. She works with a group of other CHWs, mostly women, in Kawangware slum. It's the second largest slum in Nairobi. Jane is responsible for checking in on 150 families each month. She mostly checks in with the women in the family. She goes and talks to them about nutrition, sanitation, water, parenting, and managing chronic conditions. She looks for signs of public health concerns including disease outbreaks. During the recent cholera outbreak in Nairobi, the CHWs were the people documenting cases and reporting back to the government.

She and the other CHWs attend regular trainings from the government and various public health NGOs. During the week, we also met many of the other CHWs in Kawangware. They are all such inspiring, dedicated individuals. They care about their community and want to see the quality of life improve for all of their friends and neighbors.

Kawangware is a slum area west of the city center. It's a long walk or a short piki piki (motorbike) ride from where I am staying in Satellite. Similar to my experience walking through Kibera, walking through Kawangware is a full body sensory experience. I don't know how someone can adapt smells and the texture of the ground. Jane shared her frustration with the trash and lack of sanitation and clean water in the area. In the area, garbage collection costs 20 Kenyan shillings per week (about 20 U.S. cents). Most people in the area, cannot afford this so the just dump their trash. Walking down the road, you see used baby diapers, food trash, plastic, and other waste lining the roads. There are also tons of goats and sheep wandering in the area. The sewer lines are all open. Fortunately, unlike in Kibera, I didn't see anyone collecting water from clearly contaminated water. Unfortunately, the pipes that supply the "drinking water" run through the sewers and often end up contaminated. One of the major responsibilities of the CHWs is educating people and continually reminding them to boil or treat their water every time.

Another responsibility of the CHWs is to visit schools and teach health education lessons to the students. Jane teaches hygiene, puberty, and healthy relationships. This week, she had me teach the lessons. We talked through the lessons that I typically teach back home, and made very slight adjustments to make sure they were culturally sensitive for our classes. 

I got to teach puberty to 5-8 grade students and healthy relationships to the secondary students. It was so much fun. Every time I visit a school in Kenya, I am reminded that the kids and adolescents are so similar to my students at home. Their fears and concerns about adolescence are pretty much the same. The students I worked with in Kawangware have to worry about other health issues and have bigger hurdles to overcome in dealing with poverty, but their fears about fitting in, being normal, and dating and relationships are so similar to the fears students tell me at home. I think the most striking difference was when we were discussing overcoming barriers to dreams for the future. In the U.S., I find that my students tell me about external solutions including money or the assistance and support of others. Consistently in the classes in Kawangware, the students focused on internal solutions and self improvement. They very much believe that their ability to be successful is determined by their own strength and determination. 

White Water Rafting

2 weekends ago, I joined a group of other volunteers and went white water rafting. I'm not a risk taker when it comes to outdoor adventures. I love roller coasters, but I wouldn't even jump off the swings in elementary school! But with some gentle teasing from my cousin, I decided to go. I'm so glad I went.

We went to an outdoor adventure camp on the Tana River called Savage Wilderness. They have been open for 23 years and employ both Kenyan and non-Kenyan guides. They also have a zip line, bungee jumping, and rock climbing. I think it would just be an amazing place to rent a bed in the bunk house and just relax away from city noise. 

First Rapid!

Definitely thought we were going to hit the rock!

We didn't, but we did end up in a tree!

We were given a safety presentation by quite possibly the funniest man ever. He had a good mix of serious advice and humor to ease nerves. He warned us about snakes, spiders, hippos, and crocodiles. None of which we ended up seeing - Thank Goodness. Once suited up in our safety gear, We got on a bus to the starting point.  The guide for a boat, Patrick, reviewed the safety rules and taught us how to jump left and jump right to redistribute the weight in the raft. He said a few of the rapids were up to a class 5. I have no idea what that means but, I think it sounds impressive. I managed to stay in the raft the entire time, even when our guide took us "surfing" and intentionally tried to flip the raft. Only 2 of us out of a group of about 25 didn't fall in!

"Surfing"

I was not falling out!

We started the trip with 4 in our raft but then one of the girls left to join a different boat. We didn't mind, we had such a great guide. Later I did jump in to swim in a few places. There was one place with "swimming rapid" so Kaite and made like otters, I held hands and floated through the small rapid on our backs.

It took a second to flip over, but once on your back, the water carries you!

Yes, we are still in the boat.

At one point, the guide tied all the rafts and we got out onto giant rock. At the bottom of the rock was a "toilet." So, we all took turns sliding down the rock. Once in the water, the current swirls you around and spits you outl hen you have to swim back to the rock. They had 3 back up plans in case you missed he first rope to get out! It was such a weird sensation so I only went once.

We made it!

We ended the excursion back at the camp with the most amazing lunch! We bussed back to Nairobi and ended the day with cold stone! 

Hell's Gate National Park

On the way to outreach weekend, we drove through part of the Great Rift Valley. We stopped at a scenic view point. It was a little cloudy so it was hard to see far. So glad we had our professional driver with us. The curves and winding roads are terrifying!

The second day of outreach is really just sightseeing. We stayed in a cute little guest house in Gilgil. From the outside, it looks a bit menacing. There are no windows at all. Once you enter the main gate of the building, you find yourself in a courtyard and each room has a window that looks over the courtyard so there is lots of natural light in each room. We were a small group so we each had our own room and HOT shower! I had a wonderful night sleep. Although the guest house manager started playing his music at about 5 AM really loudly. 

After breakfast, we went to Hell's Gate National Park. We got mountain bikes and rode through the park and saw a lot of Zebras. The park is home to many other herbivores including zebras, giraffes, pumbas, gazelles, and baboons. I only got picture of the zebras, because they were so plentiful and I was on a bike - hard to take photos and steer.

The bike ride started out pretty well. It was mostly downhill and the sun wasn't too high in the sky yet. I actually wore a long sleeved shirt for most of the ride. My favorite part was when at one point, I rounded a bend and out of no where, a single giraffe appeared. I was probably a out 30 feet away. Incredible. Seeing the wildlife (not in a zoo) never gets old!

So many Zebras

We parked our bikes and hiked through a ravine/gorge. It was so beautiful. We saw a snake. Some people said it was a cobra, but I don't know if I believe them, never the less, we kept our distance! We also encountered a few hot springs a long the way. This was my first experience with hot springs and I was so surprised at how hot the water actually is! Apparently the water is good for skin. So I rubbed 

my arms with it as well as my hands! 

The gorge that was used as the inspiration 
for the buffalo stampeded in the Lion King...maybe

The bike ride back was terrible. It was mostly uphill and the sun was so hot and direct. Maybe this is why it's called Hell's Gate. I didn't make it all the way back. It was about 3 miles each way (so it should have been manageable). But at about a half mile to go, I just about fainted... Not all that uncommon for me in the summer but still embarrassing. So, I had to sit on the side of the path and wait for the van to come get me.

Over all, though, it was a good experience. I'm glad I got to see giraffes on this excursion. I think they're my favorite.

Kibera: Kenya's Largest Slum

On Saturday, June 27, Kait and I went on a walking tour of Kibera. Kibera is the largest slum in Kenya and the 2nd largest in Africa. Our guide, James, has lived in Kibera his entire life and is a model for slef-less living. He met us outside of the slum and walked us through the neighboring areas on our way into the heart of the slum. I don't have a lot of pictures becuae the local people don't like having pictures taken by muzungu (a white person/English speaker). Not that I blame them at all,

I think most people have a mental picture of what a slum is. We have probably all seen photos and clean water campaign materials with children gathering water from trash filled streams. Those images only paint part of the picture. Walking through Kibera is a complete sensory experience. The smells and sounds, the texture of the road, the sight of children playing in the muddy streets and women collecting water. There were animals - pigs, chickens, cats, dogs, goats - wandering everywhere and runoff water from the roads into open sewer lines and the stream. It was undoubtedly the most challenging place I have seen.

The government has been doing projects to improve the lives of the residents. They are building public shower and toilet facilities. They are working to improve the condition of some of the bigger roads. There are new apartment complexes being built that will include proper sanitation and better shelter. You can read this BBC article to learn more about the work the government has been doing.

James took us to his mother's house in Kibera. It is a very small 1 room home. His mother and younger siblings live there together on a dirt floor that sometimes floods. They have electricity, but no running water. The electricity in Kibera is extremely expensive and poorly wired. People routine cut and re-run wires to steal electricity from the other households. Unfortunately, with the patchwork of wires, accidents happen. At the end of June, two young boys were playing in some water and there we live electrical wires and they ended up dying. 

James also took us to his home. He moved out on his own but sometimes struggles to pay his rent. He pays 2000 Kenyan shillings (approx $20) per month. Which is at the top end of the rent in the area. His mother by contrast pays $9 per month. To get to his home, you have to walk between houses that are barely 2 feet apart from each other. Most of the homes are made from packed earth and an iron sheet for the roof. These homes do not regulate temperature well and do not have windows. 

James doesn't have a steady job so he relies on the money he makes from giving volunteers tours and odd jobs here and there. He graduated from high school and is trying to go to University. Even though life is hard for him, he is one of the happiest, most giving people I have ever met. He runs the Kibera youth football league. He and a friend started with just 2 players and now they have multiple teams and have formed a league. They play other Kibera teams and teams from all over Kenya. He has secured sponsorships for some of his players to attend an international football (soccer) camp in Europe this summer. All of these things, he does as a volunteer. 

After leaving the heart of the slum, we walked to meet the ladies of Power Women. This group of women is support group and small business made up of women working to empower others in Kibera. They are an vey well organized, successful group. I hope to connect the leader of the group I am working with and the leader of power women. Power Women host sewing classes for local girls and women to learn a practical skill. They sell jewelry and clothing that they make and even have a day care so that mothers can look for work or go to their jobs without the worry of child care. All of the money they bring in, is reinvested in the women in the group. Women can take loans from the group to pay school fees, rent, or medical bills if they are unable to pay in a given month. These women, like James, we very inspiring. They are finding joy and ways to help others even when they are struggling themselves. 

It was a difficult morning, but I am glad I did the tour. Public health is absolutely the right field of study for me. I am interested in seeing how the government projects progress. Again, there are no simple solutions. The problems in and the politics surrounding Kibera run deep. 

The Paint is Working

Kaite, Amanda, and I paid for paint and the labor to paint the outside of the school. It was just so drab and no one knew it was a school. The painting cost about $40 USD a person. 

The school uniform color will eventually be light purple which is why the wall is purple. When we arrived to see the finished painting, we noticed the name change. Apparently the school is called Bright Star Montessori Center, I have issues with this name it's not a Montessori school at all, but oh well. 

Most of the schools around have cartoons painted on the sides. We did not want cartoons on the side of the school, but the kids really wanted Tom and Jerry so we agreed. We also asked for 2 kids walking to school with back packs. When we saw the finished work, we just had to laugh, because the students the wall don't look at all Kenyan and there is also a Mickey Mouse.

Despite some of the weirdness, the painting is working. Since painting the wall, the number of parents enquiring about the school has skyrocketed, there are new students in each class, and there have even been a few applicants for teaching positions! 

It's nice to know that such a small investment is making a difference. Thank you again to all who donated to my trip. By helping get here, I am able to actually financially contribute to the needs of the school and the women's group. 

Outreach

I went on "outreach" with some of the other volunteers from my orientation group. For outreach, we left early Thursday morning and spent the day volunteering at 2 different places. We went to KCC school and slum which is located near Naivasha and is about 2 hours from Nairobi. 

KCC the school stands for Kitendo Children's Charity (http://kccprogramme.org) KCC serves children in the KCC slum. They accept 25 students per year to start in the "baby class" at age 3. Parents have to apply and go through a rigorous interview process before the child is admitted into the school. Tephra would lie to accept more students, but in their current space and with their current staff they cannot. KCC T also provides free/low cost health care for any child enrolled in the program and a hot lunch daily. Each morning, the students at the school receive a multivitamin and they are given deworming medication a few times a year. The school understands that education is only effective if it treats and educates the whole child. 

I was blown away by the school. It's small, but seems to be well run. They have 3 preschool/kindergarten rooms. After the students leave KCC they go on to the local primary school. KCC would like to expand to include classes 1-3 as well. 

They employ one cook for the school and have 3 full time teachers. The school founder is the only non-Kenyan still working for the project. He began the project after volunteering in Kenya. He started the project in 2009 and it is still growing.  They also have a lot of local volunteers who come to help out. I met Moses while I was there. He's in his early twenties and lives in the KCC slum with his mother and whenever he doesn't have work, he comes over to the school to help out. The day I was there, he was helping in the kitchen. Since small children aren't my favorite, I also helped in the kitchen. I prepared the sukuma wiki (kale) leaves and sorted beans.

What I liked most about KCC school, is its focus on the whole child and its involvement of the local community. I pore irate that it isn't just a westerner coming in to "save" the people but rather a person using his skills to empower local people to make lasting sustainable change in their own community. Change that is dictated by what they want and not what others think they should want. 

We walked to the KCC slum. The name KCC came from the old creamery that is in town. Many of the people living in the slum, are employed by the creamery, but far fewer than used to work there. The creamery has moved most of its operations out of the area. We toured the slum. The homes were similar to many near where I am staying - a whole family living a a single room about 10 feet x 10 feet or smaller. They use blankets hanging from the ceiling to divide the room into a sleeping area and a living room/kitchen area. 

At the back of the slum, are the pit toilets. There is 1 toilet per 100 people. Unfortunately, the toilet area isn't safe at night, especially for women and girls. Rape is all too common in the slum. This leads to the use of "flying toilets" - people using the toilet in a plastic bag and tossing to the back of the slum in the morning. There are so many issues with this. Obviously the safety and wellbeing of the
female population of the slum but also this practice leads to the contamination of the drinking water. Most of the residents get their water from the river near by which is often contaminated with human excrement, animal excrement, and many disease causing organisms. This leads to illness, diarrheal diseases, and malnutrition.

After KCC we drove to an IDP (internally displaced persons) camp. These camp were set up after the violence that erupted after the 2007 elections. Many people were forced to leave their homes or their homes were destroyed. IDP camps were set up a temporary place for these people to live. Most of the people have been relocated with government assistance. However, there are still several families still in the camps. The government has promised to resettle them, however, it has been 8 years. In the camp we visited, there are still 51 families living in the camp. 

First we visited the school. NVS used funds from outreach weekend to build a school. The school is again a preschool/kindergarten. NVS has since been able to hire a few teachers. The school is doing really well and the students are able to successfully go on to the local primary schools. The teacher we met, Joyce, teaches the oldest group of 5 year olds. She is a fabulous teacher. You can tell that she
has such a love for teaching and for all of the students. She also live in the camp with her youngest children. She has 6 total. One is in university, 2 in high school, 2 in primary school, and 1 in the camp school where she teaches.

We played lots of games with the children (we got there after school was done for the day). My favorite was similar to duck, duck, goose. Only less competitive, which I really like for this age group. It was called "I've lost my handkerchief." If I still taught PE at home, I would definitely integrate this game into my classes. 

After the school, we visited the camp itself. It's so far removed from any towns that people have to walk long distances to get to the market to buy food. Some of the residents work manual labor jobs in the rock quarry near by, but many are unemployed. They live in tents. They are about 8x12 feet. Again, whole families live in these tents. Often the children sleep on the dirt floor. These tents aren't water proof and often flood when it rains. A volunteer last year paid to have roofs put on 41 tents. She used a lottery system to determine which tents got roofs. A roof costs about $70. This makes the tent slightly more water tight but the sides are still plastic and floor still dirt.

I am definitely curious as to how the government plans to help these families find permeant homes. I'm sure there many layers to this story. The people in this camp are so positive and even though their lives are hard, they are hopeful and helpful to each other.