Thank You!

A big asante to those who have donated so far. Doug S, Lois S, Doris, Alyce from Australia, my cousin Seann, Lorraine and Mary Anne. That's a lot of chickens! Thanks so much!

New Team Member

I haven't mentioned yet that my lovely cousin Alisha is joining me on the trip. Alisha's taking a year off of university and wants to do some travelling. In the summer we talked about her joining me and I'm glad she is coming along! It'll be great to have someone to fly with, a family member close by and most of all someone to reminisce about the trip with once we're home.

This is a slightly old photo, from Shannon and Alex's wedding two years ago, but it was the most recent one I have of the two of us. There will be plenty of new ones to come once we get to Africa!

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Archive December 11, 2007

The events/adventures/highligh

ts of my last days in Kenya

So here I am back in cold Kelowna (you all know that it’s nothing new for me to be cold but coming from warm Kenya has been a shock!), wanting to share my last few experiences, at least a shortlist of them!

For starters the orphanage got an outbreak of chicken pox. Mostly it was older kids who were affected by it. We did have a bit of a scare with Stacia, who is 5 and HIV positive; she had a very bad case and ended up in the hospital for three days. For most kids, chicken pox isn’t serious, but it can be quite dangerous if you have HIV. She’s fine now; back to her sunny singsong-y self.

I had a bit of a scare as well, thinking for about a day that I had shingles (the adult version of chicken pox), as I had some pretty gross sores erupt right when the kids got sick. Also I’d spent most of two days comforting Stacia before she went to the hospital, so I had my suspicions. Fortunately it was just an infection that some over-the-counter antibiotics have cleared up nicely…I just look really terrible in some of the photos!

One day Hannah and I took 11 boys, age 1 ½ (Peter) to 13 years old, to be tested for HIV. There are 3 kids with HIV at the orphanage so it’s important for the others to be screened on a regular basis, so if they do happen to get HIV they can get on ARVs quickly. The screening was done with a drop of blood, then you wait 5 minutes, if one bar shows, you’re negative, if two or more show you are positive (looks similar to a home pregnancy test). All 11 boys were negative…yay!!!!

I also had the privilege of getting a tour of Kibera with Mama Tunza as my guide. We actually ended up at Siloam orphanage (I mentioned it in a previous email, it is very very basic). I’m under the impression that having Mama T give me a tour was a pretty big deal and that she doesn't do it for just any volunteers, only the special ones.

I also snuck in a four-day safari. I was meant to go for 6, but wanted to spend my last few days with the kids, and that was the right decision by far. Don’t get me wrong, the safari was awesome and a must do in Africa, but by the end of four days I’d seen all the animals I wanted to see and was ready to get home to my darlings.

I went with my fabulously funny friend Leila from (R)Adelaide, Australia and we got linked up with 6 others. We almost didn’t make it, as our guide, Joshua got pulled over at a routine police check and almost got arrested. Leila and I tried to keep our cool as plenty of yelling in Swahili went on and then handcuffs were pulled out. We were then told by one of the cops that they were arresting Joshua, but forgiving him, as his insurance had expired. A few phone calls later (and maybe a bribe) and everyone calmed down and we went on our way.

We spent our first day in Lake Nakuru, which is famous for its flamingoes (which make the weirdest noise, kind of like thousands of orthotics squeaking in shoes!). We were fortunate to see a leopard (which I was told by a somewhat reliable source—Panda—that I likely would not see one, as they are quite rare). The next three days were spent at the Maasai Mara, where we saw: lions, giraffes, elephants, cheetahs, wildebeests, water buffalos, hippos, zebras, crocs, impalas, gazelles, baboons, warthogs (Pumbas!). I’d have to say elephants were and always have been my favorite.

Right now is actually low season (in terms of tourists and animals), so while we saw lots of types of animals (including the big five: rhino, leopard, lion, elephant and water buffalo), we didn’t see them in huge volumes. The upside was that there were only a few other safari vans, so we were usually able to get in quite close to the animals. Sometimes too close, as we got to watch two lionesses and a lion feast on a freshly killed pregnant wildebeest, something I could only watch for about 3 minutes, but my fellow safariers watched for about 30!

We also visited a Maasai village, which was super interesting…the women basically do all the work, they build the houses, take care of the children, do all the housework and cooking. The young men take care of the cows (which provide them with everything…milk, blood (yes the Maasai are the cow blood drinkers), meat and dung to build the houses), while the older men pretty much make their own beer (from fruit from a sausage fruit tree…aptly named because they look like sausages) and drink it. We got to try the beer, which was horrid. Found out later that I wasn’t really suppose to try it as only older women are allowed to drink in that culture. Whoops, won’t make that mistake again! Also, on average the girls get married when they are 14, usually to a 25-year-old man. A different culture, that’s for sure!

The last three days were a bit of a whirlwind. I slept at the orphanage my second to last night, as it was finally fumigated…no more bedbugs! The last days were spent playing with the kids, being a human jungle gym, tossing around an American football. Some of the older girls discovered that my hair is awfully fun to play with and this kept them entertained for hours!

The last day was definitely sad and it was hard to say goodbye. I was touched to be given gifts from two of the girls. Asha, who was in the class I taught and is 13, gave me a silver bangle and Milker, who’s about 10 gave me one gold earring and two blue beads. I got all teary eyed; these kids really have next to no possessions and still gave me going away gifts! The younger kids don’t really understand that you are actually leaving, but maybe it’s better that way

I had Mama Tunza and about 15 of the girls walked me home. I am supposed to greet all of you from all the orphans and Mama Tunza! They also wanted some reassurance I wouldn’t forget them; I don’t see how I ever could!

So I’m sad to be gone and I miss the kids so much already. I was amazed at how quickly I felt at home in Kenya and how I could fall in love with a slum! I really wish I was spending Christmas with them, but maybe next year (I have promised and I intend to go back to Kenya at some point next year…to which most of the kids replied, so we’ll see you in January? Not quite that soon!!). I can’t say this too often, these kids are amazing, they get along so well, they are so resourceful, they are kind, funny, thoughtful and sweet.

I will say I’m glad to be gone before the Presidential election on the 27th; Kenya and Kibera could be interesting (read: dangerous) places for a short while depending on the outcome. Already in the last ten days I could feel the tension is starting to rise in Kibera, where they are a stronghold for ODM, a socialist party. The feeling in Kibera is that is ODM doesn’t win and Kibake is reelected it will be because the election is rigged (currently ODM is ahead in the polls).

It is good to be home, even though I miss Kenya tons. Still really jetlagged and a little bit culture shocked (I’m waiting for it to really hit with Christmas). I’m looking forward to catching up with many of you! Have a happy holiday and all the best wishes for the New Year!

Love Kelsey

Archive November 28, 2007

The Final Countdown

Much to my disappointment, I’m left with only one week and one day in lovely Kenya.

But first, a big Asante (thank you) to everyone who generously sent money. You’ve provided the children at Mama Tunza’s with everything from diapers to shoes to food to textbooks to art project materials to toys to mattresses to specialized formula for the little ones with HIV. Thank you so much – I will send you each a detailed list of exactly where your money went to when I arrive home.

This past week has been wonderful. On Wednesday Hannah and I slept over at Mama Tunza’s . I can’t believe how excited the kids were—not just the little ones, but some of the older kids who can be a bit standoff-ish were too! Mama Tunza and I went to the butcher in Kibera to get meat fro dinner – that was an experience! I’m not sure how I managed to stomach it after seeing the complete lack of refrigeration there (thank you stomach of steel!). Mama Tunza served it up as best she could, with spinach and ugali (a Kenyan staple, cornmeal porridge—my first taste—they don’t serve it at the palace where I live).

Hannah brought nail polish to do up all the girls and we watched the Fantastic 4. Unfortunately both Hannah and I ended up with horrible cases of bedbugs (much worse than the ones I got in Oz—can you believe that Vicki?). Hannah’s looked the worst, but mine got really swollen. My right hand swelled up to about 3 times its size! Needless to say we have added “fumigate orphanage” to our to do list. I hope it will be done this weekend so I can sleepover once more before I go.

Thursday, my roommate Melinda hosted Thanksgiving at our house, complete with a turkey! I provided a Kenyan take on Mom’s famous sweet potato casserole. We were about 25, including 15 Kenyans, friends of my host mom and sister.

Friday afternoon I had the opportunity to attend an HIV support group at a Kibera clinic with my Kenyan friend Daniel, an aspiring doctor. The support group is the brain child of another volunteer, Jolene and it is awesome! One of the things they do is pay an attendance fee of 10 shillings, which goes into a savings pool. Then if member need money for something, say school fees, they can apply to borrow it. If approved, they draw up a repayment plan. As well, they are making jewelry and shipping them to a store in Victoria, BC where they are sold and then the profits are returned to the Kibera group.

Saturday 5 other volunteers and I visited the Siloam Fellowship Ministry Academy, an orphanage on the less developed side of Kibera. Apparently this is what Mama Tunza’s was like two years ago before they got sponsored by my organization…no electricity, no natural light, no mattresses up until last week when Melinda got them some and their walls are just mud and garbage. Fortunately Aussie Hannah (not the Hannah I work with) will start there in December and has some fundraised money to use there. VICDA will send more volunteers there as well, who can initiate projects to improve the conditions there.

In the afternoon I went to an ex-pat barbeque hosted by Mom’s friend Lyn’s in-laws. They live in quite a swanky area, out by the UN and all the embassy residences. Fabulous food and great company.

Sunday a bunch of us went to paint Aussie Hannah’s library. For her project she built a library at the school she was working at. I still haven’t seen the finished project, but even on Sunday with only the base coat and no furniture or books yet, it looked great!

This week has been about fitting in as much time with my little darlings as possible. Yesterday was the last day of school, so now it will just be the orphans. Last night I had one of my best nights in Kenya. Hannah and I took 5 kids, Brenda, Alice, Valerie, Frances and Dennis to the movies to see Stardust. It was fantastic…the film was good and it was so much fun to sit beside these kids and watch them! They have been to movies before, but none of them could remember the last time and for most it was only the third or fourth time they’d ever been. Then we took them out for ice cream, which they loved!

So I have today and tomorrow, then I’m off on safari. I’d originally signed up for six days, but took it down to four, as I want to spend my last few days in Nairobi with the kids. It‘s going to be so hard to leave them, they are so amazing! But I know I’m not done with Kenya or Africa yet.

This will probably be the last email before I get home. I promise to get photos up ASAP once I’m back in K-town!
Love you all
Kelsey

Archive: November 15, 2007

Escape from the slum

Last week Hannah and I took pretty much everyone from Mama Tunza's out of the slum to visit the animal orphanage at Nairobi National Park. We rented two buses that were likely meant to hold 50 people each and crammed 131 orphans, 8 teachers and Hannah and myself into them.

The only bad news was that we had to pay for the orphans to go in (we had heard they would get in free if we had documentation they are orphans, but apparently not) but it was well worth it. They had so much fun and we had so much fun watching them. They pretty much ran around for 2 1/2 hours, checking out cheetahs, baboons, lions, ostriches etc. It was so awesome just to get them outside in the fresh air, they are so cramped at Mama Tunza's. Plus I got to meet some of the other kids who aren't in the class that I teach, so that was great.

The really fabulous news is that the kids will soon escape the slums for real. Work has just begun on a new Mama Tunza's in Ngong, a rural area on the outskirts of Nairobi. Hannah and I checked it out on Friday and it is amazing. They have purchased an acre of land, so there will be plenty of room for the kids to have a playground and a field.

Mama Tunza's in Kibera will remain a school and they will still have kids come for the day program (where they feed the kids and look after them...how i spend my time when I'm not teaching). The orphans will move out there as well as some of the teachers for the younger grades. I am so excited for them.

I do a bit of teaching for the grade 4 class. I gave them all dictionaries yesterday and they were so excited. Also cause a bit of a fiasco yesterday handing out stickers. Otherwise I hang with the little ones. With Hannah's help I've been taking them outside in shifts. Some of their favourite activities to do with me is play with my hair (which they can do for hours, it's such a different texture from their own) and trying to rub off my freckles (they always rub the dirt off my legs, you get flithy walking in Kibera, and think my freckles are dirt too)!

Archive: November 6, 2007

with Kemto outside the hospital

Through the first two days at Mama Tunza's. A little background...Mama Tunza is an actual woman, who runs the orphanage. There's over 50 kids here and another 10 or so who come for school. Recently she got electricity and running water installed at the orphanage.

Yesterday I got the tour, then spent the morning with Hannah, another volunteer who has been there for 3 weeks. We are trying to organize for the orphans to visit the animal orphanage. They get in for free (being orphans), we just have to pay for the bus to take them there. This should be great as the kids don't get many chances to get out of Kibera.

In the afternoon we went to the hospital with Humphrey, a Kenyan who works at the orphanage, to get Mama Tunza out. She has been having some stomach issues. We also took little Kemto, who is two and a half, to get a cough checked out.

The hospital was very basic with two women crammed in each bed. Some of them even looked like they were dying. But it was quite clean and seemed pretty well staffed. Mama Tunza couldn't wait to get out of there and I don't blame her. We got Kemto's cough looked at and then headed back to Kibera. Once we were there we visited the chemist and I bought Kemto's medicine, which he'll take for another 2 weeks.

Today I went in and played with the really little ones. One girl takes care of about 10 kids under the age of 2, so I figured she could use some help. The older kids are in school and well taken care of, but these little ones don't seem to get much stimulation or attention. I had them all crawling all over me. One little girl, Michelle, came in crying and headed straight to me for a cuddle...so sweet. It will be hard not to try and take them all home.

One thing I'm super impressed with in Kibera is the sense of community you get here. I feel very safe walking around here during the day (thought night time would be totally different and something I won't attempt). It seems like people help each other out as much as they can and are very cooperative.