PatandRod Kenya 09-10

We have our return dates

2009-07-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

It looks as if we shall be returning to Kenya at the end of September. We'll leave Vancouver on September 21 and spend about three days in the UK. We should roll up to our door in Kakamega on Sunday 27.

News from Kenya is not good with respect to the economy. The unrest last year and subsequent drought has led to severe food shortages and increases in prices. Donor money for many NGOs has slowed to a trickle. We have applied for a grant from Rotary International to expand the "Adopt a Village" project we started last year in Emmaloba. We are hopeful that the funds will allow us to do adult literacy, business traininga nd start some income generating projects.

This may be our last message

2009-03-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

This may be the last message
I plan to leave my modem with the Virtues Society on Friday afternoon, so this may be the last blog I post. We’ll be off line for the following week unless I can find a connection in Nairobi.
I think we are leaving things in good shape after all the stress and difficulties. I have had to consult a lawyer and leave a sworn affidavit as well as sending a registered lawyer’s letter to the person who has caused such havoc. Hopefully those good friends we leave here will deal with any fallout.
The use of cow dung fuel is spreading as people find less ready money to buy charcoal and fewer trees to cut. We have found an added advantage to those of saving trees and time–it appears to keep mosquitos away! Because there is no smoke and fumes as from wood and charcoal it is also better for eyes and lungs. A few groups are planning to band together to sell the dried blocks as they do in India. Rod has been very busy this past week making four wooden molds so that cakes can be produced in a uniform size for resale. He could make at least ten more if he had the time to meet the requests coming in.
We have also taught how to make liquid soap. This is a little more complex and needs marketing to hotels, clinics etc. However, if the groups can organize themselves, the return on a small investment is very high.
W are also leaving with requests for wells and protected springs. Julius the jeweler took advantage of the spring we protected in his village and dug a fish pond alongside. He immediately recruited six others and they are now waiting for approval to receive the fry from Susan Thompson’s group. Susan is a Canadian fisheries expert who has set up many ponds in the area. Apart from providing extra protein, some cash from sales, the prospects are good that local producers will be able to sell to the big new supermarket to open in Kakamega later this year. The supermarket will provide many jobs for processing and work behind the scenes, as well as front staff. We were discussing this the other evening over a drink with the District Commissioner. He is very interested in mobilizing people such as Julius to produce ‘value added’ items and to increase employment.
On a sad note, we heard yesterday of the death of a child. Another Julius was the watchman when we lived at ACCES. He was a typical example of a clever young man who never finished secondary school because of lack of fees. He was always cheerful and willing to help in many ways. We heard last year that for some reason he had lost his job. Before Christmas he asked to speak to us. We knew the reason would be money but we talked to him anyway.
After he lost his job, his pregnant wife was killed in a matatu (public vehicle) accident leaving him with two young children. This was bad enough, but his boy of about six had a severe problem with his eye. Could we help for treatment? We gave him about thirty dollars and the child went to the hospital. The diagnosis wasn’t very clear, but Julius said he had hopes for recovery, although the boy could not return to school.
His next request was for help to set up a small business so he could stay home with his kids. We decided to trust him and set him up with a business plan and about $80.
Yesterday we learned the little boy died a few days ago from cancer which spread from his eye. We have credited Julius with about $15 from his loan to help with funeral expenses. He says he is still determined to make his business work, but the stress on this young man must be enormous.
Stress and anxiety are everywhere. Schools are sending children home because of lack of fees. The government has not sent the funding for education, which was supposed to cover tuition in secondary. This would have made a regular secondary day school virtually free. Some stories say the money has been ‘eaten’; some claim it was diverted to famine relief; some say it is still available but disbursement has been slow. The bottom line is that free education is in serious trouble.
It also sounds as if the coalition that Kofi Annan helped set up in 2008 may be falling apart. Everyone is very afraid of more strife and violence. We pray the people will remain strong and determiend to improve the country. They all know what should be done, but are desperately seeking new leaders with integrity. Corruption has such a strong hold on all levels of government that it seems impossible for an "Obama" to emerge.
Next week we will be two days in Nairobi doing Virtues training. The we will spend 2 days in the UK visiting friends and family. We are scheduled to arrive in Vancouver on 27 and should be in our own bed at last on 28. We look forward to seeing everyone.
We want to thank you all for your support and prayers over the last six months. That is what keeps us strong. We have a number of talks already scheduled and are willing to do more. Please stay in touch.

This what it's all about...

2009-03-13T02:23:00.000-07:00

Emmaloba primary organized the distribution of uniforms last Thursday to 60 needy children. The school was at pains to demonstrate that the selection had been done openly and fairly, so we had to read out names and give the new clothing publicly. The age groups and ability levels were well represented. The children sang songs of thanks while the tailors from the village were still ironing the shirts and dresses.
The grant to Emmaloba is now complete. The micro finance group is paying back at a prodigious rate, and four have already tapped their second loan, spurred on by the idea of gaining more capital. Some of them are braiding sisal ropes for sale in the market, some are making mandazis (donuts). On Thursday we talked again of the cow dung fuel and they were shown how to make liquid soap.
A Rotarian in Kakamega donated a number of pens and pencils and sold me the rest at cost, so we had 10,000/- shillings remaining (about $150) even after giving a donation to ensure that all the senior class was able to pay registration fees for their final exams. The head teacher called me from the senior classroom to say that he wanted to build good desks for them since the ones they are using are small and broken. I could hear the children clap in the background. This will also give some work to the community.
The water is still somewhat of a problem in that the dry season has been prolonged well into March in that area. The well serves the school and a couple of local families, but it has already been deepened three times and we have now hit solid rock, so it will have to stay as it is. When the rains come (they have been threatening for some time) the water will flow again.

After the uniform ceremony I left our two young women to meet the micro finance group while I paid a quick visit to Ebumbayi. It is only about 5 kilometres away but buried in the hills down a narrow, rocky lane. The new head teacher, whose email I posted a few days ago, says he is already seeing progress with children and parents. I met the chairman of the school management committee who is pleased with the changes. Two of the young teachers attended part of the Virtues workshop three weeks ago and are using Virtues strategies to good effect.
I also met a widow with two children at the school. Both children are losing vision with the elder almost totally blind. The mother had taken the girls to the local eye hospital where they had tests, but the doctor who could diagnose was not there. They will have to return in ten days. The school had raised the fare for the first visit. I was able at least to give the bus fare for their return (about $15) The head master has email and has promised to let me know what the hospital says.
The terrain is steep and rocky and there is a serious problem of water. I will add a picture of where the children go to fetch water. It is likely to be impossible to dig, and so we might look for a harvesting and storage solution. One of the problems is that people have planted right up tot he stream although regulations say there should be 20 metres left. Thus the water is severely contaminated with run off and chemicals from the fields and it would be no use to put a well close to the water source.
It was good to meet so many people who are so grateful for the little help we can offer. I always tell them we are just the messengers and their friends are away in Canada.

Marich Pass and Emmaloba

2009-03-09T07:52:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we took some time off to visit one of our favourite places–Marich Pass in the semi arid West Pokot. We try to go once every year to a Field Research Station hacked out of the bush by a British geography professor, David Roden, and his Eritrean wife. Last year, of course we were not able to make our usual pilgrimage. When we started to make arrangements to fit in around the university students who come in groups, we learned to our dismay that David was killed in a road accident with a matatu (public minibus) last March. His wife, Hidat dissolved in tears in my arms when we arrived but is bravely carrying on David’s amazing work. Students are coming this week from Norway and her son is going to help her run things. She has built a beautiful memorial to him in a lovely peaceful garden with a 360 view of the surrounding mountains which he loved so much. There is a web site if you want to know more and google Marich Pass.
Two young German medical students were staying for a few days and another young German couple arrived shorlty after us. On Saturday morning we all crammed into our vehicle and went to the Pokot market which was as colourful and interesting as ever. The women in their big beaded collars selling gourds of fomented milk would not allow any pictures, but I have one shot from a former visit.

Emmaloba’s books arrived last week. This is one part of the Rotary grant from Victoria Rotary Club. I shall go out again on Wednesday when the uniforms will have arrived for the 60 children chosen. The school did well and portioned out the work to ten tailors, thus spreading some employment in the community. They will receive a lump sum for the feeding and planting programme and have decided to try to spread it to all children, asking a small contribution from those who can pay. I am happy they will take this initiative.

Rain at last

2009-03-01T19:28:00.000-08:00

The long rains are coming at last, announcing their approach gradually. On Tuesday evening I was driving back from town when the rain started. The entry to our side road is difficult at the best of times and hard to negotiate when slippery and wet when following our usual route. I decided to come in the longer way with an easier turn and climb. Mistake! Just before I reached the turning a matatu came barreling down the crown of the road towards me (the grader leaves steep sides). I had to move over a little and my off side wheels slid into the ditch. We managed to put the vehicle into four wheel drive even though one wheel was hard up against the bank and pulled out. But it was only the next morning we realized the wing mirror had been knocked off. Of course, there was no trace of it. On Saturday there were a dozen large drops. Yesterday afternoon the clouds rolled in and thunder rumbled all evening, but with no rain. Amazingly, the power stayed on! The rains cool things down, but make the dirt roads into a nightmare.

I completed the Virtues training for teachers on Saturday in the Maseno area. The new facilitators did an excellent job for us. It was very powerful to have them speak of their experience of using the Virtues in their schools. Much more meaningful that just hearing from me.
When we arrived the boys and girls from the orphan feeding programme held every Saturday were sweeping leaves from the compound. Bibiana, the town councillor I mentioned before, was with me and sprang into action. Fifteen minutes later she was up to her elbows in a container of cow dung, mixing in dry leaves. She showed everyone how to make the cow dung fuel and made them promise not to cut down more trees for firewood.

The Virtues training requested in Nairobi has been confirmed for the two days before we leave. So we will leave Kakamega on March 20, stay two days in Nairobi and leave for the UK on 25.
Later today we will go to Kisumu to change our tickets from Kisumu to Nairobi. Tomorrow (Tuesday) will be the opportunity to say goodbye to the clergy as they come into town for their monthly meeting. On Wednesday I will present my report to the Board of Education. On Friday we leave for an anticipated visit to Marich Pass in the West Pokot. We love any time we spend there and are happy to be able to fit it in. We plan to take the two girls who work in the computer school. They have never traveled more than a few kilometres from Kakamega and are wildly excited. The road north from Kakamega to Webuye is beyond description, so we may decide to take a longer route with better surface through Mumias, Bungoma.

The following week I will try to visit Emmaloba (receiving the Rotary grant) and Ebumbayi (whose head teacher wrote to me last week). We have one full bag packed with gifts and items for resale. The others will be packed soon. Our cleaning lady Virginia will come for an extra visit to attend to the nooks and crannies. It really seems we are going home!

2009-02-22T06:54:00.000-08:00

A few years ago one of our colleagues introduced the idea of cow dung fuel. Some people tried it and liked it but the use did not spread widely. It’s very simple: you take fresh cow dung, mix it with dry leaves or other combustible material, shape it into a thick pancake and leave it to dry in the sun. You then break it up into small pieces and use it like charcoal. It burns relatively smoke free, lasts long and saves the few precious trees. Not only do women no longer have to hunt for wood or buy expensive charcoal, they avoid the dangerous practice of wandering in the woods early in the morning or late in the day when many are attacked. This fuel is commonly used in India where the cakes are sold in the market.
A couple of days ago we were chatting with an energetic woman named Bibiana who is a town councillor. She was asking us to look at some water sources that need protection. As she spoke of the women’s groups she has organized, we mentioned the cow dung fuel. She immediately enthused about the idea and said she would arrange to spread the information.
We underestimated her.
I was doing Virtues Facilitator training on Saturday, so Rod agreed to go with Bibiana to look at water sources. To his amazement she had organized five seminars on cow dung fuel. Hastily he went to fetch Magdalene who has been teaching the women in our micro finance groups. Bibiana had a container of dung and another of dry leaves. The women wrapped a kanga (cloth) around Magdalene to protect her clothes and away they went.
Today we heard from Richard, Bibiana’s husband, that he had met a woman who was present yesterday. She had dried her patties and used them to cook. They don’t smoke! They last long! It’s free! Rod is mightily relieved. Although we know people who have used it successfully, there’s always the little nagging doubt that it will go wrong and be a disappointment.
Here are some pictures of the water sources Rod saw. One is very needy in that houses on a hill above send all their effluent down into the small river where people draw their water. As I said, it takes about $500 to protect a spring for a community

I want to add the email I just received from the head teacher of one of my schools.
"I have been the headteacher of Ekwanda Primary School for the last 8 years and I have recently moved to Ebumbayi Primary School which is about three kilometers from Ekwanda. Ebumbayi Primary School is one of the schools in the Maseno North Diocese of Anglican Church.I am interested to share with you the situation at Ebumbayi Primary School and invite you for a visit any time that you may have the chance to do so.The school is right on the boundary of Western Province and Nyanza Province. We have an enrolment of 237 pupils from STD 1-8. Unfortunately this is a school that is facing very many crises that it is in deed crying for support. The drop out rate is very high in this school. Maybe because most people who were students in this school through the time have not been going to secondary school. Most children do not see the need to complete even their primary school education alone.Girls becoming pregnant seems to be a norm. the STD 8 class of last year had 24 pupils in total. By the time of KCPE exam in November 4 girls had already given birth and two others were very pregnant. I am told that the joke was that they were bringing forth several "Obamas." The STD 8 of this year has two girls who carried out abortions last year. One small girl in STD 7 dropped out last week because she was pregnant.In last year's KCPE examination virtually all the pupils failed the exam. In ranking of the schools in Emuhaya District we are among the last six schools in the same exam. Out of the 24 pupils only three have gone to secondary school. The community seem to be contented with the fate of the rest.As for the boys the trend is that once they are registered for the KCPE exam they mostly drop out or start coming to school when they want and keep off when they do not want to be in school.The facilities in the school are so dillapidated and my findings indicate that the poverty index in this community is extremely high. Mostly because not investing their future in education. We have only 9 classrooms. Fortunately the CDF gave us a grant of KSH 200,000 which we are using to renovate 4 classrooms. The rest have cracking walls or are falling apart. We have 3 pit latrines for all the girls and another 3 for all the boys. The latrines are equally in deplorable state.We are all new teachers in this school and our main target at the moment is to restore hope in everyone. The response seems to be very good as there is a very strong goodwill from the community.It is at this point that I wish to invite you to help us in the process of restoring the hope and the future of the community. My feeling would be that even by you meeting the pupils or the parents or by mounting workshops in this school can open it up and make the people here know that they belong to the larger community where people are responsible of each other.Thank you so much for your patience in reading this mail and we hope to read from you soon.

I have responded to say I will visit the school to encourage them and present the Virtues programme that will help them. If they wish I’ll arrange to offer a ful training session with our newly accredited facilitators. This will help with relationships and school performance. I can also help them implement the HIV/AIDS awareness programme we made that has a section on assertiveness for girls and staying in school. Pretty well all my funding is finished as we move into the last month here, but I will try to set some priorities with them for when I come back. Anyone feel like coming to dig latrines and repair classrooms?

Naming names, protected springs, uniforms and books

2009-02-20T01:05:00.001-08:00

John Githongo, now ‘exiled’ in the UK, is bringing out a book later this month entitled “Our time to eat.” At one time he was head of Transparency International in Kenya and then appointed to lead Kenya’s Anti Corruption department under Kibaki’s new government. Parts of the book have been serialised in the Daily Nation. Attempts were made to involve him in the schemes and in 2005 he fled to Europe while attending a conference because he eventually feared for his life at home. He had all the details of the massive corruption scandals (Goldenberg, Anglo Leasing) where the ‘Mount Kenya Mafia’ were siphoning off billions of shillings. I believe he has returned once to Nairobi under heavy guard, but I doubt if he will be able to come home again very soon. He has named names just in the newspaper excerpts and explained how many of the current ministers were complicit, one of them being Ringera the present anti-corruption head. Todays’ edition promises to tell us about the tape recordings he made of ministers talking of their involvement and their plans to defraud the state.

We are still receiving requests for wells, and these are good installations for schools and health units. But since we protected the spring in Julius’s village (see my last post) many are asking for assistance to protect the natural sources from run off and contamination. It costs about 1/5 of the price to protect a spring as it does to put in a well ($500 compared to $2,500) so where it is feasible it is a very cost effective solution. In one area close by we are told there are 35 springs of which only one was protected at independence (1963) Since then nothing has been done.

I am posting a picture of some of the children at Emmaloba Primary who will be receiving uniforms from the grant from the Rotary Club of Victoria. The school has selected 60 ‘vulnerable children’ for uniforms and supplementary feeding. The head teacher is putting the supply out to tender since most primary school uniforms are made locally. This will also give some employment to tailors in the area, most of whom use old treadle machines under an overhang.

This week I left a deposit at a bookstore in Kisumu for the school to purchase text books from the same grant. I hope they will arrive soon so I can get some pictures of the distribution.

The good, the bad and the ugly

2009-02-15T22:22:00.000-08:00

It is very easy to grow depressed and impatient with what is going on around us... Let me tell you a couple of the latest scandals. (One thing is true: there is never a dull moment) Lucy Kibaki (president’s wife) was declared innocent last week of involvement in the maize cartel that contributed to the food shortage. People on the street believe she was implicated but that the MP who accused her was bought off or threatened. We remember Tom Mboya, Robert Ouko and others who tried to walk a straight path and were assassinated.
Kenya’s education system is based entirely on ‘merit’ that is: examination results. It has just been revealed that for the past ten years a gang has been buying HS leaving exam papers ahead of time with the help and connivance of a police station, which would be entrusted to keep the papers safe. The investigation revealed late night ‘coaching’ going on using a stolen exam paper just before the test. So now many of the elite schools who topped the lists of exam results for many years, must now explain themselves. But the issue goes further. The system rewards the high achievers with reduced fees at the university (about 25% of normal) so it’s much cheaper to buy an exam that to pay regular rate fees. The fact that you are shutting out a deserving child with no financial support never seems to occur. If a student scores a B+ or A- (overall in exams) then the world of university courses is open. We must remember that the government selects a course of study for a student according to marks, regardless of preference. So the students we support with scholarships have an extra count against them: the children of wealthy parents winning government places.
The agreement with Kofi Annan was that if there was no internal tribunal by March 1 to try the people in the secret envelope for crimes against humanity stemming from last year’s mayhem, then the envelope would be sent on to the ICC in the Hague. At a vote last Wednesday in the House(I think I have the day right) there was no consensus on what to do. Many MPs refused to attend the house to form a quorum and the bill was defeated. This is largely because they don’t trust a local tribunal even with foreign members. Unless the President prorogues Parliament, the bill cannot be reintroduced. So now we expect any trial to be held in the Netherlands.
On Thursday a newspaper article reported on the finding of a group in the UK. It seems the UK banks a re full of the cash looted from Nigeria and Kenya. Millions of dollars are stashed away while Kenya, at least, appeals to donor countries to help feed the millions of starving citizens. One article this weekend pointed out that there is no interest in promoting foodstuffs other than maize, of which a huge amount is consumed. Other crops such as cassava and sweet potatoes are more nutritious and more suited to the climatic conditions, but while the government is offering subsidies and imports of white maize (the only kind people are conditioned to eat) there is money to be made.
So, having dealt with the ugly, I come to the good. The following stories are the ones that give us hope and encouragement that all is not lost.
This afternoon we went out to Shisalachi, the home of Julius the jeweler. The well we put in is working but needs a few adjustments to keep it sturdy. We also looked at the spring that was protected with the last of the Rotary Clean water organization funds. Julius tells us 200 families use the well and about 300 now go tot he spring. We protected the spring for about $500, so will look at requests from other villages when we come back in the fall.
I was touched by a group of women who wanted to speak to me personally about providing the spring. They said they were grateful that someone had done something for the women because they were always overlooked and neglected. Men have no interest in the source of water, so have no reason to improve things. During our conversation it became clear they want adult literacy and some micro finance assistance. My funds have run out for now, but I hope I will be able to help them later.
We have helped Julius over the years by buying his jewelry and with advice and support. He is now an important man in the community because we brought water to his village and two others in the area. Plus he has been able to buy some land for his children’s future. The tiny mud hut where he used to live is still on his compound, dwarfed now by a fine new concrete house. He has four children of his own (one is now a teacher) and three orphans he is taking care of and sending to schools. We bought jewelry on Sunday and those shillings will go immediately to the older boy in Form 4 to pay his fees and examination registration.
He has often talked of making fishponds and this year connected with Susan Thompson, a Canadian who has been helping farmers set up Tilapia ponds. One fish pond has been dug close to the protected spring and seven more are in the area. When they are ready and approved, they will receive the fry. The fish will be both a source of protein as well as a cash crop. Julius is only renting the land where he has made the pond, which is not a good situation and he would like to buy it.
On Saturday I went with four other Virtues practitioners to run a workshop in Maseno, at Ekwanda Primary school. Not all the participants we had been promised did turn up, but we had a group of over 30. They were great to work with and I’m looking forward to conducting the second session at the end of the month. This workshop is part of the training for facilitators who will take two days specialised training with me later this week. The trainee facilitators all have practical experience of implementing the Virtues Positive Discipline in their schools. It is very powerful for participants to hear strong testimonial from their colleagues, rather than a ‘foreign’ person. We have good hopes of eliminating the cane and other physical punishments in these schools.

Women of distinction

2009-02-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

The President’s wife is called the First Lady. It always make me smile because she is fact also the first wife. There is a second wife who stays very much in the background.
"Lucy" as she is known likes the limelight and has a very volatile temper. She has been known to publicly slap aides who displease her.
This past week she was in the news twice. Once for publicly berating the Internal Minister (Saitoti) because of the Nakumatt fire and the tanker explosion when response was totally inadequate. The President had to belatedly announce that he was very happy with the Minister’s work.
The second time was when she was accused by an MP of having a business interest in the cartel that bought maize cheaply and sold it high when the shortage struck (or exported it to Sudan) It turned out the documentation was false and she was cleared, but the Agriculture Minister didn’t fare so well. Documents linking him to the plot were judged genuine.
Homa Bay where we took drugs to the Rotary Club recently, was in the news because of a group of women who refuse to be ‘inherited.’ According to custom a widow has to sleep with a professional ‘cleanser’ (ie a man authorised to do this. I have no idea how someone qualifies for the job.) Once ‘cleansed’ she can be inherited by her brother in law.
The group of six or seven women standing up for their right not to do this are being seriously harassed. Because of their ‘unclean’ status they are not allowed to use their deceased husband’s land or repair his house Some of the husbands died of AIDS and their widows are HIV positive. This inheritance tradition is one way the virus is spread throughout families. We hope they stay strong and united.

Only six weeks left

2009-02-08T07:22:00.000-08:00

We are suddenly realizing how close we are to shutting everything down and finishing all the projects. We leave Kenya Mar 25 and should be home in Victoria on Mar. 28.
Every year I vow that I will keep the last couple of weeks free of commitments, but inevitably something crops us to push us closer to the wire. This year it is the possibility of my conducting Virtues training for a company in Nairobi. I hope we can fit it in around the other things since it would be a huge step forward for the Virtues Project in Kenya.
I want to thank all those who have held us in their thoughts and prayers. Since last December I have been through a very difficult time with disappointment and stress caused by someone we thought to be a trustworthy friend proving to be untruthful and devious, almost scuttling a big undertaking. It seems that we are at last coming to the end and a good resolution.
At the moment Rod is helping me make materials for a Virtues training session that will start this Saturday. We are hoping for about 50 teachers from four of my schools plus another six or so who want to become facilitators and run workshops. This means they will teach part of the basic presentation and then will do two days intensive training just with me.
Later this month we will go to Shisilachi the village of Julius the jeweler. We put in a well a couple of years ago and this year protected a spring down in the valley. So the community has more access to water. The protected spring will not be as clean as the water from the well but is good for household needs and animals. The slope is quite steep and treacherous in the rains and the women and girls carry 20 litres on their heads. We hope we can advise them on making some kind of steps that will make it easier and safer to negotiate. Julius wants us to hold a small ceremony to thank Rotary for the donation.
That is the last of the donations we received for water this year. We still have a list of places that want water in the community so will gratefully receive anything that can be donated. To see more about the water projects go to www.patriciacrossley.com/water.htm.
The last of the computers are now going to the schools. We were of course delayed by the teachers’ strike. I learned one lesson: I told schools they had to have a secure place and power. I neglected to point out that the power should run into the secure place. So we are waiting for one school to provide a proper room to accommodate their machines.
Kenya is a very religious country, 80% Christian and about 15% Muslim. The rest are Hindu, Sikh etc with some animism. It is disturbing to read accounts of elderly people who have been killed because of accusations of witchcraft. This is happening quite frequently on the coast. The murders seem to be carried out by gangs of young men. In a society where the old have always been revered and cared for this is a worrying trend.

Vulture culture

2009-02-02T02:51:00.000-08:00

Reporters were visibly shaken and one said it was the worst thing he has ever covered. On Sunday a tanker exploded near Nakuru. Many are dead and dreadfully injured but the reason for so many victims is horrifying. The Nakuru-Eldoret highway is the main road from Mombasa & Nairobi through to Uganda and points beyond. All goods traffic including petroleum must travel this road which has a number of ‘black spots’ for accidents.
Young men from the poorest areas sit by the roadside waiting for an accident to happen, when they immediately loot both the goods and the victims.
On Sunday morning a tanker parked on the road side. Sometimes they pull off for a rest or for a mechanical check. Other times they park to siphon fuel from their tanks to sell to roadside brokers. Such illicit fuel is sold openly in the area. After the sale they free wheel down the hills, often contributing to more accidents.
For some reason (maybe the brakes failed or weren’t properly set) the vehicle slid into a ditch and burst open. If you’ve ever seen the condition of some of the tankers you would see how that could happen.
Hundreds of people swarmed the site armed with all kinds of containers and jerrycans.
To quote the article: ‘According to the official version of events, the (police) officers tried to keep the crowd away from the dangerous cargo. Some survivors, however, claim the officers were charging the villagers a fee of between 50 and 100 shillings to be allowed to fill their containers from the tanker.
Motorcyclists were called and summoned to the scene to take advantage of the ‘free fuel.’
Then disaster struck. As people waded or parked their vehicles in the spilled fuel there was suddenly an explosion. Over 110 people were burned alive and nearly 200 injured. A massive evacuation of victims to all available hospitals went on for hours.
Oh the humanity!

Nakumatt fire

2009-01-31T08:19:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday afternoon a generator blew up in the Nakumatt store in downtown Nairobi causing an inferno. Nakumatt is roughly the equivalent of WalMart for the range of items it sells. By the accounts of eye witnesses and those who escaped, the doors were locked to the outside. Guards are always most interested in preventing theft and at the first sign of trouble the shutters come down and egress is controlled. This is what happened when we were caught in the riot in Kisumu last year. They have now announced the recovery of 25 bodies and there may be more. The fire hydrants were inoperative and the response of any fire fighters extremely slow. We have learned that a Fire Safety Management Policy was presented to Parliament three years ago but has sat gathering dust. At that time only 12 of 175 existing councils had established fire brigades. Of these only 3 have the basic capacity to carry out rescue operations but depend on the Armed Forces, the Airport Authority and the Kenya Ports Authority.One must also it seems have a licence to install fire extinguishers in a business and it is not easy to obtain one.Another scandal to be investigated.On the good news side, the teachers’ strike is over, although some protests continue. It is hard not to sympathize with teachers who were to receive 3,000/- (about $45) per month raise - and there was dispute about paying it all at once-, when MPs earn nearly 1 million per month (about $15,000) and only pay tax on one fifth of that. In the hunger crisis which the government claims will be helped by importing maize, a report today says that 8,000 tonnes of the cereal are sitting in Mombasa because of delays in ‘paperwork.’ The longer a consignment sits in the port, the higher the demurrage charges to shippers and handlers.Meanwhile we find small joys and things to gladden our hearts. The computer school, after its move, is doing ok. We have students, although not full classes, and Vincent is marketing furiously. Pineapples are large, juicy and plentiful at this time of year. I stopped to buy one from a street vendor a couple of days ago. "How much for this one?" I ask. "120 bob." (That’s just about exactly $2) "Hmm. Do you have anything for 100?" "Yes, this one," patting the exact same pineapple. This is bar- GAIN-ing Kenyan style
I told you about mpesa which now has 5 million subscribers. (By the way I ws wrong about the upper limit. It is much closer to 30,000/-($500) and more by arrangement) Safaricom also has a small modem which we have been using for internet and email. It is a small attachment (a bit larger than a flash drive) which contains a SIM card just like a mobile phone. So it is basically a dial up connection with a number of MG attached to each top up. We top up through our cell phone just as we do for regular phone service. Although it can sometimes be slow, it is a wonderful improvement on carrying the laptop to a cyber cafe.

Mpesa

2009-01-26T02:44:00.000-08:00

Mpesa
As I settle down to write this Rod is sending money through his mobile phone. Safaricom (linked to Vodafone elsewhere in the world and local E African networks ) is a leader in this technology. You simple register for mpesa (which means ‘money’ in Swahili) with your phone number and you are given a PIN code. At the Safaricom outlet (there are dozens everywhere) you ‘top up’ your account and then can send cash to anyone with a cell phone. I think the minimum you can send is 300/- (about $3) and the most about 6,000/-. This has caused a revolution amongst the ‘unbanked’ of whom there are millions in a country where a banker’s cheque would cost you at least $10. People are sending cash home to relatives, some top up their phone before going to a restaurant and pay by mpesa. Travelers do the same and withdraw the money at the destination with no risk of being robbed en route. To withdraw the cash you have to show ID, so even if your phone is stolen your cash would be safe.
Safaricom is negotiating with the UK to extend the service overseas to catch the custom of the ‘diaspora’ - all the Kenyans working abroad and who send floods of money back home.
It’s nice to have a good news story where Kenya is in the lead.
Elsewhere things are not so good. The Deputy PM, leaving for a conference in Spain with a delegation including the Minister of Agriculture, announced that the Kenyan government has the famine situation well in hand and ‘no one will die of hunger’. Over the last few days the newspapers reported that people are eating grass in some places and that three children have already died of malnutrition. Other children are too weak to go to school. One of the government’s main strategies (of which he seemed proud) is to ask for donations from the international community. He wants to revive the child feeding programme which, if I remember correctly, was stopped by donors because of corruption.
The Agriculture Minister was censured by the President last week for mishandling his ministry, but it has made no difference.
In the cabinet reshuffle, a man who was Minister of Finance (and reportedly a good one) was reinstated and caused a furor. He was implicated some months ago in a very shady scheme to sell a 5 star hotel in Nairobi to a Libyan consortium in secret and with no tender process. In a rare show of integrity the MPs gave a vote of no confidence in him and he stepped down. So now the Pres has seen fit to bring him back to a different portfolio.
It’s similar to what happened in the Electoral Commission. The highly paid and incompetent members were at last dismissed after a long fight. (They were blamed for much of the mayhem at the beginning of 2008) Then a temporary body was needed and the one in charge of that quite simply recalled 20 of the dismissed members to serve anew.

But in our small corner we are doing the little bit that we can. as I mentioned before scholarships have been awarded to six or seven needy boys. There were 300 applications and 50 interviews.
Here is the account written by one of our colleagues after the interviews:
One boy comes in and sits down. He is wearing a torn sweater and black boots with fur that are held together with tape. He sits down and tells me he doesn’t need a scholarship as he has one, but he needs the money to shop and get to the school he has been called to. Harrison Nyongosa is an amazing young boy and instantly I know this is one young man that needs help. He wrote his Kenya Primary School Exams in 2006 and scored 413 marks out of 500. He was called to Starehe Boys School. a prestigious school in Nairobi. He had a fully paid scholarship but needed to pay for his trip to Nairobi and an additional fee of 5000 Kenya shillings for uniform and other items. He did not have the money so could not go. He was then called to Kakamega high school and could not afford the fee s so he went to a local school near his home where school fees were less. So he started form 1 in 2007 and went through term 1 and term 2 with straight A’s. He then started term 3 and was chased from school because his family could not pay the school fees. So in 2008 he had no money and could not continue in secondary school so he returned to primary school and redid standard 8 and scored 433 marks out of 500. One of the highest in western province. Again he was called to Starehe boys school and could not pay the shopping and transport fees. So he came to the interviews with his father to ask if we could help him. It was a very easy choice for me to make as I saw how smart this boy was and how determined he was to get to school. His father had tears in his eyes when I asked him why he could not find the money. He said he had tried everyone and no one would help. So I did not hesitate and told him Iwould pay those costs. He came back to see me the following Tuesday and I took him shopping and got his bus ticket and sent them on their way to Nairobi. I will go visit the home on Monday before I leave Kenya. This young man has a future now, and it will be exciting to see how well he does. I can’t wait until September when I see how well he did.If you are interested in the scholarship organization run by Canadians who have spent several years in this area, check out http://www.kenyaeducation.org/

Lastly here is a picture of the meeting with the head teacher of Emmaloba when we looked at the book requests for the Rotary grant to the school. I hope I will have pictures of the children when the strike is over.

Things are quiet

2009-01-24T07:28:00.000-08:00

The long rains have arrived early by at least a month. It rained all night for the last two nights with lightning, thunder and power outages. The temperature has cooled considerably. We sometimes have to wear a long sleeved shirt in the evening!
Things are fairly quiet for us since the elementary schools are closed with the teachers’ strike. Despite the government threat of firings 200,000 teachers have not reported to school.
Today I met (off site) the Head Teacher of Emmaloba, the recipient of our Rotary ‘Adopt a Village’ grant and received his first list of books they want to buy. I am pleased they have chosen books for teachers (revisionary series) in this first ‘tranche’ that will help the school assess specifics of learning and thus improve their performance.
We have also set dates in February for Virtues training for three schools in the area. Improving relationships, eliminating the free use of the cane and setting clear rules will go a long way to improving school atmosphere and performance. Another head teacher in the area who is a strong proponent of Virtues will assist me.
The head teacher is hopeful the children will be back next Wednesday when we will be able to embark on the uniforms and feeding program for vulnerable children.
The well we put in two years ago has gone dry so we have arranged for the workers to come to dig deeper while the children are out of school. This will start tomorrow.
Obamamania peaked this week and now we have many articles telling us why we should not expect too much even if he is black and his father was Kenyan.
What the presidential inauguration has sparked is a serious look at governance in this country. Everyone knows that a man like Obama could not have been elected in Kenya. He is of mixed race, bears no allegiance to a specific tribe, has values that would not allow him to indulge in the rampant corruption around him. His father was fired from his government job for speaking his mind too freely. Who will come forward to lead and put things right?
Today the President shuffled the cabinet (there are 42 of them) in a token gesture of reform after having told them to work harder and stop public backbiting.

Strikes, hunger and more corruption

2009-01-18T05:57:00.000-08:00

The teachers are threatening to strike tomorrow (Monday) One group (secondary) signed an agreement with the government but the other group says they are not a legitimate union and cannot take part in negotiations. There are threats of firings, pay stoppages and a long term disruption of the school system. I don’t know where this will leave my computer distribution, the Rotary project in one school community and the Virtues training I had planned.
On Saturday we interviewed about 50 boys for six or seven KEEF scholarships. All had very high marks in the recent exams and had maintained high positions in their class throughout elementary school. It is very hard to do the selection. I thought a couple of them I spoke to would burst into tears. One young boy had repeated a grade in elementary because he had nursed his ailing mother who later died. He teared up and tried hard to be brave. I’m glad to say he is one of our selections. Others told stories of having no family whatsoever and working in fields and for the school to stay in class. If you are interested in the scholarship organization check out www.kenyaeducation.org
School fees have gone up because of the costs of fuel and food. The maize fiasco continues. The government has abandoned the cheap maize scheme and the missing 100,000 bags are being investigated. We have small hope of an answer. One company that ceased business in August received 80,000 bags in December. It is believed they are now sold to Sudan.
Newspaper articles continue their scathing tone. Ten million people face starvation and the President has declared a national emergency (at last) and appealed for donor aid. At the same time a high level group of politicians are traveling to Washington for the inauguration of Obama although they will not be invited to any functions except at the Kenyan embassy and will watch the proceedings on TV. We are reassured that they will promote tourism while in the US.
The good news is that they are repairing the road in front of Fomat, obviously shamed into it. (I posted pictures of the signs erected a few days ago) The bad news is there is absolutley no parking left and the gas station where the long distance buses pick up and where we moved the computer school is a mad house.

Our son, Matthew has a birthday today. Lots of love, big M. Miss you!

The town of Homa bay and the road

2009-01-16T02:34:00.001-08:00

Homa Bay

2009-01-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

The Rotary Club of Homa Bay participated with the RC of Victoria to receive a matching grant from Rotary International to send two containers to Kenya. One of school supplies to the Kakamega area and one to Homa Bay with medical equipment. Unfortunately the second container for Homa Bay never arrived because of the turmoil at the beginning of 08. The delays and price increases ate up most available funds. The remaining funds were used to purchase medical kits for Homa Bay. They were carried to Kenya by NGO agents and early this week I delivered them to the Rotary Club.
We have travelled some pretty awful roads, but the one to Homa Bay has to be amongst the very worst. We bumped and swerved around the potholes on the road from Kakamega to Kisumu, then sailed along a wonderful road built by Israelis for just an hour. Then we hit the dirt road. It must have been tarmacked at one stage, but the cover has completely gone leaving a roadbed of rocks and stones. This was for about an hour and a half. So it took a total of more than 4 hours to cover about 160 km.
Very hot and very dusty we arrived at the hotel owned by a Rotarian to discover our front tire was deflating. The askari (watchman) helped change the wheel (there was also a rip in the sidewall) and we had the puncture fixed on our way out. In addition, the shaking had broken the clips holding the front grill and lights in place. The askari wired it togetehr for us and it held until we reached our mechanic in Kisumu.
However, we were of course warmly received by the Rotarians who were delighted with the drugs and supplies and we had a very pleasant evening with them. The public hospitals have no drugs and few pharmacists (none in Homa Bay) can afford to stock them. The doctor who received them kept saying: We never see this... this is impossible to find..no one can afford this...I have sent them the group picture with all the drugs displayed hoping they will be able to use it for publicity. The doctor calculated the supply will last about 3 weeks since they treat about 35,000 patients a year.
I have posted pictures of the Rotarians receiving the drugs and a couple of the town of Homa Bay and the road. There is also a picture of the past president of the club sitting in a chair that

was in the container. I saved it for them so they can use it as a fund raiser for their club.

scroll down!

2009-01-15T05:04:00.000-08:00

to make sense of these recent posts, scroll down to 'Varanasi' and then back up.

Buddha

2009-01-15T04:44:00.000-08:00

We were surprised by the number of Japanese tour groups in our hotel, only to learn that Varanasi is also a site of pilgrimage for Buddhists. We went to the site where Lord Buddha preached his first sermon. Buddhism also sprang from Hindhuism but has been changed and adapted to different cultures.

The Bristish excavated the site of a vast monastery. Pilgrims mainly from Asia & Tibet circle the huge edifices still remaining, often on their knees prostrating themselves, and place gold leaf on the stones.

The last picture is of a weaver making hand woven cloth. We did buy some of the scarves to bring home. You will notice he has a series of punch cards for his design, although the most intricate and expensive cloth is still woven from memory.

We flew back to Delhi after a 5 hour delay because of fog and spent the last day visisting the Red Fort, which was the British occupation barracks for many years and is still largely occupied by the military. We also went to an incredible temple complex but were not allowed cameras. It is called the Swiminarayan temple and there has been a TV documentary, here is the link: http://www.my-india.net/tour/delhi/akshardham.shtml It is an Indian Disneyland with movie theatres, food concessions, but all based on the Hindhu faith.

Town

2009-01-15T04:36:00.000-08:00

In the town pilgrims can find all they need for their devotions. Wood for funeral pyres is stacked in bundles. Small packages of sandalwood add a perfume and mask the smell of cremation. Special ornate shrouds as well as plain white funeral shrouds are on offer. Out of respect we were not allowed to take pictures close to the funeral pyres, but we do have a shot of the wood stacked ready.

Temples

2009-01-15T04:28:00.001-08:00

When the Muslims conquered India and set up the Moghul dynasties, many Hindhu temples were destroyed and mosques built on the site. People began to make their own temples in their houses to worship in private. The patron god of Varanasi is Shiva and he is symbolised by a bull. One picture shows the entrance to a rather grand private temple with the form of a bull outside. The large tree is a peepul tree which is sacred and can never be cut.

Bathers

2009-01-15T04:15:00.000-08:00

The shore is lined with bathers and professional Dhobi or laundry washers. These are mostly men because the beating of the wet clothes on the rocks requires stamina. Like most other traditional occupations this work is passed down in families. For bathers there is no longer segregation by sex, but some women prefer to bathe together. The lady sitting alone in one of the pictures is a resident of a hospice and has come to make the best possible death for a Hindhu.

Ghat steps

2009-01-15T04:04:00.001-08:00

The steep stairs down to the water lead to ghats or quays. The shore is lined with hostels and temples. Alittle girl sold us a lighted floating candle to let drift in the water symbolisong prayers.

Varanasi

2009-01-15T03:56:00.001-08:00

Our last stop somewhere new was in Varanasi (Benares) on the Ganges. We were down by the river before dawn and taken in a rowboat to watch the rituals of those acknowledging the sunrise and bathing in the river. A devout Hindhu will want to make a pilgrimage to Varanasi at least once and if possible die there ensuring passage to eternity. I don’t pretend to understand completely the paths of the believers although our guide did a good job of trying to simplify things. The town is built upon the pilgrims who come to die or to bury their dead.
I think the best things for me to do is to post a few pictures with a brief word about each set.

The first ones here were taken when it was barely light. The umbrealls shelter the Brahmins, a herditary caste, who offer special prayers for the dead. Men's heads were being shaved as a sign of mourning. To the left of the steps is a Sudi, a self proclaimed holy man, celebrating the sunrise with fire.

Away for a couple of days

2009-01-12T06:15:00.000-08:00

We will travel to Homa Bay tomorrow for a meeting of the local Rotary Club who were our partners with the container. This area is even poorer that where we are and HIV/AIDS is rampant. The schools lack the most basic supplies and there are virtually no health clinics. They were to have received a medical container but the turmoil last year ate up all the funds. We will be finalising the report to Rotary International and I will be carrying three boxes of medical supplies for them. I also saved them a nice office chair from the container that did arrive, so they can use it as a fund raiser for their club.
We are working on the possibility of sending a container of medical supplies to them if we can find corporate sponsorship. If you have any ideas of who might help this very needy area, let me know!
When we return I will send out a few more computers to schools (I'll save the story of how I got them) and this coming weekend we will be interviewing for scholarships for KEEF. Go to www.kenyaeducation.org for details.

Taj Mahal

2009-01-12T05:56:00.000-08:00

Everyone has seen pictures of the Taj Mahal and it’s beauty is recognized all over the world. (Remember that picture of Princess Diana looking so miserable in front of the monument?) It is a breathtaking sight. The white marble contains tiny sparkles and shines in the sun and in the moonlight. You can make a booking to see it by moonlight. I don’t think there was a full moon while we were there, so we wouldn’t have had the opportunity. What I didn’t know was that both the outside and the inside are decorated with inset precious and semi precious stones in patterns of leaves and flowers as well as verses from the Koran. The descendants of the artisans still do this work on marble and again we let ourselves be tempted by a small sample. We watched them grinding and setting in the tiny chips of coral, lapis, jade and so on. The king had three wives, one Hindu, one Muslim and one Christian. The Muslim wife is the one for whom he built the tomb. She traveled everywhere with him and bore many children (I think it was 14, but several did not survive) He intended to built himself a similar monument in black marble on the opposite side of the river and laid the foundations. What a sight that would have been! Before he could begin the construction his son, by the favourite Muslim wife, captured him and imprisoned him for several years until his death. I am going to post some pictures rather than write any more. There will be the obligatory full view, but I have added some of the stunning internal and exterior decoration. A couple of the shots are of the mosque standing alongside.

Tiger Park and Kenya update

2009-01-09T02:46:00.000-08:00

After Jaipur we spent two nights in Rathtambore, a tiger reserve which was once the hunting ground of the Maharaja. The number of wild tigers is diminishing rapidly and since they require a large range and are territorial, we were not fortunate enough to see one, although we heard one and heard the monkeys and deer giving warning calls. The temperature drops to about 10C at night at this time of year, so the early morning safari in an open vehicle was an experience! Christmas eve was marked by an outdoor barbeque which was very nice with blazing log fires and great food, but we bundled up in socks, hats and as many sweaters as we had. Then it ws on to Agra.

Maybe it's time for a short break from India and let you know what's going on in Kenya. Despite many protests the President signed the Media Bill into law. This gives the government the right to seize equipment, regulate coverage and close down broadcasts. The PO can open mail and email can be read. After a huge outcry, the Pres decided to 'take a second look.' He's probably going to appoint a commission, hoping it will be forgotten in some new scandal, which usually happens. Problem is the second look is generated by fear of unpopularity at the next election, not by any concern for democracy and a free press.

Hunger is acute in the drought ridden areas of the north and in places like Baringo where no one planted early last year. The 'cheap' maize proved a fiasco as we suspected. 100,000 bags (yes, you read the number right) have disappeared without a trace, leaving only 44,000 for processing.

Results are out for the Primary (gr8) leaving exams. 250,000 children will not go to high school for lack of a place available. Disputes are rampant about increases in school (boarding) fees and teachers are threatening to strike for more pay on Jan 19. They have actually been awarded raises but the government wants to pay an average of about 1,000 sh ($15) per month over three years. CHES is busy interviewing and KEEF will interview next week. We will see mainly boys since CHES has a lot of scholarships this year for girls.

At the end of December Rod closed the computer school because of low income and rent increases. It was in a poor location, received little support from the diocese and January is usually a lean month for people with school fees and bills from Christmas. The news is not all bad because Vincent, who was one of our first students five years ago, has taken over in a new location. He was one of our instructors and we trained him as a technician. He has a thriving little business and has agreed to maintain the instructors, the salaries and the policies, at least for the foreseeable future. He is working very hard at marketing and we have good hopes of success. Rod is glad to be rid of the stress of keeping it going, particularly during our time away. We have trained a lot of young people in computer skills and we are proud of a great number of success stories. In the picture (l to r) is Johnstone, our 'daktari' in training proudly holding his graduation gift of a phone; then Ben who is doing Business Studies and runs the computer school; next is Vincent who has taken over the school; the young woman in dark clothing is Magdalene who received an A average from a school with no power and mud walls. She wants to do medecine if she gets a place. Lastly is Carolyne who would love to train as a teacher, but for now is working in the computer school. She is a skilled dressmake and a very enthusiastic and hard worker.

On a final note, I will post a couple of pictures of the main shopping street directly in front of Fomat for those who know Kakamega. The 'river' you see bears the name of the local MP. Next blog will cover the visit to the Taj Mahal.

Jaipur

2009-01-08T00:56:00.000-08:00

Just before Jaipur is the ancient Amber fort. Long walls reach out on the surrounding ridges, making the second largest continuous wall after the Great Wall of China. The steep climb to the entrance to the fort is done on elephants. Apparently the government has put a stop to the use of animals in tourist destinations, so these elephants will be the last, and they will retire in 2010.

In Jaipur (state of Rajasthan) is the City Palace, a blend of traditional and Mughal architecture, originally built by Maharajah Jai Singh 11. The palace complex occupies one seventh of the old walled city. The Jantar Nantar is a collection of massive astronomical instruments built of local stone and marble. Each instrument carries an astronomical scale marked on the marble lining, and bronze tablets for calculations. They were built to assist in coordinating the Hindu calendar (based on the sun) with the Muslim calendar based on the moon. Adjoining this palace is the Hawa Mahai (Palace of the Winds) known as the pink palace. Built in 17 99 by Maharajah Sawai Pratrap Singh, it overlooks the main streets. The name probbaly translates better as Palace of the breezes. The ladies of the court would sit in the screened windows and watch the streets below.
In Jaipur we visited a block printing factory. The British destroyed the industry but a young woman who specialised in Indian culture found examples of the prints in the British Museum, had blocks made and revived the industry. The prints are amazingly complex and done by hand on cotton, silk etc. For those who love fabric, I bought a few samples which I will include in our sales table when we come home.

After Delhi

2009-01-07T02:36:00.000-08:00

We did succumb to the temptation of a silk Kashmiri carpet. The government brings families from Kashmir to Delhi for two years to sell their family's work. Then it's back home and another family arrives.

We drove to Jaipur on a new and wide expressway. Although we read newspaper articles on corruption and have certainly heard stories, there seems to be a lot of money going into infrastructure. The main roads are in great shape and there is construction going on everywhere. We were interested to see water pumps (often more than one) in every town and village. One does not see the small shambas (house surrounded by cultivation) as in Kenya. Although the fields look large, they are apparently divided between families who all grow the same crop. The two main ones we saw were the yellow flowers of mustard (used for oil) and green grams. The highly decorated trucks and buses and the camel carts added another new element to the trip.
Children were still in school until Dec. 24. There is no concession made in the school system, in business or government for religious holidays of any kind. Muslims work on Friday with no time off for prayers. The standard day off is Sunday, which we found interesting. In government schools, the teaching language in this part of India is Hindi. English is started around grade 6. Education for girls is free although we were not sure what fees applied to boys. We saw many girls in their uniforms of narrow white trousers, sky blue tunics and white scarf.
The private schools (called ‘public’ from the British system) advertise themselves as "English media" which means their teaching language is English. Large families are strongly discouraged. In fact we saw one school article where the institution refused to accept pupils from families of more than three children.

a few more pictures

2009-01-06T21:22:00.001-08:00

The elderly Sikh gentleman reall y wanted to be in my picture of some architectural details. In the Hindu temple there were no cameras allowed, no lighters, pens, electronic gadgets and nothing made of leather

Delhi

2009-01-06T10:20:00.000-08:00

Entry into India was relatively easy, although I always wonder why the immigration staff of some countries seem to take pride in a sour expression and suspicious questions. No one says "Welcome to India" or "Enjoy your stay." For future reference, they insist on an in-country address even if you are on a tour, so it’s advisable to have something prepared. The same procedures were followed in every hotel: passport check, photocopy of main page, check on visa number, home address etc. However, hotel staff were at least pleasant and we reminded ourselves how close we were to the Pakistan border.
We had a city tour of Delhi on our first day. The Red Fort was closed for security reasons for two days but we were promised a visit on our return. We went to Humayun’s Tomb, a complex of buildings of Mughal Architecture dating to the 13th century. The complex is a World Heritage Site and the first example of this type of Mughal architecture in India. The style of the mausoleum is similar to the Taj Mahal. The Qtab Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the world. On the second day we visited a Sikh temple and a Hindu temple before leaving for Jaipur.

2009-01-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

We are back in Kenya after a very enjoyable trip to India. All went well and I’ll post some highlights over the next few days.
We went to Nairobi a couple of days early to do some work on fund raising for the Virtues Project. Together with the Western Province Task Force (this is the short form of the full title of Western Province Sustainable Peace and Harmony Task Force) I put together a proposal for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives. I was able to meet with the representative of the fund in Nairobi and we were well received. The next round of grants is in April and we may have a good chance of financing that will enable us to set up an office and do some facilitator training as well as more workshops. I also met with the CIDA representative. Although CIDA deals through the Ministry of Education on country wide projects, the rep was very interested in our work and gave us some good advice and pointers in dealing with the Ministry since we want to expand largely through the education network. It is now up to us to carry this through. Who knows? At some point we may be big enough for CIDA to take notice of us.
After these meetings we flew from Nairobi to Dubai and then on to New Delhi. We had several hours layover in Dubai Emirates terminal. This is a huge complex (we estimated it at over a kilometre long) The staff are of every nationality imaginable as are the travelers and customers. Costumes are of every type and colour. It was the 20th anniversary of opening and after midnight all goods were 25% off . The activity around the Cartier watches, the fine Scotch and Armani clothing was intense.

2008-12-14T04:29:00.001-08:00

We send you all our good wishes for a happy and blessed Christmas. Thank you all for your continuing prayers and support. This is the time of year that we miss you all, especially our family.We will be back with you in the New Year

As the anniversary approaches, there is tension in the air

2008-12-14T04:25:00.000-08:00

At this time last year the country was preparing for a General Election. We all know what happened in the aftermath. Since March 2008 there has been an uneasy peace held together by a hastily assembled coalition. We avoided outright civil war by a hair’s breadth. Since then nothing seems to have improved. There are still thousands of IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) and now there is hunger because of gross mismanagement and a growing rage against the government.
The most recent fiasco about selling the staple maize meal at two different prices has misfired as we suspected. Certain people will be making millions of shillings, paid for by the tax payers–who do not include the MPs.
President Kibaki was heckled and jeered this week at a Jamhuri (Independence) Day celebration in his own Central province where he has long been revered as a demi-god. This would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago. Odinga, who rode in on his white horse a year ago to become Prime Minister, has been revealed as self serving as the rest once in power.
In a latest manifestation of ineptitude a Bill has been passed giving the government power to close down media outlets, seize equipment and even dictate what they are allowed to convey to the public. There is outrage at all levels. People were arrested this past week for protesting and even for wearing T shirts with slogans indicating support for all Kenyans to pay tax.
I have never seen such newspaper articles. The general belief is that the senior officials have grown embarrassed by the insistence on prosecution of those responsible for last year’s troubles and the implementation of the Waki report as well as the exposure of parliamentary corruption.
Another Bill, a Constitutional amendment, devised to dismiss the bungling Electoral Commission, might be vetoed by the president. Some believe the fear is that the Commissioners, if dismissed, would in retaliation reveal too much about last year’s shenanigans.
I don’t have a good feeling about all this. It seems things could explode again. I don’t believe people want the same kind of turmoil we experienced a year ago, but when they try to demonstrate peacefully (just by wearing a T shirt), they are arrested and roughed up.
No healing and reconciliation programme, however powerful, can withstand this kind of provocation.
Yesterday we went to the market to buy five woven baskets (less that $1 each) We will fill these with a bag of flour, sugar, tea, margarine, cookies, jam and a phone card for each of our three instructors to share with their families. Johnstone, who has a birthday on Dec 26, gets a new pair of shoes. He has resoled his existing ones three times and they won't last any longer. The fifth basket is for the young man Sammy, the shamba boy, who lives in a small hut, looks after the animals and always opens the gate for us with a big smile.
On Wednesday we leave for our Christmas break. I have an appointment at the Canadian High Commission on Thursday to present a proposal for a Local Initiatives grant. It is submitted by the Virtues group on behalf of the local Task Force set up by the Provincial Commissioner who is very supportive of the work we have been doing in Western. The Province has seen a decline in violence in the schools where we have trained and we are now beginning community workshops. We desperately need solid funding to continue and the Canada Fund is one possibility. We will also meet some other potential donors on the morning of 19. We fly out to India on the afternoon of 19, returning on Jan 1.

some wells in progress

2008-12-12T04:19:00.000-08:00

Uganda experience

2008-12-12T03:39:00.000-08:00

The Anglican Church in Mbale, Uganda, about an hour across the border, requested a Virtues workshop to train some of their members. I was reluctant to go, since I think we have our plate full with everything developing right here in Kenya, and I feared the costs that might be incurred, but I allowed myself to be persuaded on the promise of adequate fees being paid by participants to cover fuel, copies etc.
I made copies, loaded the laptop & projector and we left Monday, Rod driving our vehicle. He dropped us at the border crossing at Malava, which is just as chaotic as the one at Busia. There were close to 1,000 trucks lined up waiting to cross (this is the only road from the port of Mombasa into the heart of Africa) We saw that a trailer truck had overturned right in the customs area and was causing the back up.
The organizer of the workshop met us and was positive I didn’t need a visa. I have been across before without a visa, but only for a few hours at a time. However, I didn’t really want to pay $50US either. We took a back way and drove to the town and were taken to quite a nice hotel. So far, so good. We had been told to expect 15 or so people and had made copies for 20. There might be 30, we were told, but there was a copy shop close by. On the way to the hotel we passed by the hall rented for us, a huge place, but we decided we would use a stage at one end and white sheets would be tacked up for a screen.
It turned out that Monday was Eid, a Muslim holiday, and recognized in Uganda. So all banks etc were closed, leaving us without Ugandan currency until Isaiah managed to find a street money changer.
However, we had a pleasant dinner in gardens across from the hotel and were told breakfast started at 7 am. That would be good since we wanted to be setting up around 8. The breakfast room was in complete darkness and locked at 7, but by 7.40 there was food available. Of course, no one came to pick us up until nearly 9. At that time it appeared that some ‘officials’ in town wanted to meet the organizer and Isaiah, the Kenyan coordinator, to find out what we were doing. That sounded a bit strange, but since we have been dealing with government officials in Kenya, who have supported the programme we weren’t too concerned.
About 10 I agreed to start the teaching alone. There were about 15 people by then and some 10 more wandered in over the next 2 hours. I couldn’t give them all handouts. Isaiah and George, the coordinator, did not reappear. I soldiered on, not knowing what arrangements had been made for refreshments, lunch etc. There didn’t appear to be any provision made at the hall.
After four and a half hours of teaching with only a 15 minute break, Isaiah came back and took over the last part, thank goodness. We finished the workshop, had a meal (about 4 pm) and learned the bad news. Most participants had not paid the full agreed fee and there would be no money for copies or fuel, although the meal and our hotel could be covered. I was not surprised. Then we learned that there is a supposed law in Uganda that any ‘international’ project must register and pay a hefty fee in order to operate. Of course the name of the programme is ‘Virtues International’ and no amount of arguing could persuade them that we had no funds, we were unpaid and totally volunteer. George was threatened with arrest. The first fee they wanted was $700US but it reduced to $400 by the end of the afternoon.
It became apparent we could not leave without paying, or promising to pay, and I did not have a visa.
In desperation on Wednesday morning I took my bank card to Barclays to withdraw the *** money and get out of Dodge, only to find the Ugandan banks are not on any international system such as Cirrhus and I couldn’t withdraw anything.
Isaiah then went to write an affidavit promising to pay and we decided to set off for the border again. There was some difficulty taking the car through the gate and we thought they might ask to see our passports. So we loaded our bags & walked through with the crowd. Rod was waiting for us. The smiling Kenyan Immigration officer put a reentry stamp in my passport and said ‘Karibu tena’-- "welcome back"
While were driving I asked George how the officials knew we were there. After all this had been a private arrangement with a church group, not publicized in any way. It seems that in Uganda there are hundreds, if not thousands, of ‘security’ informants in plain clothes who report directly to the President. They monitor all rentals of space for group meetings. George hastily told me, as the driver listened, that all Ugandans were grateful for being kept so safe and well looked after.
On Thursday morning in Kakamega I withdrew $400 US and Isaiah traveled back to the border to meet George. There is some money in the Virtues bank account, so I am hoping to be reimbursed since cash is getting low as we start the second part of our stay.
This was a very good lesson in two ways: we have to have a deposit of some kind before we travel, not just empty promises of fees to be collected. Secondly, we need a guarantee from organizers outside Kenya that we will be able to operate legally.
Personally, it will be a long time before I agree to any more such undertakings.

Some of this, a little of that.

2008-12-06T20:23:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I will travel to Uganda to do a community Virtues workshop, so will be away for three days. In the past week or so we have run a community workshop in Kakamega and one for teachers. At the latter the Provincial Education Officer came in person to tell the participants that he is entirely behind the project and expects all schools to be compliant. He told them of the reduction in serious violence we have seen and reiterated that it will spread through the province.
Our rutted and potholed dirt roads in town have been graded because the President came on Thursday to preside at the graduation ceremonies of the university.
Today we visited the three wells we have going. Tambua and Lirhanda are going well and should be finished next week. We will organize the official handover in January. Ingidi had more problems. They hit rock twice at the spot we had designated, so moved to the other side of the compound. At first I was concerned about the proximity of pit latrines to this site, but we checked it all out, taking into account the slope of the ground, and they just squeak by for distance between the latrines and the water hole. I’ll try to post a couple of pictures when I come back from Uganda.
Here’s what’s keeping us talking:
The government has adopted the tried and true way to stall decisions by proposing a tribunal (commission) to look into the issue of MP taxation. Even if the result is what people want, laws will have to be rewritten. Not likely that anything will happen until a new government in 2012.

After vehemently protesting the implementation of the Waki report to bring instigators of last January’s mayhem to justice, there has been an about face and the government is setting up a tribunal, rather than see the whole affair handed to the World Court in the Hague. Two of the judges must be foreign and one Kenyan. The prosecutor must be foreign. A Dutch lawyer who is a World Prosecutor has arrived in Kenya on her way to Uganda to work in the prosecution of the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army. She also served in the court that condemned Saddam Hussein. She says "something is wrong" with the way Kenya is handling the local tribunal issues. She warns against those who were opposed and are now advocating the tribunal. They may be attempting to frustrate the process.

Subsequent to the outcry about the cost of maize meal, the government came up with two brilliant ideas. The first is to decree a reduction in the price of flour, ordering farmers to sell at a new (lower) fixed price. The second was to make two prices for the 2 kg bags: one for the ‘rich’ areas and another (about half) for the ‘poor’ areas. Of course there is no indication of how this difference in sale price will be controlled or administered. If you were an MP and had lost some revenue on your stock of meal because of the enforced reduction in selling price, where would you buy your new supply?

A new regulation will force teachers and civil servants to take home 33% of their pay. Many have bank loans to service that eat the whole of their monthly cheque. Thus they are constantly stretched for money and looking for odd jobs to make ends meet, neglecting their classes. An example shows a typical pay slip of 18,000 or so shillings ($300) of which the teacher takes home about 2,000/- ($30) Question is, why do the banks and credit unions loan this kind of money to begin with?

The Electoral Commission of Kenya is on its way out. That’s the good news. The jaw dropping news after all their incompetence earlier this year and the confirmation that they were at least partly to blame for the turmoil, is that they have requested severance packages which would total about 500 million shillings (close to $1 million)

We hope a senior police officer (Chief Inspector) is facing jail. He arrested a suspected rapist of an eight year old girl last year, but let the man go after three days. He then asked the father to accept money from the man to drop the case. When the father refused, he was arrested and charged with giving false information with the alleged rapist a witness in the case.

A big case of land grabbing has come to the fore. This one has a certain irony. The Ministry of Lands had a plot of ground to build a new head office. The employees of the ministry faked title deeds and divided the plot into six, which they were preparing to sell. In Eldoret alone 54 fake documents have been issued.

An MP has been in the Cabinet for two years. During that time he has managed to acquire a small aircraft which he uses to visit his constituency. A rough calculation will show that even his bloated salary would not enable him to operate the plane and care for his ordinary living expenses. Being in Parliament is the door to unheard of wealth. It sees the Anti Corruption Commission has given no indication of interest in this example.

The government, supposedly annoyed that the newspapers are keeping certain issues (like MP taxation, Waki report, EKC) front and centre, is trying to introduce a bill that would give more presidential control over the media.

In all this we are humbled by the indomitable spirit of the people with whom we live and work. Hunger, unemployment, disease cannot dampen their faith and optimism. Why else would we have so many giving time and money to attend our workshops in the hope that this will help bring about societal change? They love their country and hate their government. They continue to hope that one day strong, honest leaders will appear.

Not so happy Christmas

2008-12-03T09:54:00.001-08:00

December is traditionally the time for the "Cut" in most societies in Kenya. Boys are circumcised just as they start to reach puberty It is a time of celebration in the community. Boys spend a few days in isolation after the surgery and emerge as ‘men’. The dangers in this practice are dirty instruments and infection and also the transmission of HIV from the poor hygienic practices. A boy this year died from excessive bleeding and could not be taken to hospital because of the tradition of isolation after the cut.
In general terms I think there are many such rituals all over the world. The bonding with one’s ‘age mates’ who all undergo this at the same time is extremely strong. Amongst the Masai, a traveling ‘warrior’ can ask shelter from his age mates in the new community. Failing any such, then his father’s age mates must offer hospitality.
All this sounds very reassuring. Girls do not fare as well.
A couple of years ago I wrote an article on FGM (female genital mutilation) which I won’t repeat here. Suffice it to say, that although the practice is illegal in Kenya many tribes still gather together their young girls at this time of the year to undergo the cut.
This week a father was arrested for attempting to force his two daughters, aged 8 and 9 to be ‘circumcised’. Of course if your only hope of acquiring more cows (ie wealth) is to obtain the bride price for your daughter, and if you cannot marry her off because she has not been ‘circumcised’ there is strong compulsion to follow the cultural norm.
Child rights activists have rescued more than 200 girls who were being forced to undergo the ritual. The girls are aged 10-15. At least one was found with hands and feet bound.
In another area a 32 year old woman is fighting for her life after being forcibly circumcised over the weekend. She had somehow resisted for over 20 years but sustained serious injuries and suffered from severe bleeding. She underwent a 3 hour reconstructive surgery and blames her mother for secretly organizing the cut.
I am happy to say that the Luhya, amongst whom we live, practice the male cut but do not 'circumcize' their girls.

Sunday School conference:

2008-12-02T06:54:00.000-08:00

On Nov 25 I taught as usual at the Sunday School teachers’ conference at the theological college. I always like to do something very active with them that they would not be able to do otherwise. For three years I have taught cooperative games and they always clamour for more. We have so much fun.
This year I wanted to depart from the tried and true so we did the Lord’s Prayer in sign language. Such concentration as they all tried to follow the gestures and did a pretty good job!
Then I distributed small packs of beads (photo) I had put together in Canada to make Anglican Rosary beads. We went outside under the trees because there was more room than in the conference hall and it gets pretty hot in the afternoon. I had visions of all the tiny beads spilling out so I gave out paper cupcake holders to tip them into. I had brought for just about 95 people and I think there were about 5 more needed. I had some spare beads & crosses, but unfortunately a couple of people had to go without. This is always so difficult. I gave away my own set to someone almost in tears because she had arrived late and missed the distribution.
We finished with the usual cheers, thanks and enthusiastic songs and we received some nice colourful cotton wraps.
I don’t think they really missed the cooperative games, but I did leave them with one to play that needs no equipment.

Is this obscene or what?

2008-12-01T06:26:00.000-08:00

The big concern in the country right now is the price of food in general and maize flour in particular. I have mentioned before that the staple food (called just ‘food’ in most places) is ugali which is a thick, pudding-like starch which fills the belly and lasts for hours.
A short while ago it sold for 60 or 70 shillings for a 2 kg bag. Then there appeared to be a shortage and prices shot up to 120 shillings and more and stores imposed rationing.
Why the sudden shortage?
It turned out that certain MPs had obtained (who knows how) special letters of permission to buy from the cereals board in large quantities. They bought and held on to the stocks, driving up the prices, watching while people cut their food intake more and more. Many eat no meat, even once a week. Children get a thin gruel or suck on sugar cane. If a day labourer is fortunate to earn 130 shilling a day and pays rent of 2,000/- per month you can see how much is left.
The newspapers are full of bitter hatred for the MPs who still steadfastly refuse to consider paying taxes on the salaries they set.

Hudson's autobiography

2008-12-01T06:18:00.002-08:00

I have been so busy this past week that I had no chance to write of post the blog entries. I’ll try to catch up over the next couple of days.

Many of you support our work by helping various young people go to school.
This was sent to many by Marie, our Kenya Liaison
KEEF INFOMERCIAL

The situation in Kenya is not good. The August harvest of maize was significantly reduced due to poor weather and the fact that many farmers could not afford fertilizer when they planted. The cost of food has risen three fold and many children will not only lack school fees they will go hungry.

After reading the following I hope all of you understand how much your support means to the Kenyan students.

Autobiography

Born 24 years ago, Hudson Wereh Shiraku are the names I was assigned. Wereh is my father’s - so they said, but he declined responsibility. Being only sixteen, mum could not get a job as she had dropped out of school in standard four – this was because grandpa did not value educating a girl-child. It was also said that am not the first born as I think; at fourteen, mom conceived and aborted a baby girl. Given her status; age and level of education, mother could not take care of us - herself and I.
One day, it is said, she set off with me and went to Kakamega town. Here, she left me on the street and went to stay with a relative for six months. She then went back home and when asked where I was, she said I was dead and buried. – She hoped I’d either die or land in some good custody. She feared seeing me suffer. So I became ‘past tense’ in these people’s mind. Fortunately, while strolling in town, a neighbor recognized me playing amongst my fellow street kids. He took me back home and life continued as normal with no step being taken against her.

On another occasion, she wanted to kill me and commit suicide but her plot was foiled. She wanted us to die like rats do after taking poison. It was at this point that an aunt took me. That’s her sister. Having lost face, Mum left, never to be seen again. I remained at my relative’s. I joined a local primary school and coupled as a herd’s boy. Despite my irregular visits to school, I can hardly remember missing among the top five. It was because of this that they became insecure – it is said that here that if you stay with a child full of problems, he/she takes blessings from your children. They believed this because their own children were not performing well in spite of having all the literature. They had to act and fast enough to salvage the situation; I was thrown out of the home.
I landed at my paternal uncle’s who was equally hostile but compelled to accommodate by the fact that he was the only son in the home and was the one charged with the responsibility of taking care of my mother plus her luggage – me. In fact he’s the one to blame for my mother’s waywardness. Here, they were too poor to own a cow but this did not mean no working for me, many are the times I went to tend crops while my cousins ‘ate books’ but this did not deter me from showing them dust at school.
In standard eight’s KCSE; I missed by only nine points to scoop all the eighty four points. But another boy who got 72 pts got 555/700 against my 545/700; he had more marks than me while I beat him with points. Up to now we haven’t agreed who was really number one. We had two number ones, so we agreed. I thank God for this situation for it is the one that landed me at ACCES. When he went to seek a scholarship, this other boy -Edwin, whom I owe a lot, had trouble telling Nora exactly what his position was. So he had to talk about one leading in points and the other in marks. Nora asked if I had managed to go to secondary school – because only one student from a rich background at my primary school had managed to, and the next thing is, we were at the gate the following day at 6am – having ridden on one bike for 20Km. At the gate, we had to cheat our way in because the gate keepers had been instructed to let in only college students. The next thing I remember is going to Shikunga High School by myself to ask for a chance to school there, - I had been called to a provincial school but no one was willing to take me there.
One year after other students of my class had joined secondary; I also did the same after acquiring some skills as a barber. (I have one year experience.) At this point I had acquired some autonomy and therefore I moved to another relative who seemed more understanding - during the holidays this is where I could go. They only gave me a place to sleep and for the other stuff I depended on the little money I saved from my pocket money – this was partly because of the wayward notion that Mzungus give lots of money to people. These problems did not discourage me from performing well but rather they motivated me.
I qualified to join university. My friend – Edwin fell out with ACCES and is now languishing in the village, I thank God I made it this far.
At this point people started appreciating me and pretended to be friends, but when grandpa was dying, he partitioned a piece of land for me, uncle was not ready to see me posses it. He decided to go against grandpa’s dying wish for his selfish interest. This was like an eye opener to me. I have tried on several occasions to locate my father but all my efforts have been thwarted by his reluctance to see me. As I say now, I’ve never set eyes on him. After staying in darkness with regards to my mom’s whereabouts for all this time, I recently learnt that she’s actually here - in Nairobi.
I managed to locate her and she’s not doing well. She is sick. She is living in some slum here called Kibera where she has found solace in illicit brews. I forgave her when I found her and am trying to help her and I forgot all to do with my father.
Right now, am staying by myself, - during the holiday I rent a room in Kakamega where I stay doing some odd jobs. Am really focused on my future and am planning well for it.

Hudson

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH KENYA A FEW COMMENTS.

Luhya (the tribe Hudson belongs to) children belong to the father which is why his paternal uncle was forced to take him in.

I first met Hudson when he came to the ACCES office with Edwin Endoshi looking for help to go to high school. Both boys had been out of school for a year because of lack of fees. ACCES did not take high school students at the time so Nora Harrison sponsored the two through the Unitarian Church.
I remember well when Hudson received his marks from the KCSE exams which determine if you will go on to University as a government sponsored student or have to find your way privately. Hudson had the required grade B but he lacked one mark! He was devastated.
Fortunately the universities lowered the requirement and he was admitted to Environmental Sciences. Throughout his term at Kenyatta University he has been sponsored by the Wilsons though KEEF.

Hudson and my mother have a special bond – I gave him one of my late father’s watches when he was in high school and he wrote a lovely letter to my Mom to thank her. He never misses an opportunity to ask about the health of “granny”. She in turn sends him sox and other necessary items!

It is getting close to the time that fees will be needed for students in High School. The Kenya school year starts in January.If you have not already sent your donation please try to do so soon as we like to be frugal and send only one money transfer. Cheques should be made payable to KEEF and sent to Margaret KlesnerSuite 9042135 Argyle AvenueWest Vancouver, B.C. V7V 1A5

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Marie

Who would have imagined?

2008-11-27T02:24:00.000-08:00

This is adapted from an article by Charles Onyango-Obbo in today's newspaper.
Tanzania has been in the news recently for the horrific murders of albinos for their body parts. In that country there is a widespread belief based in superstion and witchcraft, that these body parts can help a politician win an election, allow a businessman to multiply his capital 100 times, and ensure a rich man's wife or mistress becomes pregnant with triplets.
This year alone there have been 30 gory murders of albinos and 50 witchdoctors are being held as suspects.
It seems that in Europe and N America albinism affects 1 in 20,000; it is far more widespread in E Africa. In Tanzania it affects 1 in 4,000, much higher than in any other E African country.
Some researchers believe the reason for this is that the source of the albino gene can be traced to Africa's east coast.
Reports say that 'businessmen' from the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as others from Burundi, Kenya and Uganda, have descended on Tanzania looking for albino body parts. On Lake Tanganyika a fisherman apparently tried to sell his albino wife for $4,000. An albino hand sells for $2,400.
In the DRC the albino population has been almost 'hunted' into extinction.

This and that

2008-11-26T09:45:00.000-08:00

Our newspapers are full of the serious, the bizarre and the tragic.
MPs have totally rejected the bill to tax all their income. According to them, this is illegal, and besides, they are mortgaged heavily to pay for houses, cars and businesses and would not be able to keep up payments. One’s heart bleeds as the price of maize flour (the staple food for everyone) has doubled in the past few weeks, exceeding the daily wage of a labourer. Grain distribution is highly regulated, but apparently some MPs managed to acquire authority to buy cereals at a reduced price and then resold high, driving up the prices and reducing the supply. We have difficulty understanding why one commodity can devastate the economy (can’t they switch to potato?) But the culture is not ready for this. Meanwhile the ‘traders’ have pocketed millions of shillings and ensured hunger in some parts of the country. We seriously fear food riots.
In Mumias, about 50 km down the road, two Ugandans are being held by police for allegedly administering a concoction which made three people collapse. The three took the mixture to help them identify criminals who killed a trader in the area last week. According to the ‘miracle workers’ the killers of the businessman were supposed to start eating grass immediately the three drank the concoction. They are still undergoing treatment in hospital.
There is an ongoing attempt to resolve many of the issues from the violence at the beginning of the year. One that is proving very difficult is the rape of women by police and army officers who were supposed to be restoring order. This week there was a mock tribunal to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. There have been many tragic stories and I have chosen not to post them here. Nevertheless, here is one presented at the tribunal:
When three men forced their way into Mary’s house, she pleaded with them to spare her teenage daughter. "I told them to spare my daughter as she was only a student, and to take me instead."
All three men took turns raping her.
Although she seems fine, her daughter still worries and asks if she is in pain or if she got infected with HIV.
"I lie to her, but the truth is, I got infected."

I have news of the Sunday School conference, our water projects and the Virtues progarmme. I will post them soon.

Life and death

2008-11-21T07:02:00.000-08:00

Life and death
Death is so much present in the lives of people around us. We are often asked for 'help' for the costs of a funeral. We give a few hundred shillings, thinking of it as if we were sending flowers or a card. A good friend, Florence, a young woman whom we have known now for seven years has just lost her mother. She often told us how her mother's hard life, struggling to educate her children and start them on a better path, inspired Florence to work with women to try to alleviate their poverty. Florence has just married (she told us how happy her mother was to see her settled) and now lives away but over the years she has helped with the small micro credit schemes we have set up. Her enthusiasm and encouragement was always inspirational to the women.
Her mother was a tea picker in Kericho (where Brook Bond tea started) As you drive through the fields around the town, acres of tea bushes look like smooth green fields. Florence's mother had work and a place to live, but they often went hungry and without shoes.
A couple of years ago she wrote her story. She is now finishing her studies and has the strong support of her new husband, a teacher. They are expecting to move back to Kisumu next year and we hope to meet him. Here is her story in her own words.
****
My story:- FLORENCE IMINZA
I am a Kenyan woman aged 29 years
I was born into a family of seven, and am the fifth born in the first family. I never got to know nor see my father as I was told he died while I was too young. My mother remarried and had some other two children in the new family who are my stepsister and brother. My mother laboured in the tea plantation estates in order to bring up her first five children. We were privileged to access good primary education, small cramped housing and casual medical facilities as the company incentives to the employees. The meager income of my mother was always supplemented by my elder siblings absenteeism from school to pick tea. They never performed well in school. All of them left school at elementary level. They lead a miserable life since they cannot secure paying jobs. It’s been 19 years since I saw my two elder brothers!
I was smart at school. I remember being the first girl in my class. I also went to school very early; I knew how to read English and write at grade two. I hated the way my mother struggled to bring us five children up. We went to school with tattered clothes, no shoes and no lunch. The camp life where I lived exposed me to women suffering either in the hands of cruel husbands beating or hard labour to raise children on their own after divorce or death. I remember saying to my mother that when I grow up I will not get married.
I always hoped that I can change this lifestyle. I wanted to be a nun when I grew up. My mother did not like this idea-- she wanted me to get a well paying job. As it turned out later this was never to be. The government paid part of my fees at high school because I was a bright, needy student. My mother struggled with the rest. After high school I won a scholarship with the Canadian organization (ACCES) to study Accounts and Computer application packages. This I did for three years, 1998-2000. I secured a job with one of the leading companies in the western province in Kakamega town as a junior Accountant. I also worked with the Non Governmental Organization ACCES as their Book -Keeper. I had a good pay check and life was to some extent what I never dreamed it would be. BUT MY HEART NEVER FOUND SATISFACTION. For three years I was discontented. As a Christian I sought more. In 2003 I had an answer clear and straight that I was meant to be in the Christian ministry. Louise Pollock, a Canadian friend, accepted to pay my Seminary fees at Friends Theological College. I quit my job, something that many people thought was crazy. I have never been the same since my heart has found peace. I have since served in the Anglican Church as a lay minister.
I have specifically found interest in the ministry with the women. I know most of the time I had with my Christian mother I have seen her through her struggles. I see most of the women struggle. They need to be uplifted in their faith as a result of the changing roles in society. I can't wait to bring hope through all the possible means I can. I have finished my diploma in theology and after working in Uganda as a missionary for sometime I realized that I was lacking in the methodology approach of the complexity of the issues with women since it is not just preaching and following that homiletics procedure, it is more. I would like to specialize in Women’s Studies and so I proceeded to the St. Paul's University in Limuru near Nairobi.
Here I have had the support of my good friend Prof. Esther Mombo who has the conviction that women must be brought in the theological institutions in large numbers in order to address the women’s sisterhood that is in travail out here. She has tried to do the fund raising for women with a call into this ministry. Yet she is only able to pay the tuition of 120,000 One Hundred and Twenty Thousand per year ($2,000). The rest (accommodation, materials and other incidentals) amounts to 160,000/- ($2,600) and has been an on-going struggle. Some good friends like Patricia and Rod Crossley give in some money, which I use to pay rent and travel to college.
The church accounts are not doing well and this I understand because the Diocese is located in poor economic area (There is need to initiate development projects ) I can always see their willingness to put in some effort but I realize the inadequacy. Another way I have been able to survive is to rent outside the campus in cheap and humble conditions and which mostly have poor security (I trust that there is God's protection and yes, it has worked). I also cut on food expenses and submit my assignments in handwritten form, a situation which the lecturers dislike leading to lowering marks.
Yet I can't believe I have already cleared the first year! I have two years to finish. I know there is always a price to pay to serve God and I am determined to go this way. By being at the university I have been able to address development as an evangelical tool. I have even learnt the skill of proposal writing as well as original biblical languages (we do Hebrew and Greek) and been able to reinterpret the scripture in the African context and through the woman’s lenses, to liberate the wailing poor. I have met strong willed women with the same conviction I have and so we have made a circle of friends and networking has been possible. For now I have relied on the Good will of Prof. Esther Mombo for my continuity, which is not a guarantee.
I hope one day I will sit back with a sigh in my heart that I have lived to the call God put in me when I was still a young girl. Florence Iminza
****
Kenya inspires tears one minute and laughter another (often on the same topic) Last week on our way with our 'medical' student to fetch his certificate we passed a boda boda (bicycle taxi) with a coffin strapped across the passenger seat. We decided it must be empty but didn't ask. "Coffin alley" leading to the hospital has several casket makers, strategically placed. They have been asked to keep their wares inside their sheds but the gleaming coffins, often garlanded with tinsel and with very fancy linings, are clearly visible.
This morning we passed a pick up truck with passengers in the back, all lined up sitting on a coffin like a bench. No idea if it was occupied.

2008-11-16T05:13:00.000-08:00

We have lined up two new wells. One will be in Tambua at a Polytechnic school only a kilometere or so from the Rift Valley boundary. The school teaches tailoring, carpentry and masonry and has boarders as well as staff quarters. It’s in beautiful country in the Nandi Hills and the people are a mix of Nandi and Luyha. The Chief wrote to the Kakamega Rotary about a year ago asking for assistance. There is a spring about half a kilometer down a steep slope which dries out in the long dry season. The Chief told us women go out to look for water at 2 a.m. and are often attacked in the darkness. The funding for this well will come from a donation by Father Murray Ames, a retired Anglican priest in Victoria.

The second new well is in Ingidi in Maragoli, not so far from Kakamega. It will be on the grounds of a primary school and also serve the community. The have a protected spring about a kilometer away, but the children are sent for water at least twice a day. The proximity of a clean supply will keep them in class and will improve their health. This well is funded by the San Bernadino Rotary Club in California. This will be the second project they have done with us.

I spoke of the other well at Lirhanda. This is a rehabilitation of a collapsed borehole, also on the grounds of a primary school. This is funded by the Esquimalt High School Interact Club and by funds from Rotary Clean Water.org

A fourth project is to build protection for a spring in Shisilachi where we installed a well on the school grounds. This is working well, but the spring will serve more people for irrigation and watering animals.

We were at a 'goat roast' yesterday with friends from the Vihiga Rotary Club. With our visists to well sites, it is ironic that people are concerned about the heavy rains persisiting into what should be the start of the dry season. There are floods all over the country, with many deaths. Vegetables here are being washed away by the downpour, dirt roads are slick with mud (like driving on ice) and torrents cascade down the roadside.

A taxing time

2008-11-16T05:06:00.000-08:00

Now the saga of Obama has died down we have returned to the preoccupation with the country’s politics.
Kenyan MPs are amongst the highest paid in the world (and amongst the least effective) Their average monthly income is 800,000 KSh (about $12,0000) which includes all kinds of housing and travel allowances which are tax free. They pay tax on 200,000KSh (some $4,000). It was proposed that all their income be taxed but they objected strenuously, citing the demands on them as philanthropists and nurturers of their communitties. That is to laugh, as they used to say in Montreal. The MPs threatened to boycott the passing of the Finance Bill (needed to keep things running) and thus bring the whole country to a halt. So the Finance Minister backed down on the taxation bill.
The famous ‘list of shame’ handed to Kofi Annan is wreaking havoc Many are running scared and insisting there be no follow up to the report on the murders and ethnic cleansing carried out last January. A statement from the International Criminal Court has scotched that idea. Kenya must do it or the international community will.
The PM’s party is subject to internal strife and there is considerable unrest as the Kalenjin (Rift Valley) are stirred up in traditional hatreds by their powerful leader, Ruto, who seems unable to co-exist within the PM's party. (The present governement is an uneasy coaliton established by Annan during the "Peace process."
The Kriegler report on the election called for the dissolution of the Electoral Commision, but the members of this body are refusing to step down, all the time continuing to draw allowances and stipends. Today it was revealed that over 100 million shillings (almost one and a half million dollars) has been mismanaged (or vanished) by the ECK.
It has been a month since the Waki report was handed to the President (& the famous envelope to Annan) but still the President has made no statement except to piously hope that any follow up will be tempered with forgiveness.
Ringera, the head of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, has handed in his annual report stating bluntly that he has not been able to get to the bottom of the Anglo Leasing scandal some two or three years ago, where Kenya lost millions of dollars. He claims to have been blocked at every turn by Wako, the AG, and the judiciary. Wako has been AG for nearly 20 years and has never brought a case against anyone for corruption.
The letters to the newspapers and the editorials could scorch a hole in the page. Everyone detests the politicians with a deep hatred, but no one seems to know what to do to change things. They would dearly love to see an Obama and I secretly wonder if Uhuru Kenyatta might be grooming himself for this. He’s the right age, intelligent and well educated and has the 'right' kind of background (father in government, business experience, very little political experience) However, he was the protégé of the dictator Moi and his family is far from squeaky clean. He is very much tainted by the past and his present associates. He would need time and distance.

Birthdays, water and light

2008-11-14T10:42:00.000-08:00

Today was the birthday of Ben, our computer school chief instructor. We picked up some samosas and something that resembled Black Forest cake. Together with warm soft drinks, we wished Ben many Happy Returns. Then we set off for a small community not too far away where we had received a request to rehabilitate a borehole that had collapsed on the grounds of an elementary school. We met with the committee and took pictures of the present water supply. There is water in a protected spring which seems reliable and reasonably clean, but it is about one kilometer away down a very steep slope (picture) The children are sent three times a day for water, so lose a great deal of class time.
Yesterday was the last morning of national exams, so the children were all leaving after lunch for the end of year break. They will return the first week of January when the work on the new well will be underway.
In the evening we attended the Rotary meeting in darkness in the 'best' hotel in town. It seems that the water company has not paid its electricity bill (apparently owing over $60,000), so the power was cut off, stopping all pumping as well as lights. Rod went to the washroom accompanied by a fellow holding a candle which he refused to relinquish. Obviously he had been instructed to hold the light for clients.

Our power is still intermittent because of the storms and we get water about every three days, so we are expecting to have problems once the rains stop and the water people continue to owe a large sum.

A day to remember

2008-11-11T06:05:00.000-08:00

We were out and about early today since our ‘daughter’ Isabellah was arriving from Nairobi. We had promised to take her to her home village about 20 km outside Kakamega. An orphan, she was brought up by her grandmother who is now well over 80 and growing frail. The old lady has said she wanted to see us ‘before she died’ because we have put her granddaughter through high school and now employ her grandson at the computer school. We also send him to Business College. isabellah is also finishing business studies. These two are the hope of their family.
We heard that Isabellah would be late because her overnight bus ‘had a problem.’ The 400 km journey from Nairobi took sixteen hours!
At ten, we had arranged to meet Robertson, a Rotarian, who teaches in the local medical training college to ask about the possibility of Johnstone, another of our ‘boys’ registering for clinical medicine in January.
To our surprise Robertson informed us that they had a new course with a delayed start. They were just finishing their student list and he thought there might be one or two vacancies. To cut a long story short, Robertson verified the availability with the Principal, but only if all the paperwork was in order and fees were paid by 4 pm when the Principal would carry the class documentation to Nairobi. We bounced out to Shikunga (Johnstone’s secondary school) to pick up his official certificate (this involved getting signatures from all and sundry to ‘clear’ him), swung by Isabellah’s home to drop her and greet the family and the grandmother, returned to Kakamega to withdraw money, paid the fees, completed the application, bought Johnstone’s uniform including lab coats and set him up to be in class tomorrow morning. All before the bank closed at 3 pm and the Principal left at 4.
Amid all this, I suddenly realized we hadn’t even asked Johnstone how he was feeling about this sudden change in his life. I posed the question. Answer: I feel great! Me: Just a little bit scary? Answer: I am a man! He’ll be ok. Although a shy boy he has a subtle sense of humour, which is coming out more as he feels more comfortable with us. By what has happened today he has saved almost a year in the waiting time for registration in such a course. He told us he finished his leaving exams on Nov 11 2007. Nov 11 2008 he is on his way to becoming a rural doctor.

so many needs

2008-11-08T00:07:00.000-08:00

We have just about finished distributing the remaining contents of the container. All the furniture and books have gone and there remain a couple of computers. I won’t give them to schools with no computer literate teacher, so this is an incentive to at least one of the staff to take some training.
I have been able to give a maximum of two computers to each school that asked, but this is very little. In the poor areas, they can hardly believe they are stepping into today's world.
We have been overwhelmed with thanks. One school where we went this past week had no office furniture at all and the headmaster worked off a small table about one metre by two. He now is the proud owner of a large office desk with drawers.
Most schools received at least 200 books from the cartons shipped from Victoria. The school where we were yesterday said their ‘story books’ had been read and re-read over and over. The teacher told us she had already seen an improvement in written and spoken English. It takes so little to make a difference.
I wonder if we can figure a way to send more books. They don’t incur duty and are of much better quality and variety than available here. We have so many discards in Canada. If anyone out there could research the costs for freight (other than a container) and if there is any way to swing it, many children would benefit.
I have begun to ask for input for Victoria Rotary “Adopt a Village” project. The school where we were yesterday is desperately poor. So many of the little ones are in rags with bare feet and showing the red hair of malnutrition. I met with the Assistant Chief, the school administration and the chair of the school committee and have asked them for a proposal of priorities for assistance. I will also approach one other community and then will come the hard task of choice.
If you have any thoughts on this you can email me or answer through the 'comments' of the blog.

No holiday for us

2008-11-07T07:15:00.001-08:00

Obama mania hit with a vengeance on Wednesday. Since we only have a shortwave radio and no TV we were among the last to know the final results. In fact, on Thursday we didn’t even know the President had declared a public holiday, so went about our business as usual as did most others in the town. We were not impressed by the holiday. The last thing Africa needs is another day with no government or business operations. Our view has been shared by many Kenyans both here and in the States. They wonder why the US voters don’t get any time off work yet Kenyans do.
Optimism is high for increased tourism, as Americans will supposedly come to see Obama’s roots. The fact that he was born in the US, had no contact with his father after the age of two and only recently met most of the relatives seems to have little effect. Eleven babies born in Kisumu on Tuesday night are called Barack Obama, roads and schools are having their name changed.
His father, who worked under President Kibaki, who was then Finance Minister, had at least three wives, so there is a mob of half siblings, ‘step’ mothers, aunts, uncles and cousins who have appeared.
They declare they will all go to the US. The ‘home’ village has suddenly become the centre of attention and electricity and water are being installed and the road paved. All overnight. It is supposedly in the name of security for the family and the hundreds of tourists expected to descend.
All this aside, there is no denying the tremendous lift this has given Kenyans, mired as they are in their own political mess. The importance of a black man earning such a position is inspiring. What some people don’t understand yet is that he put in many years of training & preparation. As one columnist said, he did not rely on his clan, or even his color, to fast track him to political power. It will also take time to sink in that a politician such as he will not be able or willing to shower the family with largesse. Already the aunt in the US illegally for the last four years is a potential embarrassment.
Articles quote the deputy PM who has pointed out that Kenya cannot expect Obama to express pride in his heritage if the country continues to employ corruption and refuses to be honest and transparent about the civil strife earlier this year. If the feeling lasts and takes root in high places, there is hope for the system yet.

Children's voices

2008-11-03T06:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was filled with children’s voices. In the morning a VERY long church service was dedicated to Sunday School and many children recited or sang. The sermon was long, unfocused and repetitive, but we really enjoyed the young people. There are 450 children in Sunday School and most of them were there with their families. We had a set of RE books in the container, so I presented them to the teachers.

In the afternoon we went to Shisele. This is a small village where we put in a well at the primary school but had to leave last February before we could formally hand over to the community. We told them to go ahead and use the water. When they heard we were back they contacted us for celebration. The well has been working well and they say they are experiencing many benefits (mainly saving time and reducing sickness) The children sang and danced for us. I took a box of books also from the container as well as some art supplies. I wish I could upload one of the short videos, but we have to be satisfied with stills.

This morning I had an interview with the Provincial Education Officer. He is the one mandating the teaching of the Virtues in all schools in Western Province. He was happy to tell us that during the year Western suffered very few school problems such as strikes and riots compared with the rest of the country (only 8 incidents compared to 200 elsewhere) and he affirms it is because of the Virtues training. Of course, everyone is looking for more money to implement further but I explained that all over the world the Virtues is supported by government money directly or indirectly. The type of training we are doing in Positive Discipline is responding to a very deep need and has been missing in the educational setting.

At the beginning of December there will be a big training session for about 200 teachers in the Kakamega area. After that we will go to Kampala for an information and training session. In mid-Dec we will be visiting the UN and others in Nairobi to talk about the project and hopefully engender some interest in funding. After Christmas we will go back to Nairobi for a week of information sessions. In February there will be an intensive follow up seminar for Western Province Educators.

Nov. 1 - Politics and justice

2008-11-03T05:05:00.001-08:00

Things could turn bad again. All the MPs in the Opposition ODM, which is headed by the PM, have rebelled and voted to turn down the report on the violence that is supposed to bring the perpetrators to account. The PM is left swinging alone. The members are obviously terrified that their names appear in the sealed envelop held by Kofi Annan (6 Cabinet Ministers and 5 MPs are supposedly named) They have demanded to see the names and to scrutinize all the evidence held for safe keeping at the UN. Good luck, guys! There is not one commentator we have read who supports the shelving of the report. In any case, since this was done under the power sharing agreement and foreign members served, it has the force of law.

I have some harrowing accounts fromt he Waki report about the 1300 people killed, the thousands displaced, the homes and businesses lost. And some have the temerity to suggest it should all be put aside in the interest of 'national unity'.
The fact remains, however, that certain politicians are enormously powerful and violence could erupt again if the favorite son is brought to court. Only serving to prove what the indictment would say! We are hoping and praying that sanity will prevail.

Computers and micro credit

2008-10-30T01:42:00.000-07:00

We delivered two computers to Ebusyubi primary school yesterday. I will try to post a picture with the headmaster and you can also see one of the tables that was in the container.They were very excited by the donation (we had hordes of kids peering in the windows as we demonstrated the machines.)In addition to checking out the machines & reloading the operating system I loaded one machine with learning games for elementary. The school has just received power and the teachers have been charged with learning to use the computer during the school break in December.

I was able to see the poultry project we set up a couple of years ago in this school. It has had its ups and downs but they have learned a lot and it seems to be recovering. They are now selling some eggs as well as young male birds, so are able to buy feed.
Margaret was there and repaid quite a large sum on her loan. She told us about the young cow she bought with her most recent loan. It will be serviced soon and then she will begin to make money on milk as well as selling the calf.
The two other women are both called Rose. One is in charge of the poultry and also cooks in the school. The other has undergone a transformation. When I first met her she was in rags and seemed to have some difficulty in organizing her thoughts for a business, although she was obviously very intelligent. She dropped out of the micro credit scheme for a while, but has come back in. She is on her second loan and is better dressed and looks much more confident.
I asked all the women to tell me how the business had affected their lives. They all said it had made big changes for them. Margaret is our star but the two Roses are catching up, inspired by her example. Rose the cook is dealing in maize but the margin of profit is very small at the moment. So she took an additional loan to sell telephone scratch cards. This could be quite profitable and we’ll be interested to see how it goes. The other Rose is making and selling charcoal. She is obviously skilled at this and took another small loan to expand the business by buying an additional tree. She says she can sell all she can produce.
While we were chatting, this second Rose broke in with “because of the loans I have a goat!” She said this with great pride and a big smile. Apparently she bought a good quality goat that bears two kids (indigenous goats only have one offspring at a time) She has already sold two kids and is expecting more.
It is most encouraging to see these women start to take charge of their lives and nurture ambitions they never dreamed of. To refresh your memory: I start with about $15 each and we have lost a few. The second loan is about $25 and once they have a good record of paying back I don’t expect them to have completely repaid the first loan before taking more. Margaret went through $15, $25, $80 and has repaid almost half of the $150 for her cow.

The other microcredit group is in Emuhaya. I stopped in and spoke to the chairlady of the group. She says they are doing ok but need to think of other more profitable items to sell. Some were dealing in maize and struggling. A bag of maize is wholesaling for 2,200/- (about $35) and selling for 2,340/-. So the profit right now is very small.
I have posted a picture of the microcredit ladies at Ebusyubi. Rose who sells charcoal is holding the eggs. Margaret is in the red dress.

efficiency?

2008-10-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

Our friend Isaiah who runs the Virtues Project now phoned me last night. He had received a message from the Registrar of Societies that he wanted to meet Isaiah urgently in Nairobi. Does the man even know that Isaiah is a day's journey away? How urgent can anything be? My first reaction was to suggest a phone call, at least to find out the problem, but the Registrar ‘might not like that.’ Fairly typical of the arrogant attitude of most civil servants. So Isaiah left on the 4 a.m bus today. Although Nairobi is only 500 km away, the roads are so bad that it is likely to take twelve hours. He may have to stay over night. Have these people never heard of phones and email? A friend (a Rotarian) was complaining last week that for the past year or so everything seems to have to go to Nairobi and anyone wanting any kind of government service has to go for a face to face meeting. Is there a security reason behind this? if so, it's hard to see. We have to go personally to Nairobi for our work pemits although our identitiy cards are issued in Kisumu. But they are only good for two years and out permits for three. So we seem to be visiting government offices every few months.
We have spent most of the day loading software for the computers to go to a school tomorrow. This is a village where I also have a micro credit group, so I will be taking Magdalene with me to talk to the mamas, encourage them, take in loan repayments and hopefully give more loans.
At supper time we heard a fusillade down in the town. Our first thought, conditioned as we are by the violence earlier this year, was a gun battle. But then we remembered it is Diwali–the Hindu festival of Lights and we were hearing fireworks. A celebration of love and joy which is very welcome.

Intense debate: impunity or justice?

2008-10-27T05:45:00.001-07:00

Everyone will remember the violence that broke out after the elections at the end of last December. Kofi Annan brokered a peace deal and the two contestants for President eventually agreed to a power sharing arrangement with Kibaki as President and Odinga as Prime Minister. Although everyone breathed a sigh of relief and most tried to pick up the pieces of their lives, there was still considerable unrest because of the unresolved lootings, burning and murder. Several thousand people are still in camps unable or unwilling to return to their homes.
But all the while two commissions were working. One, headed by Kriegler a South African, was charged with looking at the vote itself. He laid considerable blame on the Electoral Commission (ECK) whose members still refuse to resign. Kriegler stated he was unable to say there had been a clear winner because there was tampering with the vote counting on all sides.
The second commission was headed by a Kenyan Judge named Waki. He presented his report in summary to Kibaki about ten days ago. The paper has been printing harrowing stories and pictures that came out during this inquiry. There are hundreds of pages of interviews with over a thousand people, many of whom testified under witness protection. There seems to have been a lot more going on and the situation was much more dangerous than we even thought at the time.
Waki has named sitting Cabinet ministers and MPs as major instigators and direct plotters of the mayhem last January. (One of the submissions is that some meetings were held in State House itself to plan some of the ethnic reprisals) BUT these names are not in his report. They were handed in a sealed envelope to Kofi Annan to avoid the people in question from interfering with any investigation. .
What is more, all the evidence is in a safe at the UN and only Annan has the key and the combination, both of which are needed to access the material.
The terms of the report are these: Kenya has until the end of February to set up a tribunal and initiate a prosecutorial investigation. If it does not do so, the sealed envelope and the documentation will be handed to the International Criminal Court in the Hague for follow up, an indication of how serious the accusations are.
The debate is intense. Certain key politicians (who likely feel they are named) are trying very hard to discredit the report. Everyone is fearful because we all know that indictment of powerful regional leaders could trigger more violence.
The President himself at Independence Day last week seemed to hint at ‘forgiving and forgetting’. However, the tone of most articles and discussions seems to be that Kenya must end the cycle of impunity which has endured over forty years since independence.
One commentator says: "There is a real opportunity for us as a nation now to say a resounding ‘NO’ to ethnic violence by trying and punishing those who planned and perpetrated it. But the signs are not good.
Already there is political game-playing and horse-trading going on. And we are hearing the usual noises about why implementing this report would be such a bad idea.
... We are talking about people who masked themselves, formed mobs and then went out to attack others in cold blood. They hacked them like bits of meat, they raped them. They destroyed their livelihoods, they mutilated them...
Can we really look away and pretend none of this happened? It would be to our shame as a nation and would be our undoing. Justice exists for a reason, and we must exercise it to the fullest when faced with crimes of this nature. And let us detach justice from amnesty, guilt from forgiveness."
One of the delaying tactics may well be that a new Constitutional amendment will have to be passed to allow the investigation and prosecution to be conducted in Kenya. The tribunal to be formed will have Kenyans sitting but the majority will be foreigners. (Naturally there is already opposition to the concept of non-Kenyans passing judgement)
Most people seem to have reacted with incredulity when the University of Nairobi awarded Honorary doctoral degrees last week not only to Kofi Annan, but also to Kibaki and Odinga for the peace deal. Seeing that the Waki report seems to blame these two if not for instigating, at least for allowing the violence in January, they appear to be poor choices for honours.
It is most interesting to be observers at this evolution in the political structures of the country.

in the news

2008-10-27T03:23:00.000-07:00

I am thankful not to be a newspaper editor. Our daily news has so many top stories fighting for space. There are pages devoted to the US Presidential election. The fact that Obama has Kenyan roots adds greatly to the interest. When he was elected Senator, there was jubilation in his father’s home area because in the tradition of Kenyan politics the family and clan of the incumbent receives great largesse. They were soon disabused. Nonetheless, the hope that Africa in general will figure more highly in Obama’s policies still runs strong.
Many more pages are devoted to the current political turmoil regarding the consequences of the violence earlier this year. More of that later.
Form Four high school leavers have just begun the national exams. A student’s whole future hangs on these exams which are a one shot deal for future education. We support a girl who sat last year and received an A- average. But we still don’t know if that is good enough for her to receive a government bursary for university. She has a chance of being accepted at medical school but without government subsidy the fees will be unreachable. Although she would like her second choice to be engineering, she was not allowed to put that on her bursary application, since Engineering and Medicine are separated, so has settled for Education as her second choice. She will hear in August and if successful will then scramble to register for September.
Back to this year’s exams. Just before they started there was a major announcement that all possible leaks had been sealed and there was no chance of anyone procuring the exam papers ahead of time. There were dire warnings that any papers for sale would be fakes and purchasers as well as vendors would be prosecuted. Despite this there are now many stories of real papers being leaked as well as false ones. Teachers, printers, policemen (who guard the papers during transit and invigilation) and others are all possible sources. Add to this the students who are still in IDP (internally displaced persons) camps and who have missed instruction and proper facilities. The newspapers are usually full of ‘feel good’ stories at this time of year about prisoners sitting for their certificate and other adults who have returned to school, but these are lacking this year.
The other big story is corruption in the UN in Nairobi. The Nairobi office was slated to be upgraded and expanded to be on a par with Geneva. An audit has found that some ten billion shillings (about $150 million) has been ‘lost’ in procurement and administration. The money is supected to have been stolen by employees who colluded with suppliers. Some contracts were inflated over negotiated prices. Some were awarded to employees’ family members without tender. Some were given to non-existent organizations. The current audit could scuttle the efforts to elevate the Nairobi office. At the present the UN employs about 1,660 Kenyans and nationals of other countries.

2008-10-21T05:41:00.000-07:00

October 18

2008-10-19T21:34:00.000-07:00

We finished checking the remains of the container and most of the electronic equipment ready for distribution.
We met Ben, a student we sponsor, who is finishing at the Medical Training Institute to be a Clinical Officer (rural doctor) There are only 2,000 medical doctors in Kenya (pop 34 million) so Clinical Officers are highly prized. Ben told us that his15 year old brother who was epileptic died suddenly in July. Epilepsy and cerebral palsy from head injuries and birth trauma are very common amongst children. Ben’s dad had to borrow money to pay for the funeral, which has stretched the family finances even more.
One of the Secondary schools in the diocese had received water from us as well as computers over a couple of years and started a rudimentary computer programme. Because of this initiative they were successful in acquiring a government grant for a new computer lab but had no furniture. On Thursday we were able to donate 12 tables (for two machines each) and some chairs as well as a filing cabinet and books from the Rotary container. They scrambled all evening to set things up for the official opening on Friday. There was a great celebration of the whole community to which we were invited and Pat did the ceremonial ribbon cutting. They hope to open the facility to former students and probbaly the whole community. It is a very nice centre with an efficient and knowledgeable teacher.
The government has produced e learning packages for the Math & Sciences curricula. We are hoping to help to supply language packages for English and Swahili. In such a rural area the students have little opportunity to practice English. They are therefore at a serious disadvantage in their school leaving exams which are all set in English.
PS I have tried several times to attach a picture to this post but without success. My connection is just too slow. I'll keep trying

October 13

2008-10-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

Still no internet connection! Even by Kenyan standards, this is very poor service. We have decided to cancel the contract with our internet service provider & try Safaricom, the mobile phone company. Fingers crossed!
Politics here continues to be interesting with tribal squabbles still rampant. There seems to be a growing impatience with the performance of MPs (still not making the quota in the House to pass important bills) and even calls for the President to be subject to a performance contract.
There are still thousands of people in camps, displaced by the violence early this year. The genuine refugees have been joined by a host of pretenders who hope to receive the food allowances and monetary compensation yet to be finalized by the government.
Insecurity in the camps and in certain regions is very high. Both neighbours on our small lane were broken into and vandalized. Our landlord keeps dogs, so that might be a deterrent. One of the Rotarians was invaded twice in Mukumu where he occupies a house on the grounds of the Secondary School in which his wife is a teacher. Fortunately the thieves were looking only for money and electronics they can easily sell. So the couple are looking to move into Kakamega, in a more secure area.
Rod is trying to revitalize the computer school, suffering from lack of money in the town. The Virtues Project for all schools in the Province is continuing. Pat taught a full day last week to a group of guidance counselors.
We are still checking the goods and computers left from the container and hope to deliver everything by the end of the month. With extensive power failures and poor communications it is a slow job.
Reports from the micro credit groups are good and the poultry project run by a group of women now seems to be flourishing after a rocky start. The young woman looking after the groups has left for University in Nairobi at last and Pat will be setting up another girl waiting for college to take her place. It is essential to have someone who speaks the local language to talk to the women.
On Saturday we will be meeting with our well contractor and setting up visits to sites asking for water. We put in three wells in villages in Julius the jeweler’s area and they are working well. Because there is plenty of rain right now, there is ample water, but a couple may need to be deepened after Christmas in the dry season.

October 5

2008-10-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

Oct 5
We have arrived in the short rains. "Short" usually means that rain starts in the afternoon and lasts three to four hours. However, the past couple of days and nights have been wet and overcast, and very cool. Not much different from Victoria!
While we were away a pipe burst in the roof of our apartment and flooded the bedroom and hallway. Our friends dried everything out, but we have now joined most Africans with variegated brownish stains from water damage on the ceiling. Not esthetically pleasing, but at least there is no lingering odour. Our landlord had to borrow money to fix the pipe, so we won’t hold our breath for new paint or ceiling boards. Pumping water up into our holding tanks is still an issue, but manageable as long as the city water is running. It was off for one day. We have had numerous power outages because of the weather. We are always glad to be cooking with gas.
The road from Kisumu is even worse than when we left, making the usual hour and fifteen minutes stretch to nearly two hours. Of course accident rates increase as drivers swerve to avoid the worst of the potholes. Rod had to drive into Kisumu yesterday to have some work done on the vehicle. About halfway there, he saw three geese on the roadside, one of which was swimming in a small pond made by a deep pothole in the road surface. Unfortunately he didn’t have a camera. For those who know Kakamega, you will understand where I mean when I mention the road in front of most of the stores, including Fomat. That road was very bad six months ago, but is now virtually impassible. A small lake now spreads from one side of the road to the other.
We haven’t done much since our arrival on Thursday except unpack. Virginia, the Queen of Clean, was able to come to us on Friday and Saturday and has removed most of the accumulated dust and muddy stains from the flood. Sunday we were in church and saw many old friends. This coming week we will meet the Bishop, check up on the programmes we left running, and begin to sort the computers that came in the container.
We reactivated our internet service when we arrived on Thursday, but so far (Sunday) we are still not connected. We are hoping a technician will appear on Monday. You will know if he comes, if you receive email from us or check the blog!

our first glitch

2008-09-29T08:33:00.001-07:00

It's a wonderful, sunny day here in Victoria but there's a small cloud on the horizon. Last night I checked into BA to get a boarding pass: no second leg London-Nairobi showing. Please don't tell us we have to retrieve our luggage in London where we have an overnight because of the flight schedule!
Another shock: our baggage limit for each of us is 3 bags at 51 lbs, not the 70lbs we were told. So we were up at 6 am this morning repacking.
Fortunately we have spare weight to spread around, but our one bag reserved for the overnight in Nairobi now contains other stuff.
The BC Ferries have been experiencing delays because of engine problems, so that hurdle remains to be tackled as we leave for Vancouver at noon.
Why would we expect it to be easy? We left for our first six months in Kenya on Sept 14, 2001 on one of the first flights rescheduled. It can't get worse than that!

Almost ready to leave

2008-09-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

We leave Canada on September 29 and will arrive in Kakamega on October 2. We know we will have a great deal to do when we arrive. All the computers that were sent in the container must be checked and training sessions organised. Then we will deliver to the schools.

The Virtues Project has been running at full speed in the whole of Western Province and Pat will need to catch up with what is happening. She will be taking some fresh materials for the Kenyan team.

The micro finance groups are also waiting for her to bring news and more money!

Pat's Rotary Club in Victoria has sponsored a new project we are calling "Adopt a Village." We are very excited about this and will be talking to a couple of communities before choosing a location and setting priorities for needs. We'll keep you posted.

It goes without saying that we will also be putting in some more wells.

Then we will meet the students we sponsor in school and know we will have a lot of praise for their hard work.

We're hoping this blog will be a good way to keep in touch with everyone--provided our internet connection will allow us to use it.

feel free to pass the address on and to add any messages to us. We will check it as often as we can.