Soccer with the Students

We had heard from previous IESC deployments to Kenya that soccer balls would make a great gift for the schools. Although we couldn't bring as many as we would have liked (darn luggage restrictions!) and it was a lot of work to inflate them all, we were happy to be able to give at least one ball to every school we visited.

The students had been playing with makeshift soccer balls - created by tying string around discarded plastic bags, so they were excited to get the real deal.

On our last day at Kimintet Primary School in Kirindon, we had the chance to play with the students. They were hard to keep up with!

16 Schools in 10 Days

I knew we'd visited a LOT of schools on our two week deployment, but I didn't realize exactly how many until just now. We visited 16 schools over 10 weekdays, plus we supported the computer lab of a 17th school that brought their computers to the World Vision Office in Sook.

I am going through all of our pictures and will post more stories this week, so stay tuned!

A Stroll to Downtown Nairobi

Throughout our stay in Kenya, I was thinking of what to do in the extra day I had before returning home (after separating from the rest of the group since they were all returning earlier).  I had seen a lot of rural Kenya and was really curious about downtown Nairobi.  However, every time I commented the idea to Kinnari, I got a discouraging response.  It usually started with her expressive eyes opening wide, basically saying: "Are you sure you want to do that?".  But then this would be followed with advice on how to stay safe.  I also asked a few other locals, and even though their responses didn't show the same level of concern, they didn't encourage it either.  So of course, I grew more and more curious...

The day had arrived.  I went down to the hotel lobby to get some last minute advice from the clerk at the front desk.  Her response was perhaps the funniest of all.  In her cute Kenyan accent, with some concern in her voice: "Walk straight, just keep going and don't stop, don't talk to anyone (except for police officers and security guards), walk like you know where you are going, don't wander, if you feel like you are starting to get lost, go back the way you came; when crossing the street... go, don't be afraid, be brave... if you are slow, people will know you are not from here".  In the morning I was thinking of just staying in, but after her advice I got even more curious and excited.  I thought: "C'mon, I was trained on the streets of Honduras (where there are no rules and drivers don't respect pedestrians); besides, I'm a six-foot Hispanic guy with a beard and hairy arms, it doesn't matter how I walk or cross the street, they'll know I'm not from around here, HAHA!".  And so I took off...  Want to know what was going on in downtown Nairobi on Wednesday October 28th, around noon?

I was about two miles away from the downtown area and I started walking down Ngong Rd, which leads to Uhuru Park (separated from downtown by Uhuru highway).  I first passed by the Ministry of Mining, then by the Ministry of Health.  People were out and about and there was a bit of traffic (mostly Matatus, kicking up some dust and leaving their usual trail of smoke).  There were also some street vendors on the sidewalk, some selling fruits and vegetables and others offering a shoe shine.  Most people were dressed in either formal or business casual attire.  Some of the younger men and women favored a more modern look with more fitted clothing.  However, some women donned a more traditional look, with full dresses, some simple and elegant while others more colorful (with traditional colors and patterns).  Interestingly, I also noticed some women wearing a chador (the traditional garment worn by Muslim or Hindu women that covers their face and body).  Finally, I also encountered a few school kids wearing their school uniforms.

As I was getting closer to Uhuru Park, I passed by a bus stop.  Multiple Matatus were lined up, almost starting to go, with the driver's copilot at the doorstep calling out to people, trying to get the last couple of passengers before departing.  One of them even called out to me, but I waved him off and kept walking.  Entering Uhuru Park there were many different vendors on the side of the pathway, most of them selling clothes.  Once inside the park, most vendors were selling food.  The menu: hard-boiled eggs, sausages, candy and sodas.  The park itself had some nice attractions: a lake with small pedal boats people could ride and a few typical carnival rides.  The park was busy, mostly with people walking by, but some people were taking the time to relax by resting on the grass.  I finished crossing the park, reached Uhuru highway, with traffic at a complete standstill, which made it really easy to cross all four lanes without even having to look both ways.

The downtown area was pretty busy as well, with fewer cars and more pedestrian traffic.  I noticed quite a few tall buildings, some commercial and some government buildings.  Among them, the Kenyatta International Conference Center stood out with its cylindrical shape and Samsung banner at the top.  The entrance was gated and heavily guarded, while the building itself was at least two or three city blocks away from the entrance.  Photographers were standing near the entrance, offering tourists an opportunity to take a picture with the building in the background.  Among the local businesses, I could find quite a few local restaurants, computer shops, a Nakumatt and other small supermarkets, souvenir shops, a barber shop, and clothing and cosmetics shops.  Once I reached what seemed like a central point, which included a bus stop and a few street vendors, I decided to stop for a bit.  At the bus stop there was a preacher with a bible in his hand, preaching passionately to the people that were waiting for the next bus or Matatu.  He seemed to be trying quite hard to engage the crowd, to the point some people nodded along with a smile, perhaps to appease him a bit.

I noticed the time was 12:47pm, so I decided to look for a place to sit down and eat.  As I was looking, even though I was walking fast and with the crowd, all of a sudden a man appeared right next to me: "Excuse, where from?", he asked in his Kenyan accent.  He was well-dressed and had a folder in his hand, however, for some reason I knew he was not coming from or going to work.  To not be rude, I answered I was from Honduras and answered briefly to a few of his follow-up questions without encouraging conversation, while still walking, seeming like I was late for something.  It was all fine until he said: "I am doing work about Honduras, so I want to ask few questions about Honduras", while stopping and hinting to walk with him.  That's when I thought: "Ha!  Don't think so...".  But I politely declined and told him I was late for an appointment.  Shortly after I found the Java House, which seemed perfect for a quick bite and a refreshment.

The Java House was pretty small and packed with business men and women, formally dressed, most likely having lunch before returning to work.  It was also pretty boisterous and lively, with active conversations at most tables.  Fortunately, I didn't have to wait very long to be seated.  Judging by its modern look and the menu (which included a grilled chicken sandwich with tomato basil), it seemed like the Java House was meant for tourists or a more international crowd in general.  While having my meal, a young businessman, very formally dressed, approached my table and asked if he could sit down (as it was too full and there were no other tables available): "Want to grab a bite before traffic".  So I said: "Sure", while nodding.

Wilfred was his name, a Kenyan banker focused on agriculture (helping farmers get loans, as I understood him).  I shared a little bit about the work we did and the towns we visited, and also shared that I was from Honduras.  As many Kenyans I've encountered, he asked enthusiastically what I thought about Kenya.  I mentioned how much I had enjoyed my stay, the warmth and hospitality of the people, and explained how I had been comparing Kenya to my country, since I found so many similarities, but at the same time various differences which I hadn't quite been able to articulate.  He was intrigued and interested in this comparison, to the point we compared notes and he explained that one of Kenya's keys to success has been that they've been able to unify the tribes.  He did include the caveat that it hasn't been easy and that tribes still influence politics a bit, but overall I could tell he was passionate about the topic, was proud to be a Kenyan and was happy with the progress being made.  I also asked him about Kenya's main economic drivers, and as expected, he mentioned agriculture as one of the main ones.  He went on to explain how important agriculture and farming are to the people, both formal and informal (as many people that don't own a farm still own chicken, sheep and/or cows).  Finally, after discussing the topic of agriculture and the future of Kenya's economy for a bit, he shared something that I found quite fascinating: once he retires, he plans to go back to his home town in eastern Kenya and go back to farming.  Shortly after that I had to leave, but before leaving we exchanged emails and he said: "Karibu tena sana", so that I return soon.

As I was walking back, looking at the people, from the very formally dressed to the more casually dressed, it struck me that everyone was sharing the same broken sidewalks, along the dusty and smokey streets.  Then I started reflecting on how most people were wearing some sort of formal attire, with the differences being mostly in the quality of the clothing or fabric.  Perhaps the formal wear serves to mark the position people have achieved in life, like the fact of having a job and perhaps the type of job.  Then I looked at my dusty tennis shoes, jeans and Ninja Turtles t-shirt, and realized: "People probably wouldn't believe I'm a Software Engineer, hehe".

Travelling back in time to find answers...

Before the trip I decided to read a little bit about Kenya's history.  Coming from Honduras, I was intrigued by the fact that we share a similar past: an arduous process of formation that starts with a clash of cultures or worlds, transitions to a "colonization" period, and ends with a declaration of independence.  On one hand, there is the indigenous people, usually organized in tribes, many with their own language and culture, and on the other hand, the foreigners, that come in search of resources and end up exploiting the natives and imposing their own ways and culture.  In these cases, it's the "superior" culture that has the upper hand.  Although, as a topic that deserves discussion on it's own, who's to say which culture is superior...  The colonizing party usually does not dedicate enough effort to really understand the indigenous people and culture to truly value them.

So at the end of all this process, an interesting question to ask is: how much of the local culture survived this clash?  How did the two cultures blend to yield what is there today?  Naturally, I was very curious about these questions, and also about similarities and differences between our countries' history and culture.  Prior to the trip I learned that Kenya is a younger country than Honduras, as they gained their independence in 1963, while Honduras in 1821.  So for a moment I thought I could travel back in time, in some sense, to an earlier stage of my country's development.  How was Honduras like, less than a generation from its independence?

However, after talking to a few locals, I quickly learned two very important differences.  For one thing, Kenya was able to transition from the colonization period to their independence relatively quickly, while in Honduras the colonization period lasted roughly three centuries.  But more importantly, the process of independence came from within when the tribes united and fought for their freedom, while in Honduras it was started by the Creoles (a very different class than the indigenous people) and mostly for their own interests.  This key difference has helped instill a sense of identity in the case of Kenya, while Honduras has had to struggle over the years to define its own.  So perhaps I wasn't going to be able to gather much about my country's past from observing Kenya.

But going back to the original question...  I had the opportunity to learn about the Maasai tribe directly from a Maasai warrior, who even taught us how to hold and throw a spear.  It was fascinating to learn about how they live in harmony with nature, their knowledge of plants and how they use them for medicine and other remedies (e.g. they rub olive tree leaves on their body to use as mosquito repellent), how they can use elephant droppings to create a nutritious and fortifying soup, and their various tests of bravery (which included killing a lion and withstanding burns from a red hot poker to prove their worthiness to their tribe and mate).  Of course, I couldn't quite see how this culture of warriors transformed into the more modern culture found in Nairobi.  This would require a formal study, but I was looking for traits or behaviors that could be easily identified by simply talking to the people and observing the culture.  Among the easy ones to identify: the language (Kiswahili) and their connection to the land and nature, as farming is still considered a very important activity (from the tribes, to the rural towns, to the more developed cities).  From there on, it's hard to tell, but whether it came from the tribes or the colonization period, I managed to pick up on a few minor details that gave me some clues.

I could tell they're a conservative culture, as was evident in the humble demeanor of most people I talked with.  While listening carefully to what someone is saying during a conversation, they have this cute habit of replying "yes" in a cautious tone with their Kenyan accent to indicate that they're following.

I could also tell people were very happy and proud to be Kenyan, particularly from their town of origin.  Many people I spoke with wanted to know what I thought of Kenya.  I still remember a conversation I had with the chef at one of the hotels where I stayed.  He was happy to share he was from Kakamega, proud of their food, and he would say how he wanted to go back someday as: "it is the place to be".

Finally, I was pleasantly impressed by their hospitality.  Everywhere we went they would always make sure we had good food to eat and that we were treated well.  Overall, I got the sense that people think more in terms of the community rather than individual needs, where personal sacrifice for the greater good is more common.

As for travelling back in time, perhaps I wasn't able to travel as far back as I had hoped, but being there in Kenya reminded me of my early childhood in the mid eighties.  It took me back to when we lived in this small residential area in Tegucigalpa, with dirt roads and eucalyptus trees along the main road.  I remembered how I liked the smell of the eucalyptus leaves, the lighter and more relaxed color of the day thanks to the dirt roads, how cars would kick up dust when they passed by, walking along the streets with no sidewalk, houses with bindweed on their walls, lawns or green areas left to grow naturally without much care or maintenance, the sight of buildings designed more for function rather than aesthetics...

The slower pace of life, the humility of the people and the community-based mentality also took me back.  It was certainly refreshing and it reminded me of important values in life that we easily forget in a faster-paced society.  At the end of the trip, I was left reflecting on a phrase I heard a couple of times: "it takes a village to raise a child".  

Luggage Repair

After a long trip with multiple legs, from the US to Kenya to the multiple towns and schools that we visited, our luggage took a pretty good beating.  Unfortunately, towards the end of our stay, one of the wheels on my larger suitcase broke off and the other one was very loose.  I had noticed that both wheels were starting to become loose a few days earlier, and was wondering if they would make it back home.  At the same time I was also thinking that I would have to get them repaired as soon as I got back and was already wondering how much that would cost (as the last time I had to have one wheel repaired on one of my other suitcases it cost me $50).  But now, on top of that I had to worry about how to haul this suitcase all the way back home.

Fortunately, I couldn't have been more lucky than to have a Kenyan on our IESC team.  I asked Kinnari if she knew of a place where we could go to have it repaired.  "Oh gosh, I think I know a shoe repairman near my uncle's place that may be able to do something, maybe sow it back on or something", said Kinnari.  My immediate first thought was: "I don't know if that would work, but you know what, I don't care, whatever it takes to get me back home (I'll figure it out later)".  Then, Stephanie, who had taken at least one basic engineering course in school, decided to take a look.  Upon further inspection, she had some good news and some bad news.  The bad news was that the frame was also bent.  The good news was that the screw mounts for the wheels were apparently still intact, and with a couple of washers and screws it shouldn't be too hard to repair.

And so the next morning we took my suitcase a few streets down Kinnari's uncle's place and found ourselves at a street corner, where a few handymen usually hang out waiting for opportunities to do business.  Kinnari spoke to an older gentleman, who was sitting on a cinder block, had his hands pretty dirty from various other repair jobs, but still maintained a somewhat formal appearance with a jacket and pants.  She was able to explain the repair that we needed and also negotiated a price and a time.  After an hour we came back and he had made the repair exactly as we had envisioned it, and the grand total was: 350 Kenyan Schillings (roughly equivalent to $3.50).

After all this, I realized two things:

1. I was so glad that the wheel broke before the trip back home, as I was able to get a good repair that should last me for a while and for a much cheaper price (not to mention that now I didn't have to run the risk of the wheels breaking off during the trip back)
2. After having visited a good portion of nice rural towns in the western part of Kenya, experienced the hospitality of the people, learned a little bit of Swahili, tried fried fish at the Lake Victoria fish market, seen most of the big five during our safari, tried Kinnari's favorite cane juice (with ginger) and her favorite fries at a local restaurant, there was no better way to complete the Kenya experience: have my suitcase repaired at a street corner in Nairobi :)

Rough Roads

The schools we have visited are in the rural areas of Kenya and required us to take long dirt roads to access. At times it felt like we were on the "Indiana Jones" ride at Disneyland for hours on end...but it was well worth it!

Gathering Water

Several times a day, the girls in Chepnyal fill buckets of water from the well behind their school and carry them up the hill.

Smiles in Sook

Although we were primarily working with one school in Chepnyal (St. Catherine's Secondary School for Girls), our walk from the church where we spent the night and the Sook ADP and from the Sook ADP to St. Catherine's took us past a preschool, a boys' primary school, a girls' primary school, and a boys' secondary school. So that they wouldn't feel left out, we brought a soccer ball and a school supply gift bag to each school. In return, the preschoolers sang us an adorable song and the primary school girls were led by their headmaster in a "group clap," which was cool to experience. All of the children we met were so happy to see us. 

St. Catherine's Chepnyal Girls' Secondary School

Chepnyal Girls' Primary School

St. Mary's Chepnyal ECDE (Early Childhood Development and Education) College

Teaching the Teachers

One of the deliverables for our IESC assignment was to provide follow-up training to Digital Ambassadors in the Matete community who are supporting World Vision's "Women and the Web" program. Alejandro and Vasavi, our teacher trainers, put together a three hour lesson to show the Digital Ambassadors how to use World Pulse as a tool to advocate for women in their community and around the world. After the class was dismissed, the teachers stayed in the conference room and continued practicing what they had learned and teaching one another.