9th
of June:
Today there was a group arriving from Ireland who are also
with Africa Direct. They arrived in Kenya two days ago but today they are
arriving in Kitale. We spent the day getting house ready for them by arranging
their rooms by putting in beds and giving each room a clean. They arrived
around dinner time so we spent some time getting to know them. It is a group
consisting of seven people in total.
10th
of June:
Today was our first full day with the visitors so we decided
to show them around the area of Kitale and to the different projects we are
involved in. We first took them to the slum in Kipsongo where we had a walk
around to see the area such as the houses and the people. We then took them to
Hekima Day Care where they met the children and were given a warm welcome by
them and they got to see the school. After we arrived home we showed them
around the compound so they could see the different crops we are growing and
the livestock we have.
11th
of June:
Today we took the visitors to the maize farm in Bidii so they
can see what wok the women have done there. We stayed here until lunch because
we helped them by applying fertilizer to the maize and by thinning it. Thinning
it involved pulling out maize crops where too many had grown in a small area or
next to each other. We had to think them so there wouldn’t be any competition
for soil, minerals and water. After lunch when we got back to the compound we
uprooted some banana plants from our patch which we don’t need because they
were also competing for the same things as the maize.
12th
of June:
We went to Kipsongo slum again because we had made a plan
with the people living there to plant banana plants for them. These are the
same plants which we didn’t need and uprooted the day before. They had already
dug their holes or had them half dug. Therefore we needed to help them finish
digging the hole and then plant the banana plant in the hole with some minor as
fertilizer as well. These plants will take nine months to start growing bananas
but if that happens it will be great because they will have a staple food
source growing on their land. After we got home we all helped pick sukuma wiki
from the garden.
13th
of June:
Today I travelled down to Nairobi by bus. I left Kitale at 9
o clock and I arrived in Nairobi at around 4. I then got a taxi to where I am
staying and I found the place with no problems so it all went very well. The
place I am staying is a bed and breakfast which is ran by the Yarumal Priests
and it is in South B. This is great because it is only a twenty minute walk
from where I am working. The place is very nice but the best thing is that it
has wifi. I am actually glad that I don’t have it when I am in Kitale because
it helps to get me more immersed into the work I am doing and not having it
helps me to forget about home but it is nice to have it here for a change.
15th
of June:
Today I met with Simon and he brought me to where I am
starting my work for the week in Songa mBele Na Masomo. When we got here he
introduced me to everyone and showed me to their facilities. This is a school
for those who have dropped out of school and it is also a school for those with
mental disabilities. The facilities here include an office, two class rooms for
those who have dropped out, a day care for those who are mentally disabled, a
room for these people that they can rest in and a room where they receive
physical therapy. In the compound there is also a kitchen, dining room, store
room as well as toilets. There was a lot of people working today because Monday
is the day that the physical therapy is done so there was an extra four staff
members for this.
Today I played with the children with disabilities for awhile and helped feed them.
After this I spent some time with the kids who donth vae disabilities. They were
learning things about water including the clean sources and what one does with
water. I spent this class with them in which I did an art exercise in which
they had to draw all the main water sources which I did with them. There are
two classes for those who have dropped out of school; one for those who are
finding it difficult to work and aren’t doing great in school and then there is
an advanced class for those who are doing very well. Most of these students
attend here for about a year before they are ready to go back to school and
between the two classes there are 16 students.
It is also good because there are three students from United States
University Kenya who are the same age as me working here. They are here because
to graduate from college they need to do community service so they are doing it
with me. I am glad about this because they have only been here for four weeks
so they are in a similar situation to myself.
