Kenya Blog 4
Kenya Blog 4
July 27, 2009
Jambo! (Hello!)
Hinda said we didn’t have much to write, so here goes nothing. We do have lots of good photos though, and there are some things to write about .
Many people who live in cities like Kisumu, Nairobi, Mombasa, and other places do not call where they live home, unless of course that is where they grew up and where their families are.
Where they live is in a house, and home is in their ancestral village where they were raised, and where families, and relatives live and where many people return from time to time to visit. Makes sense to me. I, Peter have lived in Seattle for almost 40 years, but home will always be New York. My (Hinda) home is Seattle where my family now is.
Also here in Kenya, and perhaps all over Africa, there are many couples who are separated. The wife and children may live in one city where she is working, and the husband in another where he is working. Why? It is difficult to find a job, so one works where they can. This must be difficult for families, especially for young ones just starting out. We would miss each other if we had to live in separate cities and only see each other monthly, or less than that. We hope that the economy will improve for our Kenyan friends, but it will take awhile.
A slum is always bad, but we recently visited a slum area of Kisumu where our NGO has programs, called Nyalenda. It is not nice: lots of garbage and open sewage, very poor living structures, little or no indoor plumbing, non-existent roads that even a four wheel drive vehicle would have a tough time getting around, and all of the bad things one would think about in a slum. We hear all the time about the corrupt government, and it is unfortunate that the money that could and should be used to improve the lives of the people is not reaching that destination, and all knows where it goes. Will it get better? Hopefully, but until then, we, others like us, and the organization we are working with have to continue poli poli (slowly slowly) trying to improve things with the scant resources that we all have. Otherwise, how do you sleep at night, knowing that if you don’t at least try to help bring about some change, even less will improve. So that is why we are here and that is why our NGO is here, and there are lots of folks like us, and lots of NGO’s that are trying and working hard.
Hinda has been teaching a woman she works with – a nurse – how to use the computer. And this nurse who we shall call “H” is doing great. She started at “0” and now can type a basic document, file it, retrieve it again, etc., etc. Hinda has a good method. She first teaches “H” and others how to play computer Solitaire which teaches hand/eye coordination, and then goes on from there. When we leave in a couple of more months “H” will be computer literate. Sometimes when you can’t change the whole world, it is OK to empower and build capacity in just one person, and then “H” can pass on what she has learned to someone else.
Another concept we both use to teach and have been for years is K I S S – Keep it Short and Simple, and it always goes over well. It really is what many of us should do more. Perhaps we should use more of it in our blogs. Seriously though, we do incorporate often in many of the things we do, and after we return from the Maasai Mara, we will do a Report Writing workshop and use KISS as a teaching tool.
When we were first thinking of coming here to Kisumu, we were told that lots of people would claim to be a relative of Barack Obama. Well, that really hasn’t happened, but we think that one of our colleagues actually is a distant cousin so we are told, and there are lots of little Michelle’s and Obama’s running around.
In this blog, there is a photo of a Muslim man in a red Kaffiyeh. One day recently we went to eat tilapia at “Tilapia Beach” with our E.D. and about 9 or 10 men, all Muslims sat down next to us. Peter wanted to photograph them because they looked interesting, and so after a while he went to their table and asked permission to photograph. They agreed, asked him to sit down with them, gave him a cold drink, and then all of them, including Peter began a long discussion. It seems that 4 of the men were from Jordan, and 2 from Pakistan, and were here to help teach the local Muslim community. Peter then wondered to himself if he should tell them that he is Jewish, and of course he did, so the discussion got even better, and all agreed that we are all brothers and sisters; that there are many more similarities than differences between Jews and Muslims; and that most of the problems were caused by politicians. So what else is new? In the end, Peter made a friend with a man, whom we hope will become friends with our NGO. So, the moral of all of this is don’t be shy. The worst thing that will happen when you ask is that you will be refused. And the photo is good, isn’t it. He has a great smile.
Yesterday we took a leaky boat on a 2 hour ride to reach Maboko Island in Lake Victoria where Dr. Richard Leakey many years ago, discovered evidence of stone age culture on the island. We didn’t see any, however, what we did do was spend a great few hours walking around and seeing how people on Maboko Island still are living a very traditional life fishing, growing maize and other crops; having cows, goats, and chickens, and more. We met several families who invited us into their mud and thatch bondas, and had the opportunity to talk at length with them, and share information about us and our family with them. This was very traditional living, and a very good learning experience for us. Once again, we saw the effects of the drought in this area – dried out corn fields. And the corn that did survive is very very small. It will be very difficult over the next few months for these people. We saw a few children who looked pretty malnourished, and things will probably get worse before they get better.
On the other hand, on Saturday, we participated with some staff from our organization in a medical camp, where volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and our Reproductive Health Coordinator and another young woman went to a small village about an hour or so out of Kisumu to examine and give basic health care to the villagers in that area. Our RH person gave two excellent workshops on Family Planning to mixed groups of men and women, sort of unusual to have that mix together talking about family planning, and then our NGO was invited to come back to the village to help them start some self help programs. So, it was a good day.
Next week we are going to the Maasai Mara for a 4 day safari and to relax. We will tell you all about it in a couple of weeks, and hope to have good photos.
We wish you good health and good luck in whatever you are doing.
Love and hugs,
Babu and Nyanya (Grandfather and Grandmother)
By the way, Peter has been temporarily named Kijana Ndogo Sana (the youngest man) Of course he is the oldest, but he and all enjoy that title of honor. However, once we leave, it will return to its rightful owner who once again will be the youngest oldest. Actually, he is almost 5 years youngest than Peter and 2 days younger than Hinda.
July 27, 2009
Jambo! (Hello!)
Hinda said we didn’t have much to write, so here goes nothing. We do have lots of good photos though, and there are some things to write about .
Many people who live in cities like Kisumu, Nairobi, Mombasa, and other places do not call where they live home, unless of course that is where they grew up and where their families are.
Where they live is in a house, and home is in their ancestral village where they were raised, and where families, and relatives live and where many people return from time to time to visit. Makes sense to me. I, Peter have lived in Seattle for almost 40 years, but home will always be New York. My (Hinda) home is Seattle where my family now is.
Also here in Kenya, and perhaps all over Africa, there are many couples who are separated. The wife and children may live in one city where she is working, and the husband in another where he is working. Why? It is difficult to find a job, so one works where they can. This must be difficult for families, especially for young ones just starting out. We would miss each other if we had to live in separate cities and only see each other monthly, or less than that. We hope that the economy will improve for our Kenyan friends, but it will take awhile.
A slum is always bad, but we recently visited a slum area of Kisumu where our NGO has programs, called Nyalenda. It is not nice: lots of garbage and open sewage, very poor living structures, little or no indoor plumbing, non-existent roads that even a four wheel drive vehicle would have a tough time getting around, and all of the bad things one would think about in a slum. We hear all the time about the corrupt government, and it is unfortunate that the money that could and should be used to improve the lives of the people is not reaching that destination, and all knows where it goes. Will it get better? Hopefully, but until then, we, others like us, and the organization we are working with have to continue poli poli (slowly slowly) trying to improve things with the scant resources that we all have. Otherwise, how do you sleep at night, knowing that if you don’t at least try to help bring about some change, even less will improve. So that is why we are here and that is why our NGO is here, and there are lots of folks like us, and lots of NGO’s that are trying and working hard.
Hinda has been teaching a woman she works with – a nurse – how to use the computer. And this nurse who we shall call “H” is doing great. She started at “0” and now can type a basic document, file it, retrieve it again, etc., etc. Hinda has a good method. She first teaches “H” and others how to play computer Solitaire which teaches hand/eye coordination, and then goes on from there. When we leave in a couple of more months “H” will be computer literate. Sometimes when you can’t change the whole world, it is OK to empower and build capacity in just one person, and then “H” can pass on what she has learned to someone else.
Another concept we both use to teach and have been for years is K I S S – Keep it Short and Simple, and it always goes over well. It really is what many of us should do more. Perhaps we should use more of it in our blogs. Seriously though, we do incorporate often in many of the things we do, and after we return from the Maasai Mara, we will do a Report Writing workshop and use KISS as a teaching tool.
When we were first thinking of coming here to Kisumu, we were told that lots of people would claim to be a relative of Barack Obama. Well, that really hasn’t happened, but we think that one of our colleagues actually is a distant cousin so we are told, and there are lots of little Michelle’s and Obama’s running around.
In this blog, there is a photo of a Muslim man in a red Kaffiyeh. One day recently we went to eat tilapia at “Tilapia Beach” with our E.D. and about 9 or 10 men, all Muslims sat down next to us. Peter wanted to photograph them because they looked interesting, and so after a while he went to their table and asked permission to photograph. They agreed, asked him to sit down with them, gave him a cold drink, and then all of them, including Peter began a long discussion. It seems that 4 of the men were from Jordan, and 2 from Pakistan, and were here to help teach the local Muslim community. Peter then wondered to himself if he should tell them that he is Jewish, and of course he did, so the discussion got even better, and all agreed that we are all brothers and sisters; that there are many more similarities than differences between Jews and Muslims; and that most of the problems were caused by politicians. So what else is new? In the end, Peter made a friend with a man, whom we hope will become friends with our NGO. So, the moral of all of this is don’t be shy. The worst thing that will happen when you ask is that you will be refused. And the photo is good, isn’t it. He has a great smile.
Yesterday we took a leaky boat on a 2 hour ride to reach Maboko Island in Lake Victoria where Dr. Richard Leakey many years ago, discovered evidence of stone age culture on the island. We didn’t see any, however, what we did do was spend a great few hours walking around and seeing how people on Maboko Island still are living a very traditional life fishing, growing maize and other crops; having cows, goats, and chickens, and more. We met several families who invited us into their mud and thatch bondas, and had the opportunity to talk at length with them, and share information about us and our family with them. This was very traditional living, and a very good learning experience for us. Once again, we saw the effects of the drought in this area – dried out corn fields. And the corn that did survive is very very small. It will be very difficult over the next few months for these people. We saw a few children who looked pretty malnourished, and things will probably get worse before they get better.
On the other hand, on Saturday, we participated with some staff from our organization in a medical camp, where volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and our Reproductive Health Coordinator and another young woman went to a small village about an hour or so out of Kisumu to examine and give basic health care to the villagers in that area. Our RH person gave two excellent workshops on Family Planning to mixed groups of men and women, sort of unusual to have that mix together talking about family planning, and then our NGO was invited to come back to the village to help them start some self help programs. So, it was a good day.
Next week we are going to the Maasai Mara for a 4 day safari and to relax. We will tell you all about it in a couple of weeks, and hope to have good photos.
We wish you good health and good luck in whatever you are doing.
Love and hugs,
Babu and Nyanya (Grandfather and Grandmother)
By the way, Peter has been temporarily named Kijana Ndogo Sana (the youngest man) Of course he is the oldest, but he and all enjoy that title of honor. However, once we leave, it will return to its rightful owner who once again will be the youngest oldest. Actually, he is almost 5 years youngest than Peter and 2 days younger than Hinda.
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 10:45 PM
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