It could be worse
on Colm in Kenya (Kenya), 27/Mar/2009 15:40, 34 days ago
OK so the bad news this week is that I’veturned 30.The good news is that unlike other recently turned 30 yrolds(Bob), my hairlineisntgoing all French and retreating as fast as is possible from the front line. Also unlike other recently turned 30 yrolds(guess who), the Heat and humidity is helping me shed the pound or two (cough) I needed to reach my optimal weight.Yes, the Heat. It feels like the Day itself will burst at it’s very seams, unable to cope with the excessively cruel temperature. The soil, the animals, the people, the water, the trees - everything creeks under the pressure exerted by the relentless humid Heat.I sweat sleeping, talking, walking, stopping, starting, crapping... When it’s windy, when I’m in the shade, when I’m indoors, when I’m outdoors; Heat stalks me like a bad storyline from a soap. Everyday, the same tiresome shit. The more it goes on the more it starts to piss me off.Okit’s not that bad, in fact everything is pretty good for me in Kenya.VSOvolunteers are strongly encouraged to start slowly in work and concentrate on integrating into the work and social culture first, which I am trying to do. It’s marathon not a sprint (like anyone can run long distances in this country with its heat!) no hurry, two entire years to get things done. Nonetheless, this week I was relieved to start working more on the projects I came here for.So on Monday and Wednesday, we met the women from the Women's groups that we will focus on supporting with basic business skills, micro finance and will help them gain access to markets. Trading a variety of vegetables and fruits, fried potatoes and samosas etc, the ladies are jovial, curious and above all, keen to grow their businesses.It is abundantly clear however that sustaining successful income generating businesses in this environment is a real challenge. But showing incredible solidarity with the size of my task, several women have dared to take on an equaling daunting challenge;‘We’ll find you a wife!’ They say to me in Swahili accompanied by a big hearty laugh. The jokes on them.My colleagues are ensuring my first weeks are very easy, making every effort to help me settle in. The warm traditional African welcome is disarming, natural and genuine which has magical qualities is assistingyoun.., sorry I mean, middle-aged Irish volunteers assimilate.In Scope there are 15 employees, the majority of which are talented volunteers between the ages of 20 and 27 devoting themselves to tackling the diseases, medical and social, which plague their country. We get the misguided impression from western media that Africans are waiting hand out ready to accept‘generous’ aid from western governments to solve their problems.However, this humbling desire to work to solve the issues that threaten the future of their families and future is a far more realistic ifun-newsworthy reality. It’s an attitude which is strikingly absent from many of our own communities.Right that’s it. I’m going to bed.Sweating of course, because I’m hot. Or maybe everyone sweats like this when they turn 30?