update # 9
on Beatriz Pujol (Kenya), 05/Apr/2009 12:02, 34 days ago
Hi Everyone,I hope spring is coming along nicely. I hear there was snow this past week in Co/NM and lots of wind (That sounds abut right!). I also am hearing about terrible allergies in the E. coast and out West! YUCK! Glad to be missing those.Well, here in Kitui we do not have seasons like we do in the States, but we have rainy seasons and the rains have officially started. Although there hasn’t been much. We had one night of intense crazy rain and a few others showers. It all started about 3 weeks ago when it got REALLY hot and more humid. (I still hate humidity!). Then the rains came a bit. It has cooled things down a little but it is humid. Not extremely humid, but def. can feel it. We are in desperate need of rains. There hasn’t been a proper rainy season in a few years and the drought is being felt. The crops have suffered and water is limited. I actually learned that the amount of rain in Ukambani (the region where I live) is quite a bit, it just all comes in a short amt. of time twice a year. But the real problem is they have no way of harvesting the rain. There are a lot of NGO’s working here on water issues and building sand dams and getting people to use water tanks. But much is needed in that way. Also, people do not conserve or limit their water well whenthey do have it. The concept of how precious water is seems lost. Or maybe I am missing something. But they easily waste water when it is available. It is frustrating to watch! I often do not keep my mouth shut!Ok, so what have I been up to the last month? The end of the week I was in Nairobi I felt better and participated in the training. It was nice to get to know new volunteers and hang with my old friends.The new manager, John Mainga, came mid week for the training, as they invite the employers to attend. We had a good chance to talk about the program and the changes I needed. I felt good about things and was ready and eager to return to work.My VSO advisor, Kennedy, was coming out for a visit, as was my recruiter from Canada, Yvette, who was in Kenya for a visit. So, Monday morning we headed to Kitui with my new furniture. Did I mention I had wicker furniture made and with VSO coming out finally had a way to transport it!We (VSO staff and I) were meant to meet at 4 in the afternoon with the board from the hostel. But the board had a meeting prior to ours to pick the contractors for the boy’s dorm renovations. I had told Mainga that it was unrealistic to plan a two-hour meeting for that and I was certain it would take much longer. But he insisted they would be done.Yvette, Kennedy and I arrived in time for me to show them around and introduce them while the meeting was supposed to be wrapping up. At 4:30 Mainga came out and asked if we could wait‘till 5. Kennedy suggested having it Tuesday morning. Mainga said they would be done by 5. So, we waited. At 6 I went in to suggest pushing it till the next am. They told me “just 20 min. more”. Then as I was starting to fume and get really annoyed, a bus full of people pulled up and started unloading! It was a church group from Nairobi with Texas visitors. They came off with a video camera on and a guitar in hand. Ready to visit and spend time with the kids. I had no idea who they were. Went back into the meeting to tell Mainga and he came out to greet them. I guess communication had failed, yet again, and nobody really knew when this group was due to come. Obviously nobody was prepared for them at the moment. So, Mainga went off to give them a tour. I lost it! This is the kind of disorganization and chaos that happens at the hostel on a weekly basis! I was glad K and Y were hereto witness it so I didn’t sound quite so crazy explaining things. It was finally agreed upon to postpone our meeting until Tuesday morning!The meeting the next day went well but was very necessary. I felt like the board finally understood what I was here to do and how VSO works. The problem really was that the connection to VSO was started nearly two years ago when there was a different manager, a different board and chairman. Nobody with decision- making power who originally connected with VSO is still here, so the communication and link was missing. It was made clear that I was to spend more time with the kids and share my skills in that area as well as reduce my“management” time and admin. time is to be better utilized.So, since then things have improved dramatically. I really feel like Mainga is the key. He is a great leader and easy to work with for the most part. Things have really turned around at the hostel. The staff is happier, more invested and working more as a team. The kids are happier also and their health needs are starting to be met. I am spending more time with the kids. I try to spend 3 mornings a week in the nursery class helping out and I love that. Then I come in later two days a week and stay into the evening to spend time with the older kids. I am thinking of starting a life skills training with the older kids.The term just ended and the kids have gone home for the month. The 7th and 8th graders will be back for tutorials to help prepare them for their exams. But it is a low-key month. The boy’s dorm is being renovated, which is much needed.We are working hard on getting more donors to help us. I am trying to find funds to get my friend George on board to help get two income generating projects running. One is the dairy cows we have. They have not been cared for properly and are not producing as they could be. We would also like to add some chickens to the hostel. As well, we have a limited garden that could be producing much needed food for the kid and income by selling veggies. He would come on and train the two grounds keepers in perma-culture, organic farming, water harvesting and healthy keeping of livestock.I am also writing grants for several other things we need. I have been networking in the community to try to get local organizations and community members to donate to the hostel.I recently hooked up with a friend, Alicia Fitts, who has a non-profit in the US and we are working together to connect my kids with Visually impaired kids in the US. We are hoping to start a pen pal program. As well, we will see how her organization, KidsForce can help support some of our programs. I will keep you posted.One thing we are in desperate need of is a computer. The one in the office is always crashing, it is beyond ancient and not worth pouring any more money into. It is not internet capable and I worry when I leave how they will continue. We use my computer a lot. I am trying to get one donated, but with little success. I am wondering if anyone has a used laptop in relatively good condition that they are ready to part with. I have two friends here whose parents are coming to visit in early summer and they could bring a laptop. If you are interested in donating, let me know and we can arrange for you to send it to them in the States and for them to bring it over. Thanks!!To everyone who is supporting James! Thanks for the generous contributions. He has gotten more than half of what he needs and now will plan a fundraiser for the rest of the money. He is very excited! If it is ok, I will give him all the emails of the people who have donated so he can have direct contact with you and keep you updated on his studies! (Let me know is that is NOT ok.)So, other than work, life has been pretty good. I did come down with malaria but got treated and am feeling fine now. It wasn’t really that bad.My house is coming along. The fixed the flooding problem just in time! No more floods! They are painting my house and hopefully one day soon I will have electrical outlets to charge my things and then can buy a fridge!I had my first party last weekend and it was fun! My friend Angie made Tortilla Espanola and I made spag. and meat sauce. We had tons of leftovers, so on Sunday a bunch of friends came over for cheese and beef quesadillas with guacamole and salsa! YUMMY!I have posted a bunch of pics on Face book and am slowly getting them on Mobile Me: (http://gallery.me.com/trixiestravels). Will try to post video’s of the kids on there as well.Some more questions I received:1. Do you see any "safari type" animals in Kitui or traveling between Kitui and Nairobi? Where is the closest area to go on safari from where you are at in Kitui?No, nothing but cows, goats, dogs, cats, birds and an occasional donkey in Kitui. On the way to N. I have seen to baboons and a few antelope. There is private farm on one of the routes with wild animals and friends have seen them, but I have not. Right outside N. is N. National Park where you can see all the animals. I plan to visit this month. Otherwise, Masai Mara, Amboseli and Tsavo East and West are the big parks and they are all a ways away. I have not visited them yet because they are expensive and I keep holding out for a US visitor to go with!!!☺ Several friends have gone already, but since I went on that amazing Safari with Dad and Mimi in Tanzania I am not dying to go yet. The last week in April I am taking off and visiting a friend in Lake Nyvasia and I will visit Hell’s gate park there. So, soon I will post pics of animals!2. If you plan to stay in Africa when you current assignment is done, would you prefer to stay in Kitui? somewhere else in Kenya? or another country in Africa?I am enjoying Kenya and it is more developed than other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. So, I could imagine staying here. I quite like Kitui but have not seen enough of Kenya to decide. I think I prefer a smaller place to Nairobi. I love the coast minus the humidity. Nairobi may be somewhere I will have to live for a decent job. So I am trying to stay open to that possibility. But it is such a crazy, chaotic city and very expensive! The traffic makes DC traffic look good! I am still open to other countries but I think it is hard to keep starting over, so that is another appeal to staying here.And, Yes, I am hoping to find a job when my placement is over and stay for a while!3. I would love to see a video of your walk from your house to your work...I think it would add a great visual to your descriptions.Will try to do that this week!!!Keep the questions coming!