Hi All,
We arrived in Nairobi on the night of January15th. We were picked up by a driver and taken to a central meeting place. The District Governor, Kaushik, and other Rotarians greeted us. We were taken out to dinner. Three of us stayed with Sumant Desai, the local area coordinator and three others stayed with Cheryl De Souza. Friday morning the team was taken to a school for which one of the local Rotary clubs provided toilets. From there we were taken to the home of a Rotarian and given box lunches. After that, 3 more schools. 4 Schools in one day is overwhelming. The three afternoon schools were private Catholic schools, though all of the students are not Catholic. One is a National School which is the highest level with the most resources. That was a girls’ school. The second was also a girls school, but a District school, so this is a lower status with fewer resources. The children were all polite and anxious to see us. The last school was a boys’ school. We got there so late that we were only able to meet with the head master. We were taken back to our host homes to get our bags and all six of us stayed at the home of the man who had hosted us all day. We never knew his first name, or his wife’s. However, his wife prepared a wonderful traditional African meal. We were all glad to have a break from Indian food!
The next morning we were picked up early to catch a flight to Masai Mara. We were the fourth stop and it was pouring rain when we left Nairobi. We were greeted on the dirt airstrip by our guide, Albert. On the way to our camp we saw elans, giraffes and warthogs. We got to camp and were shown to our tents. They were truly lovely. Quite large, with electricity, showers, bathrooms, big mirrors; like any really nice hotel. After one night we were upgraded to the camp next door. I didn’t think it could get any more luxurious, but it sure did. There were hairdryers and bathrobes, and an assortment of shower gels. 5 star for sure. The service in both camps was also supreme. They fell all over us and didn’t stop feeding us. Every time we turned around there was more food or drink being offered. The food was outstanding. We went on safari the first afternoon from 3:30 til 7:15. The next day we were picked up at 6:30 and dropped off after 12:00, and then again from 3:30-7:00. I know my team mates will write in detail about the animals. But, in a nutshell, we saw giraffes, elans, impalas, gazelles, elephants, hippos, rhinos, topis, lions (females with their cubs as well as males). We saw many unusual birds, crocodiles and water buffalos. The only things we did not see were cheetahs and leopards. We did drive around looking for them but no such luck.
Even though this time was meant as R&R for us, I must say it was also a vocational experience. The teachers were all talking about how they could take this information back to their classrooms. We have a kindergarten teacher, a 5th grade teacher, a 6th grade teacher, a middle school activities director and a high school teacher. Each saw the educational value as it pertained to their own students.
We got back to Nairobi on the 19th and were escorted out to lunch. From there we went to see two hospitals. One, the Mater House Hospital is the only hospital in East Africa that performs pediatric cardiac surgery. Rotary has been involved in that project by helping to sponsor many surgeries. The hospital, is a full range hospital and has all of the other routine services. Then we went to the special hospital for patients with spinal injuries. This was a very special visit for me, as our Rotary district, 5340 has been instrumental in providing equipment to this facility through matching grants. I felt very honored to be there as local Rotarians presented more equipment to this facility on behalf of District 5340. There is a long waiting list at this facility. By the time the patients arrive, many of them still require acute care, then move to rehab level. Our district has provided physical therapy equipment to the facility, and at the time of the presentation, a large parafin bath was being presented. This is an adult facility, no pediatric patients. We attended an evening Rotary meeting and met a woman in Rotaract who will be one of the GSE team members coming to our district in April. She is a banker named Margaret and is looking forward to her visit.
Over the next few days we visited more sites. We visited an orphanage run by Kate, a woman originally from Pittsburgh. She has AIDS orphans at her facility and they all go off to school every day. Only a couple of the children are HIV positive, but they are all orphans because their parents died of AIDS. We also saw an orphanage for children with AIDS. This is a large facility. The children are from a very young toddler age through high school. These children have either been rejected by their families or are also orphans due to AIDS. This place truly touched my heart. The younger ones are schooled on site, and the older ones are sent to the local schools. They are mostly “healthy” due to their HIV/AIDS “cocktails”. A doctor comes once a week and they are able to do lab work on site. They do utilize lots of nurses, and many come from the States to volunteer for a month at a time. This project is pulling at my heartstrings, and I would love to come back and volunteer there. The younger children hugged us and held our hands as they showe us around the properties. They live in houses in “families” which is about as normalized a family as they will know.
We saw a school in the slums that has been an ongoing project of one of the Rotary clubs here. The children are all so well behaved, polite and appear happy. When asked what they need, they told us exercise books and pencils. They sang for us in several of the different classes. The teachers each got to spend some extra time in the classrooms, teaching and interacting with the children. They really enjoyed that. Two thirds of the children board at this school. They have rows of bunk beds. The Rotarians supplied the mattresses. They also supplied a sun oven so that they will be able to cook for themselves as well as cook things to sell to help sustain the school. There are two large water tanks. One is on the ground, one on a platform, as it should be. For the one on the ground, they send one of the little boys up to the top to pull water out with a bucket. Very scarey, very dangerous. I asked to see the bathrooms. This is the part that got to me. The bathrooms were dirt floors partitioned off with blankets. On the ground was one plastic large container. That was it. I asked why they could not pump water from the closer water tank so that they could have proper bathrooms and showers. The response was money. However, we were then showed their pride and joy….their computer lab. This is the nicest room in the school, and they are so proud of this room. The computers were donated. However, when I saw the dorms and the lack of bathrooms, they fact that they maintain the computer room so beautifully gave me a sinking feeling. The lack of sanitation of course will make these children sick. It is very hard to see.
We watched Obama being sworn in with our host families. I am the only one staying with Sumant at this time. It was an unbelievable thrill to watch this even from Kenya. There were fireworks in the streets. Everywhere we go we see Obama signs and stickers. At one site visit someone said to us, “I know why you are really here….you want to see Obama land!” When we are in Kusumu in a few days, we will be very close to the town where Obama Senior grew up. This is a time that I am very proud to be an American. After the inauguration, Sumant took me out for Chinese food!
We went to the Coca-Cola bottling factory. They actually have some drinks that we do not get in the States. It was pretty interesting. We were then taken to a lunch time Rotary meeting. We were introduced, but no presentation was requested. We are now at the Karen Country Club relaxing. One of the local Rotarians, Alex (a GSE team leader to Indiana last spring) is hosting us. There is swimming, computer use and even massages, all supplied by Alex. The generosity of Rotarians is beyond explanation.
Tomorrow we leave for Naivasha. We will be there for one night, and then to Kusumu for one night. From there we cross the border into Uganda for more adventures, no doubt a different experience than Kenya, but equally as rewarding.
Dale
