Coast Visit Part 3 - Malindi

After lunch on the Saturday I left the Kilifi sports day to head up to Malindi about 1.5 hours in a matatu in the mid day sun!!

I checked in at my hotel the Comfy Palace Guest House (1200 bed and breakfast for a single room) Very nice and clean and in the central part of town. A quick shower, clean shirt - wet from sweat in 5 minutes - getting used to that now! Then I met Joe from the UK and Yvonne from Kenya who are the programme supervisors in this location. We then set off to Watamu where the volunteers were having a "social afternoon on the beach having planted mangroves on an island in the morning. This was a nice relaxed forum to meet the team. We met on Garoda Beach which is just south of Watamu Bay.

Much fun was had as you can see!

The next day was Sunday so nothing much on from a work perspective so chilled out and went to the beach. 

Monday was visits to volunteer homes and placements for photos. I visited TOSHA youth group ; which stands for Tradition Of Social and Healthy Awareness where they were making flip-flops decorated with intricate beads. 

And then Visions Magnet Theatre Group

Coast Visit Part 2 - Kilifi

Kilifi is further south down the coast from Watamu and about an hour on a matatu. I was there to photograph the ICS volunteers in action. They had a workshop on the Friday where they discussed domestic violence and gender roles. With the many different cultures there were some interesting views. Luckily the group had been together for over 2 months by then and had a greater understanding of each others cultures so, whilst they might not agree with some of the views expressed they did respect each others culture.  We met at the Kilifi Club which was a great venue overlooking the estuary with reasonably priced food. Recommended if you want to eat/drink and escape the heat and bustle of Kilifi.. 

Enjoying the debate

The Kalifi ICS Team

The boys giving Majina a lift

Carl being carried by the girls and loving it!

After the workshop there was a community meeting to agree the final details for a Disability awareness day on the Saturday. The meeting was held under the fading sun in the shade of a tree. Very cool!!

Carl and Majina the Programme Supervisors

Some of the ICS Volunteers in smart new T-Shirts

Saturday arrived again with heavy rain but as is often the case in Kenya by 9 it had stopped an by 10 everything was dry. The tent was put up, PA system sorted, football pitch and running track marked out and people arrived. The plan was for 4-5 schools for children with disabilities to come and parade around the town, then to demonstrate some poems, singing and drama followed by athletics and football and finally the speeches. The day was well attended and as you can see from the photos below the kids importantly had an amazing time and are an inspiration. 

The success of the day is a great complement to the ICS volunteers and the two programme supervisors Majina from Kenya and Carl from England.

Whilst in Kilifi I stayed one night at the Peacock Court Hotel +254725765625 (900 kshs per night) reasonable room but basic hotel. What do you expect for about £7? On the second night I stayed at Water Gate Hotel (+254) 041 7525015 (1000 kshs £8 - bed and breakfast. A much better room and hotel.

The ICS team in red with some kids from one of the schools 

One of the boys with his placard

The main banner for the march

Loving sharing their message!

I love this shot!

The parade and reflection in the water

Says it all?

Very cute!

The volunteers with the kids from the school they were placed in. 

One of the boys races gets under way

The girls in full flight

19-23 - Trip to the Coast "working" honest!

VSO UK have asked me to travel to the coast to take some photographs of their International Citizenship Service programme this is where 18-25 year olds from the UK together with Kenyan youth volunteers work together on community projects for 3 months stints. http://www.vso.org.uk/volunteer/opportunities/for-18-25-year-olds

I will be working in Kalifi and Malindi. However, I chose to travel early and have a few days on the coast first. I stayed for 4 days at Watamu Bay in the Bustoni Ya Eden Hotel http://bustani.ch/pages/home.php?lang=EN which is a great place just back from the beach and as it is not on the beach it is a great price . I got 3 nights for 1400 kshs per night for a single room with breakfast. This compares with about 5000-10000 per night on the beach. It is also run by Elvis a local chap with an amazing energy and great customer service. Anyone wishing to visit please call Elvis (who speaks fluent English, Italian and German in addition to Kiswahili) on +254708539853.

I had a great time walking and chilling on the beach, entertaining the locals in the wood shack cafes with my kiswahili and visiting turtle watch a VSO supported programme to rescue and support the turtle population from tourism, environmental and fishing risks. Visit http://www.watamuturtles.com/ for more information on this programme.

The temperature on the coast is 35+ every day and does not cool down much in the evenings so I was sweating constantly - I do not think I could work on the coast but it is good to visit. Luckily I had a good shower in the hotel which was used 3-4 times a day.

Here are some photos of Watamu mostly of the sunrise on my second day - beautiful!.

I

3-9th November - New Volunteer Training

Another intake of volunteers arrive and I again help with training for the week. This is a great opportunity to meet the new intake and plan my travels around Kenya via volunteer houses!!. Can't believe how quick the time has gone. It is a year since I was here nervously excited like this lot!

Nov 11th - Children's Home Football

Went to watch the older boys at the children’s home play a friendly football match against a local village team. Very “spirited” as ever and they fought hard to snatch a draw against a much bigger and older team.

One Year in Kenya!

4^th November I will have been here a year – so much has happened, so many new experiences and so many new friends. What will the second year have in store ……………..

-          We have trebled the enrolment from 2011

-          We have reduced trainee drop out from 80% in 2011 to 50% this year. Still a long way to go but improving facilities and culture should help that trend to continue.

-          We have received a large greenhouse which will help improve the nutritional quality of the school dinners and hopefully generate additional income from surpluses.

-          We have managed to get 6 trainees sponsored by UK donors – These would have probably added to the drop-out numbers had funding not been found so the impact of what are relatively small amounts from a UK perspective make a huge difference to an individuals and a family’s life here.

-          We have a new football strip – Thank you to Tattenhoe from Milton Keynes

-          Old laptops are being donated as we speak and will allow us to start a computer course in January 2013. This will make a big impact in breaking the poverty cycle so common in this area of rural central Kenya.

-          A printer donated by some generous and kind hearted individuals in the UK

-          Funding for a new WC and shower block which will commence shortly. Again this will greatly improve the environment and replace the current pit latrines.

-          Most importantly we have a new manager who has blossomed in to the role and is gaining confidence every day. We also have improved staff morale which was at a major low a year ago.

All of this is through no small effort of the team at the Polytechnic who have made me very welcome, been very patient whilst I got used to the Kenyan pace of life and way of getting things done. We have both learnt so much from each other and are looking forward to the year ahead. 

Nov 1st - Open Day Finally Arrives

We awake to torrential rain - Oh no!! our grounds are clay mud and will be a nightmare. Luckily by 9 the rain stops and the sun comes out. By 10 the ground is pretty dry. 

The tents arrive and are erected, 200 chairs laid out (will we get that many guests?). The cooks beaver away in the kitchen. The trainees do a stirling job. Preparations are in place. 

In the end we had 300 attend including trainees. Senior Chiefs, Administration officials, District Youth Training Officer, District Development Officer, the MP and aspirants to the post and local business representatives. An impressive turn out to a relatively small institution. The tours round the course demonstrations were well received, especially the ICT/Computers new course. We may have problems with too much demand next year but that is a nice problem to have.

After course tour we had the inevitable 2 hours of speeches, tree planting, green house launch and then finally around 4pm we had lunch!!.

Everyone had a great day and were very impressed at how well organised we were, especially given that it was our first event. 

Examples of the work by the Tailoring and Dressmaking Class

Motor Vehicle Demo

The queue for the Course Demo's

The Tall Mzungu tries out his Kiswahili!

The VIP tent

The Community Tent

October - Ithiru Youth Polytechnic 1st Open Day Preparations

Ithiru Youth Polytechnic are preparing for their first Open Day and the team are pulling together really well. Funding has been provided by VSO and it will be a great celebration of all that has been achieved this year. We are trailing the concept of planning ahead, portioning tasks in advance and tracking progress. This is new to the team! Previously things have been organised in a relatively random but successful manner. However we have never organised an event on this scale or with this profile. If it goes well it will be great advert for the future of the institution. If it goes wrong ………… Following the plan goes reasonably well initially but then old habits die hard!! A week before the event and a few cracks begin to appear. 2 days before we have a rallying cry meeting which does go well and things begin falling into place. 

6 October 2012 - Unite the People Concert Kisumu

Saturday – The sun rose over the lake to welcome the start of a long and busy day. I have breakfast with DNA and Simon the organiser before going with Simon to record the central square car park being transformed into a concert venue.

A very slick group of chaps were sweating profusely under the Kisumu sun as the staging and sound equipment were erected.

I managed to sneak off at lunch time and grab a lunch at Green Gardens with Catherine Vanderwall, Rachel Opyio and Deedra all from Rafiki a charity supported by VSO who are from Nearby Bondo. Catherine had rallied round her friends and colleagues and brought 9 people to the event. I then popped back to the hotel to try and get an hours sleep before what would be a long night.

Back at the venue we were on Kenya time!! The posters said 6pm until late. By 8pm no-one was there so a few of us nipped to the pub for an hour. It was 1030pm before the first act came on which was open mike for local acts. By 12 the main acts were starting ant the crowd had built. Due to the delay Clinton’s slot was moved forward and Malfred and DNA moved later. A great night was had and the crowd seemed high on life and the music. (and it may have had something to do with the hint of sweet herbs in the air…?).

Again here are a few photos but for the full set see my Flickr account for this day (http://www.flickr.com/photos/westfield21/sets/72157631723620403/)

I went back to the hotel around 4am Sunday morning, got two hours sleep before getting up to catch the bus back to Nairobi (9 hours) and then to Kandara (2 more). An early night and back to work Monday morning after an amazing few days in Kisumu.

Light headed

Larry the Cable Guy

Dancing Pair

Malfred and Batoo 

D.N.A