A New Toilet for the Youth Polytechnic

Earlier in the year we received funding from the Ford Foundation under their STEVEK programme to build a new toilet block and showers to replace the current wooden shack pit latrines. 

The Original Boys Toilet - Just Imagine the Inside!

Me Pretending to Help

Progress!

 To future proof the scheme we decided to build the foundations for the full building we needed and then the superstructure for the 4 cubicles we could afford. This would allow the masonry and building technology trainees to finish it off at their leisure. Unfortunately the contractor we had vetted and selected decided to collect the money for work done and not pass it on to the labourers eventually pressure from the labourers on this and a previous scheme was too great and he absconded. 

Despite involving the, Senior Chief, Police etc etc we were unable to track him down to get the labourers paid. Luckily we had only paid him for completed works so the polytechnic did not have a loss but the hard working labourers were less than happy. If they ever find him I dread to think what form “natural justice” will take!! We are now looking to source funding to complete the broader building and finish the works he left incomplete. 

March 2013 - RELOCATION OF 29 VOLUNTEERS TO TANZANIA

After a full day at the VSO office sorting out the final preparations and making sure all the volunteers were safely en-route to Nairobi, I set off to the Hotel in Nairobi where we were to leave from the following day. I had a full bag of my stuff (we had to pack as if we might get evacuated to our home countries for a few weeks) 3 envelopes of cash in Kenyan shillings, Tanzanian shillings and Dollars around £2000 in total. This was to cover the cost of Visas, allowances for the volunteers and a contingency fund for the stay. Luckily I got a lift to the hotel. 

9 volunteers from outside Nairobi were staying overnight and the rest were meeting us in the morning to board one of the two buses that were to take us to take us to Arusha, Tanzania. Ben and Makenna (Director and Head of Programmes respectively from VSO Jitolee) were on hand to see us off and clarify any final matters before handing over the Nicole (another volunteer) and me to take care of any problems whilst we were away. 

Wendy the other volunteer representative was travelling direct with the Mombasa team.

The trip to the boarder was painless. The process to exit Kenya and enter Tanzania was on balance pretty simple given there were 25 of us but with chaotic queues and having to work out what the process was as we went along it was quite entertaining. To assist others the process for pedestrians (from memory) was as follows, If you have a vehicle there are other papers, processed and buildings to visit to process the exit and entry of your car:

-       After passing through a traffic barrier and police gate you are then in the Kenya border zone. On getting to the Kenya exit building (at the top of the hill last building on the right before the gate). Obtain a form (yellow or blue card A4 sized available in the building) fill in your personal details, passport, where you have travelled from, where you are going, when you are due to return, details of your tour company if applicable and a contact address in Tanzania. Top tip is carry a pen so you can fill this in in the queue.

-       At the desk you hand this in with your passport and get the appropriate exit stamps etc.

-       Then you go out and cross through the Kenya gate and into no-mans land. This is where care is needed!!

-      

    NOTE – As you pass through the Kenya gate you enter what is a large dusty gravel area and looks like a truck stop. In the distance, towards the left are some administrative buildings and a Tanzania flag. You should head to these and ignore the very persuasive hustlers who work as a team to un-nerve you and convince you they are genuine. They try and say if you give them $50 they will give you 3,000 Tanzanian shillings and sort you out the stamp you need. This is a scam. 3000 TzS are worth around $1.5!!! the stamp is a fake and you will still have to pay the $50 ($100 for Americans – don’t know why?) when you get to the official building. So just walk past anyone and keep a tight watch on your bags, wallet and passport.

-          Once safely in the Tanzania Visa building a helpful official will hand to a form similar to the one you filled in on the Kenya side. You then join the relevant queue for your visa position and pay your $50 ($100 for Americans). Then once you get the stamps you are clear to go.

-          Returning to Kenya is a reverse of the above.

-          From memory I believe this should be a good guide. If anyone has anything to add please let  me know and  will update it.

So we entered Tanzania and drive through a dry scrub land with occasional Masaai style villages. The road from the border was one of the best I have been on in Africa. We made good progress with views of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru.

As we entered the outskirts of Arusha the bus I was in started playing up and there was a strong smell of burning. Eventually it ground to a halt with stem rising from the engine. Being volunteers we rolled our sleeves up and pushed it to the side (well actually the ladies did as you can see from the photo). We transferred the people to the other bus for the last 5km and our bags arrived later when the working bus had gone back to retrieve them.

We were to stay at the hotel Pentagon which was about 3-4km out of the centre. This is a pretty good hotel and all was good.

Over the next few days we were at our leisure to explore the area. Arusha is a great place, quite modern and the people are very friendly. We noticed we received much less attention, less shouts of Mzungu, etc. which was nice. There were many ex-pats in town as many other organisations and individuals had chosen to get out for the elections. Also holiday makers had been relocated too.

Top Tips for a stay in Arusha

Good coffee – http://www.africafetanzania.com/

Pizza – Pepe Italian Restaurant – Kanisa Road

Ethiopian Restaurant  Spices and Herbs - Phone 255 572279 Mobile: 0742-401050 Simeon Road (also known as New Moshi Road) on the right as you go up the hill from the roundabout.

Sazan Japanese Restaurant – +255 732 978 624 - Awesome place with great food at amazing prices. Where Kanisa Road meets Nelson Mandela Road head out of town on Nelson Mandela Road (also known as Nyerere Road) about 200m on the right is where you will find it. 

Kenya Election Debates - Encounter with the GSU

Before the elections Kenya help televised debates with all the 8 candidates present. This was the first time for such an event in Kenya and most of Kenya watched them. There were some real characters among the 8 and also some thorny issues for the participants to defend. For the second round I was in Nairobi  and watched the first 2 hours from a bar in the CBD. Then I returned to the hotel for the second half. En-route I passed the Tom Mboya statue and square where there was a big screen and a large crowd. At the back there was a large green army truck full of GSU (General Service Unit of the Army – the most feared of security teams in Kenya) luckily all was peaceful so and a smile and wave from the passing Mzungu managed to crack one or two of the stern faces on the truck into a smile. They are human really……… 

I decided taking a photo was probably pushing it a bit  :)

Feb 2013 - KICC Tower and Nairobi Safari Park

My final weekend before “re-locating” to Tanzania for the elections, I visited Nairobi to see a Kenyan friend. They had arranged for us to go up the KICC tower in the Central Business District. http://www.kicc.co.ke/index.php/about-the-building This gives you an amazing view of the Nairobi panorama. This is on my top 10 list of things to do in Nairobi. It is about 200 shilings for nationals and around 400 for others (from memory!!). Luckily there is a lift to the top almost 30 storeys up. Also we had the privilege of being on our own up there to enjoy the view. The photo is a 360 degree panorama that will be too small as it appears on here but if you blow it up you will get the idea. Anyone wanting the full resolution version let me know.

After a quick lunch we then jumped on a Matatu for the Nairobi Safari Park where there is a safari walk. http://www.kws.org/parks/education/nairobi_safariwalk.html  It is a little zoo like but you get a good view of the animals – see the leopard below!! And it is a nice relaxing stroll and place to chill out. Again, recommended. If you are a resident remember your ID! I did not and had to pay 1800 kenya shillings rather than around 200 to 400. Another good and recommended day trip in Nairobi. 

February 2013 - Security Meeting

With the forthcoming elections 4^th March in Kenya and the troubles in the last ones in 2007/8 there were inevitable concerns about security risks to volunteers etc. There had been a number of meetings to put plans in place for every eventuality. I was involved as one of the regional volunteer representatives. The latest meeting was following the decision to relocate us to Tanzania as a precautionary measure from 2^nd March for a week or so. This also allowed the office to close and the staff to concentrate on their families etc. There is a lot written about the 2007/08 election violence so any google search will find many commentaries. There is also a very good documentary on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUUcjWC6rG8 not easy viewing but the personal interviews and viewpoints give a very intimate and emotional perspective on the impact of the events on real people not just a headline about a far of country.

There were many views amongst the volunteers about this decision. Most agreed it was the right thing to do, but a small number thought it was an over-reaction. My perspective was: Yes there is unlikely to be any trouble in the village where I live but, other volunteers are less fortunate. Also last time the staff at VSO had to try and extract volunteers from high risk areas after the trouble started, meanwhile a number had family members unaccounted for. The most important thing for me was to let the Kenyans focus on their families. We were praying for peace but planning for the worst. If it turned out in hindsight to be an over-reaction then that was OK. Better that than the other way around!

February - Crater Lake

During February I decided to arrange a weekend visit to Naivasha Lake http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Naivasha and Crater Lake for my birthday http://www.lonelyplanet.com/kenya/the-rift-valley/lake-naivasha/sights/volcano/crater-lake-game . We stayed at Camp Carnelley’s  http://www.campcarnelleys.com/ on the Friday night (refer earlier blog for new year 2012) and then visited Crater Lake http://www.mericagrouphotels.com/craterlake/ on the Saturday. 

Crater Lake is an extinct volcano with a lake inside (as teh name suggests) it is a  conservation area and privately run. There is an exclusive hotel with only about 12 amazing rooms. Each is in a separate enclosure from the other and all are inside the crater. The experience of the crater is amazing as there are few visitors due to it being quite a trek - a 20-30 min matatu (around 50 shillings each way I think from memory) from Naivasha and then a 15-20 minute piki ride (200-300 shillings each way) from there (unless you have your own vehicle of course). 
To stay the night is very special due to the limitations on numbers who can stay. The tranquillity is amazing and the sound of the animals enclosed in the bowl of the crater is an amazing experience. In the morning we sat on the terrace as the sun rose and the animals began their morning rituals – awesome. After breakfast we walked around the crater rim with views of the giraffes, buffalo, antelopes, birds of prey etc. We only saw 5 other people on the whole 3 hour walk. Such isolation, silence, proximity to animals without being accompanied by a guide is very special and worth the trip. Finally before leaving we had a late Sunday lunch on a floating pontoon, when we had the treat of the lone hippo popping it's head up just 5 metres away..... magical. Well recommended.

Feb 2013 - A Young Life Lost - Kenyan Funeral

In February one of the boys from my Kenya family sadly died. The circumstances were unclear but suggestions locally were, allegedly, that he was caught in the pineapple farm of an international fruit juice producer and security guards apparently chased him. He then, allegedly, fell into the river during his escape. Not being able to swim, he then drowned. It was a week before the body was found! I have no way of corroborating this version of events and am just stating what I have been told. The funeral was a further week after the body was found and 2 weeks from the date he fell in the river.

He was obviously a very popular chap as the turn-out was amazing. In Kenya the body is viewed at the funeral parlour early in the morning and then the family return it to the family farm where there is a service. We arrived around 11.30 and the sun was already intense. The coffin was a simple affair and not air-tight. The two week old body was not in a good state. The main seating area was down-wind from the coffin. Family members did their best by spraying air freshener around the joint of the lid. The service was a simple but passionate affair.  Then the coffin was carried into the shamba where the body was buried. The many friends of the chap were a poignant reminder of the sad and early age of the boy that died. It was a privilege to attend the funeral as a member of the Kibe family my adopted Kenya family.

Following the family there was a family meeting to resolve some issues and for the first time I was invited to attend as a family member! A great and huge honour and privilege.  I have been called brother for some time but this meeting is a very closed affair where the family air grievances in private and the elders arbitrate to resolve them. It is extremely rare for non-family members to be invited to join that. The Kibe’s have taken me into the heart of their family and really made my Kenya experience special. 

Early Feb - Climbing Ol Donyo - Near Thika

Having climbed mount Kenya a couple of weeks before, this weekend I decided to climb Ol Donyo also known as Kili manbogo. This hill is near to Thika and stands proud above a relatively flat landscape around the area. It has tempted me to climb it since I first arrived in Kenya. So this weekend I climbed it. It is part of a Kenya Wildlife Service area so there are park fees and you have to climb with a ranger. In theory this is to protect you from the animals. In reality we did not see any. We heard monkeys in the trees but they were just teasing us!!. At the top there are many trees so summit views are not possible. There are viewpoints on the way up which are nice. On balance the trip is probably not worth it unless you just want to have a trek up a hill for exercise. We enjoyed the day out but from a tourist point of view there are many better ways to spend a day. For a resident it is a pleasant days walk. 

Late Jan - Kenya - Primary Elections

Kenya is due to have Presidential elections 4^th March 2013 and this week they had the primaries where the parties each ask the people to select candidates to stand for them. After the last elections (refer to my 12 December 2012 Post) there were warnings for volunteers from various agencies to take care and avoid polling stations etc. Now, the polytechnic where I work was a polling station and so was the Children’s home where I live!! Anyway, Kandara is a peaceful place and had no trouble during the last elections.

So Dorcas the Polytechnic Manager and I decided to attend the Poly (closed for polling) so we could market the institution. We had 700 people coming from the local area to vote so it was an opportunity not to be missed. Luckily for us but not for the people wanting to vote, there was a huge delay in getting the voting boxes and papers to the site. They were due at 6am, we arrived at 9 and there was a large queue of people of all ages patiently waiting.

We had given the polling clerks access to a classroom but we opened up the rest of the school and got benches and chairs out for the older ones to rest. Dorcas and I then did regular double acts with me attempting my Kikuyu (local tribal language) that I have about 10 words of and have not quite got the accent right yet – but always get a laugh!! I am a little better at Kiswahilli. We were telling the crowd about the poly, our plans for the future, how we have changed, the computer course etc, etc. This broke up the monotony of waiting. Eventually the decision was made to extend the voting period for another day. The boxes and papers returned the following day.

The following day people turned out again in huge numbers, patiently queued and placed their votes. Over the two days I met some great people and had some fantastic and informative chats with a diverse range of people. My understanding of Kenyan politics and the process was significantly improved, a great couple of days.

Given the concerns and history, it was fantastic that everyone was so patient and cheerful through this whole process. Despite having their work and valuable income generating time disrupted for 2 days, Kenyans took their voting rights and politics very seriously and would not miss the opportunity to have their say. This is such a contrast to my experience in the UK where politics is pretty dull, there is significant ambivalence and apathy towards the whole process and voter turnout is woefully low.

So my over-riding feeling after the two days was a huge respect and admiration for Kenyans. Politics is taken very seriously. It is a shame that much of the reporting (especially internationally) was about the “delays and chaos” and not about how well the people accepted the delays and coped with the searing heat to ensure they cast their valuable vote. I can’t help thinking that in the UK a large proportion would have gone to work and said “forget it!”. There are many things I see and experience in Kenya that are so much better than in the west. It is a shame that only the bad and negative things get reported. 

New Sewing Machines - Income Generation Opportunity

It has been a good end to last year and start to this one. The fruits of early efforts are coming off. We received and new Singer sewing machine and an overlook machine for the tailoring and dressmaking dept. We previously had 14 “butterfly sewing machines which are very old fashioned and do not generate the quality needed to do income generating activities. The samples we took to schools were rejected.

Now with the new machines we already have orders from two schools for around 400 uniforms already. We will now need to get more of the better quality machines (£300 each) to meet the demand and hopefully grow the income generating side this in turn will help us get more equipment – a very positive cycle towards self-sufficiency.  If anyone feels they can support with getting more machines please contact me via the contact link on this blog.

13 January - Kandara Children’s Home Visit

On the way back from Mount Kenya, Marc, Veronica and Anstice dropped by the children’s home. They came with balloons, footballs, etc so we had a great time and they brightened up a quiet Sunday no end for the kids. They just love visitors and the attention they get as you can see from the photos.

Marc has contacts who install biogas systems and also energy efficient stoves so felt he could help the home. With luck in a couple of months the home will have both courtesy of Marc and Veronica’s tenacity and generosity.   

Terrasia - one of the best smiles in Kandara!

 Marc and Newton - Terrasia's Twin Brother

9-12 January - Climbing Mount Kenya

I was at home for just one night before being picked up by Veronica (a former VSO volunteer who is now working in Nairobi), Mark (Veronica’s husband and also working in Nairobi) and Veronica’s sister Anstice (who was visiting from the UK).Veronica had organised a trip to climb Mount Kenya and I tagged along. A massive thanks to Veronica for sorting out what turned out to be an amazing trip.

We travelled up to Nanyuki where we met Mohamud. A lovely chap who many volunteers have used for their travel needs (long distance taxi’s Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, Safari’s, etc). He gives a great service and highly competitive prices – well recommended, the reasons why can be seen from the story of our trip below.

We set off from Nanyuki in a private Matatu with our bags, 4 porters and Mohamud. We soon arrived at Sirimon Gate (2,650M) and the entrance to the Mount Kenya National Park. We unloaded our bags took photos at the gate and then had a long trek of 20 metres to the other side of the gate where lunch awaited us. “Exhausted” after 30 paces into our climb J we were greeted by tablecloth, cutlery, napkins, fruit juice and a fine cooked meal. The two cooks had arrived earlier and prepared a feast to give us energy for the trek ahead. We certainly would not fail for a lack of good food!!

The first part of the climb was through the forest. Although there were traces of elephants (AKA large poo!), buffalo (footprints) and the sound of monkeys, sadly we did not see any. We did, however, encounter “Charlie” the chameleon who was crossing the road as we passed so we helped him across. Strangely cute these characters, with their unique eyes and feet, etc. I wonder what he was thinking about us?

The weather was amazing and the view of the mountain was both impressive and daunting. After around a 5 hour trek we made it to Old Moses’ hut at 3,300m this is a cluster of huts with kitchens, dormitories, and a communal dining area. It is a cosy place to rest and adjust to the altitude. As the sun set however, we were reminded that the mountain is a harsh place. The temperature dropped rapidly to below freezing and everyone gravitated indoors. There were around 20 others and their respective support at the huts and we had some great chats with people from many different countries and backgrounds over another fine dinner. Once again Mohamud did us proud and we certainly had the best food, eliciting looks of food envy from other groups having much more primitive fare!

After a reasonable nights sleep (for being in a shared dorm) we awoke at 6.30 with a target departure of 8am. It was still bitterly cold, a feeling that living in Kenya you tend to forget! We sorted the bags out, put on layers of clothes and filled ourselves with a hot breakfast of sausage, egg, pancakes, cereal, juice and coffee. 8am we ventured outside, our breath turning to steam in the cold. Very quickly though, with the sun rising, the layers came off and continuing the trek, we were soon very hot. The landscape was now more heathland like. The trees of the forest had been left behind the day before as the altitude and cold became too much for the trees. Plants more adapted to these conditions took precedence.

We stopped at one of the junctions in the path and I took this photo of our entourage. I have to say I was feeling slightly embarrassed at the size of my pack compared to the big thing the small porter was carrying! However, later in the trip I would be very grateful!

We continued the climb and had another fantastic hot meal by a mountain stream.

We encountered Rock Hyrax (which got a little agitated by the strange beast with a camera that got a too close for his liking!!), together with some beautiful birds and more strange plants. Again as we climbed the landscape continued to change and by the time we reached our hut for the evening, Shiptons 4,200m there were very few plants that were surviving now. The air was noticeably thin and as soon as the sun dipped behind the mountains the temperature plummeted to well below freezing.

Again we were in a mountain hut comprising about 5 dorms each could house 10-12 people in bunks. Then there was a communal dining room. We chatted to other climbers, some had been up since the day before doing an acclimatisation walk in advance of attempting the summit. We enjoyed another commendable feast from Mohamud’s team in the kitchen. We were even provided with a charcoal stove to heat under the table and keep us warm, he thinks of everything.

A lot of the others were trying to summit for sunrise. This meant getting up at 2am. We decided to give that a miss and plumbed to set off at 5am. Sleep was limited, whether it was the cold, altitude or pre-summit nerves, I am not sure. The nature of the hut meant we were also awoken by the others getting ready to set off at 2am. The alarms finally went off at just after 4am and we gathered our things, drank copious cups of hot tea and ate a hearty breakfast.

Head torches on, we set off into the darkness for the slow, steep and very cold ascent. On the ridge above us we could see the lights of the other group, way above us. The incline quickly steepened to about a 1:3 of loose scree for the next hour or so. Progressively, ice was holding the loose stones together but, occasionally and unexpectedly it was slippery so that kept us on our toes. Finally, after a couple of hours, the scree stopped and the incline eased. Snow however was making an appearance now. We crested the rim of the shoulder which we were to then track along to the final 1hour kick for the summit.

The advantage of our later start meant we had now had the warmth of the sunrise. The walk was now much more pleasant but, with the decreasing oxygen was no less tiring. The pace was very slow now, we were taking short baby steps and resting every hundred metres or so. The 360 degree view from here with the golden hue of the morning sun, the ruggedness of the mountain and the rest of the mountains in the range was amazing.

Finally, after a last kick for the summit we made it to 4985m and the 3^rd highest of the 3 summits of Mount Kenya. The others require some serious climbing that my “respect” (AKA fear!) of heights will not permit me to attempt. At the top we could see the summit of Kilimanjaro about 250 miles away in Tanzania (Amazing!) .

Something I was not expecting was a Via Ferata (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_ferrata) on the descent across the glacier. Again my fear of heights came to the fore! We traversed the glacier and climbed down rock faces using the metal wire fixed to the rock and the occasional metal rung steps. Significantly easier and safer than if it was not there but that did not stop my Elvis style leg wobbles at a couple of more precarious moments!! Finally off the snow, we descended in the sun down scree slopes towards lunch. During this walk Mohamud explained how far the glacier had retreated over the last 10 years – scary!! At that rate it will be gone in the next 10!

By 1pm we made it to the lunch stop and had caught up with the advance group. Lunch was very welcome, although I was still feeling slightly nauseous from the altitude. I could not eat as much as I should have. We were all very tired after the early start and negotiated a 1 hour sleep stop on the bunks in the hut before setting off in the now rapidly fading visibility down the remaining 3 hours hike.

The mist gave way to rain and the predicted 3 hours turned out to be wildly optimistic. We finally made it to out night stop by 6pm after 14 hours walking(less a couple for sleep and food). The worst part was the last 2 hours were in heavy rain and sleet. We had been lucky up until then and it could have been a lot worse if it had rained in the morning. However, our final hut had a raging log fire to welcome us and we soon forgot the rain as we warmed up. In the evening I had got my appetite back and had a feast before falling into an exhausted deep sleep at 8.30.

The final day we awoke to warm sunshine and a gentle 3 hours walk out of the national park. An amazing trip overall and highly recommended. I returned to Kandara Saturday afternoon leaving the other 3 to chill out in a smart hotel.