Beginning Projects at Kadzinuni

Dear Friends;

I am slowly beginning to do some work! I held my first community meeting this past Thursday. Hum ----it didn't turn out as planned but this is Kenya. I prepared for the meeting by making some posters and taking them around to several of the villages. I nailed them up to the sides of several mud dukas (very small shops) and hoped it wouldn't rain. Well, ofcourse it rained and blew and two days later, not a one was still in place. On Monday while walking thru a village, a small child proudly ran up to me with a poster that she had rescued from the rain. No way was she giving it back to me ----well, despite all, 92 people showed up for the meeting which was truly an amazing turn out. I expect they mostly just wanted to see what the white woman was up to. The agenda was to allow me to listen to residents talk about their community needs. Well, the sub-district chief didn't tell me that he was expecting to come and hold a 2 hour meeting before letting me take center stage. Also, we waited an hour and a half for people to arrive. The few folks who arrived on time certainly didn't seem bothered by the wait! Get this - the outdoor meeting area (see picture attached here) was RIGHT next to the primary school. So, after waiting a half hour, the chief had the head master of the school send all the kids home to get their parents to attend the meeting -----the school has 1000 students!! So now, children are running everywhere; I'm not sure just how many of them made it home. Some of the students live a 45 minute walk from the school! But, I must admit,more people did show up.

So what community needs did they mention? Most of them centered around the lack of water and the unreliability of the system. There are community "faucets" that give out treated water but the people have to pay for the water. There are very few free locations for water. One woman wanted a community bank and the local drama enthusiast wanted a stage for productions.

I would like to mention the fact that I am going to be reopenning the Kadzinuni library and will be asking for book donations. I am especially wanting stuff appropriate for early teen girls. Remember, these children are taught all subjects in English. All the books currently here were donated by a British family who funded the construction of the health clinic; actually, it is a dispensary. Nothing too racy for any age group; there are many muslims here and other religions are well represented also; very conservative.

Comments on the photos attached here: the chameleon was right outside my door! They have eyes that rotate 360 degrees. The small boy beside the small house ---why that is nine year old Davis who told his Dad he wanted to build his own house! The Muslim girls are right outside the door of the library ---they are excited about the prospect of it reopenning! And then a shot of my first community meeting.

Bye for now ---Mary

Trip to Mombasa and More

Hello Friends! I have become friends with the nurse here at the health clinic and she and her boyfriend and daughter took me into Mombasa for the day this past Saturday. Mombasa is the second largest city in Kenya and has gotten a lot of press in the past year. Mombasa has a big port and it is where a couple of the pirated ships have finally come to shore. Mombasa is a big, noisey, dirty, congested city but is in a beautiful location. For our day in the city, we visited an historic site; a fort built by the Portuguese in 1537. Very well preserved - see photos below and yes, the black people are my Kenyan friends! Also, here is a photo of a mud house in it's early construction stage. I will follow this house along and post a series of photos when it is completed. This will help you really visualize what a mud house is. You know we are predicted to begin an El Nino cycle starting at the end of this month. I have heard that during the rainy season some of these mud houses colapse!

I am currently organizing a community meeting; I have the task of writing a community needs accessment report so will have this meeting to solicite comments from the public. And, wow, what a public I may have in attendance. It will no doubt range from the illiterate to the college educated. Also, the meeting will be held outside in their usual meeting place ("under the big mango tree") and flip charts are unknown here and it likely will be windy. I will give you an update on this event after it takes place. I ofcourse will have an interpreter ---my kiswalhili has sort of stalled in its progress. I can speak, really I can, but I have a very hard time understanding people and have just become aware of the local dialet which is different from what I studied in Loittokitok. Oh ---would someone send me Karen Ingram's e-mail ----Steve actually lived in Loittokitok when he was a teenager.

Here are photos: Fort Jesus & Friends; random shots around where I live featuring shots of the sisal plantation that surrounds this area; and the first in the series on mud house construction.

Until next time -----