Weeks 2-3 in Kenya

The good news? I've been having an amazing time in Kenya. The bad news? I've been enjoying myself so thoroughly that I've forgotten to update this blog for a few weeks. After one month in Nairobi, I've had more adventures than I could possibly recount in one post, but I'll attempt to convey the highlights.

My second weekend here, I traveled with four other interns to Amboseli National Park, a game reserve (and UNESCO Biosphere site) near the border of Tanzania. From the wild baboons running freely around our tents to the breathtaking view of Mt. Kilimanjaro, this place is unlike any other. Though I believe strongly that Kenya is a country with much more to offer than tourist attractions, I can now understand why thousands of travelers fly across the world each year solely to experience this sort of safari.

Back in Nairobi, teaching has been going well. The children have been taking midterm exams, so many days I do not have much to do other than supervise and ensure a quiet testing atmosphere. When not completing examinations, my class has been working on telling time (the difference between 'quarter past' and 'quarter to' proving especially difficult), division, Kiswahili, English grammar and spelling, and environmental science, among other topics. I've been enjoying getting to know the children more and am still working on learning names, which is challenging in a class of over 35! Originally I assumed the class couldn't be more than 30, but after a quick headcount this week I realized the burden placed on each teacher in the school.

Last weekend, I traveled with the other interns to visit Fourteen Falls, a natural landmark boasting fourteen distinct waterfalls along the Althi River near the town of Thika. With a guide's help, we all held hands and crossed the river by foot until we reached a large flat space in-between two waterfalls. After our guide effortlessly backflipped into the water below, he asked if any of us would like to do the same. In the spirit of adventure, I squeezed my eyes shut and jumped off the stone outcropping into the basin below. The exhilaration was certainly worth the subsequent chill of the water!

Heretofore unmentioned events of the past few weeks also include market visits, excessive amounts of World Cup viewing, and surviving sickness in Kenya! Look for another post soon(ish) for more. 

Kenya - Its Wild Side

A trip to Kenya is incomplete without getting to see its wild side – the majestic mountains, the zig-zagging gorges, and of course the animals. On many weekends, I had the fortunate opportunity to see many wonderful parks around Kenya. One of the first weekends I was there, we went biking through Hell’s Gate. The name brought to my mind images similar to Dante’s Inferno, but when we arrived, I felt I had just stepped into a poster-perfect piece of heaven on earth. Words can’t really do justice so I will just have to have the picture speak for its beauty. 

 

Hell’s Gate was the first time I got to bike through a national park, where we spotted baboons, zebras, and even a giraffe.  The baboons were extremely cute, but while we were busy oohing and ahhing, they sneakily grabbed our packed lunch and ran off with it! We quickly learned our lesson after that. The best part was taking a tour down to the gorges (luckily it was sunny that day or else there would have been flash flooding in the gorges) and seeing the windy tunnels.

Another weekend, we hiked for five hours up Mount Longonot, an inactive volcanic mountain. It was one of the most grueling hikes I’ve been on but definitely worth the triumphant feeling when we finished. Everyone warned us that we would be covered in a thick layer of dust by the time we finished, but I did not believe them until I actually tried the hike. Unlike a regular mountain, this mountain’s dirt mostly comprised of sand, rather than dirt, and you could not avoid making a mess as you climbed. Never have I ever most looked forward to a shower than after that hike.

And finally, I can’t forget to mention all the animals I got to see – elephants, zebras, giraffes, and even lions. For someone who grew up watching Lion King and can recite the lyrics of most of its songs by memory, it was truly a dream come true. A group of us went to visit the Elephant Orphanage, where we saw baby elephants that were only a few months old but already were so big. Their mothers often were killed by poachers and so these elephants had to be rescued. The visit reminded me of how we need to continue working to preserve this world and the environment and animals that coexist with us, so that even generations down the line can appreciate all this beauty. I also got to take a trip to the Giraffe Center, where the main event was getting to kiss a giraffe. I highly recommend everyone trying that at some point in their lives J

Kenya - Working at LivelyHoods

So the reason why I am in Kenya is to see the Great Migration…just kidding! The real reason is that I heard about a nonprofit called LivelyHoods, which operates in Kenya, and became really interested in working there over the summer. I had never worked for a nonprofit before and so it was a good opportunity to see firsthand what challenges a nonprofit faces in a developing world and put what I learned (I was a Global Affairs major, in the economic development track) in college in perspective.

A little about LivelyHoods – it trains Kenyan youth to be sales agents for products such as solar panel powered lamps and more efficient charcoal stoves. The Kenyan youth are able to have a livelihood, while the customers in Nairobi gain products that improve their environment and that help them save money in the long run. My role in this nonprofit is a little bit of everything. We are currently trying to figure out the best way to expand and sell more products so that the company can become self-sufficient. I am also working on creating a low-tech sales management system that will help the sales agents record their daily activity when they are out and about in the field. My favorite part of working at LivelyHoods is definitely meeting all the sales agents and staff. Many of these sales agents have dreams to become chefs, or fashion designers, but are unable to afford the education required for that role. One inspiring figure named Alex was an orphan who worked his way up in this nonprofit to now be a sales leader and trainer. Talking to them everyday reminds me why it is so important to keep helping – even if it is one youth at a time.

There are many challenges in running a nonprofit, and even more when trying to run one in a developing country with a corrupt government, so I am really impressed by the tireless effort of all the people working in this organization. I just started a trial of the sales management system that I created with 6 sales agents so I am excited to start hearing some feedback next week!

Kenya - First Impressions

After a 25 hour flight, I had finally arrived in Kenya. It was such a wonderful sight to walk through the airport security and see my Kenyan buddy, Muchiri, holding an AIESEC sign. He then helped take me to the Intern House in Kileleshwa, where I will be staying for the next two months in Kenya. I live there with eight other international students – from Brazil, Mexico, Germany, France, and Netherlands. We also have a wonderful cook named Noah who serves as our taxi driver as well. So many people in the apartment makes for lively nights and I always look forward to going back after work.

The day after I arrived, I had to learn how to get to work using public transportation. The other interns at LivelyHoods (where I’m interning) take taxis but I like to follow the saying – when in Kenya, do as the Kenyans do! The most popular form of transportation here are the matatus – minivans that can fit up to 14 people (or even more during rush hour) at a time. Each matatu is often decorated with interesting themes – I’ve seen some that have Jesus written all over it. They usually play loud reggae music as they drive (although occasionally, you find the one driver who enjoys  American 90s music like the Backstreet Boys). I was first pretty nervous taking a matatu since to me, they were very chaotic. There was no definite bus stop, no definite time table for the matatus, no set map route for the matatus, and everyone I asked said that you just know which matatu to take to get somewhere.  My first day riding the matatus – I had gone the long way at first and ended up taking two hours to get to work. Then on the way back, the matatu dropped me off in a location that I did not recognize, and I ended up calling a taxi. Over the course of the week, however, I have somewhat mastered the art of matatu-riding (at least to and from work) and now, I look forward to the cheap and fun transportation system! I’ve realized that the matatus do follow a definitely route, even though it is not written down. And there are definitely advantages to no clear bus stops – you can get off wherever you want, and you never have to rush somewhere to catch a matatu since there is no clear time schedule. As a result, Kenyans seem much more relaxed with their time, which is something we can all learn to do a bit more.

- Jennifer Qiao

Rahim: African Health and Community Project in Kenya

This summer I spent 8 weeks volunteering for the African Health and Community Project (AHCP) in Nairobi Kenya. I was matched with the African Health and Community Project through AIESEC Yale, which contacted AIESEC Nairobi and found the opportunity for me to work with them. AHCP is an organization located in the Kibera slum of Nairobi. I was able to go on this trip because I was awarded an International Study Award, which provided me with the funds I needed to have this opportunity to travel and experience Kenya.

My project involved me first meeting with headmasters of neighboring primary schools in Nairobi and creating a network that allowed AHCP and these schools to be in constant communication. AHCP was looking at establishing a health education program in schools that currently did not provide health education to its students, and so I worked on a lesson plan for AHCP to be able to teach. We were able to form a network of 4 schools that were very underfunded and without basic resources such as running water and food, and worked out a schedule that included two health classes per week per grade level. The health classes incorporated education on HIV transmission and risk factors, proper procedures for keeping water uncontaminated, and ways in which to ensure good hygiene. I was able to go through every grade level in all 4 schools and complete the lesson plan, and once I finished teaching the class, I worked with the principles of the schools in establishing health education the basic core curriculum.

The second part of my project involved me working with other organizations including the Ruben Center on getting funding for the schools and local clinics that were desperately in need of basic resources that were clearly lacking. I did not have enough time to complete this objective by the time I had to leave, so I have been working on this since I have been back. I wish to go back to Nairobi at some point next summer and continue to work with AHCP to provide more funding and resources for the schools and clinics that I had worked with.

Rahim is a junior in Branford College.