CES and Western Kenya

CES KENYA

06/01 Toronto – Paris – Nairobi a 33 hr journey, finally in Kenya. Temps have come full circle -20 to +25 degrees but what has not changed is the incredible welcome “Karibu” for this “mizungu” (white guy). CES Kenya Director Livingstone Nyanje had already set up lodging at the newly renovated ACK Guesthouse in central Nairobi. Jet lagged but still pumped by a journey taken many times over the past decade, only a few hours sleep were needed to recover.

07/01 NAIROBI – crowded with unbelievable gridlock during rush hour. Idling for 30 minutes in a queue and jostling with three “matatus” for one space is a nightmare. Religious messages plastered on windows of these 14 passenger motor vans have little in common with their unruly drivers. The city is building a three terminal airport and expanding through better transportation networks and new building developments. The tragedy of Kibera and Methare slums remain part of modern day Nairobi.

The sad reality is that nearly half of gross earnings by working Kenyans goes into food. A recent Ipsos Public Affairs survey indicates that 50% of people give money to others outside their immediate family for daily needs. Up to 1/4 of Kenyans are going to bed hungry. Away from food, the next big expense is school fees. Free education does not exist and many living in rural areas cannot afford to send their children to school. Despite these realities, Safaricom does a booming business. A cell phone however cannot replace education or fill an empty stomach.

09/01 KISUMU – 3rd largest city of 1million in KENYA, it lies on the eastern shores of Lake Victoria. Here last February the CES (140 km) Run for Peace created quite a buzz. CES Graduate Pendo Lugalia accompanied me, taking notes and photos. She proved to be a great asset throughout.

Lions HS sets high standards for students, many that come from a nearby slum area. CES student Stephen Oginga shared his story. His father died in 2009...his mother sells charcoal by the roadside for she and five children to survive. He is the only one of five siblings to attend secondary school. Grades have improved as he now can study at night by a solar lamp provided by CES Canada.  

Principal Penina Okech is a wonderful example of what it takes to care for the poorest, to help raise their hopes and dreams. Here CES Chair BenUdoto joins Stephen and his Principal.

Dr. Ruby Sokwala is a modern day Mother Theresa. Well known for her work with Aids patients, she has worked in Kisumu since 1971. Besides her medical practice she works in Obunga slum in a program called Agape Girls. Here girls age 13-18 receive clothing and life skills. Part of her work is another organization called Newlife where orphaned children are found homes in the community. Dr Sokwala helps CES in Kenya as Medical Advisor. Leaving her tiny office on Ogado Street, we realized we were in the presence of a saint.

Pendo Lugalia and Dr Ruby Sokwala

Before heading up the Nandi Escarpment to Kakamega, we visited St Mary's Yalla. CES students are thriving in a strong academic environment. Each spoke eloquently about their goals in life - Kevin Magonere wants to study Actuarial Science, Wycliffe Mululi dreams of being a Pilot and Gerald Ayeye is hoping to be an Electrical Engineer. Each of these Form 3 students has a unique story reflecting acute poverty and the reality of living without a parent(s). High achievers all, it was Kevin who told us he was disappointed in a mark of 396 in the KCPE standardized test. He actually is among the top 5 percentile in the entire nation!

Gerald, Wycliffe (centre) and Kevin - Form 4 St Mary's Yalla SS

10/01 KAKAMEGA- a bustling town of some 90,000 and home to Masinde Muliro University. Here CES Kenya has its headquarters. Like coming home to a familiar place, we quickly adjust to the the conjestion caused by boda bodas, matatus, picky-pickies, tuk-tuks and those walking. Speed bumps and gigantic potholes in the road provide us with the typical “Kenyan massage”. Good to be back. CES Patron Malik Khaemba and Chair Ben Udoto are our chief hosts. Like good friends, we pick up just where we left off last September 2012.

Thirty minutes out of town to the north lies St Mary Goretti Girls HS at Shikoti. Principal Everlyne Shinal is at the main gate to greet us. The main aim of our visit is to see the progress on the St Agnes Dorm. It was constructed July 2013 by a Canadian team of volunteers from Thunder Bay. This dorm will hold 72 girls when completed. A dozen workers were putting the finish on the inside. As I had missed the chance to do any work last summer, it was fun to lend a hand by plastering one wall. Electical conduits are complete and the areas for showers, toilets and ironing clothes is roughed in. The newly reinforced septic tank is now in place. What has been accomplished through St Agnes Church community Thunder Bay is extraordinary. The change from a dilapidated 35 year old mud dorm to a well built modern facility is amazing. The only problem for the school now is to decide on which 72 (of 900) will be the first residents. Not easy as every girl has signed up for the opportunity.

Shikoti Girls Board Chair Charles Lwanga Lwole at St Agnes Dorm

With the assistance of the EAAPP (East Africa Agricultural Production Project), CES is creating a farm where dairy cattle will produce enough milk for the school. This includes a zero grazing initiative on five acres of napia grass. At time of visit the basic structure of the cowshed had been built. The chicken coup funded in 2012 through St Agnes Church will receive a fresh brood of chicks to start of the school year.




No school choir in the world sounds better than Shikoti Girls - the criteria of course being quality of the sound and passion. “Today is a Wonderful Day” greeted us as we entered the gathering place where the entire school was assembled. Sung first in English, then Swahili and finally in their Luyha mother tongue, it really stirred the soul. I had the extraordinary opportunity of speaking on a topic to do with the school motto: “Arise and Shine”. Funny how you have to sometimes switch gears in mid-stream. Unknown to me was the fact that the school community had recently changed the motto from its inception in 1971. I quickly realized my faux pas. Offering a “pole sana” apology I had to redirect comments to reflect the new motto - “Strive to Be the Best Always”. Next time I shall note the school gate signs more carefully. Pendo had been a teacher assistant laast May to August 2013. As she was invited to speak the girls gave her the biggest cheer of all. No matter in Kenya or Canada, high school girls are the same...full of life and lots of fun.

Pendo mentoring CES students at Shikoti

11/01 LUTASO/MUSAGA/NAVAKHOLO
“Today is a Wonderful Day” ... can't get that song out of my head. It's Saturday...students remain in school until 3pm. Education is cherished and the discipline of learning is strict and demanding. Yet as we travel we see young people in school uniform sent home for lack of school fees. Children of school age show signs of unimaginable poverty...for them school is not an option. At St Caroli Lwango Lutaso SS we meet Principal Sister Mary Goretti and other school officials. Since 2011, CES has seen the need for clean water. Students now drink tainted water brought by bicycle from a stream some 3 miles away. Huge boulders surround this school built on solid rock. Two surveys and four quotes are now in place. The water must be pumped 300 metres from an underground water source in a valley below the school. The well will provide water to the adjacent primary school as well as the parish surrounding St Caroli school.

CES grad Doris Miroya (Ibinzo SS 2010) meets St Caroli CES Students

CES Kenya Patron Malik Khaemba with CES students and Principal Sister Mary Goretti

Next we tavelled to the village of Musaga where CES Chair Ben Udoto went to school. As a child his teacher held his hand as Ben wrote with his finger in the sand. In those days there were no books or pens at Musaga P.S. Today thanks to CES Canada Thunder Bay a secondary school is running with a total of 300 expected this year. I tried to imagine the excitement of Lynn Zolinski and her friends as they dedicated this beautiful school to the memory of Deanna O'Neill. Eight classrooms are open and the last two – the Musaga Center for Biology and Chemistry needs a roof. Leaving Musaga we revisited the Musaga well dedicated by Sheila Smith and the late Sharyn Poole in 2011.

Sheilah Nasindu, Musaga SS

CES grad (2013) and CES Young Writers Contributor

Navakholo SS was the last stop. Roads are hot and dusty and difficult to drive on. CES Kenya Patron Malik Khaemba deserves a medal for his unqualified expertise in keeping us all safe. In 2010 a well and farm were officially opened and today we visited it again...fully operational with 100 litres of milk provided each day.

The newly renovated science lab, also a gift from a CES donor was nearly completed. The progress of this school is remarkable and CES is a big part of that. Principal Aquinas Wamukoya was so grateful to hear that one family in Canada had funded these projects. “Tell the Freeman family”, he said, that they now have a farm in Navakholo Kenya.



Tired after an absolutely incredible day, I was about to rest when a knock on my door at Sheywe Guesthouse revealed a familiar face. Benjamin Wafula has been a teacher in Kakamega since 2010. How good to spend time with our first graduate (2006) talking about his future. Pendo Lugalia (2010) and Doris Miroya (2010) stopped by and by the end of a conversation that included two power failures, it was decided by candlelight that a CES Kenya Alumni group be established. How exciting that graduates still feel the impact of CES on their lives and together can find ways to give back by supporting other needy students!

CES Alumnus Pendo and Doris

Pendo Lugalia -Yr2 Kenyatta University (Biochemistry/Molecular Biology)

Doris Miroya - Yr 2 Moi University Eldoret (Agricultual Economics)

12/01 KAKAMEGA ... Sunday, a day of rest. Slept in until 6am as the birdsong filled the air. Luhya drummers summoned the faithful to prayer. The outside air is too sweet to sleep in. I was reminded of the verse “in the morning will I lift my eyes to the heavens”.

The day was filled with thoughts about our dear friend Sharyn Poole. How she loved coming to Kakamega to see Doris, Pendo and a host of other students who called her “mom”. We were to visit the Divine Providence Orphanage on the outskirts of town. At the gates we were met by Sister Caroline and Ryan a young one just learning to walk. He raised his arms and naturally I picked the little fellow up. What a precious moment...he was my main buddy for the day. Clement was a 16 year old born deaf and dumb. He greeted me with a smile. Kelly, a six year old victim of polio had crutches to move as he dragged his legs behind him. I wanted to see him as I too at his age had polio. Vaccines in Kenya are available to all; yet, some mothers do not bother because of poverty or lack of education. Kelly and I just hung out for a bit. I told him I wanted to be his “rafiki” friend.

Older orphans caring for the babies

Little ones want to learn with the older children

My buddy Ryan and 6 year old Kelly

Sister Carolyne took us to the chapel to spend time in reflection and celebration of Sharyn's life. Pendo and Doris spoke so beautifully and we were all touched by the love and respect shown by Sister Carolyne. A portion of Sharyn's ashes had been lovingly placed under the altar. This was a holy place. We were at peace.

 

Tomorrow is another day! There is a sense that each day is to be treasured for what it brings. Even though this is my 8^th visit to western Kenya, it's not any easier to deal with the acute poverty that prevails.