Kenya's Somaliland

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Trip Start Sep 01, 2006 Trip End Jul 01, 2007 Next
Entry

  Wajir, Kenya
Sunday, November 12, 2006

Hello everybody,

How are you all? Things are great here, apologies for
not emailing sooner but we have been working in the
back of beyonds with no internet connection or
international call coverage!

Wajir was an experience I'll never forget, we did some
fantastic work and have actually really made a
difference to some peoples lives. Wajir was quite
inhospitable in terms of environment, it's totally
desert and flat as far as the eye can see! We
travelled there by bus...it took 15hours but it was
amazing. After about 5 hours out of Nairobi we left
the tarmac road and we were driving straight through
the desert, it was sore but so exhilarating. Wajir is
very close to the Somali border so the population is
mainly somali refugees.. 99%Muslim 1% Christian. The
language spoken is somali also and any of the cars etc
have somlali regristration...it's bizarre
really...lots of guns...quite scary but there is alot
of banditary going on at the border.

I've seen some very sad situations and really wonder
what is going on in this world... I did food
distribuation for the elderly in the villages...they
have Nothing and live in tiny huts but they are so
friendly and greatful...it's difficult to see and it
makes me mad...

We stayed at the school we were working at and there
were giraffes wandering around aimlesly...so beautiful
but so sureal...the whole experience is totally sureal
but I feel quite privledged to be able to help and
experience their culture.

I have so much to say and don't really know where to
start! Oh we slaughtered a goat on eide (ramadhan) and
ate every bit of it (yes everything...nothing is
wasted!) I'm getting quite comfortable with
slaughtering chickens now too! The food is really
white refined foods mainly so the chance of weight
loss is very slim!

I've been to Kibera, it's the largest slum in Kenya
and i think the second largest in Africa... there are
corrugated iron huts for miles and so many people...
the railway line runs straight through and its mainly
used as the route through to the city by foot. It's
really difficult to see and apparently there is a
place where about 40 or 50 bodies are carried out
everyday having died from HIV... I didn't want to see
it but while I was there a woman was dying in her
hut...she was wailing so hard and sounded like she was
in so so much pain... you could hear her from ages and
the sadest thing was that everyone was going on about
their usual routein... it made me cry.

I'm in Nairobi today as we are working in a village
about 2 hours away and were able to come for an
excursion during our free time! We're in a region
called Murunga and it's so totally different to Wajir,
the people are more friendly and open and the
landscape is just amazing, the hills are faboulous and
go on for ages and are covered in the most amazing
waxy green trees. It's raining alot now and the
village were in is like one big mud bath! I doubt I'll
ever get my feet clean again and I'm permanently
muddy!

We've met some amazing people both kenyans and
internationals, I spent alot of time with some oxfam
and world food programme guys, they have amazing
stories. I met an Irish guy called Colm from Bandon,
he's been here for 30 years and he trains the local
youths for the olympics, we met the kenyan 5000m
olympic medalist. Colm has an orphanage and runs a
HIV/Aids awareness programme, I might go and work in
the orphanage for a while, TV3 (Irish telly) are
making a documentry on him and his work in the middle
of dec....Dr. Green from ER (TV programme) is going to
be there too...phoarr! I'm not sure if I'll make it in
time tho!

There is a school in the slum called the Love shack,
it's been set up by an english woman and shes doing
great work for the kids, I'm meeting her in a few
weeks to discuss designing a new school for them.
Sounds good but I've come to realise alot of things
don't actually materialise here!!

I've made friends with some of the kenyans and they
took me to the GHETTO (get high education to teach
others)...different to the slums... the majority of
them sleep in a one room,3 of  the guys I know share
one single bed... no kitchen no bathroom nothing else.
But when I came they welcomed me with open arms and we
all ate fish stew and ugali (Gross white stodgy type
dough-Staple food) but it was brilliant and i learned
alot from them. When we left we saw a guy getting
knocked down...the roads are bad, he was just lying on
the verge... and no ambulance or anything... ?

I've been asked for money alot... I'm beginning to
feel guilty that I have some.. it's difficult and it's
hard to know whats genuine and whats not. As a white
person it's just assumed that we are rich but I
suppose it's understandable given the history. I'm not
sure if you've heard about the white farmer thats on
trial for murdering a kenyan, the trial is on at the
moment and it sounds like the Muzungu (white person)
will get off through corruption and money... I've been
to his farm/petrol station/restaurants etc, it's
called delawares but I didn't know it was
him....strange things....

I suppose I should sign off as I'm beginning to
ramble! I hope you are all well and enjoying life,
Carol I hope your mum is ok and keeping strong, send
her my love. Mary HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Sorry its a bit
late but I was thinking of you. I'm missing you all
loads, I'm not coming home for christmas, I'm going to
Tanzania for a holiday at my cousins in Dar es salam.
Hopefully we'll go to Zanzibar!!! M'Julie I've found
the tribesman ;)

Lots of love to you all, work hard and be good!!!
Bren xxxx

PS. If I've missed anyone on the email list can
someone forward it on for me...thanks x

Robyn can you forward to Ian and Andy as I don't think
I have there address!

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