Projects in Kenya, One Month Later
So I'm back in the states for Christmas and having a great time being home. There's plenty I want to write concerning how things compare and contract with life in Kenya, but I'll save that for later. For now I'm a month behind on updates and want to get up to speed on where things stand since the last time I wrote.
First, work. Part of the reason I'm behind in writing is that things have been crazy busy. Concerning the Farmer's Network, I invited the designers for DrumNet, the organization building an infrastructure to link farmers to markets, to Kakamega for a meeting with the network officials. Six people from Nairobi came to the office and discussed the DrumNet vision. The next step will take place in January, when DrumNet officials will come to the field and train the FFS group leaders to determine which groups will be interested in participating. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have gone into DrumNet development, and the initial project will attempt to link farmers to a reliable and profitable market for sunflower seeds. Through the FAO implemented Farmer Field Schools, an infrastructure is already in place that closely mirrors the types of farming groups needed for DrumNet. After speaking to Jonathan, the DrumNet chairman, and working with his staff, it has been determined that the Kakamega Network is an ideal location to begin the pilot project for DrumNet. I'm excited, and over the next few months I anticipate good things coming out of this and plenty to keep me busy.
I’m also forced to keep looking for markets for sweet potatoes. I hate this crop. People continue promising to find a market for the farmers, then come up with nothing. An organization called AMPATH is providing food for over 30,000 HIV positive people in nearby Eldoret, and I have a meeting in January to discuss the potential for this group to buy sweet potatoes. A last ditch effort will be to put the potatoes on a radio show that advertises produce. The intention was to do this in December but nothing ever happens on time here so the dates have been moved to January. Furthermore, a new Peace Corps volunteer on the coast is working with the same stupid NGO (The International Centre for Potatoes) that promoted these potatoes to Kakamega. His job is to find non-existent markets for the hundreds of farmers who have been coerced into growing sweet potatoes as a cash crop on the coast. On the plus side, I plan to visit him. Even though there’s little I’ll be able to do to assist, at least I’ll have a good reason to lay out on the sand and soak up sunshine in my spare time.
As for my two proposals, progress is slowly being made. I submitted both the Wheelchair and Poultry project proposals to the Peace Corps office in November, and I've been told that they will both be approved and will be submitted to the headquarters office in DC this month. Getting this wheelchair project knocked out will lift a huge weight from my shoulders, and I pray that for once things will actually go right on this. I recently visited one of the disabled groups to ensure them that funding is coming and also followed up with one of the group members who was given a wheelchair on credit. He was so happy and is able to move about freely in a way he never has before. Unlike my last two visits to the disabled group when very few people were around, this time people knew I was visiting the group. About 50 new people suffering from all kinds of physical disabilities wanting me to assist them. News travels fast. For some unknown reason, these people weren't available for the initial assessment, even after both the group leader and social development officer were informed well in advance. However, I've already submitted the proposal and can't add any new people. One thing I've learned is that saving Kenya, or even doing things efficiently, is out of my hands. I can do my part to assist but I can't save the world, especially when people are seemingly working against me.
As for the poultry project, I’m continuing to move forward under the assumption the funding will come. A few weeks ago I went with the mamas on a field tip to Kisumu, where we visited three poultry projects and learned more about how to successfully start the project when the funding comes. The trip was a big success, and the mamas really enjoyed being out of the village and in the big city. We rented a private matatu for the day and had 12 mamas plus Habakkuk and a livestock extension officer with us for the day. While visiting the various sites the mamas took plenty of notes and asked lots of questions, and I can see that they are very excited about getting started on the project. I am too. This has the potential to be the most fun and rewarding project in my two years of Peace Corps.
After we finished our visits in Kisumu I took the mamas out to lunch, and we went to the Kisumu waterfront for a late lunch. On the Lake Victoria shore there are over twenty small restaurants, basically wooden shacks, all selling the same thing: fish and ugali. The Luo tribe that lives around the lake is crazy about the stuff and all of the restaurants are consistently busy. The server showed us variety of different sized fresh fish, which were negotiated on then cooked to order. The food was great, and for less than twenty bucks 15 people were able to eat four big talapia, plenty of ugali, veggies, and soda..
The day before going to Kisumu I was also with the Wake Up Women’s group attending a Christmas party for the orphans. We had a great time and I brought Lillian, the new leader for the FSD volunteers that drift in and out of Kakamega. She fell in love with the orphans and may work with me on future projects with the women’s group. During the party the kids all received new hand-sewn uniforms that were really nice and made by one of the mamas. I brought a soccer ball for the kids but it was so cheap it leaked from all the seams and wouldn’t inflate, but at least Lillian brought plenty of candy, stickers, and crafts for the kids. They also received their annual bags of dried maize and bar of soap, which reminded me yet again how fortunate I was as a child and how much I constantly take for granted.
So that’s about the latest for work. I’m going to post plenty of pics while I’m home and write about my travels over the past month in another post. Merry Christmas!
First, work. Part of the reason I'm behind in writing is that things have been crazy busy. Concerning the Farmer's Network, I invited the designers for DrumNet, the organization building an infrastructure to link farmers to markets, to Kakamega for a meeting with the network officials. Six people from Nairobi came to the office and discussed the DrumNet vision. The next step will take place in January, when DrumNet officials will come to the field and train the FFS group leaders to determine which groups will be interested in participating. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have gone into DrumNet development, and the initial project will attempt to link farmers to a reliable and profitable market for sunflower seeds. Through the FAO implemented Farmer Field Schools, an infrastructure is already in place that closely mirrors the types of farming groups needed for DrumNet. After speaking to Jonathan, the DrumNet chairman, and working with his staff, it has been determined that the Kakamega Network is an ideal location to begin the pilot project for DrumNet. I'm excited, and over the next few months I anticipate good things coming out of this and plenty to keep me busy.
I’m also forced to keep looking for markets for sweet potatoes. I hate this crop. People continue promising to find a market for the farmers, then come up with nothing. An organization called AMPATH is providing food for over 30,000 HIV positive people in nearby Eldoret, and I have a meeting in January to discuss the potential for this group to buy sweet potatoes. A last ditch effort will be to put the potatoes on a radio show that advertises produce. The intention was to do this in December but nothing ever happens on time here so the dates have been moved to January. Furthermore, a new Peace Corps volunteer on the coast is working with the same stupid NGO (The International Centre for Potatoes) that promoted these potatoes to Kakamega. His job is to find non-existent markets for the hundreds of farmers who have been coerced into growing sweet potatoes as a cash crop on the coast. On the plus side, I plan to visit him. Even though there’s little I’ll be able to do to assist, at least I’ll have a good reason to lay out on the sand and soak up sunshine in my spare time.
As for my two proposals, progress is slowly being made. I submitted both the Wheelchair and Poultry project proposals to the Peace Corps office in November, and I've been told that they will both be approved and will be submitted to the headquarters office in DC this month. Getting this wheelchair project knocked out will lift a huge weight from my shoulders, and I pray that for once things will actually go right on this. I recently visited one of the disabled groups to ensure them that funding is coming and also followed up with one of the group members who was given a wheelchair on credit. He was so happy and is able to move about freely in a way he never has before. Unlike my last two visits to the disabled group when very few people were around, this time people knew I was visiting the group. About 50 new people suffering from all kinds of physical disabilities wanting me to assist them. News travels fast. For some unknown reason, these people weren't available for the initial assessment, even after both the group leader and social development officer were informed well in advance. However, I've already submitted the proposal and can't add any new people. One thing I've learned is that saving Kenya, or even doing things efficiently, is out of my hands. I can do my part to assist but I can't save the world, especially when people are seemingly working against me.
As for the poultry project, I’m continuing to move forward under the assumption the funding will come. A few weeks ago I went with the mamas on a field tip to Kisumu, where we visited three poultry projects and learned more about how to successfully start the project when the funding comes. The trip was a big success, and the mamas really enjoyed being out of the village and in the big city. We rented a private matatu for the day and had 12 mamas plus Habakkuk and a livestock extension officer with us for the day. While visiting the various sites the mamas took plenty of notes and asked lots of questions, and I can see that they are very excited about getting started on the project. I am too. This has the potential to be the most fun and rewarding project in my two years of Peace Corps.
After we finished our visits in Kisumu I took the mamas out to lunch, and we went to the Kisumu waterfront for a late lunch. On the Lake Victoria shore there are over twenty small restaurants, basically wooden shacks, all selling the same thing: fish and ugali. The Luo tribe that lives around the lake is crazy about the stuff and all of the restaurants are consistently busy. The server showed us variety of different sized fresh fish, which were negotiated on then cooked to order. The food was great, and for less than twenty bucks 15 people were able to eat four big talapia, plenty of ugali, veggies, and soda..
The day before going to Kisumu I was also with the Wake Up Women’s group attending a Christmas party for the orphans. We had a great time and I brought Lillian, the new leader for the FSD volunteers that drift in and out of Kakamega. She fell in love with the orphans and may work with me on future projects with the women’s group. During the party the kids all received new hand-sewn uniforms that were really nice and made by one of the mamas. I brought a soccer ball for the kids but it was so cheap it leaked from all the seams and wouldn’t inflate, but at least Lillian brought plenty of candy, stickers, and crafts for the kids. They also received their annual bags of dried maize and bar of soap, which reminded me yet again how fortunate I was as a child and how much I constantly take for granted.
So that’s about the latest for work. I’m going to post plenty of pics while I’m home and write about my travels over the past month in another post. Merry Christmas!
posted by KenyaJoe at 8:16 AM
