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Mark Jenner writes...

...about his experience while volunteering in the Kenya Orphanage program.

Diary Entries

· I'm Here (28th February 2006)
· Food Aid (4th March 2006)
· Orphanage (13th March 2006)
· Colin Salisbury and food aid (14th April 2006)
· HIV/AIDS testing (14th April 2006)

I'm Here (28th February 2006)

I'm here! It's crazy! The journey was really long and boring but after initial worry (I was a bit lost) I found someone with a placard with my name on. Another girl volunteer was there as well so it seemed more genuine! We got into the car and were driven by this really cool African guy (who works for VICDA) to their offices. We've just met other staff members and they all seem really nice too. The director explained to me that for the first 6 weeks I will be staying with a load of other guys in orphanage accommodation in a place called gombe?? or something like that. Irene said it's about 20km from Nairobi and is in the Maasaiiland! After that I will work in Nairobi. Anyway I will update you soon about what that place is like. One other thing is that I (i thought wisely) covered myself in factor 50 sun block only to get outside and for it to be tipping down with rain and thundering!

Anyho I will post another message soon. Xxx

Food Aid (4th March 2006)

On Saturday we don't have to work at the orphanage and so I joined a convoy of volunteers and VICDA staff. Until recently it has been very very dry especially in the rural areas. This convoy was going to deliver and distribute emergeny food aid. I helped and I spent about 2 hours using a 2 litre bucket to give maize flour out. It was an amainzg experience because all these people (about 200) were bordering on starving to death and so I was really proud to be part of a team that was helping them out.

The food aid is organised through VICDA and some of their staff helped to give it out. We were picked up from our placement at Simba Village in the Ngong hills and driven deeper into the plains of the Rift Valley. It took about 40 minutes over very bad road to get there, and when we arrived there were hundreds of Masaii women and children sitting on the ground waiting for us. The chief masaii of the area stood up and thanked all of us for the food and said a prayer, then we unloaded the beans and maize from a pickup truck.

As we gave out the food we got really close to everybody, they all looked so exhausted (many had walked miles to get to this area) but so grateful and releived at the same time. Some of them said "God bless you" as we gave out the food which was really moving. After we had given out the food we asked the chief how long this food would last, and he said about two days. Someone then asked what these people would do when it runs out, and he said that unless the government helped, "they will suffer very much".

It was amazing to be part of it and I think actually they organize such things regularly, as some of the other volunteers were talking about the food aid they gave out the week before. Apparently the people were so desperately hungary that they just scrambled for the food and they had to be beaten back with sticks.

Orphanage (13th March 2006)

This week I have spent a lot of time with the kids at the orphanage. A lot of them really like having someone just to read a book with them or something and so I'm making quite a few bonds. I also help out teaching the kids at the little school they have here (just a single class room). None of the younger ones speak English and are still going through the "scribbling" phase so I essentially just recite (and get them to repeat) the alphabet and numbers in an effort to get them to remember at least some of them.

This week we've also started planning a fundraising day on the 8th of April. Really, the focus is on creating a sustainable area of farmland, so that the orphanage can grow a greater variety of more nutritious crops, and in doing so, becoming self-reliant and not prone to the disastrous effects of local food shortages (which are frequent). In particular we are trying to raise enough money (about 2500 pounds)to buy and install a drip irrigation system which will raise efficiency and increase the yield (and allow them to sell the surplus). It's a really good project and it's exciting and challenging helping to organise it.

This weekend about 12 of us volunteers had a little holiday to Mombassa. We took a night bus and arrived in the morning to an incredibly hot city. We then got a taxi to a place called Diani where we spent the next few days relaxing, sun-bathing and eating lots of fresh fruit on this incredibly picturesque beach. It was fantastic. The sand was pure white and just off shore there was a beautiful coral reef which we snorkelled around.

Anyway I'm back in Nairobi now and ready to start work again. The only problem is that tomorrow I'm going on a safari to the Maasai Mara. It means that I will be away from the orphanage for a while but when I do get back I intend to work extra hard! Anyway I've got lots of things to do so I've got to go. Will update again soon. Missing you all. Mark xxx

Colin Salisbury and food aid (14th April 2006)

Hello!

Colin Salisbury, the Executive Director of GVN came to visit Kenya recently, he is delightful. I went and joined the welcome committee, and we met him and two GVN board members at the Airport. They were all really cool, although we were told that Colin was coming with two women! While we waited at arrivals Irene was talking to the receptionist person at one of the travel offices. He invited us into the waiting room and gave us FREE bottled water! We were so hesitant to open the bottle because we have got used to the fact that in Kenya, things are very rarely free.

We went with Colin and crew to their hotel where they bought us Tuskers. Then we spent some time discussing the history of GVN (which is very short) and general development issues. It was really interesting.

The next day we'd arranged to go and distribute some food aid in Maasailand. The morning we did this a truck carrying lots of donated trees up to Simba got stuck in the mud in the forest. Almost every child over 16 from Simba, most staff and all the volunteers then proceeded to spend about 2 hours trying to get this huge truck out of the mud. Finally we did but it meant that when we were picked up for the food aid, we were covered in mud! Gai! (god in Kiswahili, they all say it a lot!) Things aren't as bad as they were here in Kenya (drought wise) but so many crops were destroyed and so many animals died that it will take time for the people worst affected to be self sustaining again, which is why food aid is still so essential. Everyone was very appreciative of the food and it was good because this time we had more food to distribute and so people could get more. GVN raised the funds to buy all of the food, so thank you all very much. We even had some to spare that was stored for emergencies.

Whilst in Maasailand we visited a rural school. It was really nice, the kids just cheered when we came in the doors! It was chaotic but very nice to be so warmly received! We also went and had lunch at the chief's house again. Last time we went his wife (1 of 3) went into labour, and so this time we got to see the baby, which was very small and very cute.

On Wednesday Colin had arranged for us to go to Carnivore, a restaurant in Nairobi. This place is notorious for the variety of its barbequed meats. I couldn't resist the lure of the meat (sorry veggie friends!) so I ended up eating crocodile, ostrich, camel and many other weird things. Ostrich was the best, closely followed by crocodile. At this same place they had a cool club where they had a really good band playing. We all had an excellent time and got a chance to get to know the GVN guys better.

Of course another major thing that has happened recently is the BBQ, which we held on the 8th of April. I have to say that it was a resounding success. Everybody seemed to have a really fun time, including all of the children, who also enjoyed a multi-cultural meal which included curry and battered chocolate bars! (cooked by me and Ben). We raised a significant amount of money for our self sufficiency project, which was due to the generosity of other volunteers and other donors. Now all we really have to do is to collect the money and to implement the project.

Miss everybody lots!

p.s my fish at home have had babies, I'm a dad!

HIV/AIDS testing (10th May 2006)

The most notable thing that has happened recently is that we have tested all 120 children at the Shelter for HIV/AIDS. A lot of the kids here have only a very small amount of information on record and most hadn't been tested for the disease. There was a lot of confusion, many of the girls were sexually abused and weren't tested, some of the older boys said that they had been tested etc. We all thought that it was a very bad idea to have all of these kids unsure about their status especially since some of them may become sexually active soon (around 90% of kids have had sex before they are 19 in Kenya!) So we all went and visited the nearest VCT (voluntary counselling and testing centre), they have clinics spread throughout the country and provide free testing and counselling. We met with the Matron, the counsellors and the head priest in an office and after a long discussion managed to arrange for 3 counsellors to come up to the Shelter and test 80 of the children, all for free! A part from being slightly of put by a wooden penis on the desk (they used it for showing how to put a condom on properly!) the meeting was very successful, especially since we had convinced them to do it the next day and we didn't even have to pay for the transport to Shelter.

Early the next morning they arrived and we began to counsel and test the children. My role was essentially an organizer. I wondered around all day with a clip board, calling out children, who were then sent into the room where they were tested. I then noted the result and called the next kid. Even the little babies got tested and they were all really brave. After we had done all the testing we collected all of the results and were very surprised and happy by what we saw. Everybody was negative! I had the fantastic job of telling them all individually. Kellen and Joseline ushered them into the office individually where myself and Ben waited. Everybody was incredibly nervous to find out the result and so walked in biting their nails and looking at the floor. When I told them that they were clear they just screamed with happiness and relief and went running out of the door. It was very emotional to see them all so happy and to know that even though all of the children have been through so much already, they at least have a future to look forward too. More than one volunteer was a little bit choked up and I can honestly say that it was probably one most gratifying and fulfilling moments of my life.

The next week two medical volunteers came up to Shelter and tested the remaining 40 kids. Once again everybody was negative and incredibly happy. We are all so appreciative to those volunteers and to the VCT for being so kind and helpful.

A lot of the children at Shelter go to boarding schools during term time. That means that recently there was a massive influx of people for about a month. They were all really amazing, intelligent kids and it was really enjoyable just hanging out with them, especially the 10-13 year old girl range! Kellen and I are hoots with them! They even taught us how do to those hand-clappy things that every 10-13 year old girl in the world seems to know! Anyway so this week is when all of these kids go back to school. There are a few that I became close to and it was really sad to see them go. One really sweet girl called Miriam had to leave and she cried when she hugged me good bye. It was really upsetting because we won't see them again before we go. However I did promise that one day I will come back and see them again, and I intend to, I just don't know when yet.

Anyway thats all for now.

Miss everyone lots

Mark