No, I do not live in daily fear of lions or buffalos or elephants or dodo birds charging me. Yes, lions and giraffes and buffalos live in
Those issues cleared up, let me share with you some beautiful moments of the past few weeks! First, I went to Laikipia district – Ol Pajeta Conservancy – 2 weekends ago, to learn more about their community programs, specifically their partnership with “Project Kenya Sister Schools” – which is doing something similar in some ways to the Rafiki Link.
Here’s a few of the amazing animals I saw! Aren’t those cows just endearingly ug
ly? The black rhino is tame and harmless, despite Mwaniki scared-looking expression! I m
ust say though, the name Morani means ‘warrior’ in Kimasaai… and there’s no way it is a coincidence that the animal casually ambled after us, tusks pointed at our rear ends!
The photo that looks like just bushes is a classic Bain-tradition “eagle photo” – up high in one of those trees is a light brown monkey, see it? The monkey is a “Patak monkey” [something like that – starts with P, two syllables long]. The crazy zoologists who were driving our car thought it appropriate to careen willy-nilly over the stony ground in pursuit of these obviously shy monkeys – thus this award-winning photo.
Then, last weekend, I went on day-hike just a few hours from where I live, a place called 
secluded oasis. We were very fortunate to find flamingos present on the lake. What fascinating birds they are – so much more graceful than the plastic cousins which sit on well-trimmed lawns in 
efore leaping into the air!
The journey there was epic - a 40-min ride with 20 people squished in a minivan (matatu); then a 30-minute ride out to Hell's Gate (yup that's right) and another 10-minute ride to the dusty collection of shacks that marks "Kigoma". Opting out of an expensive motorcycle ride, we walked along a dusty road. After about 5km in the mid-morning sun, we got a ride with none other than Stanley Ambrose - WOW!! One of the biggest names in archaeology. I wish Chance Dixon were with me - !
On the way back, we took a short cut ('panya route') and scared a group of zebras... here's a "zebra crossing" [ha, ha, ha - c'mon, ask a Brit and you'll get it...]
HOMO SAPIENS SAPIENS
Have you read either "Ishmael" or "The Story of B"? I hardly slept the weekend before last, and managed (just barely) to finish both - on loan from Lauren, a Canadian student at Laikipia. Followed that with a Wendell Berry class ("Memory of Old Jack") and I'm about to move into a Maasai boran and truly try out the 'Keeper' lifestyle...
That said, I appreciate humankind and want to support those of our species who happen to be born into different circumstances. The past week and a bit has included meetings with a variety of impressive individuals who each make a difference in their communities. I feel inspired & privileged to collaborate with such amazing people:
- Paul Leringato – amazing community development professional, community facilitator of integrity & real talent. I wrote 10 pages of notes in our 6 hours of meetings – and could have written reams more!
- Mr. Ngang’a – hard-working ‘district education officer’, a man who arrives every morning 7:30 and doesn’t leave till 6pm. A government official of integrity and vision is a positive sign that some day, some day soon, this country may move beyond the rampant corruption!
- Ms. Mary Kinayanjui – manufacturer of fuel-efficient stoves, she began her work 30 years ago with the support of Aga Khan Foundation, a very impressive development NGO. Since then she’s continued her work as an independent entrepreneur, reducing wood consumption while also making a profit. Perfect!
- The three head teachers – Mr. Mwangi, Mr. Kirigi, and Mr. Maina – who have received me into their schools with grace, and who have each been able to purchase some textbooks with the support of the government. 40 English textbooks for the 139 Grade 9 students – a big benefit!
- Minalin Nicklin - a Filipino woman resident in Naivasha town who has started a bead-work NGO which supports women who have HIV/AIDS. A commendable self-help initiative and some very nice jewellery - !
- Mark Ellis-Jones – a British consultant who has expertise in the area of carbon offsets, and is serious about setting up a pilot program in collaboration with Bodwell staff/students which would see fuel-efficient stoves installed in schools
- Zane Wilemon – who looks like a movie star but fits right into Maai Mahiu, somehow. He is the head of CTC, which I am now more firmly a part of than ever before
- Moses Cho – a Korean who has lived in
- Paul Mwaniki – the Education Coordinator at CTC and my colleague here. He’s picked up so many computer skills in the past 6 months… he’s now fairly conversant with turnitin.com, an online homework submission/sharing site. I’ve just introduced him to facebook – will he too become an internet junkie??
I’ll leave you (whoever you are, actually reading to here in this epic?) today with a bit of Socials-Studies-teacher-type puzzle… looking at the two photos here, who built this little church and under what circumstances? (I fixed the ‘comment’ feature so I think you could actually respond if you wanted to!)
Tutaonana marafiki yangu…
1 comments:
I wish I were there, too!
Tanja
Post a Comment