Dear friends and family,
It has been a busy couple of weeks since we last wrote, and we have a lot of stories to tell. Notably, the last few weeks have contrasted a lot with our first letter to you about city life in Nairobi. After a couple of weeks in the “concrete jungle,” we are now staying in a rural area, in a small town called Mwatate, about 1.5 hours from the coastal city of Mombasa. We are staying at the Taita International School, a small private school founded by Mjomba and his wife, Maria. We are surrounded by children from pre-school through high school, who love to play, sing, dance and ask questions about our life in the U.S. The air is fresh and clean, and the rains come every morning or evening, making the whole area so green and beautiful. Every morning we are awoken by the songs of thousands of birds and the scampering of lizards and geckoes on the tin roof over our heads (a bird just flew into my room through the open door as I wrote that!). We are enjoying eating fresh mangoes, bananas, and chewing sugar cane. We will be staying here in the Coast Province for the majority of our visit here in Kenya.
I hope you are staying warm in the midst of the snow and ice - hard to comprehend since it is so hot and sunny, though rainy, here. I am actually sunburned! The short rains have come here, with torrential downpours almost every night, and mudslides and floods claiming a few lives. It is amazing to see how quickly the landscape changes from a dry, arid area to a totally green, fertile, lush savanna and forest landscape. Rain is truly precious here as water has become such an important and scarce resource.
After we sent the last letter, I met with Bill Karanja, the head librarian at the Daily Nation, Kenya’s national newspaper, who will be helping me with archival research on articles about informal education of women and girls in Kenya. They are in the process of digitizing all of their newspapers back to 1960, which will make it possible for me to search the archive on a computer – this will really simplify the research process and I am grateful that I arrived just in time to be one of the first to use this digital archive.
We also met with Magdalene Bariki, who works with the Green Belt Safaris ecotourism program of the Green Belt Movement in Nairobi. She welcomed us into their office in a building downtown, and served us chai to welcome us. She told us all about the organization of the Green Belt Movement, explained how the organization was founded and administered, and explained what is involved in a Green Belt Safari. She showed us photos of a high school group from New York who visited the GBM for homestays and to work at tree nurseries in the Central Province. She is from Taveta and told us that there are GBM grassroots groups working in the Taita-Taveta district, where I will be working with the Vindo Multipurpose Cooperative Society, and in Kwale in the southern Coast Province. This is auspicious since it means that I can observe GBM activities nearby rather than having to leave Taita for research in the Central Province, which was my original plan. It is still unclear if I will have open access to this group, but I think that we have established a good rapport with Magdalene and hope that she will help us to make contacts. She also said that we can participate in a Green Belt Safari program in the Central Province near Nairobi on Feb. 4 with another group that has made plans to visit then. We are considering this but we are nervous about the potentially high costs and the possibility that we might be limited in seeing a superficial perspective on their work, without getting deeper into the organization. However, we also understand that this is the mechanism that the organization has set up to allow outsiders to get exposure to their work, and to raise funds, so we want to respect their system as well.
Before we left Nairobi, I had the opportunity to visit the Nairobi Muslim Academy, an Islamic school connected to the South C Mosque, close to our apartment in Nairobi. I visited this school at the invitation of Fatima, a Somali woman who is the principal of the school, and whom I met during the meeting of women activists that I wrote about in my last letter. The school serves both boys and girls for preschool and primary grades, and is the only boarding secondary school for Muslim girls in Nairobi. I was led around the school by Safiya, a young Somali Kenyan woman who is the assistant to the principal and a recent graduate of the University of Nairobi. Fatima and Safiya explained to me that Muslim girls face special disadvantages in education in Kenya, as many schools were established either for boys or by Christian missionaries who did not accept Muslim students. The Islamic madrasa schools that did exist often only served boys. Prior to the establishment of the Nairobi Muslim Academy, many Muslim girls would either not go to secondary school or would attend Christian schools where they may have faced some discrimination or alienation. Safiya told me that she had attended a Catholic school which was fairly liberal, as they let her wear trousers and a hijab with her school uniform, and they let her pray during school at the regular times. But one thing she did not like about the school was that she was forced to attend Mass, which she felt was wrong since the school knew that she was a Muslim and would not be converted to Catholicism. Today, Muslim girls can now attend the Nairobi Muslim Academy, where they can receive instruction in the 8-4-4 national curriculum of both secular education and Islamic Religious education. The school is very impressive and large, and provides a well-rounded curriculum for students from pre-school through Form 4, the senior year of high school. They have a modern computer lab and physics and chemistry labs that were built with the support of the Islamic Development Bank in Saudi Arabia. Currently they are serving almost 650 children in the surrounding community – predominantly Somali Kenyans or refugees coming to Kenya from Somalia or other countries. I am very glad that I had the opportunity to visit this school and to learn more about Islamic education in Kenya.
The next day, Joe and I decided to go to the National Museum of Kenya, which we realized was still in the process of being renovated and was closed to the public. We decided to walk around the grounds instead, and enjoyed exploring the gardens and the tree nursery surrounding the museum. We realized how starved we were to see greenery as we wandered through the wooded park. We saw multiple species of Acacia, Jatropha, Euphorbia, Aloe, orchids and vanilla. As we were exploring a garden filled with aloe, we were approached by two men – one who appeared to be a security guard and the other who claimed that he was a guide at the Snake Park (but his breath reeked of alcohol and I did not trust him). They said that we were not allowed in that area without paying admission to the Snake Park. When I explained in Swahili that we did not know that we were in the park and that we would just leave, they said that we were already guilty and therefore had to pay something. We did not want to pay the full price for non-residents of 800 shillings each (about $12), while residents were charged just 100 shs - so they said we could compromise and just pay what we wanted to pay – we agreed to pay 400 shillings for the both of us ($5) and they agreed. However, the “guide” insisted that we pay him directly, which seemed like a con to us, but we didn’t know what else to do and so we went along with it. But even if it was a con, he led us into the Snake Park and proceeded to give us an amazing tour, and by the end we felt he was very friendly. He knew a great deal about all of the species of fish in the aquarium, including Nile Perch (the illustrious imported fish which have destroyed the Lake Victoria ecosystem – they can weigh up to 25 kg and have eaten tons of the indigenous species of fish – they are the subject of the film Darwin’s Nightmare). He then insisted that we go in to see the crocodiles and the snakes. We saw Black Mambas – the most poisonous snakes in Kenya that leave their victims with either 7 steps or 7 words before death – as well as huge pythons curled around their eggs, puff adders, spitting cobras, green tree snakes, and these scary vipers with huge mouths holding collapsible teeth that are 5 cm long. We also saw huge pancake turtles with soft shells that live in water, and tortoises, which he claimed are the reason why they say “No Hurry in Africa.” He showed us the difference between the crocodile and the American Alligator (whom he nicknamed “George Bush”) – the crocodile has a distinct smile, with teeth pointing out, a pointy nose, yellow-brown scaly skin and barbed tail, while the American alligator has a broader nose and distinctly dark green scaly skin. We were amazed and impressed by our tour of the Snake Park and glad that we were able to learn so much about the reptiles from this guide. He then took us up to the National Museum, where there was a reception for European Union diplomats who were supporting the renovation of the museum. We did not want to crash the party but he and the other staff insisted that we relax as we mingled in the crowd, sipped sodas and ate snacks. Then he proceeded to take us inside to see the unfinished renovations, where we saw an impressive collection of taxidermy – we saw a stuffed zebra, giraffe, rhino, elephant, cheetah, hippo, and a huge collection of birds. We also saw a skeleton of a mastodon with tusks that weighed 50 kg each, and another skeleton of a dinosaur that had been discovered in Kenya. We are really looking forward to going back to visit the museum when the renovations are completed – I would really like to learn more about Kenya’s geology and the archaeological history of hominids from the region. Luckily, our “guide” turned out to be a nice guy and we learned a lot from him.
The day after our museum visit, we finally left Nairobi to go to Voi and Mwatate in the Coast Province. We borrowed a car and went with Mjomba and his brother-in-law, Philip Mwasi, who lives in Dubai but is home visiting Kenya on a business trip. We had a great time on our drive, although the road was really bad most of the way with lots of diversions, potholes, and gravel roads – ironic since this is a major highway in Kenya. The nice thing about having our own car was that we were able to bring most of our stuff with us in the car without the hassles we might encounter on public transport. Also, we were able to stop along the way for food and drinks, and we were able to take our time to enjoy the scenery. As we moved down in elevation from Nairobi, we could see the change in topography and ecology. The highlands gave way to grassy savannas filled with Acacia trees, Euphorbia, and other succulent plants that thrive in a drier environment. We saw many more herds of cattle, sheep and goats. When we passed into Ukambani, the land of the Kamba people, we also began to see more Maasai herders. Also, the usually dry landscape was filled with green, since this is the rainy season, and it was truly beautiful. We also started to see many Baobab trees, which have huge trunks up to 10 meters in diameter, and which were covered with lush green leaves. These majestic trees are my favorite trees in Africa – they are known to collect water, prevent soil erosion, and are locally revered for their connection to the ancestors. Cutting such a tree is known as bad luck in many communities in Kenya, and they preside majestically in many savanna ecosystems.
When we arrived in Voi, we went to meet Mama Mjomba, the mother of Mjomba and a community elder and leader. I met Mama Mjomba when I visited Kenya last July, and we had arranged that I would work with her in my research on women’s organizations and popular education of women and girls. Mama Mjomba is now in her mid 70s and has enjoyed a long career as a teacher, mother, wife, politician, church leader, women’s rights advocate, and the first woman mayor of Voi town. She was widowed at the tender age of 40 and raised and educated her 7 children on her own after that. She founded the Vindo Multipurpose Cooperative Society (VMCS), a land cooperative which she established particularly to assist poor people and widows to purchase land as a cooperative. She has helped hundreds of people to become more independent, self-sufficient, and food secure. She was very happy to see us this evening and she and her family members had cooked chapattis and chicken stew for us. We prayed and sang and discussed politics, since it is getting closer to the elections. Mama showed us some of the awards which she was given this year by President Kibaki, including the “Golden Warrior” award for national service and another plaque for her service as the only woman on the Board of Trustees of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK). She also offered us fermented honeycomb from her farm, which is a traditional welcome gift to visitors. I was dismayed to see bee larvae squirming around in the honeycomb, but Joe was delighted and Mama was happy to hear Joe proclaim that this was powerful medicine.
The following day we relaxed at the Taita International School in Mwatate, our permanent home here in Kenya. The Taita International School is a community-based private school which was founded by Mjomba and his wife, Maria. It is located on a hill outside of the small town of Mwatate, and is surrounded by rural homesteads, trees, and set against the striking backdrop of a mountain with a rocky peak. It is beautiful here, with fresh air and surrounded by banana, papaya and mango trees. And the best part is that we are constantly surrounded by children. The sounds of children playing everyday is truly a balm to our hearts. Although the month of December is a school holiday elsewhere, the Taita International School has an enrichment program modeled after “Kids on Campus” in Athens, where Maria used to work while attending Ohio University. The children are wonderfully creative and sweet and smart and funny and helpful. They are involved in every aspect of taking care of the school, and they really take pride in their work. We feel really lucky to have this opportunity to work with the children and to assist this school in its beginning stages. Joe taught a martial arts class one morning to the whole school, including pre-school kids up to teachers. We had a lot of fun, though it was challenging to describe all the movements from English to Swahili.
A few days after we arrived, we visited Mama Mjomba’s “shamba” (farm), which is part of the land purchased by the Vindo Multipurpose Cooperative Society. We were impressed by the variety of food crops that were planted – including maize, beans, millet, mangoes, papaya, passion fruits, and a wide variety of flowering trees. There were a number of beehives hanging from the trees to collect honey and to assist with pollination. We helped Mama, her friend Mama Alice, and some men who work at the farm to clear a large plot of land of weeds and sod. The work was difficult and hot – Joe and I both got sunburned – but it was gratifying to finally put our hands into the soil and to do some hard labor. The soil was impressively loamy and sandy. We planted over 80 Jatropha seeds – plants which can produce biofuels – which Mama had been given by the local agricultural officer. She explained that he often comes to give her seeds for new plants that they are experimenting with, since he knows that she is an innovator. She is excited by the possibility of raising Jatropha for biodiesel and said that this could be a cash crop that might be very valuable to her and her family. We also helped to plant 9 passion fruit vines around several different fruit trees, as well as several rows of millet, maize, pojo (pigeon peas) and other seeds. We harvested mchungu, wild greens that are also called “bitter herbs” that we fried in oil with onions – they are bitter but are medicinal and full of vitamins and minerals. She told me that she was really impressed with our work and that anyone who loves agriculture is a friend to her. As she watched Joe working with the other men, she commented “AI! This man can WORK!” and “He and I could get a lot of work done together.” At the end of the day she exclaimed that she had never seen a mzungu (white person) who was able to work as hard as Joe on the farm, and that she is really excited about having him here to help for the next few months. Mjomba said that we may have prolonged her life by this experience and the hope that she has in working with us.
The following day, Joe and Mjomba went to Mjomba’s uncle’s farm, which is about an hour’s walk from the Taita Internaitonal School. They have worked there three days this week, and cleared a large area with Mjomba’s sons so that they can plant beans and vegetables for the school. They are hoping to develop this farm as a demonstration farm for the school and a source of fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement the children’s diets. Having a school garden will really help to teach agricultural skills to the children and will make the school more self-sufficient in its food security. The farm is plagued with baboons, who destroy crops and steal fruits – they are like deer or raccoons to an Ohio gardener. Uncle Wilson told us that if you throw a rock at a baboon, he will pick it up and throw it back at you!! It will be challenging to design a baboon-proof garden.
On Sunday, we rested most of the day and then hiked for about 2 hours through the Mwatate area with Mjomba, Maria, and her brother John. We walked to the Mwatate Dam, a large water reservoir constructed for irrigation by a huge sisal plantation nearby. Many children and women walk there daily to collect water, which they carry in buckets on their heads back to their homesteads. The dam was surrounded by reeds and filled with water lilies. We greeted many people along the way and noticed that people in the rural areas are so much friendlier toward visitors than in Nairobi. We walked along the railroad, which connects Mombasa to Nairobi. Then we walked down into a swampy wetland, which was planted with mango, banana, papaya and apple-mango trees, as well as maize and other crops. We were amazed to see huge trees literally covered in ripening mangoes! We also noticed thousands of birds flying above the wetland, and remarked that Kenya is a popular migration zone for birds traveling from Europe to South Africa. The weather had cooled down as it was early evening and the rain clouds were gathering on the horizon. It was truly a beautiful evening and we felt great getting so much exercise and fresh air. We feel so lucky to have this opportunity to live in such a gorgeous place as the Taita Hills in the rainy season.
Before we conclude, we also want to highly recommend a phenomenal book to you that we read recently – The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Our friend Michelle Ajamian sent us the book before we left (thanks Michelle) and we both read it within 24 hours. This book chronicles the life history of a young man from Kabul, Afghanistan, who later became a refugee in California. His life story is set against the backdrop of the wars which have raged in his country since the 1970s. It is a powerful story of survival, love, friendship, and redemption that has really touched our hearts. We hope that you all will enjoy it as much as we have.
Please keep in touch and let us know what you are up to. We have missed you and hope that your holiday season is full of love, peace, hope, and light.
Sincerely,
Cat and Joe
Monday, December 17, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
Taita International School (TIS)
Taita International School (TIS)
P.O. Box 181-80305
Mwatate, Kenya
Tel: 011 254 43 36062
E-mail: simba_tsavo@yahoo.com
Vision: To be a leading, world-class center for learning
Mission: To prepare well-rounded global leaders
Goal: To inspire, nurture, teach, train, mentor, and equip
for the information-based, technologically-driven 21st century global village.
Taita International School (TIS) is a community-based, privately-owned educational institution consisting of pre-school (ages 3-6), Primary (ages 6-14) and High Schools (ages 14-21). Dr. and Mrs. Majalia founded the school and opened its doors on February 5, 2007. The school is set within the sprawling Taita Hills, which are surrounded by the Tsavo National Park, the largest wildlife preserve in Kenya. TIS is located in a small market town called Mwatate, along the busy Mombasa-Tanzania highway, about 100 km from Mt. Kilimanjaro. (The spectacular Mt. Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and is commonly referred to as the “Ceiling of Africa.”) Mwatate has one of the highest rates of unemployment and HIV/AIDS infections in the country.
Education is the pillar of development in any society. Increasingly, it has been shown that the quality of education is correlated to the development of a community, region, and nation. A majority of the young people in Taita community lack access to quality high school education because of poverty and other harsh social realities. Few professionals are being adequately trained by the existing institutions. This means that the community is being shortchanged in terms of home-grown experts who have the needed know-how and experiences to solve local problems. The over-reliance on outside expertise to bring about development in this area increases dependency and disempowers the locals, making them feel helpless, hopeless, and marginalized. It is towards this endeavor as natives, educators, international scholars, and concerned community members who want to give back that we founded Taita International School.
TIS offers a broad-based 8-4-4 curriculum (the Kenyan system of education) plus a whole lot of talent-nurturing experiences that include: computer literacy, foreign languages, performance arts, intercultural exchanges, outward-bound courses, college preparation, orientation to study abroad, financial literacy and character building. Our mission is to prepare well-rounded global leaders who can effectively negotiate the information-based, technologically driven 21st century. We put a lot more emphasis on character building as we strive for academic excellence. Our goal is to inspire the young to dream big through a process of nurturing, teaching, training, mentoring and role modeling.
What makes TIS special?
TIS provides rigorous instruction in Kenya’s 8-4-4 curriculum, with courses in Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Agriculture, Business Education, Computer Literacy, and other subjects. This curriculum prepares students for the national examinations, which are necessary for admission to higher education. The school also provides physical education, drama, music, dance, science fairs, poetry readings, and other co-curricula subjects which are not examinable but are essential to children’s growth and development.
TIS also offers a number of after-school enrichment programs to the underserved children and youth from the local Mwatate community. The target audience comprises of children and youth from 3 years to 20 years of age, who attend various public and private schools within the locale. The after-school enrichment program includes remedial work tuition, computer literacy, library services, reading programs, sports, games and balanced meals. The enrichment program runs throughout the school terms from 6 - 8:00 p.m. in the evenings and the whole day during Kenya’s school holidays in April, August and December. The parents pay a subsidized fee per week for each child. These programs have run for one year.
For the last one year we have served about 100 children with the following services….
Computer Literacy: It is common knowledge that the digital divide is widening. It is imperative that urgent steps are taken to provide access to computer technology to the marginalized. Using one PC and two laptops, we offer computer literacy courses to children, youth and adults who come from the local community. We are striving to get about 20 computers by 2008.
Library Services: TIS offers library services to children and youth ranging from ages 3 years to 20 years who study in different schools but reside within the local communities. The students register by paying a small fee and they are allowed to borrow one book for a week. Hardly any local school has a library and there is no public library in Mwatate town. The reading culture is absent and thus needs to be cultivated. Our aim is to develop the library to include web-based resources (Internet) and other cutting-edge research materials, e.g. databases. We have about 500 books, mainly juvenile literature, donated from our own store, relatives and friends. The literature includes National Geographic, Readers’ Digest, children’s books, novels, encyclopedias, and other educational materials. Our target is to have a library with over 10,000 books and many other library-based resources by early 2008. We seek donations of books and funds to purchase current literature that is relevant to this target audience.
Reading Program: During school vacations, TIS runs an English language reading program to inculcate a reading culture among the children and youth. The children work with a mentor, a youth in high school who helps them to learn how to read. English is the official Kenyan language used in schools and offices, so additional exposure to English is very beneficial for young people.
Sports & Games: TIS offers a strong physical education program. The program includes soccer/football, volleyball, roller skating, netball, basketball, track and field. We also provide instruction in cooperative games such as puzzles and board games. We especially promote sports and games in TIS during the weekends and school vacations.
Education Scholarships: TIS offers educational scholarships to those children affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty. 10% of the current students are under this scholarship scheme.
Benefits Accrued from the Enrichment Program thus far…..
1. These vulnerable children have found a safe haven after school and during school holidays to learn, share, grow and expand their horizons in a nurturing environment.
2. The youth, who mentor the young children, are kept busy and away from drugs,
alcohol, and HIV/AIDS infection. They also get time to read, learn and grow.
3. The health and wellness of this target group has improved because of the balanced meals,
the mental stimulation and spiritual soul food provided in these programs.
4. Parents from the local community can now concentrate on their work during school
holidays, knowing that their children are in a secure development and growth centre.
5. Increased international and intercultural awareness through cultural exchange programs organized by the patron.
Making the Dream Come True:
Dr. & Mrs Mjomba Majalia
Experiences: Combined, over 40 years in teaching & administration of schools & colleges
Individualized Attention: Maximum 30 Students per class
Maria Majalia – School Principal
Dip Ed., ATS 1- Kenya Science Teachers
Math Education – Ohio University
Principal – Taita Academy ‘05-‘07
D/Principal – Taita Academy ‘04-‘05
Teacher of Mathematics & Chemistry from ‘86
Mjomba Majalia – School Patron
PhD., Communication Studies – Ohio University
MA, International Affairs – Ohio University
B. Ed. – Kenyatta University
Lecturer in Communication, Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya.
Communication Studies Professor at Bloomsburg, Ohio & Monterrey Universities
Principal – Allan Mjomba High School ‘93-‘97
Principal – Dr. Aggrey High School ‘91
D/Principal –Dr. Aggrey & Ngangao‘91-‘93
Teacher of Physics, Physical Education & Biology from ‘83
P.O. Box 181-80305
Mwatate, Kenya
Tel: 011 254 43 36062
E-mail: simba_tsavo@yahoo.com
Vision: To be a leading, world-class center for learning
Mission: To prepare well-rounded global leaders
Goal: To inspire, nurture, teach, train, mentor, and equip
for the information-based, technologically-driven 21st century global village.
Taita International School (TIS) is a community-based, privately-owned educational institution consisting of pre-school (ages 3-6), Primary (ages 6-14) and High Schools (ages 14-21). Dr. and Mrs. Majalia founded the school and opened its doors on February 5, 2007. The school is set within the sprawling Taita Hills, which are surrounded by the Tsavo National Park, the largest wildlife preserve in Kenya. TIS is located in a small market town called Mwatate, along the busy Mombasa-Tanzania highway, about 100 km from Mt. Kilimanjaro. (The spectacular Mt. Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and is commonly referred to as the “Ceiling of Africa.”) Mwatate has one of the highest rates of unemployment and HIV/AIDS infections in the country.
Education is the pillar of development in any society. Increasingly, it has been shown that the quality of education is correlated to the development of a community, region, and nation. A majority of the young people in Taita community lack access to quality high school education because of poverty and other harsh social realities. Few professionals are being adequately trained by the existing institutions. This means that the community is being shortchanged in terms of home-grown experts who have the needed know-how and experiences to solve local problems. The over-reliance on outside expertise to bring about development in this area increases dependency and disempowers the locals, making them feel helpless, hopeless, and marginalized. It is towards this endeavor as natives, educators, international scholars, and concerned community members who want to give back that we founded Taita International School.
TIS offers a broad-based 8-4-4 curriculum (the Kenyan system of education) plus a whole lot of talent-nurturing experiences that include: computer literacy, foreign languages, performance arts, intercultural exchanges, outward-bound courses, college preparation, orientation to study abroad, financial literacy and character building. Our mission is to prepare well-rounded global leaders who can effectively negotiate the information-based, technologically driven 21st century. We put a lot more emphasis on character building as we strive for academic excellence. Our goal is to inspire the young to dream big through a process of nurturing, teaching, training, mentoring and role modeling.
What makes TIS special?
TIS provides rigorous instruction in Kenya’s 8-4-4 curriculum, with courses in Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Agriculture, Business Education, Computer Literacy, and other subjects. This curriculum prepares students for the national examinations, which are necessary for admission to higher education. The school also provides physical education, drama, music, dance, science fairs, poetry readings, and other co-curricula subjects which are not examinable but are essential to children’s growth and development.
TIS also offers a number of after-school enrichment programs to the underserved children and youth from the local Mwatate community. The target audience comprises of children and youth from 3 years to 20 years of age, who attend various public and private schools within the locale. The after-school enrichment program includes remedial work tuition, computer literacy, library services, reading programs, sports, games and balanced meals. The enrichment program runs throughout the school terms from 6 - 8:00 p.m. in the evenings and the whole day during Kenya’s school holidays in April, August and December. The parents pay a subsidized fee per week for each child. These programs have run for one year.
For the last one year we have served about 100 children with the following services….
Computer Literacy: It is common knowledge that the digital divide is widening. It is imperative that urgent steps are taken to provide access to computer technology to the marginalized. Using one PC and two laptops, we offer computer literacy courses to children, youth and adults who come from the local community. We are striving to get about 20 computers by 2008.
Library Services: TIS offers library services to children and youth ranging from ages 3 years to 20 years who study in different schools but reside within the local communities. The students register by paying a small fee and they are allowed to borrow one book for a week. Hardly any local school has a library and there is no public library in Mwatate town. The reading culture is absent and thus needs to be cultivated. Our aim is to develop the library to include web-based resources (Internet) and other cutting-edge research materials, e.g. databases. We have about 500 books, mainly juvenile literature, donated from our own store, relatives and friends. The literature includes National Geographic, Readers’ Digest, children’s books, novels, encyclopedias, and other educational materials. Our target is to have a library with over 10,000 books and many other library-based resources by early 2008. We seek donations of books and funds to purchase current literature that is relevant to this target audience.
Reading Program: During school vacations, TIS runs an English language reading program to inculcate a reading culture among the children and youth. The children work with a mentor, a youth in high school who helps them to learn how to read. English is the official Kenyan language used in schools and offices, so additional exposure to English is very beneficial for young people.
Sports & Games: TIS offers a strong physical education program. The program includes soccer/football, volleyball, roller skating, netball, basketball, track and field. We also provide instruction in cooperative games such as puzzles and board games. We especially promote sports and games in TIS during the weekends and school vacations.
Education Scholarships: TIS offers educational scholarships to those children affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty. 10% of the current students are under this scholarship scheme.
Benefits Accrued from the Enrichment Program thus far…..
1. These vulnerable children have found a safe haven after school and during school holidays to learn, share, grow and expand their horizons in a nurturing environment.
2. The youth, who mentor the young children, are kept busy and away from drugs,
alcohol, and HIV/AIDS infection. They also get time to read, learn and grow.
3. The health and wellness of this target group has improved because of the balanced meals,
the mental stimulation and spiritual soul food provided in these programs.
4. Parents from the local community can now concentrate on their work during school
holidays, knowing that their children are in a secure development and growth centre.
5. Increased international and intercultural awareness through cultural exchange programs organized by the patron.
Making the Dream Come True:
Dr. & Mrs Mjomba Majalia
Experiences: Combined, over 40 years in teaching & administration of schools & colleges
Individualized Attention: Maximum 30 Students per class
Maria Majalia – School Principal
Dip Ed., ATS 1- Kenya Science Teachers
Math Education – Ohio University
Principal – Taita Academy ‘05-‘07
D/Principal – Taita Academy ‘04-‘05
Teacher of Mathematics & Chemistry from ‘86
Mjomba Majalia – School Patron
PhD., Communication Studies – Ohio University
MA, International Affairs – Ohio University
B. Ed. – Kenyatta University
Lecturer in Communication, Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya.
Communication Studies Professor at Bloomsburg, Ohio & Monterrey Universities
Principal – Allan Mjomba High School ‘93-‘97
Principal – Dr. Aggrey High School ‘91
D/Principal –Dr. Aggrey & Ngangao‘91-‘93
Teacher of Physics, Physical Education & Biology from ‘83
Monday, December 3, 2007
Cat and Joe in Kenya!
We have arrived here in Nairobi and have had a busy first week. We are very excited and grateful for this opportunity and look forward to sharing our stories with you. The following letter is an overview of what we have been doing here in Nairobi since we arrived last week. The first part is a travel log narrated by Joe (with embellishments from Cat) – this is Joe’s first trip out of North America! The second part is from Cat, reflecting on her research so far.
Joe says: All is well, disregarding the stomach flu, which is now gone. We are in Nairobi with our buddies and enjoying the city life. We have been riding matatus – which are the local minivan taxis with screaming music and ridiculous driving. The traffic is like New York City – 24-7 – with diesel fumes and no street lights. There is no such thing as a passive driver – everyone is aggressive. The streets are also full of “hawkers” these days – people selling everything from vegetables and fruits to clothing, shoes, electronics, CDs, DVDs, and other cheap goods (most likely imported from China). The people are really nice – everyone seems very friendly. Everybody keeps calling me Jesus. I think that’s a good thing, because nobody wants to steal from Jesus.
Mjomba has been a very good host. As some of you know, he is a Kenyan friend who was a classmate of Cat’s at OU, where he got his Ph.D. in Interpersonal Communication. He lived in Athens for 8 years and lived with us at Willow Farm for awhile, where he worked on the farm. He says that his time in Rutland was his best experience in the U.S., as he got to see what “real life” is like, not the life at the university. He remembers fondly our friends, drum circles and parties, slaughtering our goat “Zeus”, and the quiet life on the farm, even though I kept him busy weeding and digging in the hot sun. Now he says it is “payback time.” We will be staying with him and his sister here in Nairobi, and then will live with his family at the rural school they started in Taita. He is excited that I will be working at his family farm, and that Cat will be working with the Vindo Multipurpose Cooperative Society, an organization that was led by his mother for many years.
Anyway, Mjomba has kept us busy here in Nairobi already. He has introduced us to many of his friends, relatives, students and colleagues. He has taken us to the City Market, where we saw crafts, a meat market, and we met an old flower farmer who seemed very interesting and had a wealth of knowledge about flowers and plants. We ate a great fruit salad bowl with watermelon, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, banana, avocado, and topped with shredded beets.
Mjomba also took us to his classes at Daystar University, where we introduced ourselves to his students and talked about life in the U.S. They seemed shocked that we could have farms and live in the forest, and that we raise goats. They were really interested in hearing about Willow Farm and about organic farming and the food system in the U.S. Each time we spoke in his classes, we made contacts with people who knew people at OU. Small world.
Mjomba also took us all around South C, the community where we are living, and the Industrial Area. We also went to an exhibition at the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute, where we saw alternative energy being displayed i.e. solar, hydropower and biodiesel. We also saw bamboo crafts and furniture and classes being offered on how to grow and use bamboo. We also met metal fabricators who could shape any type of metal and make replacement parts for cars, tractors, etc. We also met some weavers who worked on a beautiful wooden loom that they use to make fabric and clothing, and we got a nice white cotton woven shirt from them. We also met herbalists, who are marketing nettle tea, Artemisia annua (a malaria remedy), soy products, and other medicinal herbs. We also met people advocating the use of Jatropha, a local plant which grows in arid areas and that can be processed for biofuels, iodine, and other products. We also met women who were making and selling beautiful arts and crafts such as baskets, handbags, jewelry, paintings, banana-leaf collages, fabrics, and other curios.
We went to the Industrial area to try to find a surge protector for Cat’s computer, where a guy tried to sell us a 35,000 shilling converter (which is about $500), but then we laughed heartily. Instead, we bought ourselves a surge protector for $40, which does the trick!
We have been enjoying eating samosas and chips (French fries). We have also eaten some good Tilapia fish from Lake Victoria and have been drinking Tusker and Citizen beers, which are the local Kenyan brews. At home, we have been cooking with Mjomba and his sister Mary and nephews, where we have made stews, ugali (corn meal porridge that we eat with our hands), sukumawiki (fried collard greens), rice, beef, and fish.
On our walk home one day we took an off route, where we found a Chinese doctor. We stopped to speak with her but she was rather cold and didn’t have much to offer. (We hope to find another Chinese doctor or acupuncturist – we have seen many signs for them here.) So we moved on, and then we found a backstreet shopping area with chickens running around, and people lying around. One young man in his late teens or early twenties, high on something (probably glue), was trying to get money or sell us some pills, and he was very persistent. Mjomba made short work of him, and we moved on.
That evening, we went to a diplomat’s house, a nice Sri Lankan-American family who work with the U.S. embassy and USAID. The security in their neighborhood was like the Alamo!! There were walls everywhere, and security guards at every gate, and even in the house, the security guards made their rounds. Funny, because everything here seems so peaceful. They lived in a very wealthy, westernized home with a huge backyard with gardens and a cathedral ceiling. They had a nice art collection with Tibetan paintings, Indian and African art, and beautiful furniture. They had a spread of fine Indian food made by their servants, two local Kenyan women. We met another Fulbrighter who is a computer scientist from MIT and his girlfriend. We also met a great Jamaican-American woman from New York who is the ambassador’s assistant. We really connected with her and she invited Cat to a special meeting of women activists at the ambassador’s house (more on this later). We also met a great American guy who works at the embassy, and who seemed really down to earth and fun.
Later that week, we went to the U.S. Embassy outside of Nairobi. The embassy has been moved outside of the city, near the United Nations complex in a beautiful forested area. The security is very high since the 1998 bombings (which Cat survived in her last visit to Nairobi). We got to use their library facilities, which were very nice and they had a super-fast internet connection. We had to be escorted everywhere because they don’t recognize us as citizens yet until we go through our orientation and security briefing – which everyone keeps telling us are scare tactics. (We have since done this – it was very intimidating, actually.)
When we left the embassy, we saw a big election rally outside with people dancing and playing drums and blocking the street and traffic. We stepped to the side to avoid getting in the middle of it, and watched them pass by. Everybody seemed really happy and joyful – they were promoting a candidate for a Member of Parliament from the Westlands Constituency in Nairobi. The elections will be held on December 27, and this is a really big deal here. There are 3 major presidential candidates – Mwai Kibaki (the incumbent), Raila Odinga (a longtime MP), and Kalonzo, who is trailing in the polls. There are over 600 political parties with candidates running for Parliament. It is very exciting to witness this time before the elections, and to talk to people about our electoral system in the U.S. Kenyans are intensely political people and it has been exciting to witness a different approach to democracy.
After we left the embassy, we went and met with our new friend Catherine Mwangi, who is Mjomba’s student at Daystar University. She is the owner/manager of a very high-class apartment complex, where a lot of Americans and foreign diplomats are referred. She had a swimming pool, weight room facilities, a restaurant and bar, and it is close to the Sarit Centre mall, which is like a Westernized mall (like Easton mall in Columbus). Five stories of overpriced goods, and lots of white people walking around. As Mjomba said, “the cream of the crop of Kenya.” Catherine fed us a really great meal and talked our ear off. She is friends with our friend Wamucii’s mother – we met Wamucii at Ohio University, where she was studying Communications for her Ph.D. Catherine had attended Wamucii’s wedding in Athens and she was happy to know we were from there.
Over the weekend, we relaxed at home, which was nice after our hectic few weeks of preparations and travel. We got lots of rest, cooked food, listened to music and watched movies with Mjomba’s nephews, who are college students. It was nice to just rest and let our spirits catch up with our bodies.
Cat says: On Monday, I went to a meeting and reception at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence outside of Nairobi to celebrate the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women. This is a United Nations initiative with 16 days of activism around the world, to raise awareness about women’s rights and equality. I attended a roundtable discussion with women activists from all over Kenya. I met educators, lawyers, judges, Members of Parliament, doctors, counselors, diplomats, and other activists and leaders. This was an important event for my research and a great networking opportunity as I met with the movers and the shakers of the Kenyan women’s movement. I was very inspired and energized by listening to their stories and their ideas about future directions for women’s activism. Many talked about the importance of education, both formal and informal, to raise awareness about gender equity and the protection of women and girls from gender-based and sexual violence. I learned about some of the problems facing Kenyan women, including rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, early marriage, and female genital mutilation (circumcision). I learned that some of the female candidates running for Members of Parliament have been assaulted and harassed recently. In response, the Kenyan Police Commissioner recently declared that the police will provide protection for all women candidates running for office. This is a major victory for Kenyan women seeking political office.
I also met Njoki Ndungu, a famous female Member of Parliament who has been one of the leading activists for women in Kenya. She talked about the challenges of working within Parliament to pass legislation for women’s rights, including the Sexual Offenses Act, the Affirmative Action Act, the Children’s Act, and others. She said one of the major barriers has been the attitudes of men in Parliament, an “old boys network” who have an old-school mentality that women are inferior and who believe that issues of sexual violence or domestic abuse are better left to the home. However, an older woman who was an MP in the 1970s said that the passage of the Sexual Offenses Act was like a “Miracle” – she could never have done this in the 70s, and she believes that things have really changed for women in Kenya. The U.S. ambassador and many of the women there talked about how women have been at the forefront of political, social and economic change here in Kenya, and that things are continuing to change for the better.
This experience really makes me realize that I am on the right track with my research about informal education and leadership development among Kenyan women’s organizations. Indeed, the Kenyan women’s movement is growing and is influencing every sector of society in Kenya. Gender issues are the subject of many personal conversations and media outlets, including TV, radio, and newspapers. Although there is still a lot of work to do for gender equity in Kenya, I am encouraged by the energy and dedication of the women’s movement here.
I made many contacts at this meeting, and came home with a stack of business cards and many new numbers in my cell phone. I am hoping to visit some of these women in their offices for preliminary interviews before I go to start my fieldwork in Taita, in order to get a better sense of the breadth and depth of the women’s movement in Kenya.
One exciting outcome of the meeting was that I was invited to visit the Nairobi Muslim Academy by the Principal of the school, a Somali woman named Fatima. This school is actually in our neighborhood here in South C and is connected to the mosque here, which I have been hoping to visit but didn’t know how to approach them. It turns out that 15 students of their school are being sponsored by the U.S. embassy, and they recited an incredible poem and song at the reception. I talked to some of the girls from that school and another high school, and I was impressed by their poise and confidence.
I was also invited to attend an alternative rites of passage program in a Maasai community in Southern Kenya next week, which is a program being organized by a women’s group called “Cherish Others.” This program hopes to develop an alternative to female circumsion (or female genital mutilation), which is widely practiced by the Maasai community. They will have a three day initiation period for girls. I might try to go to the celebration on the last day. This will be an important experience for me as I attended a Maasai girls’ circumcision ceremony back in 1994 during my first trip to Kenya. It will be interesting to see how women in the local community are now organizing to develop an alternative education program that does not include cutting. While they recognize the importance of initiation to help girls make the transition to womanhood, they also recognize the damaging effects of circumcision on girls and women.
I also met an incredible young woman who is the head of a group for leadership development among young women and girls in Kenya. She is advocating for self-defense workshops and is outspoken about the need for empowerment of girls as well as gender sensitivity training for young men and boys. She also invited me to come visit her at her office and to attend the self-defense workshops!
So, as you can see, we have been busy already, and life is good. God keeps putting us where we need to be to make connections and to have a good time. We are blessed and happy to be here. We hope that you all are doing well, that you had a happy Thanksgiving, and that you will keep in touch. Send us messages to let us know what is up in your lives!! Although we are glad to be here, we also miss you. There’s no place like home……
Peace and Love,
Joe and Cat
Joe says: All is well, disregarding the stomach flu, which is now gone. We are in Nairobi with our buddies and enjoying the city life. We have been riding matatus – which are the local minivan taxis with screaming music and ridiculous driving. The traffic is like New York City – 24-7 – with diesel fumes and no street lights. There is no such thing as a passive driver – everyone is aggressive. The streets are also full of “hawkers” these days – people selling everything from vegetables and fruits to clothing, shoes, electronics, CDs, DVDs, and other cheap goods (most likely imported from China). The people are really nice – everyone seems very friendly. Everybody keeps calling me Jesus. I think that’s a good thing, because nobody wants to steal from Jesus.
Mjomba has been a very good host. As some of you know, he is a Kenyan friend who was a classmate of Cat’s at OU, where he got his Ph.D. in Interpersonal Communication. He lived in Athens for 8 years and lived with us at Willow Farm for awhile, where he worked on the farm. He says that his time in Rutland was his best experience in the U.S., as he got to see what “real life” is like, not the life at the university. He remembers fondly our friends, drum circles and parties, slaughtering our goat “Zeus”, and the quiet life on the farm, even though I kept him busy weeding and digging in the hot sun. Now he says it is “payback time.” We will be staying with him and his sister here in Nairobi, and then will live with his family at the rural school they started in Taita. He is excited that I will be working at his family farm, and that Cat will be working with the Vindo Multipurpose Cooperative Society, an organization that was led by his mother for many years.
Anyway, Mjomba has kept us busy here in Nairobi already. He has introduced us to many of his friends, relatives, students and colleagues. He has taken us to the City Market, where we saw crafts, a meat market, and we met an old flower farmer who seemed very interesting and had a wealth of knowledge about flowers and plants. We ate a great fruit salad bowl with watermelon, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, banana, avocado, and topped with shredded beets.
Mjomba also took us to his classes at Daystar University, where we introduced ourselves to his students and talked about life in the U.S. They seemed shocked that we could have farms and live in the forest, and that we raise goats. They were really interested in hearing about Willow Farm and about organic farming and the food system in the U.S. Each time we spoke in his classes, we made contacts with people who knew people at OU. Small world.
Mjomba also took us all around South C, the community where we are living, and the Industrial Area. We also went to an exhibition at the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute, where we saw alternative energy being displayed i.e. solar, hydropower and biodiesel. We also saw bamboo crafts and furniture and classes being offered on how to grow and use bamboo. We also met metal fabricators who could shape any type of metal and make replacement parts for cars, tractors, etc. We also met some weavers who worked on a beautiful wooden loom that they use to make fabric and clothing, and we got a nice white cotton woven shirt from them. We also met herbalists, who are marketing nettle tea, Artemisia annua (a malaria remedy), soy products, and other medicinal herbs. We also met people advocating the use of Jatropha, a local plant which grows in arid areas and that can be processed for biofuels, iodine, and other products. We also met women who were making and selling beautiful arts and crafts such as baskets, handbags, jewelry, paintings, banana-leaf collages, fabrics, and other curios.
We went to the Industrial area to try to find a surge protector for Cat’s computer, where a guy tried to sell us a 35,000 shilling converter (which is about $500), but then we laughed heartily. Instead, we bought ourselves a surge protector for $40, which does the trick!
We have been enjoying eating samosas and chips (French fries). We have also eaten some good Tilapia fish from Lake Victoria and have been drinking Tusker and Citizen beers, which are the local Kenyan brews. At home, we have been cooking with Mjomba and his sister Mary and nephews, where we have made stews, ugali (corn meal porridge that we eat with our hands), sukumawiki (fried collard greens), rice, beef, and fish.
On our walk home one day we took an off route, where we found a Chinese doctor. We stopped to speak with her but she was rather cold and didn’t have much to offer. (We hope to find another Chinese doctor or acupuncturist – we have seen many signs for them here.) So we moved on, and then we found a backstreet shopping area with chickens running around, and people lying around. One young man in his late teens or early twenties, high on something (probably glue), was trying to get money or sell us some pills, and he was very persistent. Mjomba made short work of him, and we moved on.
That evening, we went to a diplomat’s house, a nice Sri Lankan-American family who work with the U.S. embassy and USAID. The security in their neighborhood was like the Alamo!! There were walls everywhere, and security guards at every gate, and even in the house, the security guards made their rounds. Funny, because everything here seems so peaceful. They lived in a very wealthy, westernized home with a huge backyard with gardens and a cathedral ceiling. They had a nice art collection with Tibetan paintings, Indian and African art, and beautiful furniture. They had a spread of fine Indian food made by their servants, two local Kenyan women. We met another Fulbrighter who is a computer scientist from MIT and his girlfriend. We also met a great Jamaican-American woman from New York who is the ambassador’s assistant. We really connected with her and she invited Cat to a special meeting of women activists at the ambassador’s house (more on this later). We also met a great American guy who works at the embassy, and who seemed really down to earth and fun.
Later that week, we went to the U.S. Embassy outside of Nairobi. The embassy has been moved outside of the city, near the United Nations complex in a beautiful forested area. The security is very high since the 1998 bombings (which Cat survived in her last visit to Nairobi). We got to use their library facilities, which were very nice and they had a super-fast internet connection. We had to be escorted everywhere because they don’t recognize us as citizens yet until we go through our orientation and security briefing – which everyone keeps telling us are scare tactics. (We have since done this – it was very intimidating, actually.)
When we left the embassy, we saw a big election rally outside with people dancing and playing drums and blocking the street and traffic. We stepped to the side to avoid getting in the middle of it, and watched them pass by. Everybody seemed really happy and joyful – they were promoting a candidate for a Member of Parliament from the Westlands Constituency in Nairobi. The elections will be held on December 27, and this is a really big deal here. There are 3 major presidential candidates – Mwai Kibaki (the incumbent), Raila Odinga (a longtime MP), and Kalonzo, who is trailing in the polls. There are over 600 political parties with candidates running for Parliament. It is very exciting to witness this time before the elections, and to talk to people about our electoral system in the U.S. Kenyans are intensely political people and it has been exciting to witness a different approach to democracy.
After we left the embassy, we went and met with our new friend Catherine Mwangi, who is Mjomba’s student at Daystar University. She is the owner/manager of a very high-class apartment complex, where a lot of Americans and foreign diplomats are referred. She had a swimming pool, weight room facilities, a restaurant and bar, and it is close to the Sarit Centre mall, which is like a Westernized mall (like Easton mall in Columbus). Five stories of overpriced goods, and lots of white people walking around. As Mjomba said, “the cream of the crop of Kenya.” Catherine fed us a really great meal and talked our ear off. She is friends with our friend Wamucii’s mother – we met Wamucii at Ohio University, where she was studying Communications for her Ph.D. Catherine had attended Wamucii’s wedding in Athens and she was happy to know we were from there.
Over the weekend, we relaxed at home, which was nice after our hectic few weeks of preparations and travel. We got lots of rest, cooked food, listened to music and watched movies with Mjomba’s nephews, who are college students. It was nice to just rest and let our spirits catch up with our bodies.
Cat says: On Monday, I went to a meeting and reception at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence outside of Nairobi to celebrate the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women. This is a United Nations initiative with 16 days of activism around the world, to raise awareness about women’s rights and equality. I attended a roundtable discussion with women activists from all over Kenya. I met educators, lawyers, judges, Members of Parliament, doctors, counselors, diplomats, and other activists and leaders. This was an important event for my research and a great networking opportunity as I met with the movers and the shakers of the Kenyan women’s movement. I was very inspired and energized by listening to their stories and their ideas about future directions for women’s activism. Many talked about the importance of education, both formal and informal, to raise awareness about gender equity and the protection of women and girls from gender-based and sexual violence. I learned about some of the problems facing Kenyan women, including rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, early marriage, and female genital mutilation (circumcision). I learned that some of the female candidates running for Members of Parliament have been assaulted and harassed recently. In response, the Kenyan Police Commissioner recently declared that the police will provide protection for all women candidates running for office. This is a major victory for Kenyan women seeking political office.
I also met Njoki Ndungu, a famous female Member of Parliament who has been one of the leading activists for women in Kenya. She talked about the challenges of working within Parliament to pass legislation for women’s rights, including the Sexual Offenses Act, the Affirmative Action Act, the Children’s Act, and others. She said one of the major barriers has been the attitudes of men in Parliament, an “old boys network” who have an old-school mentality that women are inferior and who believe that issues of sexual violence or domestic abuse are better left to the home. However, an older woman who was an MP in the 1970s said that the passage of the Sexual Offenses Act was like a “Miracle” – she could never have done this in the 70s, and she believes that things have really changed for women in Kenya. The U.S. ambassador and many of the women there talked about how women have been at the forefront of political, social and economic change here in Kenya, and that things are continuing to change for the better.
This experience really makes me realize that I am on the right track with my research about informal education and leadership development among Kenyan women’s organizations. Indeed, the Kenyan women’s movement is growing and is influencing every sector of society in Kenya. Gender issues are the subject of many personal conversations and media outlets, including TV, radio, and newspapers. Although there is still a lot of work to do for gender equity in Kenya, I am encouraged by the energy and dedication of the women’s movement here.
I made many contacts at this meeting, and came home with a stack of business cards and many new numbers in my cell phone. I am hoping to visit some of these women in their offices for preliminary interviews before I go to start my fieldwork in Taita, in order to get a better sense of the breadth and depth of the women’s movement in Kenya.
One exciting outcome of the meeting was that I was invited to visit the Nairobi Muslim Academy by the Principal of the school, a Somali woman named Fatima. This school is actually in our neighborhood here in South C and is connected to the mosque here, which I have been hoping to visit but didn’t know how to approach them. It turns out that 15 students of their school are being sponsored by the U.S. embassy, and they recited an incredible poem and song at the reception. I talked to some of the girls from that school and another high school, and I was impressed by their poise and confidence.
I was also invited to attend an alternative rites of passage program in a Maasai community in Southern Kenya next week, which is a program being organized by a women’s group called “Cherish Others.” This program hopes to develop an alternative to female circumsion (or female genital mutilation), which is widely practiced by the Maasai community. They will have a three day initiation period for girls. I might try to go to the celebration on the last day. This will be an important experience for me as I attended a Maasai girls’ circumcision ceremony back in 1994 during my first trip to Kenya. It will be interesting to see how women in the local community are now organizing to develop an alternative education program that does not include cutting. While they recognize the importance of initiation to help girls make the transition to womanhood, they also recognize the damaging effects of circumcision on girls and women.
I also met an incredible young woman who is the head of a group for leadership development among young women and girls in Kenya. She is advocating for self-defense workshops and is outspoken about the need for empowerment of girls as well as gender sensitivity training for young men and boys. She also invited me to come visit her at her office and to attend the self-defense workshops!
So, as you can see, we have been busy already, and life is good. God keeps putting us where we need to be to make connections and to have a good time. We are blessed and happy to be here. We hope that you all are doing well, that you had a happy Thanksgiving, and that you will keep in touch. Send us messages to let us know what is up in your lives!! Although we are glad to be here, we also miss you. There’s no place like home……
Peace and Love,
Joe and Cat
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