Wow it has been a long time since I have written, admittedly its because I got out of the swing of things and then fell full speed into work and trip preparation.
However, upon my return from Kenya I wanted to drop a quick note before embarking on yet another journey to India.
As usual I start off with a lack of comprehensive words to describe my experience… I left on June 28th with 31 youth from Montreal to Nairobi –daunting task- after two 8 hour flights and lay overs we arrived in Nairobi to meet my co facilitator Rudi and junior facilitator Ryan- and the journey really begins there.
Rudi and I
Ryan and I
Top 5+ 1 highlights
1. Returning to Kenya after 2 years and seeing the incredible progress that has been made.
In addition to the continuous building of schools, clean water projects and developing alternative income projects- in 2 years they have completed and opened the Baraka Health Clinic which my group (as a participant in 2009) worked on. They have also completed an all girls boarding school that will service all of the Free the Children communities- keeping young girls from being circumcised, married off at a young age and potentially releasing them from the cycle of poverty.
Baraka Health Clinic in progress- May 2009 University of Guelph group
Baraka Health Clinic July 2011- open for service!
Kisaruni Girls High School
2. Reuniting with a friend near and dear to my heart.
After finding out that I would be facilitating a trip to Kenya I immediately thought of the friends I had made 2 years prior that I would potentially see again, I didn’t really factor in the fact that our projects are so spread out throughout the Mara and those friends might be too far (but yet so close) to see in the three short weeks. Upon getting to Nairobi I asked around and found out my friend Clinton- a Maasai warrior and guide for Free the Children would be working with another group too far from ours and thus we would likely not cross paths- I was so disappointed.
Then one afternoon we brought our group to tour the Kisaruni school and Baraka health clinic and it turned out a lot of groups were meeting there that day, I stepped of the truck and looked directly at Clinton (one the right) who screamed and opened his arms for the biggest hug I have ever received and the best reunion I likely will ever have. So genuine after 2 years = AMAZING
I also got to see Peter again (one the left) who was also one of my Warriors 2 years again. SO good to be back 
3. Witnessing first hand the importance of Health Care and Sanitation.
As my group completed their building one morning, Rudi, Ryan and I supervised (to ensure 31 young people go home with all of their appendages given they are working with pick axes, shovels, saws etc.). We were working in a brand new community called Osenetoi and because this is a brand new school the students are still attending in the old buildings- our group broke ground on the second school room and began building the foundation and walls of the first school room. This means that there is still no clean water projects and no health or sanitation training has been completed.
Broke ground on school room #2
Day 3
The last day- pouring the concrete
And made amazing progress on school room #1
Day 3
The last day!
About 1 week into our trip I looked into the school yard about 20 minutes after the students had shuffled back into class after “recess” and saw a little boy –M- lay on his back with the sun beating down on him. He didn’t move much and showed no interest in going back to class.I wandered over and asked in the best way I could what was up. It was obvious he wasn't feeling well but I couldn't decipher what he was saying in his muffled Kiswahili. I called over our warrior Steven to help me translate and the boy complained of a headache and told Steven he had a bad cut on his foot- at first glance I couldn't see the cut because it was caked full of cow dung and dirt. Rudi and I proceeded to fill a wheel barrow full of clean water and have the boy sit in it, soak it and Rudi scrubbed the dung and dirt from the wound revealing a deep gash from a machete. It was infected- causing him the headache and fever.
Over the next couple days we held the little boy down as we scrubbed it, sanitized it and wrapped it, Rudi and I switching roles daily to save our stomachs.
A couple of the days the male teachers stood around us, baffled at the care we were funnelling into this one student, Rudi took this as a learning opportunity and lectured the teachers and students on the importance of cleaning our wounds and the dangers of infections. Knowledge that seems so primitive to us but such a foreign concept there.
On our last day in the community M was laughing, picking play fights with us and being a normal little boy as his foot has almost completely healed and he was back to his regular self. During the closing ceremony M anointed me with a necklace his must have borrowed from his Mama as a symbol of our friendship. This little boy will forever remain in my heart.
M and I at the closing ceremonies
(Below) Rudi and M
4. Seeing LIONS for the first time!
I had done a safari the last time I was in Kenya but I never saw a Lion or a Rhino both of which were on my wish list. This time around I did not see a Rhino (they are incredible rare and endangered) however I saw TEN lions.
Male Lion #1
2 Female Lions and 6 cubs feasting on a Wildebeest
Warning: the last couple of lion did not keep in PG
1 female and 1 male lion- procreating!
Enough said!
5. Developing a Community connection.
Everyday we were at the school either building or interacting with the community. At the end of our three week stay we had made strong connections with the Mama’s of the community, we had all developed friends at the school and we all felt our heart grow for the people of Osenetoi.
Thank you from the Mama’s after the students completed their daily water walk for them.
Closing ceremony when our group presented a song and dance to thank them!
Closing ceremonies with the young girls and Mama’s- they taught as a traditional song and dance.
I made two friends – J and E- they were two of the sweetest most intelligent girls I have ever met. We spent afternoons playing hand games, sharing stories about our families in broken English and bonding so deeply. Tears streamed down their face as I said goodbye on the morning of their departure but they left me with a beaded bracelet that reads (| <3 Britt) and homemade earrings. They will never be forgotten.
J and E with their Mama
Lastly an additional highlight- Witnessing the journey of 31 young people.
Many of whom witnessed absolute poverty for the first time, many had never completed manual labour, many of whom had never stepped that far outside their comfort zone. Our journey was not without its challenges but I learnt a lot from that incredible group of students and I am inspired by their developing passion. 
Until next time Kenya D!
I am off to India on Thursday facilitate a new group of 19 students. Please keep our group in your thoughts and prayers- specifically for safe travel and no sicknesses!
