Big Weekend

Our days are numbered now and I have not been taking it well!  I had been having mini-meltdowns all week... but this weekend, while tiring, was such an affirmation for our efforts.  Three big things happened:

1. Completion of the 50 Protected Springs:  Terry's been giving the play by play on this one, so I don't need to say anything more about it.  Other than, thank you to all the Rotary Clubs that participated in making this happen.  And I am so proud of Terry.  He really is the driving force for bringing clean water to so many people.  Can't say enough about this project.  Along with bringing clean water, which will improve health, the project was a collaborative effort between Rotary, KASFOOC, the fundies (contractors), and the community -- rare here.  Again... wow.   
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2. Two-day Train-the-Trainer workshop:  Since October, about 300 people have attended the Asset Based Community Development Trainings with Alex. The sessions have been amazing, but the fear, as always, is about follow up.  What happens when the mzungu goes home?  At the end of this two days, each participant left armed with action plans, timelines, and scheduled follow up sessions once a month for the next three months.  Soon they will have certificates and a facilitation manual (as soon as I write it).  Not all groups will be able to make the changes that are needed (the dependency attitude is soooo deeply entrenched), but some will.  And that is thrilling!  I am in awe of the determination in some of these women.  They are thirsty for knowledge and hungry for change.  I do believe, at least for a few of them, they are unstoppable. 
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3. International Women's Day at MMUST:  Just a few weeks ago, six young women accepted my invitation to hang out with me on a blanket under a tree and talk a bit about what it is like to be a girl in university in Kakamega.  And this weekend, the group (which has grown to 16) organized an event to celebrate International Women's Day.  They chose the theme "Women and Men Unite to End Violence Against Women and Girls."  They joined with the Rotaract Club, hired the marching band, and marched around the university campus in white t-shirts with purple ribbons.  They had an mc, a dj with perfectly selected songs (Strength of a Woman and the like), performed skits, recited poems, gave speeches on the topics of educating the girl child, women in leadership roles, domestic violence, and rape.  They held a debate inviting the men to share their views ... unfortunately they chose the topic of how to dress and I had to leap out of my seat a few times to stress that HOW A WOMAN DRESSES HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RAPE... phew, that was a tough one to get across.  But the beautiful point is... that they were talking... openly sharing their views on really serious, really controversial subjects.  It was amazing. 
   
   Terry and I met with a couple of the guys from the Rotaract club who participated in the Women's Day event (there were actually more men than women there that day) and they both said the day will stay with them and they hope to continue with what they started next year.  Athenasius, Rotaract President, said the day will be especially memorable for him.  Around midnight on Saturday, he received a call from a student at MMUST who was about to deliver a baby.  She wasn't able to reach any of the faculty or security by phone, so she called the Rotaract officials.  Athenasius and a friend hopped on a motorcycle and rushed to find the ambulance.  They ran into some troubles, but eventually were able find the ambulance, which was some distance away, and get the young mother-to-be to the hospital.  She gave birth to a "bouncing baby girl".  
   
   See Alinda's blog for some pictures of the event... mine are trapped in my camera while my computer struggles with a virus.  http://wareskakamega.blogspot.com/2012/03/went-to-first-parade-and-ceremony-for.html 

As for today, I started packing :o( and got through quite a bit of paperwork.  We also took a really long, really bumpy, really dusty piki piki ride to meet our Rotary Club's Form 1 student, Sheldon Siema.  He told us his birthday is April 14, 1995, so he is just about 17.  Form 1 is equivalent to our Grade 9.  When we asked him how old he was, he said 14.  Hmmm?  We had a quick chat, as Sheldon strained to catch Terry's lightening speed accent, we took a photo or two, gave him a few shillings for pocket money, and chased the light home.  Terry commented when we got home that it feels strange to be looked at the way these students look at us when the meet us.  Presence I think is the word Terry used.  It seems to me more like ... something just shy of fear... or anticipation.  Sheldon said, as they all say at some point, that "money is the only problem."  Terry asked him what he needed money for.  He said there is a canteen and mndazi are 5 bob each.  He needs three mndazi (kind of like doughnuts, though not sweet) everyday. 

Anyway, as we rode home to the sounds of "Mzungu!  How are you?", I was kind of thinking about how strange it is that a little wave or a smile can illicit shrieks of joy and laughter.  We have star status here, which is kind of sad actually.  But, enough of that!  This was a good weekend.  I'll be happy with that.

Tomorrow is another trip to Bondo, this time with KASFOOC.  Our last big outing, then just to organize fingerlings and feed and I do believe we will be able to wrap up in time to head to the beach for a couple of days before we come home.  Sigh.