Tuesday, October 30, 2012

World Handwashing Day 2012


October 15th was World Handwashing Day, my second time I have celebrated this event in Kenya. This year I went to my friend Cassidy’s site. She is one of my nearest volunteers so it’s only about and hour and a half away. It just happened to land on market day so we set up a booth in the middle of the market and taught people the importance of washing their hands, water sanitation and also demonstrated solar cookers.

I worked the handwashing station. Nearly 6 million children a year die of diarrhea! Diarrhea can easily be prevented by simply washing your hands, food, and treating your water. We stressed the times you need to wash your hands:

Kabla ya unakula chakula (before you eat food)
Kabla ya unapika chakula (before you cook food)
Bada ya unagusa nyama (after you touch meat)
Bada ya unasalamea wtu (after you greet people)
Bada ya unaosha mtoto (after you wash a child)
Bada ya unatumia choo (after you use the toilet)
Bada ya unatoka shamba (after you are from the farm)

Anyway, I think it was a great success! So many people came to the booth and we passed out a lot of soap. Cassidy sold 3 solar cookers and we taught a lot of people about the importance of water sanitation!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

RIP Geoffery III



RIP Geoffery III

Today my mama ran over our little puppy Geoffery III in her car. She backed up and he must have been sleeping behind the car and his head was crushed. I found him. And I freaked out. What did everyone do? Laugh at my reaction. I know it’s a Western thing to love animals as much as we do, but it makes me sad the lack of compassion they have. I loved this little puppy. He was so cute and fat and wobbly. I guess that’s reality. It’s not like I’ve never lost a dog in my life before. It’s just I’ve never seen a little puppy killed. People have more problems here to deal with than caring about dogs, but I can’t help love them all just the same. I don’t know what I’d do without Sangala. He’s my rock. He keeps me company and makes me happy. I’m attached to all the dogs on the compound; Sailor Moon, Geoffery Jr., Bat Man, Mama Dog…it’s sad to see one of our own go.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Harambe


What is a harambe? Let me first start by explaining that. I’ve written about it once before in a previous post, but I think I should clarify further. A harambe is like a fundraiser. I went to one the other day in fact. My friend Joakim is going to college so his father (my supervisor) invited friends and family to come to his harambe to raise money for his university tuition. During the harambe chai is served. This is tradition and guests expect it when they come. After chai, the donations are presented. First comes the family and neighbors, all lined up to give what they can to the pot. The MC announces their name and how much they are giving as they hand in their donation. Then they categorize who comes next in line, sometimes the elders, other times women, until everyone who can donate does. If you do not have money to give, you can give food from your farm. Some people bring cabbage or a small banana trees. This time, someone brought tea bags. At the end, people bid on the items. Anyway, that explains the basic concept of a harambe.

I wanted to write about this because sitting back and watching it take place, I could only feel the honor and humbleness the family must feel. All your neighbors, friends, family, villagers, coming together to help out your cause. That’s why I love Kenya. There’s such a sense of community, of helping one another out. I wish we did these kind of things in America, but we are too proud. Kenyans are grateful and honored to have the people they know present them with money. It really is a fun event, full of laughter and happiness in knowing that the money that is needed is being raised by the whole community. I really love this concept and it makes me so pleased to be a part of Singorwet. It seems as if everyone has each others backs. Even though Kenya is one of the poorest countries in the world, in the village, you are never truly poor. No one allows someone to go hungry. People take each other in. Everyone is mama because everyone is raising the children.

I’m almost a year and a half into my service and I feel like I can finally say that I am integrated into my community. Everyday I hear less and less “muzungu” or “chepcumendent” (white lady), and instead hear chants of my name, “Chepkosgei! Chepkosgei!” It makes me feel so happy. Even though this experience can be tiring a lot of the time and make me miss the simple pleasures of home, I am beyond humbled to have become part of Singorwet. These are my neighbors, my friends…my family. God has blessed me immensely!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Tragedy and Tears

                                   (Jackie is the one on the right. This is her at Camp GLOW)


Living in Africa, you hear a lot of horror stories; someone died of AIDS, a girl was rapped, etc. etc. Unfortunately these are realities of life here. Never though is it anyone you know. It’s always a “cousin’s friend” or someone distant from you or the storyteller. That was until the horrible news I received the other day. A young girl of 17 that was at the Camp GLOW with me recently died of complications of an abortion. Jackie wasn’t one of the girls I personally brought to the camp, but she was one of my students there and I remember her very well. This kind of news is so disturbing to me. She had so much ahead of her and was one of the smartest girls in our class. I suspect her reasons for the abortion were that she was empowered by the Camp and wanted to have a chance at a future. Unfortunately, abortion is totally illegal in Kenya, unless giving birth is life-threatening for the mother. So Jackie was forced to go to some village which doctor that didn’t know what they were doing and ended up damaging her badly to the point of death.

Yesterday at my health club we had a moment of silence for Jackie and I stressed the importance of using protection if you are choosing to engage in sexual intercourse and also the dangers of abortion. I seriously hope that I’m making an impact on these girls that they will learn from Jackie’s mistake. I wish girls had more choices here and chances for a better life, but it’s not always that simple in the village.

It gives me so much perspective on my life. How lucky I am to be where I am and be who I am. Being raised by just a dad wasn’t easy for me, and I know in turn I wasn’t easy for him. But we are so fortunate for where we have come. I thank God everyday for my education, my drive, my life…I just hope these girls can lean from me that there is so much more outside village life and if they work hard they can get there.

I’m still working on the scholarship program for the girls at the school. So far I still only have one donor (myself), but it’s being going really well. Yukabit has been to school everyday since I started sponsoring her and her mother has saved a good chunk of money through my required saving program that goes along with the scholarship. If any of you want to sponsor a girl, please email me (aflynnschneider@gmail.com). It’s only about $120 a year for a girl to get her education here and through Jackie’s story, you can see how important it truly is. Anything helps. If you don’t have any money to help, please I ask for your prayers for these girls. That what happened to Jackie doesn’t happen to them!