BOHAPO VOLUNTEER

16) THE END + video bus (mid-Nov)

2008-12-18T15:14:00.000-08:00

Here is the last family picture before leaving.

Below : the bus to get back to Nairobi ;-(

The video was taken during return... 8 hours like this...

15) BEAUTIFUL KABULA & MORE (+ video)

2008-12-18T13:50:00.000-08:00

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Heavy rain...

14) SICK CHILDREN

2008-12-18T13:31:00.000-08:00

The boy below is called kennedy. We knew about him before going to Kabula when we visited the BOHAPO website. This boy was bow-legged and got an operation to get it fixed. Now he can walk properly. Still, Edwin told us it hadn't been easy for him to get better since he got a couple of unsuccessful operations beforehand.

Kennedy's family above. Below, in their house trying to get a picture of the little goat.

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We also visited this little boy. His name is Bright, he is 6 years old and he is very sick. We talked with his family to know more about his condition. He has a heart problem and a disease called sickle cell. It affects the red blood cells and it is really painful.

We brought him some presents but obviously, he couldn't pay that much attention to it.

He got checked up in the hospital and he'd already got some blood transfusions. The cost of the operation has been estimated at $ 5700.

He needs our help. He deserves a chance so if you want to make a donation, please contact us.

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Antoher day, on the way to Kitale to bring a little girl to a mobile clinic.

Her name is Michelle and she has the same condition as Kennedy had before. The operation to get the bow-legged fixed is not that expensive so we could bring her and her mother to a mobile clinic to get an appointment for an operation. The clinic goes to different places in the country and is available once a month. They mainly check sick children and people there and give them appointments at the hospital when needed. We saw a lot of different conditions affecting children; mainly bow-legged and kids with big heads. All the doctors there are volunteers and even if more places like this would be needed, they really are making a great job.

13) VISITING A POULTRY FARM

2008-12-18T13:16:00.000-08:00

12) IN KANDUYI (start November)

2008-12-18T11:52:00.000-08:00

Here above you can see our "new home". After 2 weeks in Kabula we moved to Kanduyi which is a medium size city 40 minutes away from Kabula.

Edwin and Jacky rent this house which is closer to their children's school.

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Below, our new bedroom.

In the living room...

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On the way to Hillview primary school on a bora-bora.

Hillview is a primary boarding school and it is private. Next to me is Jacky who actually works there.

She wanted us to be introduced to some pupils who were doing very well. These kids were all orphans (that is to say with at least one parent dead). The little boy with the tie is a complete orphan. His studies in the school are sponsored by BOHAPO.

Welcome to the yougest section

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Back home having diner

washing..

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Playing

Posing ;)

Careful !

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The dancing king is born. Honestly, Erkins you're really good !

11) ANOTHER POOR FAMILY IN KABULA

2008-12-18T11:39:00.000-08:00

We visited this family after our first week in Kabula. It was really sad to see the condition in which they were living (and still live). They were very nice to us and welcomed us in their home...

Josephine was the name of the grandmother that you can see in the center of the picture below.

As you can see they all (Josephine, 9 grandchildren + one of her daughter & her husband) live in the same house (20m²). They have no matress or bed and they have to sleep on the floor.

Josephine was telling Edwin she hadn't been able to work in the land because she had to be in the hospital with her daughter. So she didn't have any money to feed her own family. Edwin told her to go to the shop and buy food for the week and Bohapo would pay for Josephine's food.

Edwwin also told us that last year the government carried out a programme to promote vaccination for kids up to 2 years of age. Every famiily who brought a baby for the shot would be given a free mosquito net (to prevent people from getting bitten by mosquitos that can carry malaria or other tropical disease). Josephine's daughter, who only had a child under 2 years old took the same little girl twice for vaccination as they needed 2 mosquito nets to protect the whole family. Unfortunately, the little girl died a few days later due to overdose.

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On the way back

A shop in the village

10) MAKING CHAPATI !

2008-12-18T11:22:00.000-08:00

Here is one of our favorite dish during our stay in Kenya. It is called "chapati" : it looks like a pancake but it is more salty and done with local ingredients. We were found of Jacky's chapatis, they were succulent! I advise you to look for the recipe on the Internet ;-)

An then here is Iván giving it a try... Ok, his were good as well, but much smaller. So we could tell which chapati he did.

9) TRAINING WITH THE YOUTHS

2008-12-17T13:34:00.000-08:00

After our first week of activities in Kabula Primary school, we were about to start a training course with the youth. In kenya, the "youth" is a term used to describe people aged between 18 and 35. For the country this represents a big potential which unfortunately is not fully exploited.

We had already met some of the youth of Kabula since our arrival but one day we went and met more of them in a meeting they had organized. This meetings take place once a month and alllow youth to exchange ideas about their issues for which they try to find solutions.

The main issue in the community that was raised (on top of poverty) was to find a way to generate revenue and get a plan to leave the sugar canne business. Indeed, sugar canne is not profitable at all for the community. Almost all the families have contracts with big firms that enables them to raise sugar canne in a particular piece of land. However, this land doesn't belong to them, plus the profit is not big enough to make the community self-sufficient. It doesn't even give a family enough money to feed themselves. All the contracts were to end soon and the development of new projects was not easy to find or to carry out financially.

The meeting we went to was really interesting, not only because it could stress all the issues mentionned above but also because it was a good introduction for the training we had to organize for the youth.

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In the picture below : the classroom where the training took place. We were lend this place by a high school which was also a boarding school. It was situated in the other part of Kabula village where they had access to electricity. However, even if the material was still really basic, at least they had chair and tables.

So as you could understand part of our work with BOHAPO was to give tuitions to young adults. The training was about entrepreneurship. It consisted in making youth aware of what it takes to create a project and was aimed at finding a realistic business that could be profitable for them. We would prepare the course with books beforehand but we were not due to bring them profound and technical knowledge as we were starting from zero. The most important was to motivate them and make them understand all the steps required to create a sustainable project.

BOHAPO informed the community that a training was to take place with us and they appointed some volunteers to attend the course. They chose one young adult in each area of the village depending on his motivation to participate in a final project. Before starting, I was wondering if the course would bring something new to students and the community but finally, one could feel really useful which is really a big thing when you go volunteering.

Students were really motivated and so grateful to us. We got to know each other as the days went by and the activities in groups (like how to make a business plan) were successful.

Amongst the final projects proposed for the community we had to pick the most realistic and profitable one so as to make it happen.
The 4 projects with more support from the students were : motorbike business, dairy farming, poultry keeping and bee keeping.
After long discussions about pros and cons we finally picked the poultry farm project.

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Then during the training, Edwin got the idea to make a computer course for the students. It would just be an introduction to show them how a computer worked. So someone brought his own computer and I could teach them the basics.

Actually for many of them it was the first time they saw a computer and some couldn't even make the difference between a computer and a TV.

First I had to give them a general presentation to make them understand why people use computer in business or at home. Students who never used it came to the desk and gave it a try. It was just about how to move the mouse and make a right / left click ! They were all really happy about the experience and they also told me this first contact with computers was really meaning a lot to them.

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People from the Bank also came to visit us. They did a presentation on how to open a bank account and the importance of making savings even with not much money. Obviously, the majority of people in Kabula didn't have any bank account...

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At the end of the training, students were all given a certificate from BOHAPO that testified their attendance at the course. A few of them are pictured below.

And now the nominees are...

Now the complete team ;-)

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On the pictures below : the day we picked up some wood to make the fence for the poultry farm.

Below: some days later when we went back to the coumpound to see the evolution of the poultry project that was taking form. Thanks to the donations BOHAPO could sponsor the training and the final project. The fence and the poultry farm was being built by some of the students.

8) DAYS GOING TO BUNGOMA

2008-12-14T12:54:00.001-08:00

Here is Iván ready to take the "matatu". These small buses are the main transports in Kenyan cities. They can hold up to 10 people but they are always overloaded (10 X 2 ;)

In the pictures above: another "public" transport called "tuk tuk". It is smaller but with as much fun as the Matatu !

So after taking the matatu from Kabula or the tuk-tuk from Kanduyi, we were off to Bungoma where you can have access to the Internet. In the picture below is the Internet Cafe where we used to go. First pic outside and second one inside.

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Internet is really cheap and sometimes reeeaaly slooowww....

Below : BIG DAY ! Of course we were in Kenya the day of the election. People were really excited in Bungoma and in the whole country as well. Everybody we met on the street was greeting at us saying "Obaama!". I guess they all thought we were Americans.

So it was all about Obama on TV and the streets after the election, more than it could have been in Europe I imagine. Obama grandmother still lives in Kenya and the fact that the president elect has origins from Kenya is a great pride for people there. Some think that it will help modernize the country and make their lives better. Some people even said that now they will be able to have American citizenship. Anyway, hopefully this will help the country even if there is still so much to do.

Also, the day after the election, the government declared a public bank holiday in the whole country. This was maybe to make people forget about their everyday problems or to prove that the government's 40 ministries can be "generous" and "helpful" to people.

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Above : even matatus had their Obama fever !

Market place in Bungoma after a rainy day.

In the streets and along the roads in Kenya, many people sell grilled sweetcorn.

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Above: still in Bungoma town, near the National Bank.

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Above : having a drink with some of Edwin's Friends.
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One evening, before taking a matatu to go back to kabula.

They were frying fish in the street and these children wanted us to take a picture of them.

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The market place one evening where we arrived the first day at 4.30 am to wait for a cab to Kabula after a journey of 22 hours.

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Ok now, let's go back home and take a tuk-tuk !

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Below : on the way walking to Kabula. Actually, as there is no electricity in the streets, everybody has to walk in the dark passed 7 pm... It's really ok but you have to think about avoiding puddles (which can be spoted after a bit of training ;-). Otherwise, you can still use a Kenyan mobile phone, they all have the torch option included !
This reminds me of one evening when the matatu broke down and we had walk back in the dark. We had the option then to be given a lift on either a motorcycle or on a Bora-Bora (bycicle). The thing is that the road in the village was all muddy and this would mean the driver would have to avoid the puddles.

Well, we definitely chose the walking option !

7) WORK IN THE SCHOOL (From Oct 20th) + Videos

2008-12-14T08:46:00.000-08:00

As planned with BOHAPO we got introduced to the local school where children from 4 to 14 years old were studing. On the right is the entrance of the school and then a small picture of group...

Pictured below : In the office where we met the headteacher. We were going to pick up the planning for the week. Our mission was to make physical training with pupils and we would have different groups during the day for the whole week.

Before starting the training we went to the classrooms to introduce ourselves. Children were really surprised to see us ;-) As you can see below we visited the younger pupils first.

They don't have a lot of material and are all studing on the floor.

When we entered this class (left picture), the kids listened to us when we introduced ourselves and then we asked them a couple of questions about what they were studing. They all told us their names and we shakes all their little hands. Then, they sang a song for us. In the video below you will see a part it.

Now we get ready to start ! All the kids were so excited and so were we !

Here is Iván running with one goup. To be honest this video is not the best part; kids were always so motivated, playing and singing while running. So, let's consider this as the "quite" moment ;-)

In the picture below, in the group of children, you can see one disease that can affect children within the community. Actually, this can be the consequence of a virus that hasn't been treated properly and this little girl's classmate for instance used to call her "big head". We saw more children with this condition during our stay in Kenya.

Hi Edu !

In the picture below : Children happy to win a little prize (pens) that we gave during a comptetion.

6) MEETING A FAMILY IN KABULA

2008-12-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

After the first 2 days in Kabula, Edwin asked us if we wanted to go and visit families in the village. Until then, we had met several people in the street, introduced ourselves to the neighbours but we hadn't got the chance yet to see how people lived in their homes. Iván and I were really looking forward to it. We wanted to meet needy people and understand why an organisation like BOHAPO is so essential in the community.
So first, we went passed the river where people sometimes go and wash themselves. As one can imagine, the water there was not that clear. But what can people when they don't have any running water ?

We arrived in the coumpound that you can see in the first picture above. Several families live in this area and like many homes in the village constructions are really basics; the walls are made of ground and a strawish material is used for the roofs. The problem is that it can rain heavily and sometimes the houses aren't solid enough.

The construction in the pictures is used as a kitchen...

In the next picture below is the first family we met : a women alone with her children. She knew Edwin and was really happy to meet us. She got some chairs for us to sit outside and we had a chat together (Edwin was translating for us). We were expecting to see one of her sons who has problem with his legs. Like several children in the community, this child was bow-legged (probably due to undernutrition). He arrived after 20 minutes because he was at school and he stayed with us for a couple of minutes. Edwin had put him in a waiting list for an operation but as he told us, there was already 8 children waiting for other operations before him. Once they are in the list, children have to wait for the organisation to get enough money to pay for the operation. So it might take time before the child can get operated.

This bow-legged boy is not pictured but you can see below the rest of the family. The children here are younger and their home is behind us. It is really sad to see that people can live in such conditions. These children don't have proper clothes and the whole family has to sleep on clothes put on the gound.

Unfortunately, we could be aware that these little boys were not really healthy. They were all coughing and one of them was crying certainly because he was not feeling well. As Edwin and Jacky told us, a lot of children don't live longer than 5 years old.

So basically, the presence of the association is a great help for the community. Even if BOHAPO cannot solve all the problems, they are fighting as much as they can to help poor people. The bow-legged boy is hopefully getting an operation and this family is provided with food and clothes when they cannot afford to pay for it

On our way back, we met these children who went out from the classroom to see how "wazungu" (white people) looked like. School in Kenya is compulsory and most of the schools are mixed. Pupils have to wear uniforms but here they didn't have any.

Still, we met this little child on our way as well. He was standing in the field with a bucket behind his back.
We were not sure but we guessed he was working.

5) KABULA INTRODUCTION

2008-12-07T13:27:00.000-08:00

This sign of the fundation is located near the main road at the entrance of the village. The people from Kabula are so welcoming, they are really good people and they all greet you. Everybody knows Edwin in the village. It is funny because loads of people call him "Bohapo" ;-)

Views from the road in the village...

and...

Here are Edwin and his wife Jacky. They have 2 children (other pictures below). They really are a lovely familly and I will never forget Jacky's chapattis ;-) (pancakes)

In this picture is the house where we stayed. It is located in the compound apart from the main house that belongs to Edwin's mother. We had a double bed inside (as we can see in the other picture) and we slept there for 2 weeks.

Below : going to the small local shop.... typical road in Kabula.

Still above, with Edwin's & Jacky's children: Terri (3 years old) & Elkins (6 years old)... There are so cute and so funny. We really miss you !

Some years ago, people from Finland came and settle a water pump in the compound to help the community. Therefore, the whole village can now benefit from drinkable water. Everyday people come and get some water from Bohapo. We drank the water everyday and we had no problem at all.

Playing...

Living room..
"Cheeese Elkins ;) "

Thanks to a small solar panel, TV can be seen but not with the light switched on at the same time.

"Hi Terry! How are you ?"

"I am fine!!

Compound housemate....

Left : toilets - Right : bathroom

4) ON THE WAY TO KABULA

2008-12-07T13:13:00.000-08:00

Iván and Edwin when we took a break at a gas station on our way by bus to Kabula village. We left Nairobi and travelled for 8 hours.

3) ARRIVAL NAIROBI (Oct 19th)

2008-12-07T12:13:00.000-08:00

We finally arrived in Nairobi Capital after a journey of 22 hours !!! Actually, instead of going directly to Kenya, we flew from Dublin to London, then London to Doha (Qatar) and finally Doha to Nairobi. The tickets were cheaper with Qatar Airways but it meant that we had to fly to Qatar and get the connection to Nairobi from there. Edwin was waiting for us at Jomo Kenyatta and before taking the bus to Kabula at 7.30 pm, we went to his sister's to have lunch. Other members of the familly were there, they were all very nice and among them this little boy in the picture.

He had a little toy car and we played together on the balcony.

In the other picture you can see the view from there.

2) ON THE WAY !!! Oct 18th

2008-12-07T11:08:00.000-08:00

Iván looking happy to leave Ireland ;-)

1) BEFORE DEPARTURE (Start Oct 08)

2008-12-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

Iván and I wanted to go volunteering for a month to Africa in an area where no international help was already available. We had been searching on the Internet and found an organization called "BOHAPO".

The foundation is located in a rural area called Kabula (western Kenya, Bungoma District) and the website can be found at the following address : http://bohapo.cfsites.org/

We contacted the founders, Edwin and Jacky in March 2008 through the Internet, so as to get information and let them know that we would be happy to go and volunteer for their organization. Before flying to Kenya in October 2008, we decided to organize a fundraising at our workplace and within a period of 2 weeks, we could raise a total of 2000 US $ among our colleagues. Iván organized the fundraising within Aer Lingus while I was collecting the money amongst my workmates at Hertz Europe Service Centre.

I take this opportunity to say a big THANK YOU to all the people who have donated !

In the picture above you can see one of the two notices we made to introduce the donation project to our colleague