07-01-13
Today, Monday 7th January, saw the return to school for the vast majority of Kenyan children. Yesterday, I went on a unbelievably amazing safari to the Nakuru National Park, and on Saturday I was part of a mind blowing medical camp at the Gioto Garbage Slum with Rico and his team from HHF, but its none of those amazing things I'm going to write about this evening... For I really need to address an issue, an issue that currently fills me with a certain sense of failure.
Prior to coming away I was completely overwhelmed at the level of support shown for the Lifestraw a personal water filtration device. Support from every day people; friends, family plus many I hardly knew, including some I didn't know at all, so many people jumped on board, as they, like me saw this as a tangible way to help those most at need, those living the hardest life imaginable. I pushed and pushed for people to purchase a Lifestraw for the price I paid, and I won't lie to you, it was heart warming to pack 113 LifeStraws into my luggage. So now many of you are probably quite rightly so starting to question "what's happened to the LifeStraws?"
Naively I thought it would be a breeze to get these life saving devices to those most in need.... How wrong could I have been? .........And here is where I feel a sense of failure, feel I owe an explanation. But before I give an explanation, please let me assure you that all 113 LifeStraws, plus an additional 100 donated by HHF will make it to the most vulnerable, the most in need, it just might not happen in quite such a "Fairytale" manner as I first anticipated. But that folks (as I am sadly/quickly learning) is Kenya for you.
So, here's what's happened.......
On arrival in Kenya I made contact with a man whose work I've really come to admire. I've mentioned his organisation a number of times lately HHF (Hardcore Help Foundation) this guy is a regular, down to earth, kind hearted German, that just happens raises enough money throughout the year in Germany to enable; him, his partner, their organisation and an ever growing number of volunteers to provide the families of the Gioto garbage slum with four FREE medical camps a year. HHF provides the doctors, the nurses, the medicine, the shelter, volunteers such as myself come along to do all the menial tasks, HHF even fed us during the day... (There is so, so, so much more this guy does, both in Kenya, and in Germany it's well worth taking a look at his web site www.hhf.org)
As previously mentioned HHF had brought an additional 100 LifeStraws to and we agreed to combine them with my 113, If I remember correctly it was through the HHF Facebook page I first learnt of this amazing device. Naively I thought we would be able to give these straws away to the most needy on the slum to ensure that when they had no access to clean water they could drink what the water available via the Lifestraw and not be at risk of the dozens of water borne diseases..... How wrong I was!
What I hadn't factored in, was the level of control and corruption that infiltrates every level of Kenyan life, none more effected than those most vulnerable, the poor and the weak, but on Saturday I experienced it first hand.
On arrival at the "Dumpsite" as its colloquially known, the locals that support HHF by assisting with the set up of the medical camp had done a fine job and the small building we were to be using was a hive of activity. (I'm not even going to try describe the horror that is the Dumpsite in this post, for to do the extremes justice it requires a post unto itself, and I'm headed back there before I leave, so I will attempt to paint you a fitting picture next time... This post is purely about the LifeStraws and my need to explain.)
Once the first tasks of the day have been completed and the initial buzz of arrival has worn off, it's suggested that now we might venture out into the Interior of the slum, and begin distributing the LifeStraws. We've been lucky enough to acquire a lovely young man as our interpreter and guide, as barely any English is spoken up here. our guide knows Gioto well, his grandmother resides he, and because of this he knows the intricacies and politics of the Dumpsite and he takes us aside and explains his concerns.
As with any environment a "leader" always emerges in some shape or form, and the Gioto garbage slum of Nakuru is no different. It appears the slum boss, or more accurately the slum "Queen" is a very powerful lady, and one I'm told that strikes fear in those who reside under her. As is too often the case with those who hold a position of power, the hold they have over others is often obtained through threats and violence.
Now to be fair, I know very little of this woman, but if half the stories I'm told are to be believed, they certainly don't endear me to her, and with contacts in many levels of the Nakuru underworld, as well as within those paid to serve and protect, I'm in no hurry to become better acquainted with her. We are advised that if we wish to venture onto the slum and distribute the LifeStraws its in our best interest to obtain "consent" from the Mama. Now I must admit I hate the thought of cow-towing to a person I don't seeing as earned their leadership, but who am I to argue or become righteous? This isn't my world, I don't have to continue living here or bear the consequences after I retreat to the safety of my homestay, and the HHF team seem to be of a similar opinion.
So we sit and we wait, we wait until Mamma appears, am I surprised to be face to face with well dressed, in her late forties, head wrapped in the traditional silk like scarf, she could be any of the women I've passed in the street this past few weeks (minus the warm smile I've become accustomed to) in true Kenyan style I extend my hand with a quiet "Habari", begrudgingly (or am I imagining that?) she takes it and responds "Mazuri" we follow her, as she slowly walks us up through the Dumpsite to where she lives, the contrast is remarkable, though this is no palace, this one room created from what looks like scraps of plywood is not only incredibly hot its almost salubrious by comparison to the homes that surround it.
Mamma motions that we are to come in and with little or no verbal communication we are instructed to sit, so we do, and she disappears. As my adjust to the darkness I begin to look around, I see we are actually seated on a matching 5 piece lounge suite! surrounded by many large cardboard posters, some proclaiming gods love and prayers, others are pictures of Asian babies asleep on pumpkins or pillows, but the most bizarre of all, the A3 framed photo of a camo clad, AK47 toting Arnold Schwarzenegger! At this point we are alone, and one of HHF team makes eyes to me indicating he too has seen this masterpiece.
Upon her return our guide/interpreter starts talking to her in Swahili, we are told, she gives us permission to go onto the Dumpsite, but with conditions, we must purchase some of her goods, we must not buy crafts elsewhere on the site, and she must receive a Lifestraw and be photographed with it... We comply, she is given a Lifestraw, we buy a number of overpriced jewellery items that we could have bought for half the price in town and finally we are on our way, after about half an hour...
As we begin to meander our way up the steep hill side, I turn and see we are gazing out over the stunning lake Nakuru. Anywhere else homes commanding a view such as this would be prime real estate, but not at the Gioto garbage slum, where vultures as taller than a child, wild dogs and pigs are fighting alongside the hungry for the scraps dumped here each day.
We do manage to distribute about fifteen of our now 213 LifeStraws, but we are quite obviously being followed by some of Mammas "family" and we are quietly told by our guide he suspects that Mamma might be keen to take the straws off the recipients and sell them back to them, so we abandon our task and make our way back down through the interior of the slum to the medical camp.
This proved to be the only negative of an awe inspiring day, to be even a tiny part of the work the HHF team do is a real honour, I feel totally blessed to have been allowed to join them.
But all is not lost, in the next few days a young Irish man who has spent many many months working on the Dumpsite, this guy is well known and respected by both the locals of Gioto and the HHF team is returning to Nakuru, I'm making contact with him and requesting he take me back to the Dumpsite and with his assistance we will start the distribution process, I don't think it will be possible to photograph the recipients, as I feel this would draw too much unwanted attention to the, and with a slightly better understanding of the dynamics of the Dumpsite I can see this would do more harm than good.
So there we have it..........not every grand plan is a good one, if you donated a Lifestraw again I thank you sincerely, I promise I will try my darnedest to get them to the most needy..I have another place I'm taking them, but that too requires a whole post to itself...
If you were waiting anxiously for a photo of your recipient all I can say is, Pole sana (very sorry) if I've let you down...
Jacq
x
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