Habari

I write this from 'Shalom House' a quiet, gorgeous little sanctuary situated smack bang in the middle of the hustle and bustle that is Nairobi.

Today is my 6th day in Kenya but it feels like a life time, having already achieved so much and seen such a lot.

On my second day I was thrown into the deep end when I was sent to an IDP camp at Gilgil (internally displaced persons) which was established following the results of the 2007 referendum in Kenya. Here we held a medical camp. Day three was similar, only we were sent to the garbage slum situated in Nakuru. Again we help a medical camp, only here we dealt with hundreds of people within hours. So far, donated funds have contributed to medicines for both camps. It was a huge success and we saw over 500 people across both days.

The garbage slum at Nakuru was possibly the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with. Some of the volunteers have sponsored a family living within the slums (a mother who was abandoned by her husband in 1984, though who comes back every few years and rapes her, she has 8 children who live with her). On this day a few of us went out to do HIV testing for her, and her 3 daughters (4, 5 and 10) who have also been raped. Happily however, they all tested negative.

Friday the 1st (my fourth day) was orientation, and although I have (since being here) changed my mind on the program I would like to do, I have been placed at Monica Memorial Orphanage in Naivasha, the placement starts today. I have requested however to spend only two weeks here and then move out to the IDP camp at Gilgil to work on some self sustainable projects to strengthen the community. It is a very new program for IVHQ (the organisation I am working with). Last month before other volunteers were placed there, they had nothing. Now, they have a school and some animals for food. I intend to go out there and work together with these volunteers to get some other projects up and running to help re-build the community.

Saturday the 2nd we went out past Karen to do a womens education program at two different orphanages. Again, some of the donated funds have contributed to sanitary towels for over 100 girls at these two establishments. Here we taught them about womens health and HIV/Aids. This is really important as most of these girls have no education on their bodies so they think that when they have their period, they are disgusting and do not attend school.

Yesterday was more sight seeing and cultural immersion. We went to church in the morning which was such an odd experience, so stereotypical of what I have seen on television re: African churches; loud, rhythmical singing which took up almost an hour and a half of the two and a half hour service. From here we did the Giraffe center, the monkey park, where the mzungu (white people), that's us, were on more of a show to the Kenyans than the actual monkey, then we went to the Masai markets which were incredibly intense. From the moment we walked in, we were bombarded by several Kenyans who followed us around the entire time, quite frustrating.

Today I am just hanging around Nairobi waiting to be picked up. They say they will arrive at 2pm, though, as I have already learnt, this means nothing. They operate on Kenyan time over here, so basically whenever they feel like coming, they will arrive.

I love it over here, it is so chaotic, yet somehow it is organised chaos.The people are amazing and their smiles infectious.

I feel so blessed to be over here and am positive I have made the right decision to come, despite my nerves before I was leaving. I want to thank you all again for your support and your donations, they are all going to great causes.