LTK
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#TEAMNABOISHO
Inside the maasai mind
The cane debate
Community Action day
Rough with the smooth – True tales
Red Cross kenyA gets crafty
DJ Sammy’s Loitokitok Mix
L
Welcome to LTK. We are a strong team of 18 volunteers from Kenya and the UK, the second cycle to reach Loitokitok (for the UKs, that’s pronounced Loi-tok-tok, we had a few slips ups with that at the beginning!) We all met for the �rst time on February 12th in Nairobi, from where we all rolled into a rickety bus and began the long ride to Loitokitok town in Kajiado county, trying to spot Mt. Kili on the horizon and gage how long until we could �nd our beds for the night. Though the mountain was hidden by cloud, we did spot a few zebra and gira�e on route – sadly no simba!
Now half way through we’ve faced lots of challenges alongside the excitements. VSO Loitokitok is still a very new program so next cycle - be prepared! There’s heaps of work to be done but it requires a lot of determination to build the foundations and create the relationships that are at the heart of sustainable development.
Don’t bring a watch with you (unless you want to be frustrated) things move at a di�erent pace here, so let the sound of chickens waking outside your room and the setting sun mark your day rather than the unforgiving strike of the clock; everything being within walking distance gives little excuse for being late anyway! Though if you’re heading to the neighbor town Kimana add extra cushion time, you may end up waiting anything between 20-40 minutes for the matatu driver to be content that the vehicle is packed enough to warrant departure.
This issue is packed full of highs and lows, tales of mice and Maasai, the voices of youth and age alike plus the odd toilet or two…
We welcome you to our world, our venture in being the change. Enjoy!
I joined VSO to challenge myself to adapt to a new
community and experience cross cultural
exchange, I’ll definitely engage myself in more
community activities when I return home. -
Joseph
I joined to develop
mentoring skills and
any skills that can
positively influence
youth in the
community. The
experience has been
all about
determination and
perseverance. -
Meshack
I plan to be more active in the
UK, especially in the strands
of health and environment.
It’s been challenging so far
but very rewarding. I think
the experience has changed
my outlook forever and I
wouldn’t hesitate to do it
again despite the ups and
downs. - Jade
It’s been life changing. I’ve
learnt a lot about myself and
different cultures. Now I want
to travel and explore more of
the world.- Steffi
I hope to work in
development in the future
so this is a great
opportunity to get hands on
experience. I’m planning on
coming back to Kenya in the
future to do ICS E, this trip
has really made me
reevaluate my plans! - Jess
I’ve learnt a lot about different
cultural activities of the Maasai and
the significance of youth in society,
now I want to teach what I’ve learnt
to the next generation - Samuel
I came to experience working and living with a
diverse group and sharing ideas on securing
livelihoods- Nuru
I decided to join VSO
ICS because it offers
an amazing
opportunity for young
people to try and give
their best back to the
community. It’s the
hardest experience
I’ve ever had but I
don’t regret any
moment. - Cat
I wanted to see development first
hand and understand better about
aid. I’m keen to implement
development strategies in my home
community and be more aware of
global issues. - Lucy
I’ve learnt diverse
global issues and
will be part of
stimulating
change, where
ever I go,
however small
the impact. -
Rahab
I came to live
doing what I
love,
afterwards? I’ll
go with
whatever life
throws at me,
hopefully more
adventures and
experience in
international
development -
Alifya
I believe that we all have a duty to ensure a
fairer world. My plans have changed thanks
to the program as I now intend on continuing
work in the charity sector back home - Dan
I wanted to experience
like-minded people; I
have helped the
community but grown so
much as a person. I’m
going to go back and start
my organization that I’ve
always talked about and
start conversations that
matter! - Liani
INSIDER’s STORY: MAASAI
SIMON SAIKOTUNTAN
64 YEARS
FOUR WIVES, 27 TOTO
CHAIR MAN OF
OLIELI COMMUNITY
CHAIRMAN OF
KIMANA HEALTH CENTER
Later in the day Simon Saikotutan comes in to visit, though
after about 5 minutes of talking he receives a phone call from
one of his wives needing transport money to Loitokitok, so
we are told ‘wrap it up quickly’. No problem, Rahab and I fire
through the questions, which Simon happily sits back to
answer, E Siare (traditional Maasai stick) in hand and a few
words of English thrown in throughout, John from NCDO
aiding in Maasai to Swahili translation with Rahab at times
when the meaning of the question becomes blurred amongst
the mix of languages.
H: Do you feel a change in the way the Maasai live their lives?
S:Maasais have let their children go to school - every gender,
they have agreed together that this is right and also the fact
that in the past they used to select husbands for their girls
but now a girl can choose for herself.
H: Why do the Maasai practice FGM?
S: There is one thing in particular circumcision of a woman
means; she won’t stray to other men. Also girls in the past
could not be married or give birth if not circumcised as they
are still considered children. The practice is reducing because
local chiefs and leaders teach people about the harmful
effects.
H: How do you feel about development and the Maasai’s role
in Kenya’s future?
S: I am happy about the change from the pastoralism of the
past to a diversity of livelihoods; we now have shambas and
better housing. Along time ago we donated Amboseli land but
it belongs to us. In future if other communities can give us the
role of leading, since we can live alongside the animals, we
would like an extension of our land into Amboseli. There is no
tribalism in the Maasai we are open to all and always
welcoming.
MAMA KAKENIA MUSIKERI
AGE: 60
FEMALE HEAD OF
MUSIKERI CLAN
CHAIR OF
NABOI SHOAMAA
WOMAN’S GROUP
Greeted by the gentle rustle of fabric and gangling of beads
looping through her ears, streaming from her neck and
bangles clanking on her wrists, Kakenia has taken time
from selling cooking fat at the Tuesday Kimana Market to
visit us in the Noomayianat offices. Laptop open ready to
type her answers, I had intended on recording the
conversation but having forgotten to charge my phone will
have to rely on speedy typing and keen ears. Rahab sits
beside her, ready to translate, as thankfully Kakenia speaks
Swahili not just Maasai unlike many here.
H: Hi Kakenia thank you for taking the time to sit with us,
what do you believe makes a ‘good’ Maasai?
K: One who has kept to traditions, still builds their own
Manyatta; not affected by total modernization.
H: Which traditions do you feel should be kept?
K: Language should not change, the practice of
circumcision to females is changing and beauty practices
such as the piercings and removing the front tooth due to
women becoming religious. If women go to church they
should still wear our traditional outfits because it is
beautiful and distinguishes them from others. I had female
circumcision as a girl and I’m fine, I would have wanted the
practice to proceed but it would stopour girls from joining
the modern world so I am against the practice because it
would hold them back.
H: What age is best for marriage and why?
K: In the past because they didn’t know about ages, a
mother looks at the girl and during adolescence they see
things are growing, they have their period; they observe
and decide they are ready to marry. Nowadays is different.
No age is considered better than another.
TEXT: HETTIE & RAHAB IMAGES: JOHN BAA
Fact file: MAASAI The Maasai, known for their semi-nomadic pastoralist culture, started farming the land here in the Loitokitok District more than twenty years ago, the woman’s groups in
particular have been key in reshaping their livelihoods by turning to the tending of shambas rather than solely relying on livestock. The expectation remains that whatever the
labor, that their children though adapting to the world around them will learn on their hands through hard work.
Do I look like a Maasai?
The Shuka though seemingly typical of the Maasai was once in fact the chosen wear for most tribes, being good in the heat and weather conditions. The Maasai, always proud of
their traditions and roots have however maintained and in the end taken sole ownership of their significance. The large beaded earrings that dangle in multitudes are a way of
distinguishing the Maasai from other tribes as well as being a symbol of beauty. The woman can be seen wearing a vast array of colours, where men’s jewellery tends to be
smaller, more simplistic in design and colour scheme. The real accessory that stands out for the men is of course the dagger at their hip. Signifying he is a man, from the age of
ten a boy is given a small spear and sword to begin practicing handing them on his transition into manhood.
Childhood in the Maasai community
The clan formation of this culture makes it a shared enterprise and as such the children are cared for by and also serve the community as a whole. In the past with each birth
came a cow, the child growing up rearing the cow that would become the property of the family they themselves led on to build. The provision of a cow to your child was a must
and fathers would be responsible for finding the cow by any means necessary. Though now less practiced particularly concerning girl children. The gift given to children these
days revolves instead around education, the Maasai increasingly recognizing the importance of equal education for both girls and boys.
Traditions of birth and death
Women from the village gather together in female only ceremony that can last over a month, as the Maasai don’t mark birthdays annually like we do, this month of singing and
celebration is very important. During this time the husband stays away, often for several months, choosing to stay at the home of another wife. The next time such an event in the
name of that person occurs, it will likely be at their death. For both these two occasions; a birth or funeral, a sheep is slaughtered rather than a goat as it is seen as a peaceful
animal believed to have no aggression, being quiet and polite.
Burials also have an element of separation between the genders. The women staying inside the manyatta, the door covered with a cow skin, whilst the men stay outside awaiting
the sun’s movement for a noon burial. The sheep is slaughtered before the burial, the women not resurfacing until the following morning.
A widow’s life
Even if a woman is widowed at a young age she isn’t supposed to remarry, though if she decides to have more children, according to Kakenia, the clan won’t stop her in that.
There are exceptions; if the woman has yet to have children then remarriage isn’t seen as such an issue. But either way the weight of responsibility is on the clan, they must care
for you, raising money and cows to aid in the marriage of any sons and ensuring the family never fall into poverty.
TEXT: HETTIE
The volunteers from Kenya Red Cross are hosting their ACD this Friday, 20th March. Kenya Red
Cross is currently involved in a range of projects, from a tree nursery and first aid training.
This cycle we have implemented a new project which aims to educate the people of Loitokitok
of effective waste disposal.
If you take a walk around Loitokitok you will see it is very dirty. We are really concerned about
this because is not only a threat to human health and the environment but to the economy. Our
project aims to secure livelihoods by introducing the ideas of waste recycling. We are
currently seeking to implement education sessions which inform local people about the
benefits of composting organic waste but also the ways in which waste can be turned into
useful and even profitable products. We are currently trialing some of these crafts in our
office. We hope that by educating the general public about such ideas Loitokitok will slowly
become a cleaner and healthier environment for all to enjoy.
For our upcoming ACD we were fortunate enough to find out that the VSO-ICS Nairobi team will
be joining us. Due to having such a significant number of volunteers we decided that the most
effective use of our time would be to be proactive and organize a community clean up. In
conjunction with Loitokitok district council we are being supported to clean up the dirtiest
areas of Loitokitok. The event is also being advertised to members of Loitokitok community so
we are hoping that by getting involved local people will appreciate the benefits of having a
clean environment. We will also be encouraging volunteers along the way to notice any
reusable waste that can be collected and utilized for making useful and crafty items.
Whilst working at Kenya Red Cross, Jade and I decided to build useful items from
waste products found discarded around Loitokitok. The idea being that all this
rubbish piling up around the town has both short and long term impacts on the
environment, particularly here where there isn‟t a properly functioning system of
safe waste disposal.
So here are just a few of the things we put together…
The Lamp that gives you wings
It uses kerosene as a source of power and having tested it out; found it to be
incredibly economical as it only uses Ksh2 for a whole night!
The Waste Not, Want Not Bin
In the spirit of clearing the town up we thought some waste bins for the home
would be a great addition, we used the wires to make the frame strong and tried
mixing up the colours of the caps to make it more fun and attractive.
Not just practical items though, we also created jewelry that we‟re hoping will be a
popular addition to the Maasai beads everyone here wears.
We decorated them by placing the pieces of fabric found on the floor and paints in
the center of the bottle tops, making holes in the metal tops by piercing through
with a nail given to us by a man at the market and a stone as we didn‟t have a
hammer. As much as possible everything was made using waste products,
generally just those things found scattered along the road sides; one man‟s
rubbish is another‟s treasure.
Made using:
Electrical
bulb,
Metal
Bottle Top,
Red Bull
Can,
Cloth
as wick, String
Made using:
Plastic
&
Metal
Bottle Tops
Wire
Nail
Smirnoff
Ice Can
TEXT: JADE & KELVIN IMAGES: SAMMY & HETTIE
Made using: metal bottle
tops,
fabric,
paint,
string,
nail
Bits & Bobs & Button Jewellery
“I really do not agree with the use
of the cane. I work with children
back home and never has negative
reinforcement been used. There
are plenty of other methods that
can be used without getting
physical and causing pain to the
child.”
“I think the use of
the cane to
children is not a
bad thing when it
is used minimally;
a punishment
that is reliable. If
people do not
use the cane
believe me they
will use physical
punishment and
that is very bad
compared to the
cane.”
During an ACD
ON CHILDREN’S
RIGHTS, THE ABOVE
QUESTION WAS
BROUGHT INTO
DEBATE.
In
th
e s
pir
it o
f o
pen
d
isc
ussio
n w
e s
ha
re w
ith
yo
u, a
no
nym
ou
sly
, so
me o
f t
he o
pin
ion
s o
f
th
ose o
n t
he t
ea
m.
For
though
our
beliefs,
backgrounds and
opinions
may differ,
we are
and
always will
remain
a team.
To cane or not to
cane?
“I wasn’t caned and I
turned out just fine!”
“The cane is a symbol of
discipline to a child, it is
because when a child is
struck pain is inflicted to
him/her by use of a cane for
a deed he/she has done
wrong then this strike will
remind him/her not to
repeat the mischief or
wrong deed in the future.”
TEXT: GROUP CONTRIBUTIONS
“I don’t support it
because there are
forms of
punishments that
do not harm the
pupil but install
discipline.”
DAY F
O
C
U
S
O
N
G
E
N
D
E
R
Our CAD Committee organized a community sports
day, to mix up and mingle girls, boys, men and
women in some traditional fun competitions; sack
race, skipping races, tire races and egg and spoon
with a Loitokitok twist – spud and spoon.
All sounds great? It was, bit of a rocky start
though. We‟d figured in „African time‟ – imagining a
slow trickle in of late comers but not the sudden
appearance of a school on the field we‟d booked,
running their own sports day. We invited them to
join our event but I suspect our „spud and spoon‟
wasn‟t serious enough to match their timed
sprints so off they went
In fact we had students from White Mountain turn
up early, unheard of behavior here, just to limber
up for the events.
Competition heating up, volunteers getting excited
at such a healthy turn out when lunch time hit and
we lost half the participants to the apparently
irresistible lure of ugali back at their school…
But with a whole day ahead to make up for it and
some rebel rousing in the ranks, more than
enough participants lined up. Rounding the day off
whilst recuperating in the shade, Evalyne and
Lucy‟s Mama Saitoti, and Frances from the Youth
Resource Center, gave talks on gender equality
whilst bananas and sodas were handed around.
Our visiting Alumni from cycle one, Felix and
Kenneth MC‟d the event, proudly handing over
certificates to the winners. Big thanks are owed to
the alumni for joining in and making the day really
buzz; a reminder that unity, not just between
genders, but also volunteers from each cycle
makes for a far greater impact.
For so long the focus on
gender has been on
separating the two;
male, female. There are
certainly differences to
be found in men and
women, but so too are
there between any
individuals. The fact
remains, our species,
regardless of gender, is
the same. Our potential
therefore, if given equal
opportunity is just as
great. So we focus on
gender, on gender as a
whole, in the
contributions and
strengths of each other
not in spite of but by
embracing both our
gender and our
humanity, together.
TEXT: HETTIE IMAGES: CAT
Community welcome party and
the phone incident…
Sadly though we have lost Jacob (not deceased
just back to the UK), he has left something behind
in Kenya, something that will remain here longer
than any other UK on this cycle. But I‟ll let him tell
you the tale in his own words…
Yesterday was the day we had all been waiting
for. The first half of the day consisted of a lot of
stress and shopping. People were preparing
potatoes and samosas, other people running
around town purchasing sodas, chilli sauce and
biscuits.
Let‟s skip forwards to around 3.30pm. Guests
have arrived, tables and chairs are set up. Show
time. Five minutes or so before we were due to
start, I was told I was presenting the whole show
with Joseph, a national volunteer who would be
translating everything I said into Swahili.
Immediately I panicked and ran straight to Hettie
and practically told her straight out that she was
doing it with me. She was more than happy to
help which I appreciate a lot, cheers Hettie.
The next hour or so was an event filled with
dancing, singing, speeches and a game of tug of
war. That was interesting to watch. Now I‟m going
to tell you where my phone comes into all of this.
The event was more or less over, people were
leaving and chairs were getting put away. I took
this opportunity to escape the crowd and pop to
the toilet. As there were still people around, I
didn‟t want to leave my phone outside in case it
went missing, so naturally I put it in my pocket.
I should probably tell you that the toilet I used
was one that requires you to squat, so putting the
phone in my pocket wasn‟t the smartest decision
I‟ve made! As I stood up to exit the toilet, I knew
something terrible was going to happen… and it
did.
My phone decided to go skydiving and simply
leaped out of my pocket. I turned and tried to
catch it but too late. Right then, at that very
moment, I accepted the fact that my phone was
9ft in a hole, and probably covered in, well, poo!
The third counterpart
Ever come across a small, creepy and annoying thing. Well this can be best by the sisters
Caterina and Rahab after a horrific night in their bedroom at the Lenkai Family. After a tiring day
and sumptuous dinner, anybody would want to have a stress free sleeping night but alas that
was not to be for the sleeping bella and the lady
from the coast.
At ten o‟clock, they switched off the light ready to
have a good night‟s rest; rest was not what the girls would be in for that night.
An hour and a half later, there they were, wide
awake, lights on, looking into each other‟s
terrified eyes. “Did you hear that?” – A question
which would become the most frequent sentence
spoken that night.
The visiting counterpart was clearly enjoying the
nightly strolls in their room. Preferring the cover
of darkness to the light, he‟d disappear into thin
air, silent as the grave the moment the light was
switched on. With the uncertainty of his
whereabouts the sisters eventually got back to
sleep; only to be woken a few minutes later when
the visitor stealthily crawled across Rahab‟s
body, screaming she woke Caterina, who
screamed louder; totally out of control as they
jumped startled from their beds. Panic filled the
room in which the visitor had yet again magically
disappeared. Rahab opted to stay awake in the
dark, lying in wait, Caterina too was forced to do
so as she stood, bewildered, on her suitcase with
both a torch and shoe in either hand. The clock
struck three, then four and still they remained,
door open, hoping the visitor would leave. Sleep
got the better of the exhausted pair; leaving it to
fate as they crawled back, scared, into their
beds, waiting with window ajar, hoping the rat
would find its way out of the room.
Thankfully, the final two hours of the early
morning were peaceful and undisturbed, with the
hope that their third counterpart would never
find its way back ever again; they slept with what
little time of the night remained to them.
LIV
ING
TH
E D
REA
M
TEXT: JACOB, RAHAB & CAT
Dear brother Samuel … Felling low and full of woe? Write to kaka (brother)
Samuel for his sage advice; three months in a new
community can feel like an alien world and those
counterpart volunteers like people from another
planet at times. It‟s always best to find solutions
rather than letting these things fester so confide in
this mellow fellow Samuel.
Dear Brother with a peg on
your nose,
Maybe try sitting down and
discussing routines, let them
know gently the different
cultural norms. Don’t forget too
that we all have our own way
of doing things and as long as
their actions aren’t hurting
anyone, how much does it
really matter?
- Brother Samuel
Dear Penniless,
Relax. Remember that you stand out
like a sore thumb here and that
many people have lots of
preconceptions about foreigners. This
is your opportunity to change all
that. Foster those meaningful
connections with people in the
community and through your actions
show them that your time is more
valuable than your pocket.
- Brother Samuel
Dear hungry sisters,
That does sound difficult, have you tried
talking to your host mum about foods you
miss from home? It might be good way to
nudge the idea of some other dishes onto the
table. Or even offer to cook one night
yourselves. If you’re not being given enough
to eat and it’s affecting your energy and
making you feel really low then perhaps it’s
time to talk to the team leaders about it. You
can’t let yourself feel isolated from your
home environment. After all, you need to
have somewhere that feels comfortable after
a long days work at your placements.
- Brother Samuel
1. Life is very long
Don’t rush on matters of life; life is very long like a marathon. We start as a crowd but finish as an individual.
2. The terrain in a marathon is rugged
We meet many challenges, though you may find people only ever want to hear about your successes.
3. In order to succeed in a marathon you must endure hardship
Marathon runners must be disciplined, requiring them to eat only certain foods. If you want to achieve goals in your
life you too must suspend some temptations.
4. Run your own race
Don’t be influenced by those who run easily, mind your own and find your own pace in order to achieve.
5. Play by the rules
Don’t do what you have been told not to do, wisdom is given to use from experience.
6. Keep the right company
Working together we achieve more than working alone.
7. Be strategic and calm
Have a good desired plan.
To keep up with today’s
world you need to be
marathon-ised! Life is a
marathon not a sprint.
Here’s my handy life
lesson as to why this is
true and how you can
face adversity with a
smile, secure in the
knowledge of success:
TEXT: HETTIE & SAMUEL
7
To
ca
ne
or
no
t t
o
ca
ne?
- r
ev
isit
ed
Wh
ilst
eve
ry m
emb
er o
f th
e te
am
was
inv
ited
to
giv
e in
pu
t o
n t
hei
r o
pin
ion
of
the
can
e as
a f
orm
of
dis
cip
lin
e,
som
e ca
me
up
wit
h s
ligh
tly
wei
ghti
er
sub
mis
sio
ns
to
the
med
ia
tea
m.
Try
ing
to
rem
ain
n
eutr
al
I h
ad
ori
gin
all
y d
ecid
ed n
ot
to i
ncl
ud
e th
e
big
gest
o
f th
em
– an
en
tire
a
rtic
le
wri
tten
by
two
of
the
volu
nte
ers,
as
ther
e w
as
no
o
pp
osi
ng
art
icle
to
pre
sen
t b
esid
e it
. H
ow
ever
, I
als
o f
eel
tha
t n
ot
pu
ttin
g th
e ar
ticl
e in
wo
uld
be
un
fair
to
th
e p
air
wh
o s
pen
t th
eir
tim
e p
rep
ari
ng
it a
nd
as
all
mem
ber
s
of
the
tea
m
wh
ere
off
ered
th
e
op
po
rtu
nit
y,
I w
ill
no
t ig
no
re
the
con
trib
uti
on
o
f o
ne
po
int
of
view
sim
ply
b
eca
use
th
e o
ther
o
pp
osi
ng
view
po
int
ha
ve
no
t ta
ken
th
e ti
me
to
sub
mit
a s
imil
ar
pie
ce.
Alt
ho
ugh
th
e
foll
ow
ing
art
icle
re
fers
to
a
gen
era
l
„pro
ca
ne‟
st
an
ce
in
Ken
ya,
it
is
imp
ort
an
t to
no
te t
ha
t th
at
is n
ot
tru
e
for
all
Ken
yan
s ju
st a
s th
e o
pp
osi
te
wo
uld
no
t b
e tr
ue
of
all
Eu
rop
ean
s.
In Kenya, the cane has been a staple form
of discipline and behavioural modification
for years. As a result, some still believe
that it is an effective tool for teachers and
parents alike, as it gives them the authority
they need to keep children on the straight
and narrow.
One of the pro-cane points raised at the
Teule volunteers‟ ACD was that this kind of
punishment tends to be over
sensationalised by those who are against it.
After all, in most cases, a misbehaving child
is only hit once or twice – that is, enough to
reprimand them but “not enough to do them
any harm”. We found this a particularly
interesting point. On a surface level, it‟s
true – a mild tap with a switch or rod is
unlikely to do a child harm, but this
argument only stands if we recognise harm
as physical damage only. But, in 2015, our
understanding of harmful behaviour has
evolved; we now know that pain can be
emotional (as outlined in Article 19 of the
CRC which states children should be
protected from all forms of violence)
This is something we must bear in mind
when discussing physical punishment. Thus,
the questions remain: can we ignore the
negative psychological effects of being
shamed in front of a class of peers? Can we
endorse the clear power imbalance that a
tool like the cane creates in a classroom
environment and the long-lasting effects
that this can have on a child‟s psyche? And
finally, can we really justify an instrument
which instils in children the fear to speak
out against authority? For us, this last point
is a particularly sinister one, as we all know
that school is one of the most important
factors in a person‟s life – it‟s the link
between childhood and adulthood and the
place where you learn how to behave in the
grown-up world. In light of this, it seems
dangerous for schools to be teaching
children that violence is the ultimate
authority.
Furthermore, if the purpose of an education
centre is to empower people, the use of
something which exists almost exclusively
to humiliate and undermine children seems
unnecessary,
After all, teaching and parenting are
incredibly stressful and sometimes it can
be tempting to pull out the ultimate trump
card, i.e “I can (cane you), so I will”.
However, the CRC states that “the best
interests of children must be the primary
concern in making decisions that may
affect them and all adults should do what is
best for children”, and in our opinion what‟s
right for the child is not necessarily the
same as what‟s easy for an educator or
parent.
To summarise, we understand that
corporeal punishment is a tradition with
deep roots in Kenya, and we understand
why people all over the world still believe in
its effectiveness, and we can be
sympathetic to this context. However, from
our perspective, violence will only ever
breed violence… As the Christian teaching
says, an eye for an eye and the whole world
would be blind. We believe there‟s a lesson
in there for everyone. More needs to be
done to safeguard the livelihoods of
children in Kenya and to break the cycle of
this outdated form of punishment.
MAIN TEXT: LUCY & DAN IMAGE: MESHACK AN EYE FOR
AN EYE
Noomayianat is a community
development organization based in
the sunbaked town of Kimana. The
smell of engines and roasting maze
(Rahab‟s favourite) on the roadside
mingles amongst the sand like dust.
Sat not far from the center, the lime
green and white candy stripes of
the rented office greet a collection
of Maasai, farmers and local people
who wander in throughout the day.
Those fresh bright paints are
thanks, in part, to the brushstrokes
of VSO volunteers. Not our usual
volunteer activity but a result of an
impending visit from VVF, a donor
to NCDO and NCDO‟s need to
impress and secure future funding.
Focused on environmental
conservation and secure
livelihoods, this organization is
making a visible impact on the
community it serves, with lined
water furrows running myriad from
five local springs – now protected
from both human and animal
disruption. As my baba explained
“Kimana is a town of maize”,
always growing thanks to the
systems of irrigation, developed
mostly by NCDO and its ongoing
mission to improve farming
techniques and technology.
Recent projects include the
installation of solar panels to pump
water from local shallow wells,
saving both time and hard labor of
the women and children that collect
it, many having walked over two
hours to reach the pumps.
Rahab and I are the volunteers
placed here this cycle; currently we
are researching and writing
proposals to support adult education
through self-sustaining income
generating activities. One of the
options currently under scrutiny is
bee keeping. Keeping bee‟s certainly
has a certain romantic ideal about it;
how rewarding and environmentally
beneficially! But things are never that
sweet or straight forward. Many of
the NCDO aided groups we met with
had hives, some for the last three or
five years, yet when asked about
quantities of honey harvested, they
all replied the same – none, no bees!
Aside from being massively
disappointed not to be taking a
sample of the golden nectar home, it
also highlights a far more concerning
issue; why? Why the lack of bees and
perhaps more poignantly why are we
funding an activity apparently so ill-
suited to the area?
We looked into pig-rearing, heard
about the issues and benefits of
French beans, bead making and
fattening of bulls; anything that
might be strong enough to support a
system of adult education centers,
particularly in order to benefit the
isolated Maasai living in the interior.
Thanks to Mr. Kwamuma, potentially
the only success story with 75 hives, a
store of honey, a man who describes
himself as having honey in his blood
and several generations of experience,
we haven‟t given up hope!
Here is a perfect example of long term
development, where results are sought
in sustainable livelihood plans and an
example of how vital sufficient training
and support is provided in those infant
stages of a project. I suspect this is
where NCDO‟s hives have fallen flat, so
again, there is hope. The lack of buzzing
bee filled hives is not due to an ill-suited
area but instead an ill-equipped
community. If there‟s one thing VSO
champions above all else, it‟s the
sharing of skills and knowledge to
enable through the power of people.
Though Rahab and I are unlikely to
witness the full fruits of our work, being
only two months remaining,
strengthening the network that engages
skill sharing will mean that, a few cycles
down the line, the community will.
Noomayianat.Community.Development.Organisation
TEXT: H
ETTIE IMA
GES: JO
HN
BA
A
We‟d like to offer a massive congratulations to those of you who have now been selected as volunteers for cycle 3, wherever you are , reading
this magazine, we‟re glad you‟re a part of our trials and successes in equal measure. We are intending on setting up some online forums for
Loitokitok volunteers so if you‟re due to come out here next cycle please feel free to email me : [email protected] so we can get you all
linked up and get a sense of continuity running for the program.
My main piece of advice is perhaps an unexpected one; bring a laptop. When I thought of coming to Kenya I happily cast aside my technology
thinking the break from Facebook and films on my hard drive would be a refreshing source of relief allowing me to fully immerse in Loitokitok life.
What I hadn‟t accounted for was the need to use it for work. I still don‟t care about using it for social media, entertainment or Skype but I do
regret not having it at my disposal for research and the ability to work independently on my own schedule. Plus being on the media team it‟s an
added headache, we can‟t produce a magazine by hand, though it might sound creative and arty, VSO wouldn‟t be smiling about it.
With our mid-phase review complete (more of that next issue) half way through our time here, the race is on to get projects implemented and
that feeling of tangible change burrowed in. Though, with such a short time allotted each cycle of volunteers it‟s important to value the long term
impacts, even through these slower channels, than just hunt out quick fixes merely for our satisfaction or sense of personal achievement.
Never give up hope, beyond all else, if we work towards the utopia we‟ll certainly reach further than if we merely aim for a half spun purgatory.
Though at times it may feel you‟ve reached a stalemate, remember if only one thing in life is sure, it is that change, is the only constant.
HAND PRINTS DONATED BY THE PALMS OF RAHAB KARISA & HETTIE COLQUHOUN
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