Comedic Reliefs

One distinguishing trait exhibited from most of the Kenyans I have interacted with is their ability to laugh and find comedy in everything. I don’t know many people who frown upon a good laugh from time to time and I would say I am certainly not one of them. A few instances stand out when I think back over the last couple weeks.
During one of the HIV/AIDs forums to the local Polytechnical College, Henry (an ABD), was demonstrating how to apply a condom effectively. Esther was facilitating him and attempting to roll the condom over his hand and down his wrist (apparently we came without a prop). Even after the third trial they still managed to tear the condom, but not as badly as the first couple attempts. One of the more talkative students then proceeded to ask if it was all right if he were to use a sugar bag instead of a rubber. Without hesitation the response was a blatant no. The student soon continued by going into further detail and asking, “well, what happens if the mood strikes and I don’t have a condom, I only have a sugar bag?” Henry expressed how abstinence must be performed in this particular instance.
Everyday Pat and I struggle interpreting the Kenya accent. A week ago while visiting a pregnant ABD client, we started talking about safety procedures during delivery to prevent mother to child transmission. I chimed in by asking when the due date is, out of sheer curiosity. Seconds after completing this question the three ABD’s, along with the client, started laughing uncontrollably. So, then I sat there and soon began chuckling with them, just because I didn’t want to be the only silent one. When the roaring subsided I wanted to know why they thought that was hilarious. Evidently, somehow every one of them thought I had asked if the delivery was today. I guess they had gotten due date and today mixed up. I tried to put myself in their shoes and then realized even some individuals in America have trouble interpreting what I say half the time. Must be near impossible for them. We then joked about how the newborn ought to named Patmo, which then lead to the answer to my question; the due date was in a month, not today thank god.
A few days ago I was called plump for the first time in my life. I found this humorous, but then came to realize I guess I am plump in relation to most Kenyans.
Lastly, I was interested to find out from a couple Kenyans what their stereotype is of Americans. I learned their perception of Americans is that we are intelligent, curious, and loaded with weapons at all times. I can understand intelligent and curious, I presume, but loaded with weapons seemed funny. I proceeded to fulfill the second stereotype by asking about the third so I asked for more details. The response was even if they have scanned our bodies and come to realize we are without a weapon they are still intimidated because most believe we are all trained in self defense, according to Victor and Wycliffe.

My Work in Kenya

Some of my tasks while at the village Mbakalo
The next day at Soteni’s office in the city, George oriented us on the ABD (AIDS Barefoot Doctor) process. There are 12 ABD’s, six at Mbakalo and six at Mituntu. Their job entails treatment and care for the AIDS patients in the villages. My job will be conducting a hybrid of qualitative and quantitative assessments for the ABD’s. This process includes interviewing the providers (responsible for everyday care for the client, usually a member), the opinion leaders (chairman and area councilor, members of the local management family committee), and lastly, the clients. I am given different protocols for each group, and will be required to write reports for each interview, eventually leading to a report that collaborates the results. This is one of several tasks given to Pat and me for when we enter the villages.

My second duty demands the OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) reports. This mission involves acquiring basic information from each child, such as their name, birthday and sponsor, my initial impression, their current living conditions, an academic assessment, followed by a needs assessment. This information is critical so that the OVC’s sponsors can know how their child is doing and what they may need to provide the individuals with. I will also be taking a photograph of each child because the sponsors are certainly curious of not only their mental, but physical progression. I look forward to collecting as much vital information as possible from the children in order to provide the imperative updates.

Ezekiel has volunteered to take part in an extensive two hundred mile bike ride in order to raise money for a food center/library in Mituntu. This bike ride will take place sometime in September. Soteni needs much more information with the purpose of facilitating this event. Therefore, Pat and my job include interviewing Ezekiel and fellow members of his team with our video camera. We will be asking questions such as rest stops, the accessibility of food, when the exact dates are going to be, fundraising, and the precise route. I was told to make sure they speak up because the video camera’s sound quality is lacking and also Kenyans are known to be very quiet talkers. I continuously find myself leaning closer and closer to the Kenyans so I can interpret them. They probably think I’am coming on to them, plus I have thought of investing in hearing aids. Randie had noted how Ezekiel mentioned something along the lines of not eating throughout the event and I am curious to find out WHY??. Well, I think another one of my jobs will be stressing the importance of staying hydrated and fueled in order to finish the ride alive.


Mpesa
The Kenyans have a very innovative way of paying called mpesa. You can buy “airtime” at nearly any kiosk. They come in plastic cards where you can scrape off a metal strip revealing your PIN, which you then enter into your cell phone. They come in 50, 100, 250, 500, or 1000 Ksh (1 dollar equals roughly 78 Kenyan shillings). You can also go to an agent and then you pay them x amount. The agent then transfers the money to your phone. This method is similar to having a credit card. For instance going out to eat, buying a shirt or paying for a taxi is a good time to use mpesa. This prevents carrying too much cash, which can be dangerous in the city.


First night in Mbakalo
We took a bus from Nairobi to Mbakalo, which was a bumpy, disheartening, and positively a beautiful ride through the Rift Valley. Along the way we witnessed a multitude of slums that included an abundance of activity. People were harvesting, riding bicycles, mingling, bartering, and continuously walking everywhere we looked. I had my camera out for most of the trip and recorded nearly a hundred photographs along with some videos. I guess I couldn’t peal my eyes away from witnessing how these communities operated. I have never seen anything that resembled this environment.
I just have to give it to these Kenyans for their immaculate, yet risky driving abilities. There were multiple times our bus driver would pass a vehicle or bike on the right, then straight ahead another car, or truck would be barreling down the road and at the last second our driver would weave into our designated lane. Simply miraculous. When we arrived at the bus station, an hour was still left on our journey so our next mode of transportation was a taxi led by our escort Simon. Simon is the project coordinator for Soteni-Mbakalo, as well as a minister and a caring, humorous individual as well.
When we arrived at the home we were greeted by our host mother, Mama Anne, who could not be more warm hearted or gracious. We were then introduced to three young kids, who appear to be Mama’s grandchildren (didn’t get their relation exactly). They were fascinated with my digital camera, and mainly intrigued with reviewing the pictures. After learning of this feature they would make faces while I snapped a shot then they would run back to me and I would show them their expressions. The one issue communicating with the children is that they do not speak English, therefore, the language barrier was tough but I made due with hand motions. If they didn’t know any English words before meeting me I think they now know, “What? Sorry I don’t speak Swahili,” because I must have stated that fifteen times.

Mama Anne cooked us a delicious dinner which entailed chiappate (similar to tortilla), ugali (corn mixture), and beef. Simon, Mama Anne, Mama’s husband, Pat and I all got to know each other a little better through mingling at the dinner table. I had given Mama a present a couple hours in to my arrival. I had noticed that she only had one flashlight and I happen to have two crank flashlights (they operate by generating power by cranking a lever on the side) so I gave Mama my other one. She was so delighted to have received this gift and so intrigued by this form of technology. In fact, as I sit in my bed I have been listening to her crank the flashlight for the past fifteen minutes. Nature called soon after dinner so it was time to stand eye to eye with a hole in the ground. I had two options; hole 1 or hole 2. I opened the door to the first latrine and I noticed a large spider on the wall so I went to hole 2. There was another family of spiders on the wall, so I contemplated and realized I had to suck it up and become one with nature. So I did and I kept a watchful eye on the spider as I squatted over a hole.

I think the most crucial item to everything I brought with me on this trip is the head flashlight I am currently using. I couldn’t have imagined performing simple tasks while holding a flashlight in one hand and then attempting to perform a chore that requires two hands. This light has made my life much easier when it comes to brushing my teeth outside, “showering,” or using the hole. To sum up my experience thus far you can prepare yourself mentally for days, but until you actually experience using flashlights for all occasions, squatting over a hole in the ground or showering with a water basin there is undoubtedly not many other exposures that compare. I was told that I am in for a treat and I couldn’t agree more.


I am extremely amazed at the friendly and welcoming Mbakalo community. Every person I walk by or come across, shakes my hand, says habari (How are you), and welcomes me to their home. They thoroughly enjoy seeing white folks enter their village because the Africans feel the whites bring intelligence and hope to their community (at least that’s what I was told by my friend Henry). I was told my presence alone will bring more patients to the dispensary and comfort to their well being while being treated. Pat and I were walking by a primary school (elementary) the other day, and the children who were out for recess stopped what they were doing and all ran over to us yelling muzugu! Muzugu! (white man). This was almost like a surreal moment and for a second I felt like Obama entering his homeland after becoming President. I am also astonished by never hearing any of them complain even after how little they have. I have never thought not seeing another American (besides Pat) for an entire week would be such an easy transition.



Carol, Ester and me
ABD Home Visits
I may have stated this before, but I will repeat myself for clarification. My main task in Mbakalo involves interviewing the ABD’s (Aids Barefoot Doctors), the ABD’s clients, and the chairman of the Local Management Committee. Since Tuesday I have visited roughly ten of the client’s homes and interviewed six of the clients and three of the ABD’s. With regards to clients I am required to find out information such as background information, the patient’s environment, basic needs, hygiene, physical, spiritual, and psychosocial care, and then I make an evaluation of the care. The client’s give me vital feedback on how the ABD’s can be of greater assistance to their needs. Thus far, I have generated a good list of material in order to propose to Soteni changes that should be made in order to enhance the program.

I am realizing more and more each day we are spoiled with up to date technology, ample amounts of food, clothing galore, and antiseptics in America. I consider myself spoiled staying at Mama Annes in Mbakalo because the accommodations actually resemble a house. Despite the fact that my current living conditions have no lights, no electricity, holes in the ground for a toilet, no Internet! and flies and mosquitoes insistently swarming, the other homes makes this place look like a mansion with an OCD cleaning staff. I can hardly even believe with my own two eyes the abodes these other people live in. Most of them are mud huts infested with rodents, dirty floors, with formidable smells, and an extreme lack of light. I had visited one ABD client yesterday; a widow, HIV positive, with six children, and no source of income. I needed a translator because she only spoke Swahili. The translator, Esther, had relayed to me that the client stated how she wears the same dogs everyday (meant clothes). Because of severe psychological damage attributed to a lack of food, intense ARV (Antiretroviral medicine for HIV/AIDS) treatment, and a deficiency in hope she suffers mentally, and after viewing her home environment I can’t blame her. She actually had her two cows sleeping in the minute hut at night with her and the six children because of fear they may get stolen if they were outside. The cows’ milk is her only source of income. I could only stand the pungent smell in the hut for ten minutes before feeling ill. I felt horribly and gave her 1,000 shillings (13 U.S. dollars, not much to us, but a ton for them), which should hopefully last them some time. All of the homes I have visited have their own tragic stories. The other day we went to visit a client, but the client wasn’t home. The client’s two children, a two and three years old were the only ones home, while the parents were out looking for food. None of the clients I spoke to have any food (food is needed for ARV treatment, and well, needed to stay alive), no soap, no source of income, and unsanitary water. It’s beyond me to comprehend how they are even still alive. Multiple times I have been sitting in the homes and felt like balling my eyes out. I know, me, for example, living in the U.S. I will occasionally read the news or watch TV and hear about the happenings in a third world country thinking to myself how heartbreaking this is. Then after a few seconds the feeling is gone and I continue with my day. Living in a third world country, however, and being engrossed in the action each day really imprints in your mind how fortunate we really are. I remember even watching the infomercials about how one dollar a day will feed a child or two and thinking to myself, “How can one dollar feed a child for the whole day?,” but this is very true.
I can’t by any means say I regret taking part in this experience. My eyes have been opened forever to the way some people in this world live. I know from now on I will think twice before complaining about not having the shoes I want, or the car of my dreams. I will just look in the back of my mind to all of these life changing experiences that I have encountered.