THE BEST TEN WEEKS OF MY LIFE.

I arrived in Muhuru bay, home of the Mama Maria Clinic and it's projects with little idea of what to expect but was greeted so warmly by the villagers I would be living with, that it was difficult to not feel as though you had been part of their family for years. The ten weeks I have spent in Kenya, seven of those being at Mama Maria and the others at Namunyak Maasai Welfare, have been the most rewarding, eye opening and humbling ten weeks of my life. At Mama Maria I was involved in the building of the new volunteer compound site where the new clinic will eventually be placed, and the upkeep of the ambulance. The clinic is running a continuous battle against Malaria and has to give out so many drugs in this fight that it is consistently under pressure to try to keep from running out of these precious resources. Throughout my time there I met many different people and the one thing that stood out above all else was there overwhelming happiness. Despite the fact that everyday there is a struggle to buy food and collect drinking water from the lake which is often filled with parasites, and that simply feeding your family every day is your main objective, everyone has an amazing appreciation of life and unwavering faith, which humbles you to the bone. I made an uncountable number of friends, both locals and other volunteers and as a result of the experiences we went through together, these friendships became very strong. For the people I was able to meet and the things I was allowed to accomplish I am eternally grateful.

After my seven weeks in Muhuru Bay were up I headed to the hills of transmara and to the Namunyak Maasai Welfare project that is led by Emmanuel Leina Tasur. When one meets Emmanuel you can tell that there is something special about his character, but it was not until a couple of days of living with him and speaking with him on various issues that I realized how truly inspirational he is. He is running for MP for the whole of Transmara constituency, which is inhabited by the Maasai and Kipsigis tribes, and has an amazing vision for this area. He allowed me to see how much hope there is, not just in Transmara but throughout the whole of Kenya for it's future. Its people are truly amazing and have simply been let down by years of corruption, broken promises and marginalization by the government. Emmanuel believes that Transmara is an area on the edge of prosperity and I believe he is the man that can finally bring this area into this prosperity that they so deserve. He and his family are some of the most warm and welcoming people I have ever had the opportunity of meeting and they love every volunteer that stays with them. I was given the chance to speak on his behalf at some of the political rallies that we attended and jumped at the chance of portraying my belief in his vision to people of the area. Transmara is a simply stunning land; its fields expand to the horizon everywhere you look and its culture is probably the richest I have ever seen. We were able to experience many cultural Maasai events, which were simply stunning to see and it was fascinating to follow a man around that is starting so many projects for the area and is so warmly greeted by everyone you meet. It is a long and hard road that Emmanuel is beginning, but with our support for him and his projects, I believe Transmara can be transformed into one of Kenya's great regions and aid the continued development of Kenya as a whole.

I will sorely miss this great country and all the people who I have had the fortune of meeting, so much so that I am already making plans for a return trip either next year or the year after. To anyone who may be considering volunteering in Kenya, make the jump with an open mind and an easy going approach and you, as I did, will have the most incredible, rewarding and inspirational experience of your life – of that I'm sure.  

By Chris Kwiatkowski.

chriskwiatkowski@hotmail.co.uk

Jambo! from Ryan Drysdale

Jambo! I just spent a month at Namunyak with Emmanuel and company and had the best time. Before I left I was a little hesitant about my safety alone in Kenya, but after a couple days with amazing people I felt completely safe. Emmanuel is an amazing man who is about to make an amazing difference to the Transmara District by running for Parliament. I learned more from him than I have in a semester at college and at college I don't get to go on safaris!! Emmanuel is also an amazing safari guide. My advice is if you are thinking about going even just a little bit do it! You will have such a great experience and be able to see the optimism and potential of a great country.

Karibu and Jambo!

Village Volunteers was an incredible experience.  I just spent 6 weeks at Common Ground program and 10 days at Namunyak Masaai Welfare.   Both places were unique in it's own way and have opened my mind without question.

 

The people I met and came to love at common ground were absolutely amazing.  During my stay I was able to work on various sustainable development projects.   I was also able to take part in several physical education classes with the kids which was a lot of fun.  The kids there are amazing and it was not easy saying goodbye.   I only hope I was able to give the people of common ground as much as I received from them.  The accommodations make you feel right at home and Mama Sandra and Mama Elizabeth make one mean chapatti.

 

Numunyak was also a great time and I was only there for a little more than a week.  During my short stay I was able to pick the mind of a Emmanuel Tasur who is currently running for MP.   Emmanuel has an amazing vision for change and I hope he keeps his vision ripe.  During my stay I was able to attend a fundraiser for a local school as well as a political rally.   I ended my trip with a safari at Masaai Mara which was awesome.  The wildlife is unmatched and Emmanuel is a great guide.

 

The best part of this experience has been the people I have met and the friendships I have made.  It is no fun saying goodbye, but this experience has given me all the reason to come back to Kenya.   If you are at all curious about experiencing Kenya this is the way to do it.  It will be something you will never forget.  

 

Joshua Braunstein – Dix Hills, NY – USA - jsb100@gmail.com

Ian Crump Journal Entry

I have just returned to Nairobi after spending five weeks with the Village Volunteers Common Ground and Namunyak Maasai Welfare projects, and hundreds of things are going through my head….

The main emotion right now is sadness at having to not only leave the programs, but I'm already missing the many people that I had the great fortune of meeting and working with. During my stay, I worked with a number of volunteers, and none of us were ready to go "home", so my feelings are definitely not unique. It doesn't take long for Africa to plant a seed in your heart, that's for sure!

I came to Africa knowing that I would probably learn more from the people here, than I could possibly ever repay through advice, education, business training, etc. and I was right. I also came to Africa with a "plan" on what I hoped to accomplish and be involved with, and though many of those specific ideas did not come to pass, I know that what I did get involved with was more important to those people involved.

 

I began my stay at Common Ground, just outside of Kitale in the west of Kenya, and was met with open arms by everyone… from the 300 students at the onsite school, to the other volunteers, to the employees at the program, and especially by the head of the program, Joshua and his family. Though African culture and way of life is significantly different than the western culture I was raised in, it only took a few hours for me to start marveling at the beauty of the Kenyan culture, and I quickly forgot where I had come from a short few hours before.

This feeling continued as I traveled to the Namunyak Maasai Welfare project, where I was fortunate to meet and work with Emmanuel. He has a very clear vision of what he believes the people of his district can achieve by working together, and all of the people I met there are personally committed to doing their part to making this vision come to fruition.

The excitement that we were met with from everyone that we worked with: the widow's groups, the youth groups, the woman's groups, etc made my heart very warm!

I know I'm not alone in saying that I'm already looking forward to my next visit to see these very special people!