The week of Valentines

Women love Valentine's Day. We love to be showered with gifts and attention and to be treated luxuriously. Yesterday was Valentine's Day and rather than being treated thus, I traveled by matatu to Maai Mahiu to meet some women who are scraping together their living having been displaced due to the 2007 post-election violence.

Here is a photo of a matatu . . .

Note the cartons of eggs attached to the back. This fourteen seater can crowd in a lot more for a short haul, but they don't like doing it long hauls as the police are checking vehicles. The one I took from Maai Mahiu to the IDP camp (Internally displace persons) crammed in 20 people plus the driver!

Many of these IDP do not even have the luxury of living in constructed houses, but rather spend the past few years living in tents that are now torn and praying the rain doesn't come and wash them away. The government do not count these women and therefore offer no support. It was hot and very dry  . . In the distance, beyond the donkey driven cart hauling water, you can see the buildings.  . . .

I met some women and we have agreed that I will return next week to discuss the upcoming elections and how they can maintain and encourage peace. They are particularly fearful as the last election caused their relocation!

The day was exhausting given the heat and travel. I was happy to be back in my lovely hotel in Nairobi.

Earlier in the week I had met with students at the university of Nariobi to talk about peace building as Tribal tension is increasing there as the election on March 4th nears. This will be the first opportunity for many of them to vote and they encouraged each other to do so, and to vote for the person who addresses the issues rather than voting for a member of their tribe.