Sunday Ngong Hills

"I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills". 

(Isak Dinesen Out of Africa)

What a glorious day. Today, for the first time since arriving in Kenya three weeks ago, my body and lungs are worn out! I walked for four hours through these hills with my friendly armed ranger (I'm not close to her because I am scared, I just seem to be holding onto her - she has the gun after all;-).

The equator runs through this land about 55 km to the north. Ngong is the Maasai word for "knuckles" and is named such as they believe that a giant fell and took up the earth in his fist. There are four hills/ knuckles and on one side you can see the Rift Valley and the other onto the rolling hills that make up Nairobi.

What you do not see in this photo is the huge hill downwards and then we begun up again. The top hill is about 4000 feet above sea level and run by many Maasai athletes - they were so fast which wasn't surprising as all they had to lug up was their muscles (not a drop of extra fat on them).

Anyway I am totally spent but it was a lovely day.

Tomorrow I will be working with a group of women in Kibera slums! I'm looking forward to that as well.

Kibera, Nairobi

I am back in Nairobi and this time hope to actually connect with people with whom I have been speaking. There are several people who are running community healing programmes in Kibera (reputed to be the largest slum in Sub-Sahara). From what I have experienced, it seems that most people who live there have come to Nairobi to work and indeed they work very hard in jobs that in Canada would provide a reasonable income such as waiters, hotel porters and taxi drivers who work 7 days a week. However, the wages are so low over 1million people cannot afford accommodation outside of Kibera. There is no infrastructure - meaning no roads, no electricity, and little sanitation.

What is of most concern right now, is that this is an area where many tribes live side by side, and with the upcoming elections, there is fear of a repeat of the post-election violence of 2007. In fact, many here were displaced during that election and came to Nairobi seeking a new life. As they live in an area where there is no infrastructure, they are not informed about the issues or about the new Kenyan Constitution of 2010 that promises a democratic electoral process that demands equity for all tribes and gender.

How can information be brought to 2 km of poverty?




It appears that I will be working in Nakuru after the 18th of February with several programmes so I want to make the most of my time here in Nairobi.

Beginning in Nairobi

I've been in Nairobi for four days and have almost adjusted to normal sleeping hours. Each morning I am awakened by the Imam call to prayer - a haunting sound that draws me in to listen more intently to the sounds. Then the birds begin their announcements, competing with one another to give their morning news.

My first morning I went to the David Sheldrick Elephant orphanage but forgot to take my camera!! It was sweet as some of the elephants (6 months to 3 years) were cooling themselves but using their tusks to dust red earth along their backs. Monkeys along side the road - actually baboons I think, I'll have to check "the book". Then to a sanctuary to feed Rothchild's giraffes - although somewhat touristy it was interesting. Warthogs gobbled up what remained from the pellets that dropped on the ground from people too scared to allow the giraffe's tongue to touch them.

When I came back to my room and washed my face it was covered in red dust from the elephants!

It is beautiful here - sunny and warm. Bougainvillea of every colour, jacaranda trees and a sea of never ending traffic and people. Quick smiles greet me where ever I go! Yesterday I went to the Yaya Shopping Centre and discovered a brilliant book shop called Book Stop. I was early for a meeting and ended up spending an hour and a half purchasing only 4 books which showed great restraint! I will be back!

I was having lunch beside some long grasses. I kept hearing noise and seeing the grasses rustle. I thought I'd see a snake or some little creature. Out popped a pussycat post nap!

All my taxi drivers call themselves "Peter". As I get out of the cab, I am handed a business card in case I will be in need of a taxi again - which I definitely will as the distances and roads are chaotic to me. My current driver explains: "Just ask at the desk for Peter". When I say every taxi driver I have had is called "Peter" and perhaps he should come up with some different names to help identify himself to tourists, he explains that his Kukuyu name would be too difficult for tourists. 

Today, I'm taking my camera and returning to photograph the LF-ants.