Day 4 Nairobi continued – visit to the giraffes

http://www.giraffecenter.org/

After visiting the elephant orphanage there was more delight in store as we drove to the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW), known as the Giraffe Centre. This place is devoted to saving the Rothschild giraffe, the only endangered breed. The other two types of giraffe are the Reticulated giraffe(found in zoos throughout the world) and the Maasai giraffe which is also plentiful. The markings on a Rothschild are more jagged and redder in colour.

The centre was started by Betty and Jock Leslie-Melville in 1979 when the plight of the Rothschild giraffe was recognised.

These giraffes are used to visitors and extremely tame. We were given pellets to feed to them and it felt wonderful when their soft muzzle met our open hands. They do have long rough black tongues and one visitor tried giving food by holding a pellet between his teeth - but neither of us fancied that method somehow!

There was a platform at giraffe head level so we could really get up close and personal with these gorgeous beasts – and admire their beautiful eyes and long lashes.

The Latin name for giraffe is camelopardalis – which means a camel-like creature with leopard spots. Certainly the way they move is quite “rocky” like a camel but they are amazingly graceful at speed.

Day 4 Nairobi – visit to the baby elephants

At the weekend we were based in Nairobi. On Saturday, we took a taxi out to the suburbs to see a couple of wildlife sanctuaries. First stop was the Sheldrake Elephant Orphanage. Many of the baby elephants had been found wandering on their own in one of the National Parks, or had fallen down a well, mother nowhere to be seen, presumed killed. They are brought here, where they are reared till about 2-3 years old. Towards the end of their stay they are taken back to Tsavo National Park in the south and encouraged to be adopted by a wild herd. This often takes a few visits. Elephants are very family oriented and herds commonly adopt young motherless elephants in much the same way as foster or adoptive families work in the human world.

The keepers led out a line of their 10 younger elephants rather like a football team onto the pitch!

Each baby was fed a giant bottle of milk. They need this several times a day – in fact the younger elephants require 36 pints a day – the older ones, 48 pints a day! They don’t tolerate cow’s milk – it’s too fatty – but SMA Gold is perfect – yep that’s right – human baby formula - and the most expensive type too! Funnily enough, SMA aren’t too keen for their fine product to be associated with feeding elephants, so unfortunately no sponsorship from them!
Following the milk, a long drink of refreshing water is required – well, it is a hot day and the sun’s right overhead!

After the refreshment, they like nothing better than to be sloshed with muddy water, to roll around on the ground and then to be shovelled with red dust!

One or two of them enjoy a brief game of footy too! If you are fond of elephants and want to adopt one it costs about £40pa. If you visit Kenya you can make an appointment to visit your elephant and put him to bed. This entails helping with his bedtime milk, leading your elephant into his little stall, encouraging him to lie down on the straw and then covering him with a blanket – aaaaah!

http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/

Day 3 To the farm at Kinangop

This is another Turning Point project and an innovative one at that. Nine single mums and their children moved from Kibera about 18 months ago and now live 100km away at Kinangop in the beautiful setting of the Aberdare mountains at 8000 feet.

Jon, Florence and Pastor Shadrack showed us around the farm.

Here under the manager Florence, the mamas learn farming skills, including the concept “Farming God’s way”, a continent-wide initiative using less pesticides and fertiliser, taking care to plant appropriately for the soil type and drainage and using crop rotation to keep down pests and disease.

http://www.farming-gods-way.org/

Margaret was working on her shamba (plot) growing beans, peas and potatoes. She was also looking after her own baby daughter and another little girl, Angel, belonging to one of the other mamas. She was working in bare feet and obviously (and rightly!) proud of her field.

Charles was the only child there when we arrived as he was off school that day. He happily followed us around, playing with a hoop and stick. Here he is with his mother Fatima and their calf.

And here he is with Pastor Shadrock very pleased to show us the potatoes grown on the farm!

We met Grace and Rose who insisted on posing with each of us in turn outside Grace’s front door. Each mama has her own living / sleeping room and opposite, her own kitchen. Each one prefers to be completely independent of the others when it comes to living and cooking!
We met Karioke’s niece, Wahu and her dogs who were very friendly, mock-tussling with each other and frequently coming over to us for more attention.
As we prepared to leave, bags of cabbages grown on the farm were loaded into the back of the car to take back to the Kibera projects. Pastor Shadrack and Florence agreed the right price for them; everything is worked out from an economic point of view. It has to be so. This is the way skills and produce are traded the world over.
On our way home we stopped for a meal of Kenya’s main dish – ugali and Nyama Choma. Ugali is made from boiling millet flour in water and letting it set and Nyama Choma, which means “meat barbequed” is usually goat. The ugali is bland but quite edible when dipped in a well-seasoned gravy. The meat was tasty but tough and requires the use of a toothpick for several minutes after the meal!

We arrived back in Kibera and the cabbages were unloaded into the new wheelbarrow which Karioke bought recently for the project. Here we see another member of the TP team wheeling it away!

Many of the mamas are now looking forward to moving onto the next phase of the project – having their own dwelling and shamba. Also that will mean there will be place at the farm for the next group of mamas to come and learn farming skills. This is part of the bigger plan in enabling the women to achieve an independent life.

Day 2 continued - Kibera - Mashimoni project

Next stop was the Turning Point Mashimoni project, and a 40 minute walk over the other side of Kibera. Up to 90 children are associated with this centre although on the day we visited there were around 60 children there.
As we entered, children were gathered round a bowl washing their hands before the mid-morning snack.

A tea line formed and mugs of tea were passed along the line as the most efficient way of distribution.

Tea and bread satisfies hungry children until lunchtime!

What’s cooking? In the kitchen there is preparation of nutritious and filling food: today, beans and Ugali - a maize based porridge staple.

Ashley Benson(Christchurch Woking Youth Worker) who was visiting at the same time as us, and Emily a TP worker, play clapping games with two of the children.

Basic literary and numeracy skills are taught to children that have no means to any other education.

In the creativity room, which the Pastor’s wife, Eunice oversees, pre-school children learn various maths concepts, like shape and size sorting and also dexterity skills, through Lego, puzzles and sewing cards. Sewing cards are particularly helpful for developing a pincer grip, needed soon for holding a pen and learning to write.

Moses is the Finance Project Manager. Small loans are given to help people start small businesses such as selling charcoal or fresh produce. The loans have to be small so that those receiving them can learn basic bookkeeping and money management skills and not be tempted by an inappropriately large amount of money. This part of TP’s work is going well and Moses now needs an Assistant to support this important work.

Karioke is the on-site manager. Now 60, his life is radically different from 15 years ago when he was a hopeless alcoholic, permanently under the influence of Chang’a – Kenya’s deadly homebrew (made from millet and some very dangerous additives). He explained to us how he became a Christian and discovered God’s power to transform him, something that was beyond his own means. Karioke is well-known around Kibera; his mother bought a plot here many years ago and built a dwelling where he now lives. Jo says that there is still a kind of awe amongst locals who knew him for the first part of his adult life, so great has the transformation been.

As we look out the window of the office that Karioke shares with Pastor Shadrack we see children enjoying the outdoor equipment. The children who come here have a chance to have happy relaxed playtimes, essential schooling and some good hearty meals. Turning Point is an organisation that is at work at the grass roots and doing a fantastic job.

Day 2 - Kibera - Kianda project

Kibera is said to be Africa's largest slum (after Soweto, Jo'burg). A million people live in an area of about 3 square kilometres. If you have seen the film The Constant Gardener you will recognise the photo where the rail track runs through the middle of Kibera.

Turning Point Trust has been running projects there under the leadership of Jon and Jo for the last 8 years. Our church - Holy Trinity Knaphill & St Saviours Brookwood have TPT as a Mission Partner. We have been very encouraged to hear what TP is doing and were keen to see for ourselves.

We would not have been able to visit without a guide, such as Jon. The network of streets is very complex and there are no neat road signs telling you which road you are on! Jon advised us to wear closed shoes and with good reason. It was wet and muddy underfoot and the streets were uneven and packed with all kinds of refuse. On our way there Jon met several people he knew who always shook his hand - and then ours too!


We found ourselves at the Kianda project where we met Pastor Benson, his wife Mary, cook Jane and caretaker, Obatt. There were about 20 children there between 3 and 8 years old who are given a hearty meal and some basic education. Without this project the children would be a lot worse off. The buildings of timber frame and mud were simple but effective at providing shelter. There was a room for the children, a kitchen and a new office for the Finance Officer to use (more in a moment about that.)

The children were very excited and friendly, really pleased to have visitors. Pastor Benson led them in a few songs which they sang with great enthusiasm!


Mary pointed out that they are growing a few vegetables and plants. The banana trees which were 1 foot last year are now 7 feet tall! The green leaves of the marrow plants and the small shrub of Rosemary in the corner all help to soften the rather austere sight of rusty corrugated iron fence.

To see a fun video on all that Turning Point do check out this link:

http://newenglanderprops.webs.com/turningpointtrust.htm

Day 1 - with the Parsons Family

"Welcome to sunny Africa," laughed Jo as the weather switched from bright to torrential downpour in the early afternoon. We knew that we would be in Kenya during the rainy season so this was no big surprise. After half an hour of heavy rain and theatrical thunderclaps booming around us, the storm was over.

We had been met at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, early in the morning by Jon who drove us to the family home not far from Kibera where he and Jo work with Turning Point Trust; (more about that later.) It was lovely to start our trip staying with them and their delightful children Hannah and Isaac. We were made very welcome and enjoyed being with them while we acclimatised to the altitude of 5000' and rested after our overnight flight.

On our way there we were struck by how many people were out walking, walking, walking ... walking to work (it was 8am) and walking in between the lines of traffic selling all kinds of stuff from cushions to mangos .... and people setting up stalls by the roadside, selling produce, mobile-phone re-charging, tailoring services.... anything to put food on the table.

In the evening we ate at Carnivore, the famous restaurant beloved of meat-eaters. It was a goodbye meal to Jo Bailey who was leaving Turning Point as Fundraiser. The whole Parsons family was there as well as Emily who also works for TPT and Ashley, Youth Worker at Christchuch Woking, who was visiting and whom we've known for many a year! We were serenaded by the bull-frogs in the pond who only quietened down when we went to try and spot them. We tasted goat (like tough mutton) and also crocodile (also tough). However the ostrich meat balls were delicious!