Back in Nairobi

We safely arrived in Nairobi on Wednesday afternoon, but I've been delayed in posting here as Internet has been difficult to access (right now, I've got a pretty slow connection at a cyber cafe).

I have to say I think I had a little bit of culture shock upon returning to Kenya... so many concrete structures, so many food choices, in general, so much everywhere!

Yesterday, I visited our program, the Thika Development Community Trust, in Thika, which is about 45 minutes (without jams) outside Nairobi. I had such a great day! Lillian, one of the field officers, acted as hostess taking me around the Thika community to visit clients. I'll post more stories later (hopefully this weekend).

I was able to meet Monica, an incredibly talented seamstress, Jane and baby Joanne (who were featured on our Mother's Day cards this year) and many others.

I could especially relate to a lady named Magdaline. She and her husband are both school teachers but have joined the trust group and taken out a loan to buy chickens and cows. They sell the milk and eggs to help supplement their income and to help pay for school fees. Their oldest son (they have 5 children) is currently attending university to become an accountant. So, how could I relate when I have no children? Both of my parents are teachers, and when I was little, my mom took a side job to also help supplement our family's income while my dad went back to school. Magdaline was such a reminder to me that families are alike, even on the other side of the world.

Our ride back to the guesthouse from Thika last night was interesting to say the least... We hit massive traffic jams and at one point were just sitting in the car for 45 minutes. That's right. No movement. Just sitting. Today when we went back to Thika, we advised the driver NOT to take that same route on our return. He kindly obliged.

I was also able in interview Peter Macharia, Sudan Country Director for World Concern, today in his Nairobi office. We traveled with him across Sudan, but it was today that I finally got my interview. ;)

From the ACK Guesthouse in Nairobi...

Kelli

Our Final Night in Sudan

It's hard to believe that this is Day 9 of our visit to Sudan. Tomorrow afternoon we fly back to Nairobi. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around everything I've seen and heard during these past days.

As we've been traveling across Sudan from Lietnhom to Luanyker to Wau and now to Juba, I've been interviewing a variety of people. Today, I had the chance to talk with Harun Matuma, program manager for World Concern Southern Sudan (one of our consortium partners).

Here's a snapshot of that interview:

It was 2006 when Harun began working in Lietnhom with World Concern after feeling called to work in a conflict zone.

"I have seen great changes in Lietnhom," he said. "I have seen the market grow. We are now giving business loans and providing training on business skills."

There are currently 460 members of the village bank in Lietnhom, and the opening of the bank, a concrete structure in a village consisting of tukals, was celebrated last week.

But, because South Sudan was in the midst of a civil war for more than 20 years, there is a huge need for literacy across the country.

"More than 80 percent can't read or write," Harun said. "And there is a certain level that you can't grow beyond if you can't read or write."

So his hope is to provide the necessary training and develop as many entrepreneurs in South Sudan as possible. Prior to receiving business skills training, many entrepreneurs told Harun that they kept their business records in their hearts, but now they are keeping records in notebooks, he said.

"Entrepreneurship brings new ideas, innovations and creativity," he said. "Where there are entrepreneurs, you can be sure there will be peace. When the community is stable that is when they can do business."

Harun has most recently started working in Wau, also in partnership with the Episcopal Church of Sudan, in order to expand the work that has been happening in Lietnhom. Groups were officially started on Feb. 15. By March 20, there were 10 groups with 15-25 members each. In just two months, $1,500 had been saved by those groups.

"I am happy to be seeing so many lives transformed," he said. "And, we want to expand this program to other states because it has been a success."

So Much To Learn

So here's another understatement of the week... I seriously have so much to learn about South Sudan.

We are still in Juba and today we met with representatives from the Diocese of Juba and then visited two literacy groups that the Mothers' Union trainers have been working with for some time.

During the Diocese meeting, we had the opportunity to talk with Micah Lesowa, who is the Diocesan development coordinator. He recounted the impact of years of civil war in South Sudan and how it had influenced the country's education level. He said women had suffered most with a lack of education but that now is the time to educate as the country is in relative peace.

In describing Sudan's need for education as a bird, he said, "If you only develop one side (men), it's like a bird with only one wing. It cannot fly. We must develop both sides (both men and women)."

In our meetings with the literacy groups, we met women who were going through the Mothers' Union program to learn to read and write and who now have hopes of saving money and receiving small loans. Again, these women were not able to gain an education as children because of war, displacement and instability. And yet, they are now working to gain this knowledge, even as adults.

"It's enough for us to read the Bible," Lesowa said recounting what many of the elderly literacy students say.

Fun Facts from Our Travels in Sudan

1. Slept in a tukal (see photo on right).

2. Got to plant a tree at the bank opening ceremony.

3. Charged the video camera in a tukal.

4. Watched a monkey jump into a man's room at our hotel in Juba. Note to self: Do not leave your room door open!

5. On East African Air, they gave each passenger at no charge two packs of cookies, peanuts and a drink. Yes! On our 2-hour flight from Juba to Nairobi, we were served a box lunch and offered drink refills. Amazing!

6. Walked under the stars in Lietnhom.

7. Was part of a discussion on dowries/cows. (If a man tried to give my parents some cows, I have no idea how they would react!)

8. Gave a photo lesson to Thomas Anei in Wau. Gave a photo lesson to Harun Matuma in Juba.

9. Have met men and women with incredible resilience.

10. Transportation in Juba is amazingly expensive.

11. Spoke briefly at All Saints Cathedral in Juba Sunday morning.

12. Clementina, a Mothers' Union trainer, asked if I was married. I said no. She said she would find me a man to marry, and then I could invite her to the wedding.

13. Have a daily afternoon hydration party, which consists of drinking liquids in hopes of rehydrating myself. This task is more difficult than it may sound!

14. "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette was a popular tune at the River Lodge in Wau. They seriously played it all the time in the dining room.

15. I definitely heard "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" by Will Smith from my room in Juba. Nanananananana.

16. Temporarily blinded myself with my own sweat several times in Lietnhom. It was that hot!

17. Juba is crazy expensive.

Photos From Bank Opening Ceremony