Transition Town Kakamega

The managing committee of DEMA

This week I gained the first stakeholder over to participate in Transition Town Initiative Kakamega. After meeting the managing committee of Disaster & Environement Management Association (DEMA) of Masinde Muliro University, Alexis and I attended the weekly meeting of the association. We had the possibility to present our project idea: Next week the teamwork will start. Since, together with the most interested members of DEMA we will identify other stakeholder relevant for the project. Then, we will arrange interview appointments with the aim to find more stakeholders willing to participate. All in all, the project starts to fall into place!

Garbage dump of Masinde Muliro University

Weekly meeting of DEMA

 Besides the project, we celebrated the 30 wedding anniversary of Rev. Timothy and Jael Olubero. It was a great and joyful ceremony at Abundant Church in Kakamega.

The happy couple

Alexis, Markus & Susi with our friend Margret

The wedding party

But the celebration was tainted with sadness due to the terrorist attack near Mandera. 28 innocent people died. I´m sad and shocked about this iniquity. My thoughts are addressed to all the victims and their families. Let´s hope for a peaceful future and the end of Al-Shabaab terrorism!

Always yours,

Frauke

Kakamega Rainforest

Hey friends,

the last week was full of work: I finally met Morphat (president of Disaster and Environment Management Association [DEMA] of Masinde Muliro University) and we will start our project in association with the student group. Next week we´ll have a presentation and students who are interested will support us! Finally, the interviews will be done and I´m going to meet a lot of different people. Really looking forward it!

 

Meeting with Mophat

My new rafiki!

Besides, Ivakale had a big stakeholder meeting for the stove project on Friday. It was a big success and everyone was satisfied after 8 hours of enriching discussion.

Stakeholder meeting

Tree planting in the end of the meeting!

The highlight of the week was the sunrise walk on Saturday morning, starting at 5 a.m.
We had a beautiful view all over the rainforest. On our way back we met a goup of 38 Olive Baboons coming along with us.

 

Our Banboon friends

The rainforest and fog indicating the river

Sunrise in the rainforest

Cheers,
Frauke

Kakamega – Kitale and back

Long time no see – but many things have been going on in the last several weeks. 

I finally moved in with the German students Vera and Markus, who I got to know in the Vike´s. Since, Kakamega is working on its grid system we have daily power blackouts. Therefore, working becomes a little challenge, depending on computer research! Anyways, cooking is due to the gas stove still possible and warm showers can be taken in the evenings, when day work on the grid is finished. 

 

My new home

First homemade pasta on gas stove

Concerning the project I met with Joe Nyamulu of Masinde Muliro University Kakamega, who linked me to the student body president Bill Clinton (what a suitable name ;)). Finally, next week I´m going to meet students of the environmental club and we can start working on Transition Town Project. So, bureaucracy and hierarchy are not just common in Germany and need to be respected all around the world.

Meet our Bill Clinton!

In spare time I´m working on my master courses and trying my best to learn Kisuaheli. But there is also some fun time: Last weekend I went with Alexis to Mount Elgon National Park (close to Kitale and border of Uganda). We had a wonderful day having a jeep safari and went hiking on the second highest mountain in Kenya. We saw different caves, waterfalls, monkeys, springboks, waterbucks and the ant lion (one of the small “bis five” of Kenya). Hiking the mountain we could see Uganda and the natural border between the two countries. Additionally, we had an exciting journey home when we were in a Matatu not just driving very fast (it took us 3 hours back, comparing to 5 ½ hours in the forward run),but  also broke a window during the trip. 

Top of the mountain is worth hiking

Our very knowledgable ranger Philipp

The ant lion of the small "big five"

After returning to Kakamega, we had a daytrip through the rainforest visiting our stove potteries Mlachake Women Group and Valongji Group. We took 110 liners to be installed in Malava – except for two of them, which we brought as presents to the house of our friend Benedict. This was the first time I watched the installation of an Upesi stove and had fun to help shaving the clay.

 

Our way to travel through the rain forest

The liners (all in all 1 tonne)

Installing an Upesi stove is hard work!

Hope, next post won´t take so long!

Cheers,

Frauke