Nairobi 1/29/10_Nairobi Childrens Home, Nairobi Kenya, with just five of the 95 abandoned orphans.

This is Irene Wairmu, the Executive Director of VICDA. She has been committed to providing replacement housing at several the Internally Displaced People(IDP) camps. These 'temporary" camps were established by Kenyan government. In 2003 The United Nations tents provided for the surviving Kikiyu people and thier families who were viloently attacked, killed or forced from their homes and land because they failed to vote for " suggested"  govrnement officials inthe 2003 elections.  The UN tents have become unfit to live in. A few  camps have a ground water, but no food is provided. Charitable contributions are the only means of survival. In visiting the IDP camps with Irene and meeting the people, once agian I am impressed with the intelligence and resilience of the African people. In spite of their starving and no medical treatment  or santiation facilities. They  able to be kind hearted, hopeful and resourful with the little they have.

These are a few of the 95 children at Nairobi Childrens Home(NCH). VICDA donanted the facility, but it's run by the Kenyan government run orphange. Most all of the children at NCH have been either severely neglected, sexuallly or physically abused and then abandoned. They were brought here by the local police. They suffer with emotional problems and various curable diseases( ring worm, scabies, impetago etc) .  It's a very difficult place to volunteer. The staff could care  less...

in Kenya/ Trip Week 6

12/4 We arrived in Nairobi on Dec. 4. The first week we stayed at the home Irene Wairumi the Exec. Dir. of our volunteer organization VICDA. We mostly relaxed and got to know Nairobi,kenya.  Jordan made friends with her 15 year old brother david, who was and briefly visiting  her on his to his village home from his Boarding School.  Irene is a 35 year-old single women who is vey dedicated to helping the neediest of the needy. She runs an organization that helps build schools, simple homes, hospitals and provides volunteers to those organizations.

Nairobi, is a very big, developed and commercially city. It is very much more developed than any city in Uganda.  It's pace is just like that of a big city in the U.S.   From what I can tell,  It has all the benefits of  capitalistic development,  as well as all the drawbacks.

Downtown Nairobi, Kenya  

12/7/10 Nairobi, KY, at the International Conferance Center

Uganda Summary & Relections/ Week 3-4 pictures

12/4 We had an absolute wonderful time in Uganda....very undeveloped  country,  but with such amazingly kind  and geneorous people. The WOMF/UGANDA or UCOM, teated us so well!  We experienced so much and  loved on the babies right up until the hour we left.   Jordan did not want to leave, but we had to move on to do  our volunteer work in Kenya

What's most revealing is to see  this country in "Africa" that is much different than what's portrayed in the media (TV and newsapapers). it's much much better than we expected As Jordan said "It's not at all how it is on TV.. the peple are very kind and not everybody is poor..In some ways it is better than the U.S". I also agree with him. Don't get me wrong, I've witnessed, first hand many travesties, some too horrible to put in writing.

But much what's keeping this country from moving forward is lack of infrastructure investment to provide adequate  health care for  life threatening  diseases and inadequate investment in basic municipal services(i.e, realiable and clean supply of water, good roads  and indoor plumbing,sewage treatment, power generation systems)

The next major issue is the death of the last 2 generations of  adult parents, due to the savage genocide years of Idi Amin's  leadership (1963-1986) and the lack medical care for curable an incurable diseases (1980- to current). This has left Uganda with greater than 50% of the population is less than 14 years old(that's 16 million children).  In fact, most people  under the age of thirty have been orphaned   and raised without one or both parents for most of ther lives. They lack parental nurturing and moral guidance.

The bright side is that these  young people are  resilient innovative, creative, self motivated and hard working people. Did I mention that they  are, very very smart!  In addition, they are very articulate and speak English better than most  of the Americans that I know. They are serious about getting a good education.   Despite the the quality of their education being unequal (especially the  poorest orphans).  they have high career aspirations. Jordan made many friends like this (i.e, Brian, Aaron, Mark, Julius, Paul, John).
Even those that are fortunate to get a college degree have trouble finding jobs. So many start their own small businesss and there are literally hundreds of thousands of small ramshackle businesses. Unfortunately,because lack of  infrastructure and poor business management skills  there is little finacial success and most are unable to afford adequate shelter. 

The final positive about Uganda is that this country is known as the Bread Basket of Africa! The soil and growing conditions are perfect for farming. Whether out in the village( bush country)  or in the "city" there is plenty of fresh food an people are well fed and fit. if  a person owns a plot of  land and they can grow all kinds of  tropical fruits(pineapples, mangoes, coconuts bannans of every kind,oranges) vegetables9 carrots, cabbage , potatoes) and a raise a variety of meats. In general the people are well nourished and fit from as walking the hilly terrain is a way of life .   The weather was a very pleasant (70-80F a)nd flowers were growing everywhere.   I often said that I felt like this region around Kampala Uganda was the "Garden of Eden) oddly mixed with undeveloped urban life). The economic growth in the region is good and there's huge business development opportunity here. It makes one want to go ....Hmmm!

We'll do our best to keep in towuch

Last 2 weeks in Uganda

These  are a few of the children at the Ckhlamblywa Orphange supported by WOMF/ Feed His Lambs Ministry. The kids there were so kind and very funny, once they got over how old I was! They danced and sang in traditional uganda style for us. We were only there for a day, but it was great. we played cards, jumped rope, played checkers and ate great food...especially the chipati and matoke with peanut sauce... mmmm!

At the equater in uganda on the masaka- jinja hwy.. 5 minute after this picture, it rained nearly 3 inches in 10 minutes, the temperature dropped 10 degress ..and then the sun came out and it was 85 degress again!

We took a quad ride through the village jungle..( theNile river is in the background)  while  in Jinja, UG.  First we took a 'boat" ride on the Nile River and saw where this river first develops water way leaves Lake Victoria. On the Nile we witnessed class 4 whitewater rafting on the rapids of Bugali Falls(which in 6 months will no longer exist, due to a dam being built for much needed hydroelectricty(ugh!)...  witnessed large rafts with  expert Ugandan(black) raft  guides! Next we saw wild komoto dragons speedily crawl across our path on the road as we were walking...What a day.. more pictures to come....