We spent our first full day in Nairobi relaxing at our guest house and getting to know some of our team members as they arrived. Our next day we began with breakfast with our entire team. The group consists of 21 people from the US, Canada, Australia and Belgium. The youngest member is 16 and the oldest couple are in their 50s (we think, but we thought it would be rude to ask). The majority of the members are in their 20s and 30s. I must say that our team leaders, Danielle and Matt, did a great job putting together the team – everyone has connected quickly and seems very nice.
After breakfast, we began with an orientation session where we were provided more information about the IDP camp. Due to the trauma that most of the people experienced after the 2007 election violence, they are hoping to have everyone out of the tents by December before the upcoming election. We found out that we would be building houses for three different families within the camp during our build project.
We headed out from the guesthouse in Nairobi and began the drive to Maai Mahiu which is located in the Rift Valley. It was a gorgeous site driving down the escarpment into the valley. The sites along the way are hard to explain in words – lots of animals grazing and people selling anything and everything (from corn cooked on open flame to shoes and socks). The buildings are colourful but quite run down and there are people everywhere.
When we arrived we were told to be prepared that there would be a lot of children and that they would all want to see the mzungus (aka white people). As soon as we got off the bus children were everywhere – shaking our hands, touching our skin, asking us to take pictures and using us as swings/jungle gyms. The IDP camp is quite dusty so all the children were dirty and many wandered around with no shoes. Wally’s shirt quickly became dirty as the kids were using him as a jungle gym, but it was hard to think about the dirt as the children were so cute and happy to see us. The most amazing thing about all the children that we met were their smiles – everyone was so happy – which surprised me considering their living conditions. Something as simple as a roof over your head is something that everyone deserves and something that is so easily taken for granted.
We had a chance to meet all the three families we would be building homes for – Sam, a man on his own who told us his family “did not make it”, Jane and her son Edward and Alice and her children Peter, David, Joseph and Jacinta. We also saw a recently completed home that the family would be moving into soon once everything dries (it takes one week once the building is done). The site of these families living in these tents was unbelievable, all we are building for them is small 3-room stone houses but this is so much more than what they have.
This place surprised me – everyone was so welcoming, not just the children but the adults as well. They were quick to smile and say “Jambo” (hello) and waved every time they saw us. We are so looking forward to getting started tomorrow!!
We drove into a nearby town, Navaisha, and on the way we spotted some gazelles, zebras and giraffes!! Our nights were spent at a guest house with beds and running showers (even hot water from time to time), but how could we complain once we saw the living conditions in Maai Mahiu. Here we go!!
