Karibu to Kisumu
13 July 2008 at 07:47 Zack Turner, KFP Coordinator 8 comments
I have made it safe and on time to my destination in Kisumu, Kenya. It has been a rush. Before I left, Dr. Omedi Ochieng, told me that nothing could prepared me to fully understand what Africa would be. Personal descriptions, books, photos, data, only go so far Prior to my departure I believed that I had a cerebral understanding of what Africa would be like, but being here the visceral experience is daunting.
My head is slowly catching up and as I look around I know that Kiva and micro-finance have a pivotal role to play. It has helped me to check my emotions knowing that we are doing something about it. Because I lack the ability to fully articulate Africa I want to share with you someone who can:
“Africa is nothing if not evocative. It’s a place of such unimaginable beauty and dignity and expanse and possibility, and such unfathomable suffering and despair and disease and decay. It is at once so alive and so wracked by death, so powerful in its landscape and physicality, and so powerless under the weight of famine and political upheaval and disease” well said Shauna Niequist.
Friday morning I hopped on a Kakemba bus to Kisumu. The bus ride took eight grueling hours but looking out my window provided more than enough fascinating sights to make the time pass. We went through rolling green hills, up the famous Rift Valley, I saw village after village (my favorite was Kericho with thousands of acres of tea leaves), cows and donkeys and sheep grazing in the grass, African’s meandering down the road, even a heard of zebras.
One of the sobering parts of the bus ride was at a stop in Nakuru. Every couple hours the bus would stop at an Akamba station so people could buy snacks and drinks, as well as use the rest room. My heart sank when I walked towards the main road and saw something that I’d read about, cement walls with broken glass bottles on the top. The wall in the photo is surrounding a home, and it illustrates the divisions and barriers that have been scattered throughout African history and continue
today.
Currently, life is still challenging. The political turmoil after the presidential election had much of the violence in Western Kenya which largely included Kisumu. There are still buildings that are destroyed from the looting and arson. Please read this article for a summary. The violence caused Kiva’s Kenya partners to pause because of the unrest. Now that peace has been brokered through a power sharing coalition it is business as usual and the MFI’s are able to operate. Nevertheless, things are still fragile. Kenyans love to talk about Barack Obama (his father was born and raised near Kisumu) but the tone changes when speaking about Kenyan politics.
I’m anxious to get started working for my assigned field partner, Opportunity International-Wedco. I begin on Monday with much work to be done.
Kwa heri!
Entry filed under: Kenya, KF5 (Kiva Fellows 5th Class), Opportunity International - Wedco Ltd.. Tags: Zack Turner.
1. Dave | 5 January 2010 at 02:44
I have been to Kenya myself and agree that the situation is sad or ordinary Kenyans. Have you read the book about the Kenyan whistle blower that came to the UK after exposing corruption?
It was sad to see that the president and a lot of politicians causing division on Kenya for political and financial gains.
A poster on a church near me says “god gave us diversity, division is what we make of it”
2. zackturner | 1 August 2008 at 15:32
Thank you all for your comments and support. I’ve been encouraged and inspired by hearing from you. I’ll make sure to get to the carwash Diane, one of the loan officers I worked with today said he lives near there. Also Jan&John I’ll be meeting with Amore Jenga on Monday and will have a journal update sent to you soon.
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&partner_id=92&status=fundRaising&sortBy=New+to+Old
3. Steve-O | 1 August 2008 at 02:23
Zach, you are truly an inspiring young individual with a lot of heart. I look forward to seeing many more articles from you and your experiences. Know that the path you have choosen is your personal destiny.
Steve
4. Diane | 21 July 2008 at 23:03
I was in the Peace Corps in Kenya from 2001-2003. I lived between Kisumu and Kakamega (closer to Kakamega) and would go to Kisumu monthly to drink a few Tuskers with other volunteers. I’d love to hear more about Kisumu post-election. Has the town recovered? Be sure to get down to the lake to “the carwash” to eat fresh fish and ugali! I’m insanely jealous of your trip (wish it were me!) but excited for you too. I’ll keep looking for your blog entries.
Amani,
Diane
5. Jan & John, KivaFriends | 21 July 2008 at 14:53
thanx for taking the time to share with us. Every field blog I read deepens my understanding and my resolve to help in any way I can.
Thanx for being where I cannot. I only have one loan left with OI-Wedco (Omore Jenga Self-Help Group) that has had no activity since May and I only can pray that those people are ok.
Please don’t forget to look after yourself as well as others while you are there.
6. Teresa Dunbar | 20 July 2008 at 05:43
Enjoy the road less traveled! Few get the opportunity, and fewer chose to travel along it. Can’t wait to read more updates and excited to learn from your experience. Cheers my friend!
7. Mark | 14 July 2008 at 01:25
Good luck bud! Like you said, research only gets you so far, at some point you just got to live it, so it’s hard for me to even start to imagine the sensory overload you must be going through right now. But keep your ruminations coming. It will be fun to read how your perspective on Africa, its people, Kiva, microfinance – basically life – changes over the coming weeks.
– Maverick
8. Jackie | 13 July 2008 at 14:18
Hi Zack,
I’m really looking forward to any news, info and experiences you can blog about during your stay and work with Opportunity International-Wedco in Kenya!
I like that you included many links in your first blog entry.
As a lender to some of the entrepreneurs in Kenya, I worry about the difficulties they must still be facing. I also wonder about all the challenges which the MFI’s in Kenya are dealing with. I’m very grateful for the work you’re doing there and any insight you can provide during your stay. Thank you!
Wishing you all the best,
Jackie