Ngong Hills and Beyond . . .

Photos shown here: Ngong Hills, directly outside of Nairobi

On Sunday this week our group was able to hike the Ngong hills. It was great! Actually fabulous to be out in the fresh air, in the hills, being active. That is something I miss here – the freedom to be able to go out when and where you want, and especially the freedom to go on a RUN or jog whenever you like. (The change of perspective is great, because it teaches you what you really love, and to appreciate it more! Nairobi is also great in teaching me precious skills of patience and flexibility – you just have to be those things here as things just take a bit longer generally than what you are used to!)

One of the interesting things about the hike was that we were required to be escorted by two guards carrying huge guns. Please don’t be alarmed – they are for the purpose of warding off any wild animals that might cross our path – buffaloes, etc. We didn’t actually see any animals, but apparently it is a danger in the Ngong Hills.

Our guide was great – his name is Gibson and he actually guides Mt. Kenya and Mt. Kilimanjaro. I definitely got his contact information because that sounds AWESOME! (George, Sevve, or other takers on this expedition idea? : ) )

Monday was an internship day, and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) continues to go well. I am spending a lot of time reading all of their various human rights reports. The information is very important, and it is critical that past human rights violations in Kenya be documented. However, the stories are heart-breaking. It is at times challenging to be immersed in such dark material. I have the utmost of respect for human rights practitioners that grapple with these issues day in and day out. Right before leaving Seattle, I read an article in World Pulse called “What’s the point of the revolution if we can’t dance?” It was all about human rights workers and the high potential for burn-out. It is indeed important to preserve oneself so that one can be of service to others.

Usually on Tuesdays I have Swahili and a human rights seminar BUT since there was an important program meeting at KHRC, I attended that instead. The meeting was quite interesting – 3.5 hours long, followed by Kenyan food for lunch! Our Deputy Executive Director spoke in depth about the impending August 4th referendum, when Kenya will vote on the new proposed constitution of Kenya. Due to this huge event, what one of my colleagues at KHRC has said will be “the biggest event in Kenyan history – even bigger than independence,” it is a VERY interesting time to be in Kenya. The YES and NO camps are intensely debating the issue. At this point, the polls show that a large majority are in support of the new constitution.

Tomorrow I am at KHRC again, and then early on Thursday morning, our group departs for our professor’s native village, where we will be engaging in a hands-on human rights project. We will be researching and conducting interviews to assess what might be done to renovate a girl’s boarding school in the village which has fallen into disrepair. The school houses many young women and girls who are fleeing early and forced marriages, or who are escaping ‘harmful’ (depending on your perspective…) traditional practices.

I am really looking forward to this experience in the village and working on this project. We will be staying in cottages for the first few nights, and then we have full-on Kenyan family homestays for 2 nights. This is truly an incredible opportunity and the details involved in arranging homestays for 15 people blows my mind! (Thank you, professor!) It will be a good experience – we will eat with our host families, go to work with them, and experience a change of pace from many of the Western luxuries we are so accustomed to (like indoor showers and restrooms : ) ).

We return from the village next Wednesday, so I may not be able to post before then. Thanks so much for reading, though. I miss you, family, friends and colleagues in the US and elsewhere and send all my love!

And, for George, I hope you read this: Happy 4 year Anniversary!