Long rains in Kenya

I'm trying another quick blog, since the power is still on, and the rains are pouring down outside. The much-awaited and delayed long rainy season has arrived! Due in February, the first big rain came about a week ago. Everyone is planting, or has recently planted, and the new seeds are getting a good soaking. Named the long rains because the rain really pours down, and lasts long enough to really soak things. What we would call rain, just a general everyday rain, does not count here. They only call it rain if it pours and soaks the ground. Well, the current rain qualifies. The downpour is torrential, and pounding on the metal roof. Conversations, even teacher's lectures in schools, are suspending until the roar subsides.

Thankfully, I already had my seat in the computer place, and was not caught outside. People on the street were instantly soaked, and many are now taking cover just outside the door under the generous eave of this building. The pouring rain is accompanied by wind which blew the storm in fast, and hopefully will blow it out in a short time, so I can go back without getting soaked myself. But, it's only water. And, then there's the red dirt mud. I prefer the water - at least I don't have to scrub my shoes after!

To Kenyans, especially farmers and rural citizens that grow their own food, rain is life, and these rains are a great relief. Even though the area around Dago is lush and green, things could change fast with drought. Two weeks ago, Pamela and the four social workers for the APHIA II Nyanza aid program they work for through Dago Dala Hera, were ordered to work for two days in another location called Southeast Kadem. I accompanied them for the experience while they visited a sampling of households to verify the inventory of household heads, other adults, and children in every home in the area with potential children in need. East Sakwa (location where Dago is located) and surrounding area is a dream compared to the desolation of the Kadem area. Even the social workers of the poorest in our area, were shocked, and acknowledged that their poor were well off compared to many we visited and observed. SE Kadem was a dry, desolate wasteland. Only a few were industrious enough, or had the resources, to maintain any source of food. I saw a very few homes with luxuries such as banana and other fruit trees. Otherwise, think of the US western desert with scattered dried up scrub grass, and hot dry landscape, with scattered homes, few and far between.

With no cohesiveness of a community, people seemed to keep to themselves, concentrating on survival. No fields or even small shambas with crops of any kind. We learned that people must purchase all their food during the dry season, but few jobs exist, and everyone scrapes to make a few shillings to buy food for the day. Food varies little from omena (miniature dried fish), kwon (the staple maize gooey bread), and sukuma wiki (shredded collard greens). Kwon may be the only food on any given day for the poorest. The young children at many of the homes were naked, and many children up to age 8 and 9 had not yet attended school. Prior to attending first grade, a child must attend preschool, which these poor can not pay for. The government does not exist for these people. They are only known to aid organizations. World Vision has a program in the area, but the only evidence I saw of them was a nursery school they had recently painted and upgraded. I heard they would provide concrete slabs for pit latrines, but the ground is very hard in the area, and people won't dig them. So, there are no latrines in the area! Over the two days, we trekked all over the hot, desolate countryside, going from home to distant home, hoping at times to spot a latrine - to no avail. Bushes were the only option, and plant life is not lush there!

Even the centers in the area were depressing. A few buildings, but little business. Maybe a small store, and small cafe. No activity on the street, no market, music, incessant chatting and laughter like in Ranen. The street in the main center was almost bare of life, like an old wild west ghost town, adding to the sadness of the place. And yet, a few wealthy (by local standards) inhabitants in the area. Probably government jobs - the town, Nyasore (or something like that) is a division headquarters, or teachers, or other such jobs, especially if two spouses are employed. No white collar jobs exist for those who don't attend college or technical schools. Even jobs like carpenters, welders, mechanics, etc., require certificates from polytechnics and schools/training programs. Jobs are lacking in Kenya for college grads, so those without an education are totally out of luck for jobs except for manual labor.

But, there is some hope - at least for food on the way. The long rains have reached Kadem, and the social worker there that worked with my team (me and Pamela) assured us that when the rains come, the land comes to life. Fruit trees bear, and the ground can be cultivated. In fact, it is fertile, and crops grow very well. So, in May or June, they will have food.

Some of our sadder findings, in addition to nakedness, no school, little food:

Signs of malnutrition - children very small for age, three-year olds (especially boys) with bowed legs - below the knee poorly developed - and with difficulty walking. Rickets?

High birth rate. The poorest are having a child a year, and no plans to slow down. A crime, since they can't be fed, clothed, educated, or provided healthcare.

Toxicity from mine tailings left when a Canadian mining company was evicted after independence in 1963. Waste from gold and copper extraction leaches into the river where people get their water. When it rains, chemical runoff instantly kills all the fish in the region. People go to the river to gather dead fish - which is eaten. And, they drink the water, bathe in it, do laundry and dishes, etc. How many illnesses there are the result of heavy metal toxicity? Plus, locals mine for gold and use mercury to extract gold. They ignore all dangers to life for a few shillings for food. At what cost? One young woman, a widow, keeps having children against the social workers pleadings, and all have health problems, including swollen glands. One, a 7 yr. old, was born blind, and is being isolated at home.

At another household, the father berates a 13 year old girl, who looks 8, as being too stupid to learn, so doesn't let her go to school. Many devastating effects await her down the road, including a good chance of rape, pregnancy, HIV....

Sorry for all the depressing stories, but all is not as at Dago, even though that area has many poor, and many of its own sad stories. But, at Dago, many community-minded people like the Odoyos, work for development and improvement, and are involved in constantly improving their village and location. Plus, they have a better climate and landscape working for them, as well as a major cash crop, sugarcane, and a large local sugar plant.

Am trying to get a couple of proposals done which are due end of March, but many roadblocks. Including, most computers here don't have Adobe and I can't open the application docs on my flashdrive. Need to get back to Kisii, so probably Saturday. Planning a trip to Kisumu with the Odoyo's next week - they both need dental work, and I will pick up my alien registration card at immigration - but too late for the proposals to get emailed, so must complete on Saturday.

Got to run and catch a matatu. Best to all.
Deni

Well, it's still raining, but it's getting late, and I'd better get a vehicle back.

---

---