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Published: December 5th 2006
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Hello All! My sabbatical is coming to an end. I should have my feet on the ground in Calgary early December - almost 5 months since last I was there. I am in Nairobi finishing up some loose ends and enjoying the last few days with friends. Rachel and Tereneh have kindly opened their flat to me. I left Kisumu last Thursday after hosting a party for my adopted family at the Imperial Hotel. My timing was also good because I learned yesterday that the airport is closed until the runway can be repaired. (I thought our take off on Thursday night was a little rough!) Had I left it any later to make my way to Nairobi - chances are I would have had to bus it. We are talking a 10 hour bus ride to travel some 400 km - yes that is how bad the roads are!
I have very mixed feelings about leaving Africa. Of course I am very excited to be coming home and starting my next chapter. But as I had been told before I came to this place - Africa gets into your blood! And this certainly is the case for me. Though
it really has been a short time, I have learned and seen so much. I have made wonderful friends and have grown to adore the people. The strength and resilience of the women in particular has impressed me greatly. And then of course there are the children - the OVCs - as they are referred to (orphans and vulnerable children). And as I sit in the Nairobi Java House reflecting on these 5 months - I realize that I have come full circle. Eighteen months ago I was inspired by a speech given by Stephen Lewis in Toronto. I distinctly remember the moment when I realized that I must go to Africa - to direct my energies and talents to helping the millions of children being orphaned by HIV/Aids. I will always remember the story that Stephen told that day about meeting with a group of grandmothers. The story goes something like this: Stephen traveled to a village and met a group of grandmothers who were showing him their bumper crop of cabbage. They were very proud. Stephen asked why they were growing cabbage? They replied because it is nutritious and very important to boost the immune system -- especially
if your status is positive. Stephen asked if they have been able to grow surplus cabbage. They proudly said yes. And Stephen asked if they take their surplus cabbage to market to sell. Again the answer was yes. He then asked what do they do with the money they receive from the sale of cabbage? There is a pause, the women look at Stephen quizzically, almost as if saying with their eyes - is it not obvious? The replied in unison - we buy coffins of course! I remember being dumbfounded with tears in my eyes - thinking this is so wrong. I have to try and do something to help.
So 13 months ago I set out to see what I could do - knowing that I knew nothing, knowing that I had to take a step back and get out to the villages to learn and experience with all of my senses what was going on and who was doing what. Well I have seen much and learned more. I have met grandmothers like the one Stephen spoke about. I have been to villages like Nyamasaria, Dunga, Sauri and Yala. I have walked the fields with Mama
Monica in Sauri and seen her pride as she shows off her bumper maize crops. I have seen the coffins for sale on the side of the dirt road. I have held very sick child at an Aids clinic and I have been with a young women who just found out she was positive - five months pregnant. I have been to the Manyatta and Abungo slums and watched the children play in sewage. I have spent time with a mother so very afraid that her daughter-in-law was not getting any better and wouldn’t be able to care for the 6 children at home while she went to market.
Just the other day I volunteered at a kids camp put on by the Faces Aids Clinic - and yes most of the children there were positive and many of them orphans. I found myself in tears during a quiet respite between playing a game of dodge ball with 5 year old boys and playing match the block with 3 year olds. I was struck by the tragedy of it all! Yet they are children -- playing and laughing -- curious -- having no idea what is in store for
them. I realized in that moment that you can't let the despair paralyze you -- so you put it aside and you bop a child on the head with a beach ball -- who laughs and throws the ball right back at you. There is such a deep want in me to protect them -- to make sure they are going to be ok.
I have come to admire and respect the work of Bernadette at St. Ritas’s who is struggling day in and day out to support and educate 130 orphans and keep them connected to their communities. I have seen Josephat - an orphan age 9 - very sick from HIV complications - improve dramatically with antiretroviral therapy (ART) and good nutrition...in a matter of months. I have learned so much from Nejla who supports with her husband Chotu 9 orphans, renovates schools and provides medical camps to remote areas where medical care and medicines are not available. I have been inspired by the work of Anne Marie and C-Meda who support community based orphan care and work with communities to increase their capacity to look after their own on a sustainable basis. Nej, Bernadette and Anne
Marie have taught me the importance of working and creating capacity in their local communities. Munira and the Gilani family have shown me the power of giving and generosity of spirit. I have witnessed that much of the foreign aid coming into Western Kenya as one-off, short term, building dependence as opposed to independence, and not coordinated with government or public systems. Thus more often than not these interventions motivated with the best of intentions do more damage than good. This is a resourceful land - these are resilient and resourceful people - our western style of aid has undercut this - has taken away confidence and initiative.
So I walk away from this experience and profound journey with a commitment to apply my energies and talents in a direction that empowers people - gives them the tools, education, encouragement and confidence to take charge of their personal destinies and that of their communities. A path is starting to emerge that builds on my experiences and this commitment. I look forward to sharing the details with you when I return to Calgary.
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Debbie Noesgaard
non-member comment
We need to talk when you get home.
I cannot wait to see you and talk to you. I am hoping you will come and share your stories with my students. I have followed your journey with envy and admiration, Kiddo, and look forward to having an opportunity to learn more. Love and safe travels. Debbie.