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Published: September 11th 2006
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Salima and Jan
Checking out the Round Table Hey Gary, KM and Nollind…this blog is for you! There is a Male Support Group (MSG) alive and well in Kisumu. They call it the round table - kind of King Arthurian don’t you think? A group or table in this case of men (ages 18 to 40) get together to plot politics, socialize and do good in the community. This round table is looking at opening an orphanage in town. Notice the adornment on the Chairman …thought you fellas would get a kick out of this …let me know if you want to hook up with these fellow comrades? Apparently it is an international order.
A bunch of us met the Round Table members at a car rally/treasure hunt last Sunday. We had an hour to answer 50 questions/riddles while driving a route around Kisumu. I teamed up with Glen and his son Ross (friends of the Gilani’s) - they were clearly at a disadvantage having me on their team - aka no local knowledge. Mind you I was helpful on the general questions. All in all it proved to be a very fun afternoon. We got lost only once and made up a few wrong answers - strategizing
that it was better to have answers (aka 5 pt. penalty for no answer) than to be late to the finish (5 minutes penalty for every minute after 60 minutes) And how were we to know that a one legged Indian referred to local Indian businessman’s wheel barrel sign. Another favourite question: What is two less than blackjack? Answer not 19 -which we put - but the 6/49 sign. Thought this was pretty clever. And yes they have a 6/49 lottery in Kenya. The afternoon finished with lunch, awards and playing a form of bingo under a tent at the Quarry. The owner of the local Quarry is quite industrious having created a park like setting with picnic facilities in a corner of the property. Again a great way to spend a Sunday Afternoon.
I also had the opportunity to meet another kind of male support group on Friday. Nimunira and I visiting the Dominican Friars. Nim and I are doing some market research on NGO organizational needs. This Catholic group of men are sponsoring 200 orphans, thinking about building a school and are partnering with the neighboring Franciscan Sisters to help run a hospice for cancer patients. It
was impressive to see the compound which is very well manicured with several gardens. They are almost self sufficient in vegetables and fruits. Currently they have about 40 children living with them…including 2 fourteen year-olds who are expecting babies anyday. The girls had gone home to their villages for a holiday break to visit aunts and uncles and came back pregnant. Father M. told us that several of the women staff thought the he should have sent them back to the village - as punishment. But as he said - where were they to go. They are orphans. At least this way they can ensure the babies are born safely, that the girls remain in school and continue to learn - so that the cycle can be broken. But can you imagine age 14 and having a child. More often than not in this land!
Above all I was impressed with the compassion and industry of this order. By the way, all of their funding comes from US sources (mostly unsolicited donations). Currently the friars are working to become self-sufficient in water on the property. They’ve developed 3 ground water pools and have dug another 2 bore holes -
which they are connecting with piping to provide running water. The water from the local town is unreliable. It was interesting to learn that they typically seek outside expertise (US and Canada) from brother and sister organizations to help them with their work and plans -- sisters from the US are coming to run the hospice, an accountant is being recruited from the peace corp. The reason cited is trust. The Father and I also had a very interesting conversation on why they were going to create a school instead of sending the children to the local public school. Bottom line is they don’t trust, based on past experience, the public school system to provide quality education and build strong character. I thought how sad that here there was another group feeling the need to bypass the public system. And this is not a new story - there are thousands of private schools run by NGOs and religious groups all over Kenya. The question I am wrestling with is: who is working on the public systems to make them better, to improve the quality and serve the needs of all Kenyans. And remember there are 33 million people and over
a million orphans in Kenya. So while yes I do believe that you change the world one life at a time - and therefore admire and see the need for the work of the Dominican Friars and other groups like them - And thank heavens for the 200 children they are supporting, educating and taking responsibility for. But who is thinking about the bigger questions -- the bigger systems - about getting them working for all of Kenya?????
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