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Malindi Workshop
Somehow I was convinced to run a short workshop in Malindi when I went to vist a girls group. Stella from AYT set me up with a friend to be m tour guide for the day and I ended up working instead of sightseeing. Malindi has an EXTREMELY high rate of sexually exploited young women from Euro travels in order to make money to live. Sasa, Hi Everyone
Well my journey in Kenya is over for this year. It has been an unbelievable experience that has truly changed my life.
On sunday night there was a major blackout that lasted about 8 hours across all of Kenya. It reminded me of the black out that happened when I was in Toronto 6 years ago except for the fact that blackouts happen all the time.
It was sad to leave my new work team at AYT on Monday. They presented me with a beautiful statue of a Maasai woman warrior. They told me that Maasai warriors are only men in their culture but when they saw it it reminded them of me and my fight to provide for others. As you can imagine there were tears but so many amazing words.
Over the last 10 days I took a trip to Malindi a small beach resort town on the coast of Narobi, was roped into doing a presentation for a small organization who work with young women involved in street life and prostitution in Malindi, and completed the first phase of my work. I've packed up my belongings and have now headed
Malindi
This is Maudy, the son of Stellas friend who brought me to her house for my bday dinner. He didnt want to give me my ipod back... home.
All my travels have changed my perspective on life, family, and the world but this one has really hit a cord in my heart. The people, their stories, their truths and the things I have seen over the last month have given me a perspective that will forever change my own truth. For those of you who know me well you know that I spend a lot of time looking at my life, forever working on improving it so I can better help the people I work with and be a person of good character for my family and friends. On this trip over the last month I realized how important that really is. I sometimes feel that I having more education is important, having more money is important, and having more period is important. Boy was I sadly mistaken. Now as much as I believe that having a great education is important, and having money makes for security and being ambitious is imparitive but what I saw over the last month were people who had nothing- living in fecal contaminated slums, living in fear of their lives on a daily basis, struggling to have opportunity to eat
Malindi
I have strong recommendation that you NEVER go here in the their winter months like me. Its a beautiful place but everything is closed and its always raining, hot but muggy.. Best months are in our winter which is their summer. each day and yet when you sit and chat with them there are so many who have a smile that will melt your heart and an openness and eagerness to share and learn that is not quantifiable.
In Nairobi people live in a world that is half run by corrupt politicians that fund violence and the other half run by NGOs. People there have been taught to depend on people to tell them what to do in order to change but in the mist of it all you find some empowered people who will understand all this but still fight for their own truth. And with the right tools they will make anything happen. The rate of HIV, famine, and disease is so ridiculousy high. The rate of poverty, abuse, illiteracy, and dependency on other is sickening; but they fight. This puts so many things into perspective for me.
I plan on going back to Nairobi to continue to support the young women that work at Africa Youth Trust and to assist Mama Hemza and Vision Sisters with life skills so that they can reach more young women. I plan on getting my first centre open here in
Vancouver and then creating an opportunity to fundraise to get a small centre open in Kibera near the slum so that AYT and other amazing African based organization can have a small place to have an office and work and a place for young womens to be safe and learn.
I would like to thank everyone who supports my trip...
Tamra- By sending me to Africa I was able to help soo many women with tools for their future. I was able to help empower Kenyan women youth workers to continue help more young women. You have changed soo many lifes----you have changed mine forever.
I would like to thank all the people who came to my fundraiser we were able to assist 29 girls with staying in school and getting an education which to Kenyans is the MOST important part of life. For in Kenyan is EXTREMELY hard to find a job with an education so imagine how hard is it without. You have helped to change their lives.
Madeleine Shaw- Stella, Brenda, Eva, Joy, and Grace at AYT and I would like to thank you for helping them start their business making sustainable pads
Malindi
Nafula helping me translate my workshop into Kiswahili in Africa which they have started working on now and will hopefully have a business started last this year. It is business people like you that make this world go around....
Everyone else who took a few moments out of their day to read my blogs and send me a msg or comment along the way I thank you so much. Its the little things like that that push me to do that I do and on a day where it was hard it put a smile on my face.
There are so many more stories to share about my very quick month in Nairobi some amazing some frustrating but all will help me to make another next year to continue my work.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon!
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Lori
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So proud of you Loretta. I am sitting at work reading your blog with tears running down my face. You are truly amazing and role model to all of us. Love ya lady. Glad that you are home safe.