More from Dago Dala Hera

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Greetings to all! First, let me assure anyone not hearing from me past two weeks and worried. All is well, just no email access. Cell phone email service has been out do to some upgrade that obviously has not gone well. So, in Kisii briefly today. Mr. Odoyo had bank business, but will be arriving shortly to collect me - so must rush again. And, apologies, no time today for individual email responses.

Dago is a very friendly, beautiful, peaceful place with many industrious, welcoming people. Even the area chief has announced that I am welcome, and am free to travel safely throughout. Now, a chief in this society is not what you might picture. These days, is a civil servant with a traditional title. Is well educated, experienced in local politics and community. Wears business clothes, is highly articulate, well-organized, etc. Is like a mayor to us. Local government levels beneath district (our counties) are division, then location, sub-location, then city, town or village. Even some other traditional divisions, such as clan, that I am not so up on. But, the location has a chief who is hired at the district level to deal with location-level issues and is a liaison between the people and the division/district levels, but most importantly, keeping the location managed, and peaceful. The current chief is focusing on economic development, and things are picking up since I've been here, and I expect this location to continually improve. The people here must help themselves. The government does almost nothing for the people, especially in the rural area. I should amend that to say the government (thief President) does nothing for the people who are not of his tribe and political party cronies.

So, I have been getting involved with local community development due to my association with Dago Dala Hera and the Odoyo family, who are involved community leaders. In addition to my nutrition educations, I am helping Pamela Odoyo with orphanage and NGO administration. Dago Dala Hera, as a community-based organization (CBO), was chosen by APHIA II Nyanza, an NGO being funded by USAID, to provide support to orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) in this location. The program involves training community health workers, called mentors, to give home-based education and counseling to the caregivers of OVCs, and to caregivers and OVCs living with HIV/AIDS. Activities required of the NGO are specific and include lots of data and results reporting, requiring a lot of work of the liaison officer, who is Pamela, as she is director of the CBO - Dago Dala Hera. The NGO has a 2-yr. contract, with the first year almost done. Demands of the NGO are picking up, as they must be demonstrating successes to the sponsor, USAID. This is all great, but they are burying the mentors, social workers, and liaison in paperwork. In addition, the mentors must visit their clients weekly, plus have client support groups and group projects for economic development. On top of that, the mentors must go to meetings, such as a week long counseling training just given this past week. I attended and was impressed with the facilitators and instruction. My input was welcome, and I believe my comments were helpful to the mentors and facitators.

Back to the mentors - in addition to their jobs, they are mothers and wives or widows with lots of home responsibilities. So, up early for milking or shamba (garden) work, selling goods at market, cooking, cleaning, hauling water, hand laundering clothes - all the things that must be done. Everything is manual, and walking distances take a lot of time. So, again, women are working about 16-18 hours per day. Many men, not so much, but some enlightened, educated men are very industrious, and also work hard. These families, of course, are better off.

Mr. Odoyo, for example, is very busy and industrious from early morning until after dark, with fields, milk cows, laying hens, cleaning the compound grounds, attending to his compost, attending community development meetings, helping people in need, digging a new well, and so on. Some of the work is hired, but he is constantly busy organizing, working himself, directing, contacting people to arrange, and generally well-manages the compound, livestock, fields, and family needs.

I am becoming familiar with a lot of people, and am able to have small conversations in Duoluo (tho-loo-oh), the mother tongue of the Luo people. I'm really surprising and delighting people with my Luo responses, thanks to the persistence and assistance from the Odoyos. I'm going to miss Duoluo when I go to Ghana.

People here are so friendly and welcoming. It will be strange to come home, and not walk down the street greeting and shaking hands with everyone. Here, everyone greets, and if you know the person, at least a small conversation takes place, no matter how late you are running for an appointment or whatever. Africa time allows for arriving long after the appointed time, and customary greetings and time with people you know that you meet along the way or pass by is a must. So, I'm learning even more patience that I've had, because any trek, no matter where in the area, requires many stops to greet and chat. And, since Pamela knows everyone (and vice versa), we make a lot of stops. But, many advantages to being a guest of a community leader such as Pamela (plus, her father was a chief) is meeting all the community leaders, such as the chief. And, meeting me has importance for these people, too, because I am musungu (white), and that is considered quite special here (mostly means status and money), so everyone is hoping to benefit in some way from my presence here. If nothing else, contact with me gives one prestige, and, if I visit them - wow, that's big.

The children are a real kick. Since musungu sighting is quite rare in this area, I am quite a novelty. Children react in a few major ways. (1) jump up and down wildly shouting and waving. I think I've mentioned before about "musungu, musungu, how are YOU?" Near Ranen center (the town on the main road from the village), I have a fan club of several small children, that run to the edge of the dirt road as we walk by, yelling and waving. They greet me in Kiswali - "Habari!", so I respond in the same language, with "Misuri". They are so thrilled. Then, (2) the children whose eyes and mouths could not be open wider, as they stare in disbelief. Some will just stand by me and look. They are tongue-tied when I speak to them, and some will even offer a meek "Onge (nothing much)" when I ask them "Nang'o (how goes it)?". Funniest are (3) the ones who are frightened, and run away crying, or cry in their mother's arms, or, most hilarious, cut a wide path as they walk by me with their hand over their eyes! But, the quiet ones are getting used to me, and respond when I greet them.

Even though people must be getting used to me being Pamela's shadow, I'm still quite a sight. Having pure white skin (except for freckles!) doesn't help. I'm sure I wouldn't be so strange if I had darker skin, or at least a suntan. I must say I haven't seen another white-skinned person in quite some time, but I am very comfortable among seas of dark skin, in fact, it's become the norm for me. People are the same everywhere, so I see mothers, fathers, grandmothers, children, babies, students, retailers, government workers, bankers, farmers, community involved citizens - all the same people doing all the same things that people do everywhere. With the same thoughts, emotions, wants, needs, hopes, and aspirations as anyone anywhere.

I'm still hoping to get some help from fund-raising back home for the orphanage. The violence, road-blockages, business disruption/distruction etc. during the unrest has resulted in price inflation of everything, including food and household goods. Some basic food items have doubled, even tripled in price. So, the original $250 USD required for additional food to house orphans has increased. As well as the $315 USD to purchase initial household supplies. Ongoing supply needs - soap, feminine products, toilet tissue, etc. of about $150 USD/month has also increased. Presently, the orphanage has a day care program that provides 2 meals/day for school aged orphans. The orphanage is next to the school, so orphans come over at morning break and lunch for a meal. Funds for extra food and supplies must be in the bank - probably at least 3 months worth - before housing. So, anything will help. Please donate (maybe your group or school can hold a fundraising?) through Village Volunteers website, and designate Dago Dala Hera. Your donation will be tax deductible, and VV will immediately forward 100% of the funds. Also, let me assure you that Dago Dala Hera is sustainability minded. They are looking for land for growing their own crops, and when feasible will be raising dairy. Mr. Odoyo will be raising laying hens to supply the orphanage, since he is skilled in their care and management. Goal is self-sufficiency. In addition, will be working to partner with other NGOs and govt. programs to support orphans and give them a good life, including education and normal progression in life.

Well, Mr. Odoyo is here. Hopefully cell email back in business soon. Best to you all. And no worries. All is peaceful now, and Kenyans want permanent peace. Great hopes for the Annan-led mediation and resulting constitutional changes to improve the government.

Love,
Denise

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