My Boys Birthday Nine in Kenya

April 19th, 2012 and my little guy is growing up!  I am not a sentimental guy (as you all know) but I have to admit seeing the changes in him.  He is strong, healthy and has a good critical thought process in his little brain. (Must be from his beautiful Mommy). Alex and I had a great day visiting a place called Umbrella Falls that is about thirty five minuets out of Eldoret.  The main run off of the falls has been diverted to create a small power station.  This station albeit small probably provides electricity for about 500 homes.  See pictures below.  The falls are quite impressive, roughly 80 feet high and what is really cool is that you can walk in and around to get behind them.  The overhang is spectacular with a interesting geological layering.  Once you travel to the top portion of the falls and look down to where you hence came the top geological is impressive also.  This all married in well with Alex's home schooling as we are doing a power point presentation on rocks and minerals.

Studious

 Alex had his friend Otte over for a sleep over (pre-birthday crazy)
The boys had a great time and made it till about 11:00pm.  For a couple of nine year old boys they listened to the Alpha fairly well 

 This is the beginning of our walk at Umbrella Falls.  This trough is the beginning of the Aqua duct that feeds the power station.

 After a steep walk along the Aqua duct we arrived at the power station below.  Although it is no "Seven Sisters" damn it does provide for about 500 homes and was fairly well maintained.

 Approaching the falls was impressive.  Note our guide at the bottom right for perspective.  These were some pretty #%!@* big falls!

 We are walking through the under hang approaching the area where you are looking through the falls from the inside.

 Graffiti is everywhere in the world.  Kind of like Coca-Cola.  The Gods Must Be Angry!  Still this was pretty coincidental on the boys ninth!  We had a good laugh.

 This is behind the falls looking out.

 As much as this country is a shit hole these moments are extraordinary!

 Alex "pocketing" a sample for his geology presentation.

 This is on top of the falls.  Note the extraordinary geological formations.  (At least for those who may be into it)

 OK...Mommy should probably not see this one.  Alex at the edge looking way down over Umbrella Falls!

 As we ended our day we also came across some pumice.  We saw Slate, Marble, Granite, Limestone, Chalk,Conglomerate, Tillite, so a little of the three categories.

Our friends Paula and Ash

Otte the Man

Alex widling away the day!

So that is about it for now.
Take care of yourselves.

Just What is AID?

Hello to everyone in Canada...Eh!  Until we moved to Africa to work my world view was fairly narrow on what AID was.  My genral belief was that you helped out by having a couple of foster kids on your fridge and that developed nations of the world responded to food crisis and natural disasteers with food and shelter support.  This is a good thing but only a small part of what AID really is.  We also see elite rock stars and celebrities talking about AID and how we should all pitch in more to help.  We have even seen celeberty construction builders like Mike Holmes make a cameo appearance in some God forsaken part of the world endorsing Charity A, B or C...
Formal international AID was first concieved by the Breton Woods group prior to the end of WWII.  The idea was to set up a formal international monetary fund to help rebuild war torn Europe.  The IMF and World Bank were formed and provided short term loans to contries that required assistance to rebuild after WWII.  These countries did rebuild and repayed their loans within about five years after WWII.  It is important to note that these countries also had highly skilled labor, professionals and constitutional systems in place and/or easily re-constructed.
Leading up to and during the era of the Cold War the developed nations of the world exercised their authority over countries like Africa through development loans through IMF and WB.  This provided a measure of geopolitical control over the region providing strategic security against attack from hostile forces (real or percieved).
At the end of the Cold War the climate changed in countries like Africa.  They were demanding independence from colonial rule and such the British, French, Belgians and Germans to name a few afforded independence over a period from about the end of 1950 to mid 1960.  There was a mass exodus of white people who were in positions or high decision making, governance, social service delivery and the like.  There was a huge brain drain followed by a vacum filled with less educated people to take over such positions.  Countries collapsed financially and socially.  The IMF and World Bank among other lenders continued to give more loans with more conditions on the loans for development and AID.  At the same time they would forgive past loans.
These huge sums of money were transfered into the treasuries of the countries supported.  It has been estimated that as much as 25% has been grafted or stolen by the leaders in power and utilized for their own gratuity.  One can imagine the problems this has caused.  In fact, over the past 50 years of AID the countries who recieve the most AID have the highest rates of poverty!  Go figure.
From a cultural perspective the employees of government, say in Kenya, do not take ownership of their resources.  They used to be agents for the colonizers and would have the passive aggressive stance to take what they could without being caught.  Now they see their own in high government doing the same, so they do the same.  The graft runs through every single institutions in Kenya.  Some other countries who have negotiated AID or refused seem to do better overall.
The AID community has tried to modity their policies at the international level but the culture has not changed too much in the past 50 years of AID.  There are some agencies like the United States Administration of International Development (USAID) that now channel some of their monies to Non Government Agencies (NGO) so the government recieving the AID can not as easily steal it for their own personal use.  The AID community as a whole is also attempting to instill some ownership to the people they try to help.  This is also not working very well as the past history of colonialism is still fresh in the locals mind.  They really do not want to be taught how to lead by a white person, or Chinese person etcetera.
For myself at this time, and from what I have gleened personally, the best bet would be to leave Africa to Africa.  As some Africans have stated "we need to work this out on own, without AID.  Many bad things will happen, but in the end we will build our own accountable government and yes current governmets will fall."
I tend to agree.  

Earth Day 2012

Happy Earth Day everyone.  Some random thoughts from a random head.  I don't have a scanner so want to share with you some stories from the newspaper here.  There are a few different papers that we get.  The Nation has a bias towards the government.  The Standard does not have the government bias.  Here are a few articles or portions of them from The Standard.  Remember, there is an upcoming election here and after the last election December 27 2007, there was mass rioting and +++ violence.  About 3000 people were killed and 300,000 people displaced.  There are still about half that many in IDP camps.

"The Standard - April  13 Kisumu Kenya - Boy beaten senseless for cheating in exam.
A student is lying unconscious at Kendu Bay Hospital afteyango, ofSangoro Secondary School was beaten for alleged cheating in an end of term exam.  Billy Onyango of  in Nyakach, was allegedly beaten by his teacher. His father said students who witness the beating told him the teacher used to
log to assault him before they rescued him.   The teacher has admitted beating the Form Four student, saying he had caught him cheating during the exam." 

• Lori's editorial - it is always great to know that children are treated with respect and dignity.   What do we teach our children?

The Kenyan parliament was supposed to meet to try and figure out how to decrease the crazy high interest rates for the people of Kenya.  Here was the outcome:

" The Standard - April 21, 2012. Nairobi Kenya. MPs in secret payment deal.
Finance Bill eased through House with hidden changes giving MPs parting gift of close the sh4 million each, as claims emerge of corrupt law makers taking sh50,000 cash payouts to abandon the interest rate battle.
Members of Parliament will stick their hands into the public pocket one last time as the prepare to leave the National Assembly. As accusations of petty bribery arose over the just passed Finance Bill, is has emerged that the law included a secret golden handshake that may have helped persuade MPs to drop their fight for better terms for Kenyan borrowers.  The deal was sealed after MPs were treated to two expensive luncheons in Nairobi.  The MPs voted Wednesday to  give themselves a tidy sh3.7 million each as a gratuity at he end of the tenure of the Tenth Parliament.  This is more than double the current severance pay. . . "

• Lori's editorial - I talked to a colleague of mine today.  He went for a loan for a car.  The bank wanted a 30% interest rate.  He said no.  This is the same rate that department stores charges for their credit cards in Canada.  This is what people pay for a mortgage rate in Kenya.  Meanwhile the MPs just passed a bill which gives them $50,000 Cdn tax free (to go along with their $300,000 tax free annual salary) when parliament is dissolved before the next election.  

"The Standard - April 21, 2012.  Ruto holds rallies in Ukambani, calls for unity.
Eldoret North MP William Ruto took the campaign to popularise his United Republican Party to Makueni County where he called for unity.  " We need to preach unity among all the communities to build a strong nation," said Ruto.    He declared that time has come to change  the country by electing the right people to leadership positions.  Ruto said that the country need leaders with impeccable integrity and those that can be trusted. . . "

• William Ruto is one of four Kenyans who have been charged with Crimes Against Humanity with the ICC for his role in the 2007/2008 post election violence.  The trial has not started yet.  At the same time, he is allowed to continue to run for President of Kenya and is now campaigning for the same.  Two of the four on trial including Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta (son of the first President of Kenya) are running for president.  If one of them gets elected President before the the ICC trial finishes and they are indicated for war crimes, they will have immunity from the indictment.  So, Kenyan would have a convicted war crimes leader for a president.  
• I find it very strange that someone on trial for war crimes calls for leaders with impeccable integrity and that can be trusted - when he is talking about himself.

So where do the children of Kenya look to for role models?  To their teachers (who beat them)?  To their political leaders (who steal from them and are on trial for war crimes)? To their parents who don't stand up to their political leaders who do not do anything for the people and only think about themselves?

I can fully see why a small minority of people in Libya, Egypt and Syria have arose up against their oppressors.   I would have loved to live in the time of Ghandi to see his non violent revolution. 

All I know, is that despite our 'conservative' Canadian federal government and certain injustices that do occur, I am still so very grateful to be Canadian and to live in such an amazing country where as a population we actually care about each other and the political leaders do think about the people.

Aid and AIDS in Africa

Hello to everyone who is following our experience.  We are into our fifth month and always find this journey a great eye opening experience in so many ways.  I wanted to share some of my views on the social, political, economic and health care events I have witnessed, read about, talked about with average Kenyans and somewhat digested.  It is important to note that I come from Canada, the best country in the world that overall has excellent systems of social capital, political legitimacy, economic wealth and a health care system bar none. (Thank you Tommy Douglas)
First I would like to share on what I am really missing in Canada; the freedom to walk at night, the freedom to walk anytime without being continually "on guard".  I miss my friends, of course.  I miss driving on roads that are in good repair.  I miss streetlights, clean streets, shop fronts that are not blown out that have displays to entice you to "Come Inside".  I miss a sense of community and the social contract that we watch out for one another and one another's children (even if we are not fond of each other)  I miss government systems that work.  I miss our idea of poverty, and how small our poverty is compared to Kenya.  I miss our police force, our ambulance and fire departments.  Just some of the many things we take for granted.
The social fabric of Kenya is very thin.  Most of you have heard about the political violence back in 2007/8 which I have mentioned before.  There were many killed in this insanity over power.  Recently there was a women in Eldoret who was bringing her chickens to market (she has a small micro business) and was followed out of Eldoret by four men.  Three of the men had AK47's and the forth was a kid napped taxi driver.  The men assumed she had a large amount of money because she had just dropped her goods.  The men cut her off and used force to entered her car.  They drove her to a field and robbed her of her small amount of money and her car.  She and the taxi driver must have made a report to police because last week the men tried the ambush method again.  This time the police were waiting.  The three were shot dead and the AK47's recovered.  This type of violence is typical.  The concerted police effort is not.  There are roughly 115 murders across Kenya every week. (Kenya is about the size of Manitoba)  Most murders and crimes of violence are not investigated fully because the government does not have the funding, systems or political desire to drive an accountable judiciary system.  Generally speaking the culture is to take care of yourself, your family and drive any one else down as far as you can.  It is very male dominated and women and young girls are the most vulnerable.

In regards to the political system it is corrupt from top to bottom and the only reason you would become a civil servant is to ensure you get your small pension at the end of your time.  I can elaborate on politics in Kenya and Africa at some later blog but if you want to read some books on issues related to Africa and its ongoing struggles try "Dead AID", "The Politics of Aid: African Strategies for dealing with Donors", or a rough cut like "Shake Hands with the Devil"and "Its our turn to Eat."

Economically and health wise, Kenya is struggling.  The AIDS epidemic that has infected about 30 million Africans (as far as we know) combined with the governments lack of coordinated response is taking its toll on the economy.  When you are a farmer and you have AIDS you can not produce.  Your wife may die because you spread the illness to her.  The daughter is then required to stay home and help tend the fields and raise the remaining children.  She can not go to school and excel.  This in turns cripples the nations ability to have educated people to run government agencies and so on and so on.  There are some areas that have clinics to supply retro drugs but this is very difficult to execute regionally.  In addition all retro drugs are supplied by developed nations through AID programs.  There is yet not one factory in Africa that produces its own retro viral drugs for AIDS treatment.  One might think that since the late 1970s up to today the governments of Africa would decide to start producing their own retro drugs?  Unfortunately there is a real culture of denial still happening throughout the country combined with a dependence on AID relief.
In addition there are the growing concerns around food security and weather patterns causing prolonged droughts in some regions of Africa. 
Lastly, the governments overall dependency on AID weakens its responsibility to the people who suffer the most.  Generally the more AID dependent the nation is the higher levels of poverty coincide.  This makes sense because the government can graft or steal the AID that comes through its Treasury and utilize the funds for the individuals own ends.  This is a parallel to our First Nations peoples where the Federal Government (AID) transfers our tax money to the Chief and Council members who do the same as above.  Enabling perhaps?    

Mombasa

Mombasa was a great break from the sometimes day to day droll of Eldoret.  We stayed right on the Coast at Diani Beach.  Highly recommended as a place to hang your hat for a short while.
When we arrived in Mombasa we were ferried to our destination, set up camp in this beautiful house  There are only two houses on this compound with one swimming pool.  The pool water is almost hot but when it is 36 degrees out with high humidity it does the trick! (see photos below)  My beautiful wife was again having a very hard time managing the maid, the cook and the gardener.  Darn!
To access the beach we had to walk for about four minutes down a gravel road, enter the 40 Thieves bar and grill and then step onto this vast white sand beach.  The water on the Indian Ocean is turquoise and has a high depth visibility this time of year.  The rains are fast approaching so we were there at the "winding down" of tourist season.  The area has its own Portuguese contingent, English, German then some other European countries who tend to holiday here.  The down side is that the beggars on the beach are incredibly persistent and eventually you just have to ignore them or firmly tell them to go away and you would like to be left alone!  The bar is well staffed, has good food at moderate prices.  You can sit at a table and look over the Indian Ocean and fade away!  Incredible.  The water is like you bath water at home.
When one goes down the main road of Diani Beach, a ten minute walk from our compound, you will find tourism at its best.  The locals harass you to buy their goods, not as bad as on the beach, there are some very good fruit and vegetable stands to purchase fresh greens.  You will then hit strip malls and think you were down in Corydon Avenue in Winnipeg.  The items here are high prices and upscale. (we did not buy)  The contrast again from poor to filthy rich is acute.
Our dinners generally constituted copious amounts of fresh caught sea food, fresh salads and local fruits.  Heaven can wait!
Briefly back to crime.  If you come here to holiday as a "newbie" I would strongly suggest you do not go out at night at all.  Dust can be risky too.  The area has a large tourist population with money and that in turn brings a criminal element.  Just after leaving we found out that one woman from Tanzanian was brutally mugged and subsequently hospitalized.  She was coming out of a supermarket at dust, had a large amount of money on her (why I do not know) and was obviously spied as a target.
So we did a lot of nothing sitting, reading, eating, playing and viewing the sites.  Enjoying the flowers and fragrances of Jasmine and Patchouli wafting through the air.
One really neat thing we did was have a fancy dinner at a place called "The Cave" which is adjacent to the 40 Thieves bar.  You enter this structure then walk down a winding stair way into a a hollow coral cave.  The area is fully set up for fine dinning and as an added bonus you look straight up from your table and see the stars from a volcano like opening at the top.  Incredible!  The food and service was well done and the price was "mzungu targeted."  Translation - white traveler targeted.
En route back to Mombasa we traveled through the regular (now) shit hole scenes of poverty.  With a population exponentially larger than our area in Eldoret the garbage in indescribable.  Lori, Alex and I traveled back over the ferry from mainland to the island of Mombasa.  Our last "tourist" stop was at Fort Jesus established by the Portuguese in the beginning of 1600.  This was fantastic (see pics below)  The place has doors that are older than Canada!  The place has urinal/crap holes built into the walls of the fortress that are older than Canada!  It's incredible.  Cannon everywhere, barracks and a fairly good gathering of historic paraphernalia related to the era covering off 1200 to the 1900's.  When I closed my eyes I could envision the battles the Portuguese had with the local tribes, I could envision the trade, the markets set up in the center of the fort, the garbage, the rats!!!  Must have had rats...The Portuguese getting there asses kicked by the French, then the French getting there asses kicked by the British and on and on it goes. The view over the harbor one way and the view over the old city the other.  Wow!  Wow!  I can hardly believe I am fu--ing here!
We grabbed a bit to eat in the old city, where you can imagine the shit being thrown off balconies onto you (the groundlings) in days gone by.  Eighty percent plus Muslim now, most Christians are low key.  It is a city that you can generally walk around at night and feel fairly safe.
Oops, I lied.  Just as we left there were two bombings in Mombasa.  One at the bus terminal and one where we had just been.  Apparently there was a Christian prayer group thing happening and some fundamentalist Muslim faction either tossed a grenade or set off a explosion.  Thank you God!  Even by my terms that one was a bit close for comfort.  Its a bit of a reverse of the 300 years of crusades when 'Christians' killed everyone at random.
Just to reiterate this does not happen as often as you would think and what we see in North American news is not even close to what the true sense of this beautiful country is all about.  (That was a support tourism in Africa ad sponsored by Jim Siddall).
We hit the air port in Mombasa and traveled to Nairobi where we stayed the evening.
That morning we traveled to a Baby Elephant Rescue Shelter which in its own right was heartfelt.  Same old story, family gets killed by poachers because some dumb ass in Asia thinks his cock will get hard if he sprinkles some ground up Elephant tusk dust on his dick!  Now the shelter is pretty cool (see pics) and it takes roughly five to ten years to slowly re-introduce the little guys to their family of origin (should any have survived the massacre).  It was good to see some folks giving two shits about the wild life here.
We made it through security checks, to the air port in Nairobi (the biggest shit hole in the world with a concentration/refugee camp of roughly 800,000 people, best guess for now).  Alex and I ate a KFC (no shit) while my wife had her hair done at an incredibly fancy mall.  No contrast here.  Hoped on the plane and then home sweet home!

Pool Side at the Love Shack

 

Follow path from Love Shack to here

Pass through bar area onto beach here

Long Walks on The Beach

Love You always My Boy!

Mommy and her Boy

Now That's A Hot Chick!

Low Tide Offers a Different View

Life's A Beach

Cargo on Indian Ocean Heading to Mombasa

Dust at the Love Shack

Mom and her Boy in the Warm Water

Another Chance at Life - If only I could SMILE!

Rugby?  Maybe?

Young Ones at Play

These are Big Babies

Rhino's are solitude animals - This baby one was rescued and is blind.

KFC IS LIKE THE BORG - RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!

The Military hard at work - What do you think the guy on the right is doing with his hands in his pockets.

  

In the ZONE with KFC - A life well lived!

Illiterates are a wee bit of a problem in Kenya - Can you eye spy the type error?

Fort Jesus

The young chick in the middle is my adopted daughter Mary

This is a big Fort

A gun portal

Reproduction of a dead soldier or prisoner

Funny thing is the real dead guy is buried below this guy!

Alex looking down a poop chute built into the Fortress wall

Adds new meaning to pissing on your enemies!

About 47 degrees with humidity. Hot Chick!  That's my wife Mr...!

Another Hot chick! My daughter you jerk!  Mary has the locals going guh, guh!  Should carry Pongo!

Down the arch way and to the right was the original prison cells!

An excellent military vantage point for bombing the crap out of your enemies!

Those indents on the walls are the lavatories.  Still pissing on your enemy!

So those are some pics, and not in order but hey!  Please come back and visit Kenya.  Our next stop we hope is Rwanda or maybe a Safari somewhere.  Take care, love most of you, try to be nice today!