Just over two weeks ago, Lynton and I began a new role here at Mwamba. Henry and Belinda, resident managers of the guest house, began their well-earned, month-long break, and we took over as interim managers. For those who don’t know, the centre here is both a base for the A Rocha staff involved in community conservation projects, and a guesthouse for local and foreign researchers, volunteers and tourists. We have 20 beds, plus a large flat roof and some space for tenting. The location of the centre is ideal – it’s close to numerous tourist attractions (mostly of the wildlife variety), right on the beach (a stunning beach at that), and a short-ish drive from Mida Creek and Arabuko Sokoke Forest, the two sites we focus on for conservation work.
Belinda and Henry Kigen, Centre Managers (plus Ivy, minus Amy)
The income generated from the guest house makes a significant contribution to the financing of A Rocha’s other projects. It also provides an environment where people can come and experience A Rocha firsthand, as well as creating a space for people to dialogue, amongst other things, about faith and creation care. Over the last four months, it’s been great to see guests find themselves made very welcome here; sharing meals with everyone, and often given the opportunity to join in any bird ringing trips as well as the weekly times of singing, sharing and praying.
One of the lovely rooms available
So we now find ourselves immersed in this new role; taking bookings, welcoming guests, answering their many questions, ensuring the cooking and housekeeping all goes to plan, grocery shopping, budgeting, reconciling accounts etc. It’s a unique opportunity for us to see an A Rocha centre from yet another angle, and it will keep us nice and busy over Christmas, minimizing risk of homesickness. For the first two weeks, all the A Rocha staff have still been at work each day, and available to assist us. As of this week, most of the staff have gone on leave, save a few who will take charge of the cooking and housekeeping.
So far the most nerve-wracking time was when the water pump broke with the place full of guests. The men managed to get it working again, and we’re praying it will last through the rest of our time. Managing staff reminds us of all the cultural and language differences we have, and makes me wish my Swahili studies were coming along a lot quicker.
The lovely Jean and Ernest
It's been great to have a lively English couple, Jean and Ernest, holidaying here for the entire time of our managing. They are fun and helpful and like plenty of banter, and though half the time I can’t understand what they’re saying, they help us not to take things too seriously.
We’ll be most grateful for any prayers you wish to send up on our behalf; for energy, hospitality, safety and wisdom to deal with all that comes our way.
Asante sana!
Some of our more troublesome guests. Recently found stealing jar of sugar, tub of margarine, fresh fruit...
A few weekends ago, Anna and I escaped our busy lives at Mwamba for the peace and quiet of Lamu, an ancient Swahili town on an island just offshore from the mainland. Every volunteer and guest that visited Lamu came back raving about it, so we decided to check it out.
Our bus departed from Malindi, where we stocked up with samosas (17c each) from five eager purveyors of these deep fried delicacies before boarding the big orange bus. We just managed to secure a couple of the last seats and thus ended up right in the back corner of the bus. The warnings about the bumpy road were not exaggerated! Anna and I both got serious air as we sped through the ‘unavoidable’ potholes – great for the X-games but not for a 4-hour bus ride. We arrived all shook up to the point that my brain rebelled with a headache.
It was a relief to finally make it to the jetty and board the “ferry.” It was really just a 2 x 12 meter motor boat capable of carrying about 60 passengers, a few tonnes of cargo and about 20 chickens. Thankfully, the shore of Lamu Island was very swimmable in the worst case scenario.
The lethargic walking stick waving dance. Without a guitar case handy, tips are carefully slotted under the groover's hat.
We have an uncanny knack for unintentionally arranging trips that coincide with festivals or the Olympics. This weekend happened to be the Lamu Cultural Festival. People from all around the region come to celebrate their Swahili heritage through music, dance, boat and donkey races. As we arrived, the streets were packed as the crowds waited for the first boat race to begin.
The docile donkeys
Dhows waiting for race time.
Our first mission ashore was to find Ali, the captain of the Peace Villa dhow (an Arab-styled sailing boat). He had been recommended by Shelley, a whirlwinding volunteer at Mwamba. Once the time and terms of our dhow trip had been arranged I too was at peace. We wandered the streets, getting lost in the narrow alleys that they call “streets.” Lamu was built long before the invention of the motorized vehicle. In fact only three cars can be found on the island – a donkey ambulance, a person ambulance and a fire-fighting vehicle. The main mode of transport apart from foot and boat is the humble donkey. There are thousands of donkeys on the island – many just freely roaming around the streets. They are ridden for transport, used to carry cargo and occasionally raced.
They call this a 'street'.
After finishing a tasty mango, banana and passion juice on our first afternoon, we were approached by Salem. He was a Yemenese local offering a home-cooked meal and live Swahili music to give us a real Swahili experience. In fact he promised a free tour of Lamu, free henna tattooing for Anna and even a free ride on one of his many donkeys. Although, our con-radar was engaged and flashing we knew that Ted and Mary partook of a similar experience when they were in Lamu. The sticking point was his insistence on a deposit. Starting at 600 Ksh ($10 NZ) we talked him down to 200 Ksh. We were still fairly skeptical of his offer but thought it was worth the gamble especially since Lamu is a small place and we were bound to bump into him if he took the money and ran…
First of the day.
I think I've got her hooked now.
In the meantime we embarked on our dhow trip. We were joined by Captain Ali, his quiet crewmate and son Mohammed. We spent a few hours slowly meandering around the small islands heading towards the open ocean. This trip was very reminiscent of the sailing we did with Anna’s Dad just before leaving NZ. Though the wind was meager, it was nice to be out on the seas again – peacefully drifting past all the foreign owned mansions. Once we finally reached our destination we cast anchor and quickly readied our hand lines. Prawns were irresistible to the fishes below. It took a few casts for us to get a feel for it. Most of the fish were small and could steal our bait without consequence. But soon enough a bigger fish would have a go and be caught. I was the first to catch, pulling in a monstrous Yellow Snapper – at least 12 cm in length. Then experience took over, as the crew pulled in half a dozen more in, including a decently sized fish (~30 cm). Anna showed her skills pulling in two of her own Yellow Snappers. Once we had enough fish we anchored on Manda Island and Ali prepared us lunch. Anna and I took to the water and explored the patch of coral conveniently located by the boat. Although the water was murky, you could still see lots of beautiful fish when close to the rock. Anna even spotted a lobster that was holed up on the coral.
From the sea to the fire
A right feast!
Lunch was served under a banda, a welcome break from the sun. A real feast was had: BBQed fish, coconut rice, veges in coconut sauce, salad and fruit (the secret to Swahili cooking is to use coconut in everything). Once lunch had settled we pack the dhow and set sail for home. As we came up to Lamu, we had to carefully maneuver through the dhows lined up for the final dhow race of the festival. What a splendid trip.
Readying to set sail
In full control
As the evening approached, we waited for Salem at the designated spot for 20 minutes, but he was a no show. We moved on, wandering the streets and enjoying the sidewalk dancing. A few hours later we spotted and approached him. He complained that the place was to crowded to find us (two white sheep amongst a sea of black!!)….and um..he looked for us twice…um… In the end he admitted that he didn’t turn up. We demanded our money back but he said he had none on him having just bought the medicine in his hand. He still spoke of guests he had waiting for him at his house and that we could still join them for dinner. But we had had enough of this hoax.
We couldn’t do much more than wait for his promised return half an hour later. We might not get the money back but at least we would have an amusing cat and mouse game. Strangely he did return, unsurprisingly late and with yet more excuses for being without our money. Apparently his guests only had 100 Euros which they needed to change before he could pay us – Yeah Right! This time he gave us his hat and kikoi (think lavalava/kilt) as a pledge to be exchanged for our money the next morning.
Old town views from Lamu Fort
But turn up he did not. We trusting souls waited even 30 minutes, just wanting closure. After learning some more about Swahili culture in the Lamu Museum and scoping the sights of the old town from the ramparts of Lamu Fort, we headed for our last juice. Whilst sitting at Hapa Hapa, we spotted our man again – on the prowl for some new tourists. He came in and asked if we had his belongings and promised to return after he had gone to the bank with his ‘guests.’ We gave him 20 minutes to return. Whilst we finished our juice, someone came up and asked if we had been conned by the old man. Apparently he has been doing this racket for awhile. Embarrassed, we showed him the spoils we were holding ransom. He wished us best of luck in getting our money back.
The clock struck 11:40 AM and it was time to board the ferry back. Consoled that he was a con – we board the ferry with two souvenirs his green hat and well-used kikoi. Not bad for 200 Ksh.
To follow up our post on ASSETS, I thought should post a couple testimonies from students who have graduated secondary school with the help of ASSETS.
Oscar Mwaro
Born 1984
From Mijomboni
Graduated from Lenana School in 2005.
Currently in University
“…..I dropped out of school in 2002 owing to a lack of funds to pay for my school fees. I was very disappointed because I thought I was not going to be able to continue with my secondary school education. I felt my dreams were slipping away. Then along came ASSETS... Thanks to the project, I was able to finish my secondary school education last year with grade B aggregate. In January 2007, I hope to go to university to study health sciences.
I’m proud to be an ASSETS beneficiary and enjoy all the activities that we can be involved with….”
Oscar attended one of the best secondary schools in Kenya. After school he taught French in a number of private schools before Joining the University of Nairobi. Oscar is now pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and Geography. For his higher education, Oscar is being supported by Gift International.
Leah Mwamure
Born 1985
From Bogamachuko
Graduated from Vitengeni Baptist High School in 2005.
Graduated from Teacher Training College
“You have made me warm and God bless you all” (Leah’s comments when she was visited by ASSETS committee members on her graduation day.)
Leah is among our very first lot of students that we supported. While she was a student she was supplied with some tree seedlings to plant in her farm. Upon graduation from High School, Leah sold some of the trees and raised enough money to support her younger brother who was joining secondary school. Leah has so far qualified as a primary teacher and teaches in a private school in Malindi.
The Arabuko-Sokoke Schools and Eco-Tourism Scheme (ASSETS)
Through reading our blog you might have heard mention of a project called ASSETS. We thought it was about time we shared about this amazing project run by A Rocha Kenya.
ASSETS is a holistic community conservation project that addresses threats to the important coastal forest and estuary habitats in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and Mida Creek regions. ASSETS achieves this through providing scholarships to help send impoverished children to secondary school.
Primary school children during an environmental education visit.
Before this project began, a survey in 2000 revealed that only 8% of the children eligible to go to secondary school (i.e. passed their year 8 exams) did!! The most common reason for kids dropping out after primary school was the high cost of tuition. Despite the primary school being free, secondary school is a significant expense (c. 24,000 Ksh [$415 NZ] per year when average household income was just over 33,400 KsH [$560 NZ] per year in 2004*). Many families cannot afford this when they are already struggling for food, clothing and shelter. Through this survey it was also discovered that one of the most common ways parents raised money for school fees was through cutting down trees in the forest to sell as timber for building materials and more recently charcoal.
Trees cleared in slash-and-burn farming. The wood was likely destined to be converted into charcoal.
Since 2002, ASSETS has provided over 375 children with an opportunity to receive a secondary school education that they would have otherwise missed out on. ASSETS doesn’t provide one-off scholarships but commits to supporting the student and family for the full four years of their secondary schooling. Over 140 of the students have now graduated with greater opportunities for higher education or employment. About 10 graduates have moved onto University while many more are in mid-level colleges.
A committee, including several village elders, determines who are awarded the scholarships based on criteria that include the level of need, grades and proximity to the threatened habitats. The scholarships do not cover the full fee but comprise either 70%, 60%, 40% or 30% of the total fees, depending on the needs of student. This allows parents to provide a meaningful contribution to their child’s education.
As the ASSETS name suggests, the scheme is tied to eco-tourism. Through grants and fundraising A Rocha Kenya has built three eco-tourism attractions. One is a tree-platform that rests 10 metres up a Baobab tree at the Gede Ruins and another is a 260-metre hanging boardwalk winding its way through the mangroves to the bird-hide at Mida Creek. Visitors to these attractions support ASSETS through the entrance fees they pay. The fees are a significant source of funding for the scholarships. Whilst these attractions hold the potential for a self-sustaining scholarship scheme, ASSETS currently still relies on donations to fund scholarships. In fact, some donors are even sponsoring individual students through the scheme.
Hanging out on the hanging boardwalk that leads to....
the Mida Creek bird hide - great viewing for coastal birds
The tree-platform at Gede Ruins.
But how does ASSETS protect and enhance the local habitats?
ASSETS firstly conserves the habitats by tackling the economic pressure of schooling, reducing the need of parents to cut the forest for timber and charcoal. In fact one of the conditions of receiving the scholarship is that parents will not hunt animals or chop down trees in the forest.
ASSETS also provides environmental education to the beneficiaries through school visits and practical conservation events. Not only are the students educated about the amazing habitats and creatures they live with, parents are also taught how to respect the forest through sustainable use of its resources.
Parents have been trained in alternative income generating methods and techniques including bee-keeping and conservation agriculture. Clusters of parents have joined together to create tree nurseries that are supported through ASSETS. They grow both non-invasive exotic trees for use in construction and as firewood, and indigenous trees to restore and enhance the biodiversity in their farms and the nearby forest. Over 160,000 seedlings have been raised over the past 8 years.
The whole family benefits through ASSETS
The A Rocha Kenya team wants to grow ASSETS to support even more students, from more schools (only working with 8 schools from the 40+ schools around) and ultimately change the hearts and lives of people that rely on these beautiful habitats for food, shelter and revenue.
If you wish to support the work of ASSETS, you can make a donation through clicking here: DONATE. If you wish to sponsor a child through secondary school for $38.50 NZ a month please email the ASSETS co-ordinator Stanley Baya at kenya@arocha.org.
When you sign up to volunteer at any of the A Rocha centres around the world, it’s best to be flexible – willing to take on tasks that you never dreamed of doing.
One of the unlikely jobs I have ended up doing here at A Rocha Kenya (ARK) is driving the recruitment process of a National Director. ARK has been given a grant by A Rocha International to recruit a National Director to lead ARK into a new phase – extending ARK’s projects to a national scale, raising funds to support and expand ARK’s work and lifting ARK’s profile both in Kenya and abroad. It turns out that even though I am not the most organized person (especially when it comes to work); I am good at organizing other people. Well, I am at least good at enforcing deadlines and chasing up people to make sure jobs are done. These are very handy skills when trying to get the overworked and often scattered Director, Colin Jackson, to follow through a complex process to its bitter/sweet end. Let’s just say he lives in the NOW.
My kali (fierce) enforcer face
A few months ago, I was given my 10-week mission with a 12-week window to complete it. What do I know about recruiting personnel? Very little – but I had as my guide the detailed notes, timetable and valuable advice of a seasoned A Rocha International advisor (and National Board members as we went along). Thus for the past 7 weeks I have been busy emailing the ARK National Board, preparing adverts, traveling 2 hours to pay for the advert, sifting through applications, reading CVs, replying to applicants, drafting up a written interview, short listing candidates, inviting them to interviews, arranging venues, and booking Colin a bus ticket to get up to Nairobi for the interviews on this Saturday.
It’s been a challenging but enjoyable job. My part in the process is almost over – I just need to organize a trip to Mwamba for the top 2 or 3 candidates (decided from the interviews on Saturday) and the final interview. The rest is up to the interview panel and ultimately God. We could certainly do with your prayer that God would lead the panel to the right candidate for the job. I have my suspicions of who that might be…
Last month, two days after the visit to Janet’s place, we embarked on a camping adventure in Tsavo East National Park. This second exploration of the park held promise of new animals, new scenes and new dangers. Although, we had very limited time to explore Tsavo on our last trip, we came away with close encounters with elephants (charging), lions (yawning) and a cheetah (sleeping).
We left very early on Day One to maximize our time in the park. The road to the entry gate is a rough dirt road with many pot holes, dips and ruts. We arrived well shaken and stirred at the gate and settled ourselves down by the river. A couple of crocodiles have discovered the benefits of tourism, hanging close to the gate to get an easy feed of goats’ hooves (?) from locals trying to attract a dollar. These Nile crocodiles were smallish (largest was just under 2 meters) but I am sure they could take out a decent chunk if you gave them a chance.
At 8.45 AM the safari began proper. As the road traveled along the river we came across loads of animals coming for a drink. Hartebeest, buffalo, Grant’s gazelle, impala, zebra, waterbuck and elephant were all headed to the river with the same intention before it got too hot.
Any hopes of ambushes by lions, cheetahs or leopards came to naught. We did, however, see a sick elephant lying on its side. We thought it was already dead until it wriggled around a little, and we heard the next day over the radio that it had died (unfortunately for us that meant we were not there to see any vultures, hyenas….). Further up we came across one of the animals I was keen to see, the humble hippo. In fact, we saw them at a number of places bobbing up and down in the river.
As we were heading to our lunch spot we came across a large male lion, lounging in the shade of bush right next to the road. After few minutes, he stood up and I thought it would be fun to have a roaring competition until he started to get a little serious and it was time for us to move on…quickly.
In between roars
We had lunch at Lugards Falls. Here it is reasonably safe to get out of your vehicles. After snacking on some sammies and sodas we wandered down to the edge of the falls. They weren’t too impressive height-wise but the rock formations were cool. And whilst we were admiring the rock, Anna spotted a crocodile waiting in the pools for one of us to get too close to the edge. It was much cooler to see a wild croc that wasn’t just hanging for some hooves.
From there we headed towards Voi to top up on supplies for the rest of our meals. Once loaded with chapatti and sodas, it was time to set up camp. The Ndolo camp site is very basic. No fence, no kitchen, no pool, no games room, no shop – just showers, toilets and two taps. The site was overrun with baboons when we arrived. They were very keen on the contents of our van, so we had to take extra care when windows or doors were open. After setting up camp, we were visited by some of our neighbours – an elephant and giraffe. They were keen on refreshing themselves with our water supply. They frequently tamper with the taps to get at this precious commodity. Thankfully, we had 3 askaris (guards) to shoo them away. In fact, we decided to pay one to keep a fire going near our tents so that the elephants wouldn't get too close. Despite this measure, when Albert (our guide) got up early and was preparing some coffee he saw two elephants walk within 10 meters of tents. We didn’t hear a thing.
Our neighbours.
Our second day bore much fruit. Getting away just after 6 AM meant that we had a good chance of seeing prized creatures before the heat came. After only 5 minutes we spotted a pride of lions striding through the grass by a stream. They strolled right past elephants and gazelles (in the distance) but seemed to only be concerned with getting a drink.
As we raced to a cheetah sighting we came across a large heard of buffalo crossing the road. It was a magnificent sight in the early morning light. Whilst we admired these beasts I spotted out in the back a small pack of bat-eared foxes trying to stay out of their way.
Eagle vs Jackal
We moved on to a lion kill that was being scavenged by an eagle and a pair of jackals (who came out better off with bone in mouth) before we settled in for a long wait with a cheetah. She was lying in the shade of bush some 50 m away, teasing us occasionally with a wave of her tail. Our patience paid off, however, when 40 minutes latter she stood up briefly for a stretch before retreating closer to the bush. As she slept we observed zebra getting too close for comfort before darting off. It got even more interesting when a couple waterbucks decided to inspect the cheetah up close. During the staring match that ensued we ran out of patience and left before any decisive action was taken by either cheetah or buck. However, 6 hours later the cheetah was still hanging out in the shade of the same bush.
We spot you, Cheetah.
Though the baboons in the campsite were more cheeky than threatening, we came across a baboon on the roadside with a bit more aggression. We stopped for a photo but very quickly he started to grunt at us and looked to be eyeing us up – preparing for a full on assault of our van. We took the hint and sped away.
At lunch time we pulled up to Mudanda Rock. Looking through a squinted eye, you could imagine you were looking at the back-face of Pride Rock. From the top you get an amazing view of animals coming to drink in a watering hole against the back drop of the expanse of African plains.
View from the top
To extend our break from the van, we snuck into the Voi Safari Lodge. They have an elephant-hide that you can descend into and watch elephants drink, shower, swim and scratch butt, all within 10 meters from you. Elephants smell somewhat like seals when you get that close.
To avoid the hassle of cooking out in the wilds, we cunningly pre-cooked and froze our dinners. Not only did this help keep our sodas cool during the day, it drastically reduced cooking time on our one kerosene cooker. We did not go hungry – beans and chapattis day one, vege curry and rice the next night. After we had retired to the ‘safety’ of our tents, hyenas and lions were heard calling during the night.
On our final morning we packed up camp and hit the road at 6 AM. We drove through the park heading for the river. Once travelling along the river we bumped into not one but two bunches of lions. The second bunch included a wee cub being brought to the river by Mum and Aunty. And before we knew it we were zooming through the gate at 9:00 AM – some 48 hours latter.
A few weeks ago we were invited to go and stay with Janet at her family’s shamba. Janet graduated from high school last year, made possible through a scholarship from the ASSETS program that A Rocha Kenya runs. She is now living at the centre for a few months to gain work experience and offer help running the centre. It was a privilege to be asked to go and stay with her, as it would be our first trip to a typical Kenyan village. We are keenly aware that living here at the field study centre, we do not share the average living standard for a Kenyan. Having running water, electricity, computers, appliances etc sets this place apart from most Kenyan dwellings. So we were eager to experience the real Kenya.
The first part of the adventure was getting there. Janet’s family live on the south side of the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, maybe 80 kms from here as the pied crow flies. For the first leg of the journey we got a lift to Kilifi. We did some grocery shopping there (thankfully with Janet translating) and it was clear that wazungu (white people) do not come to Kilifi as often as they come to Watamu. Plenty of wide-eyed children walking past us. From there we needed to catch a bus to Vitengeni. The bus looked like it was taking passengers, so we boarded, but before long Janet left us to complete some last minute shopping. A long wait ensued as the driver waited, not for a schedule, but simply for when he thought the bus was full enough to make the trip profitable. They started the motor to encourage shoppers to finish what they were doing and board the bus. We nervously waited for Janet to arrive, while trying to come up with a plan B if the bus left without her! Finally she returned and a few minutes later, maybe 1 hour after boarding, the bus took off. After a 2 hour drive we were grateful to alight and stretch our legs and get some fresh air. Now we were in Vitengeni and we felt whiter than ever with all the stares and giggles being sent our way. Our final challenge was to get 3 people, 3 school bags, a box of groceries and one mattress to Janet’s shamba, a couple of kilometres down the road. The means was 3 motorbikes and I don’t know how but somehow we and our luggage all arrived safely. The young drivers seemed thrilled to be able to drive wazungu for a change and everyone who we drove past gave them a knowing smile and a thumbs up.
Nearly 4 hours after we set off on our journey, we arrived at the family shamba. Most people in Kenya live in shambas – the family plot of land with a garden growing most of their food, and a few buildings often shared by a husband and his wife (or wives), grown children and their families, grandparents and lots of children. Janet’s family have 3 main buildings in their shamba, 1 mud and thatch house, a newer house with a tin roof, and a shade house. They also have a little outhouse, a 3 walled area for bathing and a shelter for drying meat in.
Upon arrival, we were invited to sit in the shade house with Janet’s father and chat with him. Gradually his children, mother, first and second wife (referred to by Janet as her big mum and small mum), and a few neighbours, young and old came in to timidly shake hands with us and greet us. They were able to speak varying degrees of English, we could speak a tiny bit of Swahili but sadly none of their mother tongue Giriama, so that posed some challenges for communication.
All our meals were eaten with Janet and her teenage brother and sisters and friends. It’s traditional for the family to split up at meal times and eat with groups their own age. It was dark by 7 so after dinner (an old chicken that had belonged to Janet and was the toughest chicken meat we’d ever tasted, so chewy they took to finding the more tender parts and handing them to us) we headed outside and sat around the fireplace with the rest of the family. Now they treated us to many songs, with an upside down plastic drum to provide the beat, and ladies taking turns leading the songs, as everyone else echoed the leader. Most songs were accompanied by actions, and though we enjoyed the music, the smoke blowing directly into our eyes for the entire performance somewhat detracted from the entertainment.
We excused ourselves to head to bed, long before anyone else looked tired, so we were ushered into sleep with their songs still rising in the night sky. As would be expected, we were woken by roosters early in the morning, but managed to snooze until about 6.30. Everyone else it seems, had already been up for an hour or two preparing food for the day. Breakfast was a tasty meal and would have classified as a ‘heavy’ breakfast here: Some tasty beans called kunde, boiled cassava in a thick coconut sauce, and plenty of sweet mandaazi (the Kenyan version of doughnuts).
Janet serves us breakfast
Shortly after breakfast, Lynton was summoned outside and a goat was handed over to him. After a quick demonstration, the knife was handed to him, and he had the honour of slaughtering the beast. Janet’s younger brother took over from there, hanging up the goat in the shelter and then skinning it before chopping it up for the meal.
To walk off the break-feast and make room for the next, we headed out with Janet and a few of her friends, for a walk around the shamba and down the road to meet some of the neighbours.
Serious business. (Pictured here with Janet’s father, big mother, small mother, and grandmother.)
The dirty deed.
Hands clean, Pontius?
Passing the village dam along the way was an insight into the water quality here. Usually the dam is used for watering livestock. But when the usual water supply runs out, people have no choice but to use the murky dam water. Much to Janet’s concern, many traps are set around the dam to catch birds that come to drink there. After watching for a few minutes, we saw for ourselves how one got caught and then was quickly removed.
Dam Trap The sun was beating down with a greater intensity than along the coast at Watamu, and even Janet’s friends were finding it too hot. But it didn’t stop the young neighbourhood children from following us, and the further we walked, the more followers we gained. The kids were nearly scared off though, when we chanced to spot a chameleon sitting on a roadside tree. We were pretty excited to see our first chameleon, with its strange, shaky way of walking and amazing colour-changing capabilities. The kids were very hesitant though, because as Janet told us, they are all taught that if you get too close, the chameleon can shrink and crawl up your nose. Apparently myths abound throughout Africa about the bad luck chameleons can bring..
Cool eyes!
Upon our return to the shamba we were quickly seated in our special seats of honour, treated to fresh coconut water and then given the delicious flesh to munch on. I wished we had brought a few balls or toys to play with the kids, as they seemed to look expectantly at us to perform tricks or something, but they had to be content with just staring. Next we were treated to a formal meal with Janet’s father and his first wife. It was sort of an appetizer to lunch, and I think it was the goat liver cooked with spices. Janet’s father assured us that we had now become part of the family, his children in fact.
Perhaps to celebrate that new status, we were then beckoned into the shade house to enjoy a little pre-feast entertainment. It began with Janet’s father and a few of his friends singing for us, then some of the children joined in, then some of ladies followed, dancing. We were encouraged to dance as well, much to their amusement. Then the room got too full and we all moved to the large lounge in the main house. Now the real party began with a room full of jubilant dancing and singing. The highlight for me was seeing everyone involved, from the toddler who had not long learned to walk, to the grandmother in her 90’s; it was simple, joyful fun
Lynton and Mum groove away
Good times
I think the party could have lasted all afternoon but we needed to squeeze in one more meal before our motorbikes were due to arrive. We made a valiant effort to consume our fair share of the goat, served with rice and salad. We got our last practice at eating everything with our hands, perfected the art of scooping up rice without dropping all of it, and then before we knew it, it was time to shake hands with everyone and jump back on the motorbikes.
The trip home was a lot quicker, just involving 2 matatu trips. The only newsworthy event was discovering, that the strange ‘goat-like’ noise we kept hearing (at first I thought it was a cellphone) was in fact a goat, tucked in the back of the van and peeking out next to my feet.
At times awkward (not knowing what to say), at times embarrassing (being treated like royalty, having our every move watched), at times humbling (being shown such generosity), at times eye-opening (to see a little of everyday life for people here), I’m sure the experience will remain as one of the highlights of our overseas trip.
In mid-September, Dr John Banks from the Washington State University arrived at Mwamba with three students: Maria, Heather and Jason. Maria and Heather were back for their second Kenyan adventure, returning with John to the Kenyan coast to undertake two research projects in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest (ASF). The first project was study of the relationship between the abundance of arthropods and the diet of the globally threatened East Coast Akalat. To do so Colin, Albert and a bunch of keen volunteers set up mist nets to catch this rare bird. Across two sites and over four early mornings, we caught a total of eight Akalats, seven of which were obliging enough to leave a fecal sample in the bird bag. These important small parcels were collected in vials and sent to Nairobi for DNA analysis. Initial examination of the deposits under a microscope revealed clear evidence of insect exoskeleton.
Whilst we were busy catching birds in the nets and taking their measurements, the Banks team was using pitfall traps to survey the insects that live in the Akalat’s habitat. Many hours were spent back at Mwamba sorting the bugs and identifying the many species they caught. We are now awaiting the results of the DNA analysis to know whether bugs caught in the pit fall traps were represented in the Akalats’ diet.
The remaining few days were spent developing methodology for an elephant population survey in the ASF. Once again excrement proved to be of much scientific interest, as presence of these very shy elephants is usually only evidenced by the disturbed vegetation and the piles of dung they leave behind. Funding permitting, John hopes to return next year to collaborate with ARK and KWS in a full study of the elephant population (the first in over 10 years).
