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.
