Reflection on NGO Project

Poster at the Youth Hub depicting part of their Mission Statement

My team had the pleasure of working with the Mount Kenya Youth Hub for the last two weeks. The Hub is a platform for young people to gather and work towards social change through civic engagement, creative arts, workshops, and much more. The Youth Hub has many great things to offer, but they were in need of a way of advertising. So our group proposed to make a website and to create promotional videos for the youth hub and its dance group.  

Poster at Youth Hub

As great as it was working with the members and volunteers of the hub, we did run into some obstacles in completing the project. When we finally had all the info put together for the website, we were not able to create it. Unfortunately, one of the members helping us with the creation ended up having other intentions and was in it only for his personal gain. This member ended up getting kicked out of the hub. Additionally, the manager of the youth hub found out that because they are under the umbrella of Global Platform, they were not necessarily allowed to have their own website, and needed to have a page on the Global Platform's website instead. This was a problem we could not fix in the time that we had, but I am glad that we were at least there for the process, and were at least able to provide some support.

We learned how resilient and how positive the members of the Youth Hub were. Whenever a problem would come up, they would just keep a smile on their face and start a plan for moving on. For example, when they discovered that one of their members was not to be trusted, they didn't gossip or worry about it. They just moved on, and chose another member to take over his duties. It was nice to work in such a positive environment. We also got to sit in on some of their planning meetings, in which disagreements would often come up. The Youth Hub members always worked through these disagreements in a positive and efficient way. 

Workshop with Dutch Global Platform volunteers

Fortunately, we were able to help the Youth Hub by completing both promotional videos, where were great and the hub loved them! Despite the setbacks, I do believe that the website project can continue after we leave. We have given all the website materials to one of the members who was helping us, and we have total faith that the Youth Hub will end up with a page on Global Platform's website. The Youth Hub's members are extremely talented and capable, but I think it was good for us to be there as a sounding board for ideas, and as a mentor on how to advertise their great program to the world.

As a result of this project, I learned a lot about the Kenyan young people, specifically those in Nanyuki town. I learned that many of them care deeply about politics and civic engagement in their country, and that they know a lot about politics in my country! I was asked so many questions about current US politics, and I was really inspired to go home and become more educated and involved as a US citizen. 

I also learned that I had a lot more to offer to this organization than I thought. I was worried that I would be coming into an organization that really knows what it is doing and that doesn't need my help. They definitely knew what they were doing, but I learned that they could use my help, even in small ways. I never realized how much I know about creating a website, or how much I knew about how a website would look best for potential donors. It was nice to learn that I had something to share with the members of the Youth Hub, because at times, I definitely felt like they were teaching me more than I was teaching them. But  that was why it was such an exciting experience. I came to Kenya to learn, and I was really able to learn from the local people by getting immersed in the culture through the Mount Kenya Youth Hub.

Here is a link to the video of the Youth Hub's dance group! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DUj4j2eBNM

Travelogue: First weekend in Kenya

From the moment we got off the plane, we were working non-stop. The first week was packed with work at our Non-Governmental Organizations, work as Daraja writing mentors, and work on our blogs. But when the first weekend came, we had a chance to be tourists in Kenya. We experienced many new things and had quite an adventure! Below is a travelogue of what we did, with links to reviews attached.

Entrance Room at Tandala Birding Resort

For me, the weekend started on Thursday evening, when we had dinner at Tandala Birding Resort. We went with a fun group of people, including Daraja staff and staff from each of the three NGOs that we have been working with. After a long week, it was so nice to sit down and have a relaxing, delicious meal!

Before we ate, our hosts gave us a tour of the resort. There were banana trees galore, and many other fruits and vegetables which they use for their restaurant. When we sat down to eat, I finally had a moment to breathe. In that moment, while sharing a table with a friend from school, a staff member at Daraja from California, and a woman who started a children's school in Nanyuki, I realized how lucky and thankful I was to be there. At that moment, I really processed how exciting it was to be sharing laughs with people from around the world. It was also quite exciting to eat rabbit for the first time! Here is my review Tandala.

"Refrigerator" at Permaculture Research Institute

The weekend continued with an exciting day out Saturday. We first went to the Laikipia Permaculture Center, a sustainable conservation compound in Nanyuki. One of the main missions at the center is to make use of the overabundant cactus that grows at Twala Maasai Cultural Center in Kenya. The cactus is overrunning the Twala center, but at Permaculture they show that it can be a great resource instead of just a pain. Permaculture uses the cactus fruit to make jam, wine, and many other things. Because of this use of the fruit, they are showing that the cactus can be of great value. We got to taste the jam, and we also got a tour of the compound. Here is my review of Permaculture Center.

After visiting the Permaculture center, we went to Mitumba Arts in Nanyuki, a small shop that uses thrift materials and fabrics to create new merchandise, such as tablecloths, bags, and many other items. We watched some of the women who work there sew pillow cases. I have noticed that in Nanyuki, many people in the community value sustainability. This love and care for their environment was shown both at Permaculture and Mitumba. We then went to lunch at Dormans in the middle of town. The food at Daraja has been great, but it was nice to get something different for a change. Here is my review of Dorman's.

An Eland (Largest type of Antelope) at the Conservancy

After lunch, we went to the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, which was my favorite part of the weekend! We saw so many different animals, and we also got to interact with them! I expected them to all be in cages or at least in enclosed areas...but the first thing we saw when we entered was an ostrich and a llama just hanging out in the open area. It was so cool! We saw many other animals, including cheetahs, a leopard, an Eland, and many different types of monkeys. One monkey stood on my shoulders! Here is my review of the conservancy.

On Sunday, we went to the Twala Maasai Cultural Center, and stayed there for one night. The center is a space for empowered Maasai women to gather and thrive, without depending on the patriarchal society. When we arrived, we were greeted by Maasai women doing a traditional song and dance. They were very welcoming and friendly, and treated us like friends rather than tourists. Rosemary, the founder, told us her amazing story of how she fought struggle after struggle to get Twala going. Hearing her story about the resilience of the Maasai women was extremely inspiring. That evening, we watched the sun set at Minoshoi rock. It was a stunning view. Afterwards, we sat around the fire to talk and tell stories, which Rosemary said was the "Kenyan television." In the morning we went on a Baboon walk! We got very close to the baboons, and spent an hour just sitting with them and observing them. It was quite the way to cap off the weekend. Here is my review of Twala.

Baboons at Sunrise

Minoshoi rock at Sunset

              

Random poetry

human

Whenever I finish composing a song I hate it

Whenever I finish writing an essay I disagree with it

Whenever I'm home I dream of more

Whenever I travel I want to go home

Whenever I argue a point I believe the opponent even more

Whenever I learn something I think of all I don't know

Whenever I yell at my sister I love her

Whenever my mind screams in pain my heart flutters with a sick joy

call it confusion, call it flip-flopping, call it wishy-washy, call it uneducated, opinion-less, and afraid. 

but it is this ability to mold and to question and to never know and to never be right that makes me human.

Daraja and Realizations

I haven't fully explained yet where we are staying in our time here, and what an amazing place it is. We have been staying at Daraja Academy, a secondary school for girls in Nanyuki, Kenya. Daraja means "bridge" in Swahili, and it is just that for the girls who go here. Daraja is a special school, in that it is the only one in Kenya that teaches a womens' empowerment class, WISH, which stands for Women of Integrity, Strength, and Hope. It is also a school that is inclusive of all tribes of Kenya, and values community between them. 

Each and every girl that I have met here has been so inspiring. Their resilience to struggles they have faced, their zest for learning, and their openness and joy in communication is exciting and refreshing. They work so hard, and really value everything that Daraja does for them. They are all such beautiful young leaders, and they are teaching me more than I could ever teach them.

Prior to and throughout this journey, our class has been struggling with difficult questions regarding the savior complex, culture shock, and feelings of being unable to help. Before leaving California, we had a conversation about not being a "savior" when going to work in what is usually referred to as a third-world country. As a class, we acknowledged that many American students often go to countries within Africa, do their bit to "help," take a selfie with a child and post it as their profile picture, and then come home, all the while feeling good about themselves because they, the better ones, just did their bit to save those who are so beneath them. We did not want to be those people. 

That being said, as Americans coming from Moraga, California, we did experience some culture shock. And again, as Americans coming from Moraga, California, we see things that look like problems and we immediately want to help. We see garbage burning on the streets, comparatively weak infrastructures, and less than normal-sized living spaces, and wonder why it has to be like this. We wonder why their normal isn't our normal. 

But as much as we came here to help and to work, we did not come to fix anything but ourselves, and we did not come to change anything but ourselves. Traveling is about gaining perspective and making connections, for your own personal gain. Nobody asked me to come and see what I can do for Kenya. I cannot do anything for Kenya. I will never know what it is like to be Kenyan and to have Kenyan issues. I will only ever know what it is like to be American and to have American issues. And those are the issues that I should work on. What I can do is make connections with Kenyan people, learn from them, and continue to stretch my mind, soul, and heart beyond the limits of the US border. 

And I have done just that. The community and cultural wealth that I have seen here has been overwhelming. The happiness on the faces of children waving as we pass by on the street, the joy of the Daraja girls dancing together on the weekend, the peace of story-telling by the fire, the eye-contact, the handshakes, the hugs and the laughter...this is true wealth. This is wealth that many people in the Bay Area do not possess, and will never possess. This is the real culture shock, the shock that comes from realizing that the people your neighbors think need saving are really the ones that have the power to save your neighbor, who has spent his whole day with blinders on, living in a cyber-world that is constantly picking away at any capability of human connection, any capability to really be alive. 

Enjoy these camels :)

Welcome to Kenya: removing the blinders

After a grueling few days of travel, we finally land in Nairobi, Kenya. My eye catches a big sign that says "Welcome to Kenya," and before I know it, I'm hearing "Jambo!" (an informal Swahili greeting, like "how are you") from every direction. This welcoming never stopped. Throughout the six-hour drive from Nairobi to Nanyuki, people on the streets smiled and waved to us as we passed by. This was to be a recurring theme throughout my trip. 

Ever since that first day, I have been both surprised and overjoyed by the friendliness of Kenyan people. Everyone we have met has looked us in the eye, given us a firm handshake or a hug, and said "Jambo" or "welcome." This may seem like regular old human decency, but coming from Silicon Valley, it is far from the norm. All week, I have had to slowly remove the "blinders." It has been both difficult and refreshing. 

I am used to walking into a room full of people with blinders on. They are glued to their screens, and don't even bother to acknowledge your existence, let alone say "hello" or "how are you." I also find that in Silicon Valley, friends and acquaintances often don't greet you. Perhaps you saw a friend yesterday, or maybe this friend has caught up with you on social media, so when he/she sees you today, he/she doesn't feel the need to ask you how you are doing, or to even really acknowledge your existence when you walk in the room. But it is so different here. I have been working at an NGO all week called Mount Kenya Youth Hub. Every morning, the members (young people in their mid-twenties), shake our hands and acknowledge us before getting on with the day. This may be because we are volunteers and tourists, but I get the vibe that it's more than that.

This ability to communicate and acknowledge people reminds me of one of the pillars that the girls at Daraja Academy (the school we are staying at) follow. At Daraja, there are four pillars, and one is shown in the picture below. This "open communication" is a noticeable practice throughout the Kenyan community that I have experienced thus far. At the Mount Kenya Youth Hub, an organization for people ages 18-35 that is much like 4-H Club, communication is extremely open and efficient. I remember struggling with that in 4-H. There would be constant miscommunication, and when problems were addressed, the members often got offended and progress would come to a stand still. The members of the Mt. Kenya Youth Hub collaborate on almost every decision, and are unafraid to openly discuss issues. These issues get resolved very quickly, as the focus is always on the next step or the solution.

I am excited to be immersed in this community for another week and a half. I hope that I can bring some of this newfound communication and human connection home with me.  

                 

Thoughts

I've been thinking a lot about home. Not only my personal home, but what it means to call a place a home. Earlier this Summer I signed up for a leadership opportunity at school. It started two weeks before the term started. Prior to coming to school, I had just finished an extremely draining week of performing at home. At 10:30 at night the Sunday show ended in San Jose and I headed up to the East Bay, gearing up to start training at 6am Monday. That morning, I woke up realizing that it was still Summer, the campus was empty, and the atmosphere was uncomfortable. I freaked out. As much as I wanted to be a part of the experience, I had this sinking feeling of "I'm not supposed to be here right now." I needed to go home.

At Saint Mary's College, we always call our school a home. Despite that, I've never really felt like it was my home until the first week back this Fall: the week before leaving to Kenya. Leading up to this point, I had been extremely anxious about going to Kenya. I realized that it was an amazing opportunity, but every time that someone would come up to me and say "Aren't you excited??," I just got more anxious. Mentally, I knew that I should have been excited, but emotionally, that wasn't happening.

During the first week back at school, my roommates and friends were happy to see me. They are new friends, but they welcomed me into their friend circle, and included me in everything they did. I realized that I am so blessed to be around such caring and generous people.

The night that I had to leave for Kenya, my wonderful friend Frankie helped me carry my luggage, and walked me to the meeting spot. As she left, reality hit me. I felt as if I was floating, a body in motion, somewhere in the middle between where I am and where I am going. I felt that a piece of home had just walked away from me, the last piece that I had left before leaving. I felt as if I was in mid-skydive. It was exciting and terrifying at the same time.

At that moment, I realized that I don't feel like going somewhere unless I'm going to miss what I leave behind. Without that there is no challenge, no purpose, and no reason to come back.

Maybe that's why I was feeling weird about going to Kenya. Because up until this point, I don't think I've been able to call Saint Mary's home. But now I know that the friendships I have there are family. And home is not just a place, but wherever your family is.

Amsterdam

I always dream about the lights of New York City. I've known for years that New York at night is where I need to be and where I want to live, at least for part of my life. But there is more than New York. Flying into Amsterdam at 6:00am, the city lights are so vibrant in the dark. I see another glowing city in which I know I will want to stay. I am excited to experience this place, if even only for a day.

We got to the central area in Amsterdam around 7:30am. It was beautiful, quiet, and peaceful. Unlike Silicon Valley mornings, there were no people rushing with their starbucks, and no traffic on the roads. We walked around for a couple hours, then got some coffee and Dutch pancakes! They were tiny, fluffy, and delicious.




                                       
                                After taking a nice stroll, four of us went on a canal boat tour! We were the only ones on the boat. It was gorgeous!

After the boat tour, we met up with the rest of the group to go to the Van Gogh museum. At this point, we had been going straight for almost 48 hours. The exhaustion definitely hit me, but I was still able to enjoy the museum. 

Getting there

San Francisco to New York (5 hour flight) to Amsterdam (6 hour flight) to Nairobi (7.5 hour flight) to Nanyuki (6 hour drive). It was long and exhausting, but I found the gradual separation from home to be interesting. I love New York. I've been there once and want to go back soon, but I always feel like it is so far away. As the city became just another starting place for another flight, it seemed closer to home than usual. "We are still in the states" I thought. So much farther to go.


After New York we flew to Amsterdam. I've been to Europe before, specifically to London, Budapest, and Vienna for short trips and I'd love to go back someday! But today, Amsterdam was just another point of take off. Again...so much farther to go. Attempting to get my bearings, I realize that I'm straight across from London, counting one hour back instead of eight hours forward. I think about London a lot, how far away it is and how much I want to be there. It feels strange when it is closer to home than I am.



Fortunately, we actually had time to see the city on our long layover in Amsterdam! It was beautiful. Please read the next post to see pictures and hear about what we did!

Kenya: expectations, hopes, ands fears.

I had never thought that I would be going to Kenya. In the constant thoughts and expectations that run through my mind, I never saw myself mentoring at a school, working with NGOs, or going on safari in Kenya, but that is what is going to happen. It is exciting, and terrifying. My plan is to take it one day at a time, one moment at a time.

I, along with twelve other fabulous women from Saint Mary's College, will be mentoring women writers at the Daraja Academy in Nanyuki, Kenya. I hope to get to know these Kenyan women, and to learn from them. I want to know what their dreams are, and what their daily life is like. I hope that I will become close enough with them that we can engage in conversations that will answer my questions. I want to learn from everyone I meet and everything I see. I want to be a sponge.

Throughout my adventure of being a sponge in a foreign country, I will be sharing stories on this blog. Again, this is exciting and terrifying. I never thought that I was much of a story teller. I always used to think that something big and grand had to happen in order for it to be worthy of a story. But through discussions during this first week of school, I have learned that writing can be prompted by anything. I know now that as a writer, every day situations can be the beginning of a story. I am excited to drink up my surroundings in Kenya, and to questions and take note of everything that I find interesting.

My fear is that I will get so excited and so anxious that I will miss the little things, the moments that turn into lasting memories. In order to not let my anxiety get the best of me, I have concocted a creed that I will hopefully stay true to throughout my journey.

My Travel Creed:

I will observe and I will question.
I will have an open mind.
I will be positive.
I will dance and I will sing.

I won't do the last one on the plane.

I might do the last one on the plane.

I Am From...

To prepare for our trip to Kenya, we read some Kenyan poetry, biographies of Kenyan figures, and a book about writing. This poem is the result of an exercise in the book "Writing to Change the World," by Mary Pipher.


I am from dancing on top of finished puzzles.

I am from milkshakes made in the garage by my daddy, from playing in the rain with my mother and sisters.

I am from always learning, from waking up in the morning to an adventure, not a desk.

I am from barbies and make believe.

I am from waving to my dad out the window.

I am from California culdesac Summers, from kickball every day, from neighborhood walks to Walgreens.

I am from "...tongues in trees, bookes in the running brookes, sermons in stones, and good in every thing" (Shakespeare, As You Like It, 2.1).

I am from singing, singing, and singing.

I am from my grandfathers fried chicken and my grandmothers mac & cheese.

I am from the magic of summer camp.

I am from the stars that shine down on a farm in the night time.

I am from Ella Fitzgerald, Dave Brubeck, Frank Sinatra, and Michael Bublé.

I am from the roar of bagpipes, and the strength of the Highland Fling.

I am from giggling in church on Sunday.

I am from long friendships.

I am from forced family game nights.

I am from tea and biscuits, and baseball.

I am from family.

I am from wondering why, what if, and from my sister's calming words.