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Other entries in Mombasa

...at the end of the first week...

Its been a LONG week.. I barely made it through.. the heat i s overwhelming especially around 12-3.

Today I had to leave early to prevent from feeling sick.  So now I am resting by using really slow internet (but at least its really cheap!).  Today is the first day I saw the shops open on my ride home. Usually they are all closed cause I get home late.

So far, I have visited the dwellings of about 20 girls.  Most are not in a very good situation.  At least half of them have been abandonded by their fathers, so only the mothers are around to both support and take care of the kids.  Most have 2-5 siblings.  One has 16 half brothers and sisters!!  Several of their parents have been remarried.  Some of the worst cases are ones that have been sent to live with grandparents who don't have any income or others who have a sick parent or parents and are unable to work.  

One girl, 16 years old and looks like she is 12, her mother has TB.  She was given some free pills from on of the  few clinics, but is too weak to take them (they react very strongly if not taken with food). The day I went (tuesday) they had not eaten for 3 days, except for some black tea.  We found an old stove for her and gave her kindling and kerosene cause she occasionally will get a sack of maize from the local church.  This kid is pretty amazing too, she runs the laps ahead of the others and doesn't try to cheat the corners (like some teenagers are bound to do). 

Compared to her, the ones who do not have money to pay school fees next year are living in luxury.  Most will not go past class 8 cause secondary school cost in the order of 24000 shillings.  Primary school is supposed to be free which is a relatively new thing the government has instituted, but most do not have textbooks, notebooks, or money for uniforms, shoes.  Maybe 2-3 girls get sponsered by each set of volunteers based on the money they are able to donate.

The living conditions are quite terrible.  All of those commercials you see with people living in slums, with poor roofing, walls made of tin or mud, garbage everywhere, stangnant pools of water, all exist in Changamwe. Yet they know ok english.  Some people who are a bit better off have cellphones which are cheap here, even the airtime. (I bought a local sim card for my phone to keep in touch). 

The girls are typical teenagers except smaller (well most are, there are a few tall ones, like 5.5"-5.6" for a 14 year old that doesn't eat well). They are all trying to teach me more Swahili.  I have only mastered a few words:

Jambo: Hello

Mambo: How are you?

Poa: Fine

Sawa: I understand

Karibu: Welcome

Kabila: Tribe name

Kuchora: Dancing

Kucheza: Cooking

Pole Pole: slowly slowly

Asante (sana) : Thanks you (very much)

EVERY little kid in the village are facinated by "myzungo" (which means white person but I guess it should mean foreigner!). So everywhere I walk I hear "Myzungo, how are you" which  I answer fine thank you and then the ask again.. the ones under 6 don't understand english well enough to understand what I respond.  They all run over and give me a high five, some give hugs.  The people often say Jambo or Mambo and you have to stop and shake their hands.  If I don't hear them, they say it louder.  The say hello and shake everyones hand when you enter a room even if you have seen them earlier that day.  Some of the Muslims say "Saalam Aleikum", again you must greet them or it is rude.  So everyone always wants to great everyone.  So it takes us time to walk to each of the girls houses since we are constantly greeting  people.   I actually like it, especially when the little kids come by.  They always want hugs!! Leila it will be hard to not bring home a baby human ;)  Those are the only babies I have seen so far!! 

Its funny that they call me Myzungo. They get confused when I try to explain I am from Canada, but my parents are born in India.  But its mostly the little kids.  I got some good pictures of them, but need to find a better internet place that lets me upload pictures (which there are).  Most of the time, I don't carry around much.. just exactly the amount of money I think I need.  Occasionally my phone since enough people have them, and only sometimes my camera.  Apparently there are bag snatchers everywhere.. knock on wood!! 

This was a long week, so I will spend the weekend doing some resting, go to the beach (either the local one or travel to one about 30kM south, which would be an overnight trip saturday to sunday.)  Then next week a few more interviews on Monday.  Tuesday I will go to the doctor with one of the girl's grandmother. She has osteoporosis (as far as I can tell from the papers she has.. and she is the only person able to make a living in the family, but is unable to due to pain in her back.

I will also go with the lady who has TB (16 year old daughter) and see a loan officier with her.  She apparently goes there to learn some skills/trade in order to open a business, which could help her get enough money for food.

The interesting thing about many of the girls, is that they are of all different ages and are mostly in grades 6 or 7. The 16 year old is in grade 7, another 15 year old is in grade 6.  It seems that when there were  fees for primary school, they were held back if they could not pay, even if they passed their exams.  Mind you they would likely not have the money for secondary school either so at least they are still in school and are staying out of trouble.

An important thing is that the girls I am coaching have some ambition to play and try to better themselves. There are MANY other who just don't do anything, get pregnant, turn to prostitution or do drugs.  We have asked and talked to the ones who have registered with M.OY.O. and they are wanting to try for something more or want assistance from generous people like Bokey.  The organization has grown alot in the six months.  Seems like their name is spreading, and they have used the funds well.  The center now has electricity and running water.  There are 4 rooms for a nursery school which is currently the only income being generated. Bokey has dumped all his money into it, and now lives there (financially he doesn't have much choice). 

Getting tired (its been a long, hot day) , so will write more later.. lots more to tell...

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