Bet you didn't know this!

Although "Western Kenya" sounds very remote, in fact it is part of the most densely settled section of Kenya. From Nairobi to the Ugandan border, stretching in a diagonal line to the North-West, is where most of the population live. It is a region of high plateaus and the occasional mountain surpassing 4000 metres above sea level.

 So, what don't you know?
There are a number of interesting aspects to the region that we have been discovering. If it was Australia there would be tourist signs aplenty, and entrepreneurs making the most of the attraction ... but this is Kenya. Outside the game parks there are few tourists, and not enough disposable income to support tourist ventures.

1. Barack Obama was born in Hawaii. His mother was born in the mid-West of the USA, but his father was born in Kenya. It was in a little town called Nyangoma Kogelo, which is about 80 km south-West of our village. He went on to study in the US, and after returning to Kenya (after divorcing Barack's mother) worked his way up into a position as a senior government economist. He died in 1982.
We have not visited the town as it is not really on the way to anywhere. It seems as though most Kenyans are very proud to have the father of the US president as one of their own.

Iten market

2. Sixteen of the fastest twenty marathon times have been run by Kenyans. They have dominated Commonwealth Games, Olympics and World Championships in long distance running for over 40 years. Over 90% of these athletes belong to the Kalenjin tribe, which lives around the high plateau of the Western Rift Valley. This region is centred on the town of Iten (pronounced Eten). It is a community of only 4000 people, a quarter of whom are aspiring runners. It is 2300 m above sea level, and also about 60 km from our village (towards the North-East).
Past champions have established running camps in Iten. So too have foreign coaches who come to discover the secret of Kenya's success. The small primary school of St Patricks has produced an astounding number of world champions, both male and female.
The town itself looks like most other Kenyan communities; run-down shops that needed a paint twenty years ago, sellers in open markets, piles of rubbish along the roadsides. However, if you are there early in the morning or late in the evening, you will see hundreds of runners pounding the streets, some of them current world champions.
Also, just North of the town is an impressive lookout with views across a wide, fertile valley.
What is their running secret? There seems to be no single answer. It is a combination of barefoot running to school as children, a front-foot running style where runners land on their toes not their heels, the altitude, and the desire to use running as a way out of poverty.

View from Iten Lookout

3. Forty kilometres to our North is Mount Elgon. It is only the second highest mountain in Kenya, but it has a caldera (crater) that is 8 km across. This is believed to be the widest caldera of any volcano in the world. Fortunately, this volcano is extinct.
We hope to travel to this mountain soon. You can drive to a car park and then walk for two hours to one of the high peaks. The highest peaks are across the border in Ugandan, so we won't be going to the summit, but it would be nice to reach the rim.
This mountain is also famous because it contains caves with salt that accumulates on the walls. Elephants enter the caves and are known to lick the salt from the walls. We have not seen an elephant in Kenya so it would be wonderful to see them in or around the caves.

Rain

It has been very dry. From the second week of January to the second week of March we have probably had no more than five afternoon storms. I cannot remember any period of prolonged rain.

The locals tell us that the big rainy season is from late March to early May, or there abouts. Most of the year's rain will fall in this time. There will also be the small rains in November.

It is now mid March. Fields have already been ploughed in preparation for the sowing of maize after the rains come. I have been enthralled watching our neighbour plough his fields with oxen pulling a wood and metal plough. He whistles commands in different pitches and the oxen deviate one way or another. An assistant directs the plough through the dry ground. What looks like a very difficult process is done efficiently and quickly by these skilful farmers. Many crops are grown in the region but maize is the staple grain. It is removed from the cob, dried in the sun and stored for up to a year. Many small mills can be found that grind the maize into cornmeal - the major ingredient of ugali.

On Tuesday this week it rained for about thirty minutes in the afternoon. Yesterday (Wednesday) there were even longer periods of rain and the power outage began at 6pm. Today, it has been cloudy with short but significant falls. The power has not come back on.
It is now 7:30pm. It is raining very heavily, accompanied by frequent flashes of lightning. We still have no power.

So here we are, March 13, and perhaps the rainy season has started.

Unfortunately, it seems as though every time it rains we have power failures. Without power we have no pump. This means that we get no water through our taps. So no power means no running water. For the farmers' sake we are hoping for a good rainy season but for our sanity we hope the rain doesn't go on for too long.

Nature is helping us understand the Kenyan way of life - no electricity and no running water. The only bright spot at the moment is that we have to eat all of the ice cream in the refrigerator, otherwise it will be mush tomorrow.

STOP PRESS: it is now Friday and the rain has increased in intensity each day - yes, the rainy season has started (and still no power).

Enjoy your utilities.

The West Kenyan Diet

Are you too fat? Did you put on weight over the holiday season and haven’t been able to rid yourself of those extra kilos? Yes, most of us know the feeling. Traditional diets need too much will-power and fad diets just don’t work. “What is the solution?” I hear you say. Worry no longer!

Introducing:

                                                The West Kenyan Diet

This isn’t a traditional diet, it is pre-traditional. This is not a fad, it has been used for centuries to stay trim and taut. Just ask yourself … How many fat Kenyans do I know? Most likely, they are all marathon runners. In fact, all Kenyans are like this.

But don’t just listen to me, consider this real life testimonial:

"George" - Before Kenya

I came to Kenya a mere nine weeks ago. I had “let myself go” during a typical Australian holiday period. Too many parties, an excess of friends dropping by, and too much festive food and drink. My luggage on January 1 weighed 32 kg but the body weighed 100.8 kg. Yes dear reader, this is the most I had ever weighed.

A mere nine weeks later I have shed 10.4 kg – over 10% of my body weight.

“How was this possible?” I also hear you say. To follow the West Kenyan Diet you merely have to observe the six basic principles:

1. Live in a remote village where there are no restaurants, cafes or supermarkets selling Western food. Those night-time cravings for choc-chip ice cream just have to go unrealised.

2. Walk everywhere. The market is 3 km return, why take the car when everyone else walks. The meeting hall is 2 km return, ditto. When in Rome …

3. Always accept the local food; kidney beans, ugali and kale infused with fire ash. It is amazing how quickly your appetite reduces and you no longer desire “seconds”. In fact, often you don’t desire firsts.

4. Abstain from alcohol. Alcohol is a big problem in these parts, so take a stand and stick to soft drink. Filtered water is the best choice here as carbonated drinks are very sweet and, most often, served at room temperature.

5. Resist those small but frequent indulgences. Coffee and cake is easy to resist when it is not available. Travelling for 45 minutes on mostly dirt roads reduces the desire to “go out for a coffee”. Kenyan cake is also a thing to behold – at most times very dry and crumbly.

6. Eat lots of pulses, grains, fruits and vegetables; basically become a vegetarian. There are local butchers but the meat hangs in the window sans refrigeration. Perhaps if you get there early in the morning … otherwise stick to the beans and lentils. Regional supermarkets also contain little fresh meat. Frozen sausages and frozen chickens are the easiest to find. The chickens are not what you would call grain-fed or plump.



"George" - After!

Impressed … you should be!

Have you lost that weight yet? Of course you haven’t – you’ve been sitting on your backside entertaining yourself with social networking!

So, jump on a plane and come to Western Kenya. The welcome will be warm, and so is the soft drink and the fresh meat!

Kakamega Rainforest #3

Day three; we arise at 4:30am and leave for the sunrise walk at 4:50. Benjamin is our guide once again. Along the way we hear the male colobus monkeys claiming their territory. The sound is a very loud, deep croak. As they give their call, they bounce on the branch and shake the whole tree. Young ones squeal as they fear falling to the ground. It is still dark and so the sounds of the forest are our current interest. After about 75 minutes we reach the top of a grassy hill. Light is beginning to overtake the darkness. It is a viewpoint over the entire forest with a vista stretching as far as the ranges that mark the edge of the Rift Valley.

We wait for sunrise. It becomes very cool as the morning breeze begins to blow. The sun eventually rises over the hills, bathing the rainforest in light. As the light increases so do the sounds of the forest -the birds and monkeys are starting a new day. We take in the sights and sounds for quite a while and then head back to camp.
Elise is a casualty this morning. She forgot to bring her walking shoes with her and so we bought her some runners in Kakamega town. The five hour hike the previous day gave her blisters and this morning's walk quickly became very painful. To her credit she battled on, took in the sunrise and hobbled back down the hill. When we reached the main road Benjamin organised for a motor bike to pick her up and take her back to camp.

All of us were back at camp by 9:30. The rest of the day was spent in a very relaxing way.

The views from the hilltop were quite spectacular although I forgot to take my wide-angle lens.
The photos can speak for themselves.

Kakamega Rainforest #2

Day 2 in the forest - A 5 hour hike to Yala River

Benjamin & the banonya
 

Our guide, Benjamin, has an amazing knowledge of the rainforest. He prepares us by describing some of the animals we will see, and assuring us that this is a safe rainforest. We had heard that a tourist was killed here last year - mauled by a baboon. Benjamin assures us that as long as we don't try and feed the baboons, they will leave us alone. There are also leopards in the rainforest, but Benjamin has never seen one, but he has seen evidence. He came across a baboon that had been torn apart and partly eaten. No other animal has the ability to bring down a large baboon.
Benjamin tells us that there are also many species of snakes in the forest. He explains that it is good to be able to identify snakes because, if one bites you, the medics will know what medicine to administer. This gives us no confidence about walking in the rainforest. However Benjamin also assures us that all the snakes are non-aggressive. They will retreat as soon as they sense your vibrations on the ground. If cornered most will give warnings before they strike. He tells the story of a researcher who sat on a chair and thought that the chair was creaking. He had sat on a cobra. It hissed for quite a while and he was able to leave his seat without being bitten.
Benjamin is middle aged, very fit and in love with the forest. He can name every bird by its call, and mimic the call. Then he tells you all about the birds features, foods and habitat. He can name all of the butterflies, which are numerous. For most living things within the forest he can give their scientific name - he has a very good memory. Also, he walked 20 kms (5.5 hrs) with no water or food.


There is secondary forest, some open grassland areas and also primary rainforest or jungle. We catch sight of the red tailed monkeys, but they are very shy. We also sight a white colobus monkey, again mostly hidden from view. There are many butterflies, including the red winged butterfly that is found nowhere else in the world but this rainforest.

After two hours or so we reach the river. The river is low but still fast-flowing. This is the dry season, it will rise next month when the large rains come. We stop at a wide area just past some rapids and the girls have a swim in the muddy, reasonably calm water. It is a sunny day, but we are shaded on the banks of the river. It is about 25 degrees and quite humid.

Benjamin tells us about the medicinal plants in the rainforest. Mondea vine is very useful to locals. The root is chewed and is considered to have the following benefits:
- improves appetite
- helps lactating women increase milk supply
- cures stomach aches
- increase blood flow
- improves memory
Mondea tonic is available in surrounding towns, and local farmers are being encouraged to plant it, then sell it for processing.


A number of taboos have developed around some of these medicinal plants. One such taboo was that the plant should be collected at midnight while naked. If this was not the case it would not be effective.
People now realise that these restrictions were introduced to ensure that only the very needy would bother collecting it i.e. it was a conservation measure. Kenyans go to bed early and are quite conservative with their bodies, so only the desperate would bother.
Many locals have a very good knowledge of the forest and its food and medicines. However, they do not like sharing their knowledge, preferring to keep it in the family.

Early missionaries thought it was tied up with witchcraft and banned all traditional medicines. Science is only now realising the medical importance of these plants.
One plant the banonya, is now being studied as a treatment for epilepsy.
Some vines of the mondea family exude a milky substance when cut. This is used on cuts and rashes, and is said to cure them quickly.
The satinwood tree has a bark that is used as a typhoid treatment. Chemists have discovered that the same properties are found in the new leaves, and so it is proposed to grow the tree on a plantation and trim the top like tea.
The prunus Africanus, related to the lemon, is a malaria treatment.

Deep in the forest we find the classic tall trees and clear undergrowth. These large trees are shallow-rooted, preferring to put all their energy into reaching towards he sunlight. Often a big storm will bring some down. Higher up in the forest are orchids, bromeliads and stag horns. Tarzan would not be comfortable in this jungle as we saw few lianas.
On the edge of the forest where the undergrowth is thicker we are again transported back to Australia. There is morning glory, lantana and guava trees.

We arrive back at bandas by 4:30pm. We all have a shower and enjoy a relax.
As dusk approaches a troop of 8 or so white tailed colobus monkeys take over the trees above the bandas. Their speed through the branches is amazing. At times they sit still, looking down as if to contemplate those strange beings pinned to terra firma. They are intelligent looking animals, with a furry black and white coat. Their tail is very long and used for balance. After a 30 minute photo op they are off to a more distant part of the forest.

We turn in early because tomorrow we are to do the sunrise walk.

Kakamega Rainforest #1

 Kakamega Forest (pronounced Kak-a-may-ga)

Kamukuywe to Kakamega is about a 90 minute drive. The road from Kakamega to the forest (about 15 Kms) is all gravel. It is in reasonable condition but there are many pedestrians and bikes on both sides of the road. We see signs to our destination but none of them tell us which way to go at the cross-roads or T intersections. With an iPhone navigator and a bit of luck we make it with only one wrong turn.
 

 
There were tea plantations developed around the edge of the forest to limit encroachment. Some remain but some have been cleared and re-planted with rainforest trees.
The forest used to spread across central Africa but climate change and settlement has reduced it to 240 square kilometres in this Kenyan section.

It is a biodiversity hot-spot for Kenya, and the last remaining equatorial rainforest in the country. There are plants, butterflies and bats that exist nowhere else in Kenya or the world. The forest is renowned for monkeys, butterflies and birds, and we hope to see many of them. There are also some unusual occupants (which may be too elusive to see). These include the African palm civet (large cat-like animal), the suni, a small forest antelope, and the tree pangolin - a reptile with protective scale-like plates over its body. Also an anomalore or flying squirrel. Endemic birds include the hairy-breasted barbet, white-tailed ant thrush and blue-headed bee eater.

These mountains are not high, only reaching 1740m. They are part of the Nile catchment - water goes into Lake Victoria. Kenya contains only 5% of Lake Victoria but provides 75% of the water. The furthest tributary of the Nile is supposed to be SW of here in Burundi or Rwanda - no one is quite sure. In an agreement with Egypt, western Kenya does not irrigate or dam. Egypt provides Kenya with funding as a result. Egypt wants the Nile as full as possible.    

A local conservancy group has been established to help protect the rainforest . They have a number of projects operating, including:
- native tree nursery
- tourist accommodation and bush walks
- adopt-a-tree project
- trees on farms program (farms are so small that farmers resist planting trees, although they are starting to understand the benefits in terms of soil conservation and shade).
- re-planting on the forest edges
- school visits about conservation and forests
- Aids education for locals

Our accommodation is runs by the conservancy. We are staying in a Banda - a mud hut covered in whitewash with tall vertical timbers framing the roof, and coming to a point in the middle. The roof must be at least 7m high. The timber is covered with thick thatch, tightly bound together and, I am told, completely water-proof. The only problem is when monkeys chase lizards on the thatch. The lizard slips between the thatch and the monkey tears a big hole in the thatch to get to the lizard - to what degree of success I do not know.

The Banda has two bedrooms, each with two single beds. There is one small ante room. There are no other facilities. Another Banda, open on the sides, is used as a dining room and lounge. There is a separate shower and toilet block, although quite basic. The Banda has electric light when the generator is running. The setting resembles a clearing in the jungle. There are 8 bandas, 5 are for accommodation, one is a dining room, one is a residence and kitchen and a small one is an administrative room.

Our host is Solomon, a typical Kenyan - tall, friendly, healthy looking and of strong build. His English is very good and he is a welcoming host. In fact, "welcome" is his favourite word.
All meals can be provided, but we have brought our own breakfast and lunch. Most days we will be walking at lunch time anyway. Dinner costs 600 shillings each ($AU7 ) and on the first night we receive large amounts of beautifully cooked white rice, a beef stew, boiled cabbage and green banana. The green banana is cooked and tastes very much like mashed potato. There is just a hint of banana in the after-taste.
The afternoon of day two we are told we are having chicken for dinner. An hour later we see everyone out trying to corner a chicken that has escaped the cook's clutches. We are fairly sure that it will soon be on a plate in front of us. This is indeed what happens. Cooked in a broth. Imagine the oldest, toughest chicken that could possibly be served up - then increase the toughness scale by a factor of three. A rubber chicken from a joke shop would have been much more tender.

The evenings are wonderful; very still, no car or motor noises until the generator is started. The birds are chattering in the trees and we can hear the cicadas. If we close our eyes it is just like a mild summer evening in Australia. The exception is the various conversations, in Kiswahili, by the staff. I have noticed that Kenyans speak very quietly in English, but when they chat in Kiswahili they become quite loud and animated.

More about our adventures in the forest later!

The school in Chwele

Titus Sikangulule and his wife are both trained teachers.  Titus has invited us to visit his family home, church and school in the town of Chwele, about a 30 minute drive from Kamukuywe.  Titus teaches with me at the Agape Academy. His wife works in a school in Bungoma , 45 kilometres away. They have no private transport.

Titus lives in Bungoma on the weekend, but during the week he rents a room closer to Kamukuywe. They have two young children.

 

Continuing a passion initiated by his parents, Titus also coordinates a primary school that his family has built with their own hands. This school caters for orphans, children of poor families and children who are HIV positive. At times they also hold seminars for parents who are HIV positive – teaching them about ways to improve their health and manage their disease.

The school caters for over 200 students, and is an act of love rather than a money-making concern. Ten of the children have no family or home, they live with Titus’ parents. “We have picked most of them up after their parent’s funeral” Joseph tells me. In Kenya, when a child becomes orphaned, they rely on the compassion and love of the local community. In the Sikangulule family love and compassion are abundant.

 Other children “board” at the school. Sometimes 10-12 children squeeze into a small room with three beds. Once again, the conditions are sub-standard, but the alternative is much worse.

The education and health authorities have frequently inspected the school. They complain about the standard of services supplied and threaten to close the school if improvements are not made. “That room does not have enough ventilation” they say. Without this school many of the children would be on the street with no home, education or food. The government wants to set high standards, especially when they are not paying.

The school provides a breakfast of porridge each day, made from maize, sorghum and millet. Lunch and dinner usually consists of beans and maize. Fresh fruit and vegetables are sometimes obtained from the family farm.

I ask Titus how much the teachers are paid and if, in fact, they are trained. He tells me that all are trained teachers that have not found a position within the Kenyan public or private education system. Instead of working outside their vocation, they choose to teach at the school. They are not paid a salary, but are given remuneration when something is available. I suspect that these teachers also have hearts of gold.

The classrooms are spartan to say the least. Each room is about the size of a normal Australian bathroom. Most floors are concrete - they were raised to protect against the annual flooding that occurs during April. Stormwater used to overflow drainage ditches and inundate the classrooms. The toilet block was levelled during such a downpour. There has not been available finance to re-build.



Where the toilets used to be

Each classroom has a roughly-painted chalkboard, a collection of home-made desk/chairs too narrow to hold an A4 exercise book, and one or two dilapidated posters on the wall. I did not see any text books or reading material. The corners of each room are piled with red dust and discarded paper.

This day has challenged me greatly. For the first time in my life I wish I were rich. There is such a desperate need for funds to improve the living conditions and educational opportunities of these children. I am simultaneously horrified by the conditions of the school and uplifted by the tireless efforts of these wonderful people to help those who cannot help themselves.

There is a valuable lesson that I have learned in Kenya. If you have all you need in life (and 99% of Australians do), then you should be thankful. That thanks should not be limited to the glib “gee, thanks Lord for providing for my needs”. Thanks needs to be demonstrated by action and help for others. Just consider the example of the Sikangulule family.

I wonder how much a new toilet block would cost?