World AIDS Day - December 1st

Today is a special day - World AIDS Day - a day to create awareness about the devastating effects of AIDS around the globe. This year's theme is "Universal Access and Human Rights." In many parts of the developing world and especially in all parts of Africa, AIDS is a major issue with destrcutive results for families. The disease is not well articulated, stigmas have been created due to lack of education that can leave people shunned by their communities, families and friends (even here in North America people with AIDS are shunned by those with misconceptions about the transfer of AIDS) . People are not fully educated on preventative methods of reducing or eliminating exposure to this disease. And most tragic of all, are the number of children that have been left parentless, because of the devasting effect of AIDS.

I have seen the orphans in Kenya whose parents have died from AIDS who have been left to fend for themselves and their siblings, left on their own without a loving parent to look out for their safety, or tuck them into bed each night. Sometimes they can find a home with a grandparent but these elderly persons have neither the resources nor the strength to look after these orphan children. If they are lucky, another family might take them in, but again food and resources may be severely limited.

So on this special day, we ask you to think about those who have been inflicted with this tragic disease. Speak out for them for universal access to drugs which can help prolong their life with quality and human dignity.

Making a Difference One Person at a Time

This little girl is an orphan who received clothes, toiletries and food thanks to a generous donor in Muskoka.

Prior to our trip to Kenya last summer, a donor approached us with a request to help the many orphans living in Wongonyi Village. Orphans and vulnerable children are a huge problem in most African countries as a result of the devastating effects of HIV/Aids. Parents fall ill to the disease that robs them of life leaving young children alone without parental supervision, making those children take on responsibilities of adults in tending for themselves and their siblings. Unfortunately, robbing them of their childhood as they spend time searching for food, clothing and firewood, just trying to survive. Some of these orphans are able to be taken in by a friend or grandparent but still life is not good for many grandparents are old and barely able to look after themselves let alone the added responsibility of young children.

But through the generosity of loving people in Muskoka who want to share their blessings of abundance, The Ronnie Fund has been able to begin helping some of these vulnerable children in Wongonyi Village, letting them know they are loved and that people half a world away truly care for them. This little girl was so shy and afraid of the people she was meeting she brought a friend with her for moral support. Such small gestures will have a big impact in the lives of these children.

As Richard Carlson said in his book, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work"; "Acts of kindness and goodwill are inherently wonderful. There's an old saying: 'Giving is its own reward.' This is certainly true. Your reward for being kind and making someone else feel good are the warm positive feelings that invariably accompany your efforts. So starting today, think of someone you'd like to make feel better and enjoy your rewards." I couldn't have said it better. Remember you don't have to solve the problems of the world, just focus on making a difference in one person's life at a time and before you know it you'll be changing the world.

Fair Wages for Fair Work Done

It has come to my attention lately when speaking with people working in developing countries that they are missing an essential element in the work they are carrying out in providing aid. Many of us working at a distance rely on people, both young and old, in the developing country to assist us by meeting us at airports, helping with travel plans, negotiating with local business people and arranging clinics and training sessions, so that our time in those countries will be profitably and well spent. In our own case, we at The Ronnie Fund rely on Ronnie to arrange our site visits, set up meetings while we are in Kenya and then to continue arranging training sessions, purchase equipment, etc. whhen we are back in Canada.

However, many of these people although highly skilled and well qualified with college diplomas are not paid for their work. It is somehow assumed that because we are assisting fellow countrymen that we need not pay these project managers a wage for the work they are doing on our behalf. What we tend to forget is that these people are just like ourselves. They have rent to pay, families to feed and other expenses that require finances to pay. We cannot assume that they can volunteer their time to help us. If they are working for us with no pay, how can they afford their own expenses.

I urge to you remember this next time you are working with people in developing countries. Remember that if you are expecting someone to act as your project manager or to assist you in setting up clinics, training sessions, purchasing products or simply acting as an advisor on cultural and political situations, you should be paying these people a fair wage for the time they are taking away from other jobs, money making opportunities or their families. We need these advisors as much as they or their countrymen need our help, so remember, a fair wage for fair work done - we here in the west wouldn't accept anything less.

World Food Day - October 18

October 18 is officially declared as World Food Day. And important day of rememberance by those who are blessed with an abundance of food for those throughout the world who have little. In many areas of the developing world people experience hunger on a daily basis. Droughts, lack of affordable seed or pastoral animals, or lack of tools means feeding families is a struggle. The young and the elderly are particularly at risk, as lack of nutrious food means they are at peril of succumbing to diseases and infections for their bodies cannot fight off these diseases.

We felt extremely lucky and honoured last summer during our trip to Wongonyi Village, Kenya that the people of the village were able to share their resources with us, even though we knew it was straining their supplies. The ladies of the village met daily to help Ronnie's mother, Getrude prepare our meals like Mandaazi, a tasty treat similar to a doughnut. At the same time, The Ronnie Fund was pleased to be able to donate Money Maker Irrigation Pumps (from the KickStart Company) that have enabled farmers to irrigate their lands more easily, thereby increasing vegetable production which has meant more food for their families and excess that can be sold to generate income.

On World Food Day, please remember those around the world for whom a hungry stomach is a daily occurrence and do you part by donating to a local food bank or soup kitchen or to an international organization that helps to ease the lives of those who are experiencing hunger by providing food aid or enabling tools that can help them to help themselves.

Asante-sana!

The Beauty of Wildlife

"Rain, rain go away

Come again another day."

This childhood refrain has been playing over and over again in my head as the rain has been falling and falling and falling. I look outside and see all the garden tasks yet to be completed but the wet weather has kept me indoors.

But on Sunday as I replanted some autumn crocus bulbs that the squirrels had dug up, I turned my head and there on my neighbour's lawn was a mama deer and two fawns. Quite a sight for we live in a residential area of downtown Bracebridge. Actually it became a traffic stopping sight as the young ones tried to navigate across the busy road. But finally they all safely crossed the road and high-tailed it down towards the river. We must remember that we humans have invaded these beautiful creatures native areas and forced them into areas they are unfamiliar with.

But getting back to the garden chores yet undone. I keep praying for a sunny day to dry out the gazebo so I can put it away, for the grapes to ripen so I can pick them and make grape jelly before the birds eat them all or they perish with a frost, and the opportunity to clean out all the containers and store them away for another season. The prognosis for the Thanksgiving weekend isn't all that good and I even heard mention of the "S" word - snow!! Please not yet, not until the gardens are put to bed. The sky has been leaden, the pewter shades of winter in the wings and rest to come.

"Blessed Unrest" - A Worldwide Movement

I just finished reading a most powerful and interesting book by leading environmentalist and social activist Paul Hawken. His book, "Blessed Unrest, How The Largest Movement In The World Came Into Being And Why No One Saw It Coming" is a wonderful reminder of the power of small groups and individuals to effect global change. In the book Hawken recounts the history of the movement of social groups and the great leaders who have championed for those whose voice has not been heard.

Those of us working in developing countries can fully understand the importance of the work we are doing and we feel the gratitude of those we are helping by providing education, tools and resources that allow them to develop sustainable projects creating income to take care of their families. Sometimes people say they feel overwhelmed by the injustices in the world and they don't know how they can help. Our message is simple to start one person at a time, and in time those who have been helped will in turn help others, and so on, and so on. The gift gets paid forward.

Paul Hawken and his team have also created a website www.wiserearth.org at which you will find the world's largest free and editable international directory of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and socially responsible organizations from across the globe. This directory includes more than 110,000 organizations in 243 countries, territories and sovereign islands. Here you can find others working globally by category or by country. I found it a fascinating site and one I know will be so useful in making connections and networking to find useful solutions to common problems.

For those working in developing countries I would highly recommend you give this book a read. This quote from Paul Hawken's book sums it up, "...the future implications of the movement's daily actions is to remember Emerson's moral botany: corn seeds produce corn; justice creates justice; and kindness fosters generosity. How do we sow our seeds when large, well-intentioned institutions and intolerant ideologies that purport to be our salvation cause so much damage? One sure way is through smallness, grace, and locality. Individuals start where they stand and, in Antonio Machado's poetic dictum, make the road by walking. Thoreau insisted in 'Civil Disobedience" that if only one man withdrew his support from an unjust government, it would begin a cycle that would reverberate and grow. For him there were no inconsequential acts, only consequential inaction: "For it matters not how small the beginning may seem to be: what is once well done is done forever."

We are a perfect example of the movement, our family started saving pennies in a jar for one young man, Ronnie's, education and have grown to help a village, Wongonyi in Kenya, Africa. And along the way others have joined us in the journey. If we can do it, so can you!

The Bottom Billion - moving people out of poverty

I have just finished reading "The Bottom Billion, Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can be Done About It" by Paul Collier. It has been an interesting read on global poverty. The book focuses on the poorest of the poor countries who have gone unnoticed by the West. Collier contends that the causes of the failure of these countries can be attributed to several traps including extraction and exportation of natural resources, civil wars and bad governance and that aid and globalization can hinder rather than help these countries climb out of poverty.

A couple of Paul's comments really resonanted with me and with the work we are doing in Kenya through The Ronnie Fund. Paul says, "...development is about giving hope to ordinary people that their children will live in a society that has caught up with the rest of the world. Take that hope away and the smart people will use their energies not to develop their society but to escape from it - as have a million Cubans. "

Collier goes on the further explain the impact of the migration of educated people from developing countries - that globalization has led to emigration of the brighest and best skilled and knowledgeable people leading to skills shortages in the poorest countries hindering the development process. Collier notes, "This all adds up to a depressing picture of what globalization is doing for the bottom billion. To get a chance to play in the global economy, you need to break free of the traps, ... in order to turn a country around it helps to have a pool of educated people, but the global labor market is draining the bottom billion of their limited pool of such people."

We realize that education is the key to improving quality of life and we especially support those like Ronnie Mdawida who pursue further education and then pass that information on to others or use their newly gained skills and knowledge to create a better quality of life for their countryman instead of leaving their homeland for greener pastures abroad. I think Collier nails it on the head when he says, "In every society of the bottom billion there are people working for change, but usually they are defeated by the powerful internal forces stacked against them. We should be helping the heroes. So far, our efforts have been paltry: through inertia, ignorance, and incompetence, we have stood by and watched them lose."

In poor countries across our planet there are heroes like Ronnie Mdawida in Kenya, young men and women with dreams of making their country a better place to live, to lift their fellow humans out of poverty and achieve quality of life. We salute, encourage and support those individuals to keep believing in their dreams and we along with others who share a belief in common justice and human rights will help, in respectful ways, to make those dreams a reality.

How to Make Money - Kenyan Youth Group Projects

This Banana nursery is the start of a new banana plantation creating much needed employment for youth in Wongonyi village.

Recently, my daughter Martha gave me one of her Girl Guide magazines that had an article about Kenya in it. It was about Kristen Hope, a student at the College of the Rockies in B.C. who spent time in Kenya researching various small businesses operated by youth groups. Kristen produced this informative document while working as an International Youth Intern.

Kristen has produce a very knowledgable Manual for Kenyan Youth Groups on Starting Revenue Generating Projects. The manual lists the projects Kristen visited and profiles of their projects along with that group's advice for others starting a similar project. At the end of the manual Kristen provides a summary of the lessons learned, other project ideas and advice on starting a revenue generating project including registration information, websites on Kenya business and relevant laws as well as sources of capital. And finally Kriten offers some suggestions she gleaned from her visits on why some projects fail.

I found this document to be a wealth of information for those of us working in Kenya, especially with youth groups wanting to start businesses. The youth sector in Kenya is large and most of the youth have not had the benefit of secondary education and they lack skills necessary for beginning businesses, so a document like this gives them a helping hand as new groups can benefit from the experience of others, both successful and unsuccessful. She also includes contact addresses and phone numbers for the project co-ordinators.

I commend Kristen for her hard work in producing this manual entitled "How to Make Money, A Manual for Kenyan Youth Groups on Starting Revenue Generating Projects." Kristen has made her manual readily available by download at http://www.projectsmanual.shorturl.com/ or through a link at College of the Rockies. Sharing information is one of the greatest ways we can help others to be successful - thanks Kristen for sharing your work with all of us.

Grass Pea - High Protein Foodstuff or Lethal Weapon

Some call it serendipity, I say this book was sent to me for a reason. Not long ago I was sent fellow garden writer Amy Stewart's new book "Wicked Plants" to review. I was giving it a quick glance before placing it on the pile of new books to read when it fell open at the page on "Deadly Dinners". The word Africa caught my attention because of our family's charity work (The Ronnie Fund) in Kenya. So I began to read and I couldn't believe the text.

Earlier in the year, Ronnie's mother Getrude was afflicted with a strange illness. She suffered an unexplained paralysis in her legs. She simply couldn't walk and her sons even had to carry her up to the outhouse. The doctor in the local hospital in Mwambira District couldn't diagnose the problem, so she was sent to the bigger hospital in Voi. She eventually regained the use of her legs but the problem was never correctly identified.

But as I began to read Amy's chapter on Deadly Dinners highlighting Grass Pea, I knew I had found the answer. Grass Pea or Chickling Vetch is a dietary staple in Africa, India, Asia and the Mediterannean as it is an excellent source of protein and is one of the few crops to survive severe drought. However it does contain a neurotoxin called beta-N-oxaxlyl-diamino propionic acid or beta-ODAP and one of the first signs of beta-ODAP poisoning or lathyrism is weakening of the legs. The toxin kills nerve cells paralyzing the victim from the waist down and without treatment, the victim will die. Wow, I thought, perhaps this could be the source of Getrude's problem.

Further reading suggested that since it was a popular food stuff, it was actually safe when prepared properly. Grass Pea must be soaked for a long time in lots of water or fermented in breads and pancakes. The problem in Africa is that when grown in times of drought, there obviously is not enough water to properly soak the peas, thereby creating a lethal problem.

I immediately e-mailed Ronnie and told him of my findings asking if they grew Grass Pea in Wongonyi Village. The answer was, "Yes Mama, we eat it all the time but I never heard of this problem with the peas. I will contact the local health authorities to make sure they know about this." Amy's book advises, " Today one of the great tragedies of famines in places like Ethiopia and Afghanistan is that the high-protein pea is typically reserved for men to give them strength so that they can feed their families. Instead, it has the opposite effect, reducing them to crawling on their knees (and as one report noted, "Wheelchairs aren't an option for most lathyrism sufferers, as they tend to live in dirt-floor huts"). Even if the drought receded and they stopped eating the peas, they might still be disabled for life."

Hopefully, this new found knowledge, thanks to Amy's book, will help prevent other people in Wongonyi Village and the other villages that Ronnie visits in Kenya to keep healthy by preparing Grass Pea in a safe manner. Thanks Amy!!

If you are working in areas in Kenya that are growing Grass Pea, please ensure that the local residents are advised about this life-threatening toxin. With a little knowledge and safe preparation techniques, Grass Pea can continue to provide a high protein foodstuff to those in need.

Kathy

Wangari Maathai - Peace for Kenya

Recently I finished reading Wangari Maathai's memoir "Unbowed". In this telling tale, Wangari Maathai, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, provides a history of her life to her present day position as Founder of the Green Belt Movement.

The book provides interesting insight into a Kenya, that just decades ago was self-sufficient and people living in rural villages enjoyed prosperity. She details how internal strife in the country coupled with colonialism and then a huge influx of international aid has spurned corruption and a decline in quality of life resulting in a revolving cycle of poverty.

Wangari is an amazing African woman, who benefitted from a chance opportunity through the Kennedy lift to study outside her country. But unlike many others who would remain in a developed country to enjoy prosperity, she returned to Kenya to use her knowledge to help repair a broken country. Her life has certainly not been easy, a broken marriage, opposition from government officials who sent her to jail on numerous occasions and even death threats have not broken or deflated her resolve. Even when her own country did not acknowledge her and her efforts, the global community did by awarding her the Nobel Peace Prize.

She started her campaign to heal Kenya by planting trees and through her Green Belt Movement she has mobilized thousands of women in rural villages to plant trees in an effort to bring peace and prosperity. And today the Green Belt Movement has spread to other developing and developed countries. Even today Wangari continues to encourage the women of Kenya to seek positions of power and leadership in their own villages and in government to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

I would recommend this book for anyone working in community development projects in Kenya who wants to get a sense of the history of Kenya and the reasons for the problems that exist today.

The Green Belt Movement - A Model for Community Development

"The Green Belt Movement has over the past 30 years shown that sustainable development linked with democratic values promotes human rights, social justice and equity, including the balance of power between women and men. The (Nobel Peace) Prize demonstrates that although the work of grassroots groups, especially women's groups, does not always make headline news, it does make a difference."

Wangari Maathai, 2004

In 2004 Kenyan Wangari Maathai received worldwide recognition for being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for sustainable development, democracy and peace, her most notable achievement being the creation of The Green Belt Movement, an organization promoting the planting of trees in Kenya and now around the world. I just finished reading her book "The Green Belt Movement, Sharing the Approach and the Experience", an intimate look into the creation of the organization and its achievements over the past 30 years.

For those of us working in Kenya in projects of sustainable development, agriculture and community initiatives this book is a must read. Wangari provides a history of Kenya and how it has lapsed into its present state of poverty but tempers that with a practical analysis of how improvements can be made ending with a positive outlook that hope exists for a new tomorrow. For those of us coming from a Western perspective, it gives us insight into the workings of Kenyan culture and how we can approach our projects so we get successful results. Of especial note is her chapter on Lessons Learned. We can all learn by heeding The Green Belt Movements experiences:

1. Community Development initiatives should address community-felt needs.

2. The messsage must make sense to the participants.

3. There is need for good leadership.

4. Work patiently to motivate communities.

5. Offer some short-term incentives.

6. Reach both decision makes and communities at the same time.

7. Field staff must be keen observers.

8. The community must understand the project.

9. The community must own the project.

10. Community development takes commitment.

11. Limited resources demand prioritization.

12. Democratic administration and management is key.

Community development takes patience, especially when you are working in a different culture. Not all the world works with the West's quick paced business style nor are all the resources readily available at your fingertips in Kenya. But with understanding, inclusive actions, an integrated community consultative program and lots of patience you will be able to achieve positive change. When we started The Ronnie Fund, we did not do so with the aim of imposing projects on Wongonyi village. We have followed Wangari's advice by relying on Ronnie to identify the needs of the community, to prioritize the projects and to negotiate with local administration. Through his leadership we have initiated several successful projects that the villagers have taken ownership of and that have made a difference in their lives in creating quality village life. There are still many needs and challenges in Wongonyi village but I have no doubt that The Ronnie Fund will continue to make positive changes.

For those of you who are heading non-governmental organizations working in Kenya at the grassroots level or those establishing schools and orphanages, I highly recommend you add this book to your library. Wangari's chapters on establishing a tree nursery project will also be very helpful as a model for instituting community development projects in Africa.

Books on Poverty - How We Can Better Achieve Successful Development

As we continue on this journey with The Ronnie Fund and our daily discussions with Ronnie about the approaches we should be taking to achieve continued success with our many projects currently underway in Wongonyi Village, I have been reading a variety of books on international aid and development. They have all been extremely interesting and I am learning a great deal about the aid business. Some of the books are quite disturbing on the amount of money spent by governments and organizations on aid but still poverty exists as just a drop in the bucket every really gets to those who really need it. And yet other books like "Out of Poverty" give one a sense of hope that improved quality of life can actually be achieved. The successes small grassroot organizations like The Ronnie Fund are achieving is because funds and tools get directly into the hands of local villagers and when training is provided the success rates are even greater. Perhaps these books will help shed some light on international aid and how best to implement it.

"Lords of Poverty, the Power, Prestige and Corruption of the International Aid Business"
by Graham Hancock, Atlantic Monthly, 2001

This is an interesting expose of the wastage in the international aid and development business. Using real life examples, I was shocked by the amount of money given to internatinal aid but how little of it actually reaches the people it is intended to help and those who are employed in the aid business who can sit and eat lavish meals while discussing how they are going to help those who eat only one meal a day, if that.

"The Trouble with Africa, Why Foreign Aid Isn't Working"
by Robert Calderisi, Palgrave MacMillan, 2006

Another publication that exposes how little funding actually reaches the poor in developing countries and the lack of accountability by those aid workers in the field. Robert's own admission that in his first placement in Africa, he had only one black friend for his socializing was spent with ex-patriates and he rarely ventured into the countryside. On his second posting to Africa, he spent most of his time travelling across the country and really getting to know those in rural villages and their needs but having to often explain why aid wasn't getting to them.

"Out of Poverty: What Works When Traditional Approaches Fail"
by Paul Polak, Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc. 2008

Paul Polak's book focuses on the grassroot approaches to overcoming poverty. His philosophy is that if people are given the tools like irrigation pumps and systems they can grow enough food for their own consumption and have surplus to sell. Once they have income they can purchase education, health services, etc. He uses real life examples of people in the developing world who have been able to change their lives. When tools are made available directly to disadvantaged people, and not lost on large aid projects which can have funds redirected by corruption, improvements in the quality of life can be achieved.

What Not to Wear (or rather what you should wear)

Carrying school books in the kanga.


Typical clothing worn by the villagers in most rural communities in Kenya.










We here in the West are used to having freedom of individuality (by that I mean freedom of speech and freedom to choose the style of clothing we wish to wear). But not all cultures exercise these types of freedom. When travelling and working abroad, it is very important to show your respect of the host countries and communities by dressing appropriately and practicing cultural norms, especially if you are planning on living and assimilating in the communities.

Women and girls in rural African communities wear skirts or dresses, never pants or shorts. So if you are working in a rural area bring skirts or wraps. You can also purchase a "kanga", a brightly coloured rectangular piece of fabric that is adorned with a political or religious slogan. The Kenyan women even wrap kangas around their regular dresses. Ronnie purchased two kangas for me, one which I wrapped around my wasit and the other, which is traditionally used to carry babies, young children or even supplies on the back. I'm sure that I looked quite amusing to the school children of Wongonyi Primary School as I ("the mizungu") arrived, kanga on my back carrying books we were donating to the school as you can see in my photo above. Ladies shirts and T-shirts must also have sleeves that come below the shoulder (no sleeveless T's here.)

Men should also be cultural conscious by wearing long pants as very few men in villages ever wear shorts. And short sleeve T-shirts or cotton shirts are the norm (no muscle man shirts please).

As far as footwear goes, most people in rural areas wear sandals or flip-flops, but take note that you'll do lots of walking in Kenya as most roads and paths are of dusty red soil, often uneven. If you are working in the hilly countryside like we are, paths can be narrow, stony and with lots of ups and downs, so you are advised to take sturdy shoes, your feet will thank you!

Finally, Richard Roth, a professor from Red Derr College with many years experience working in Kenya recommends that you do not bring camouflage patterned garments as he says the Kenyan government doesn't appreciate this clothing being worn by visitors.

Remember that we cannot impose our clothing norms on the countries and communities in which we are a guest. We must respect the culture we are visiting, so take appropriate clothing with you or purchase kangas or traditional clothing from local seamstresses in the village, you'll be accepted more readily if you do.

Leaving on a Jet Plane - Airfare and Baggage

As everyone knows the quickest way to Africa is by jet plane. And if you are like many of us, once you have experienced the beauty of the land and the friendliness of the African people, you need to go back, and back, and back. But travelling from Canada to Kenya is expensive, so we are always looking for the cheapest flights.

But benefits do exist for those who are travelling on humanitarian missions. We learned about "Fly For Good" from our Kenyan partner World Corps Kenya. Fly for Good is an organization that partners with airlines in offering discounted fares to those travelling to help others. We purchased the tickets for our flight last summer through Fly for Good.

In order to qualify, we registered our organization with Fly for Good, they checked us out and then once approved, we were able to check the airlines that participate for the best ticket price. It was a great help to us. If you head up an organization, you may want to consider registering. If you are a volunteer travelling on a voluntourism stint, you should see if the organization you are working with is registered (everyone likes saving money especially when you are working to help others).

We also have been learning that not all airlines are created equal in terms of baggage allowance and this is a great concern for those of us working abroad. We have lots of things that we want to take over for our various projects - school supplies, books, sewing materials, etc. When we went last summer we travelled with one airline and were charged a considerable amount for excess baggage which really adds up when you are paying for airfare as well (we only considered the airfare not baggage limits). Since our return, we learned that British Airways has a larger baggage allowance which means we can take more resources over to those in need. The key point here is that not only is it necessary to get the best airfare, it is also important to check out the baggage allowance too. It is easy to end up with lots of donated items to take over to Kenya and if you are not careful that great (or cheap) airfare suddenly is not so great once you get to the airport and the baggage charge is added to the ticket price. We have also heard that if you contact some of the airlines, they will give you permission for extra baggage if one is travelling for humanitarian causes.

The best course of action is to check out Fly for Good, look for the best airfare and ensure that the baggage allowance is the best it can be.

Travel Tip - You Need a Visa

There are lots of things to think about before you travel to a new country but the most important is the documentation you need to gain entry into the country. As with any international travel you need a passport. You also need a Visa ( and I don't mean the plastic kind) to allow you to stay in Kenya for a limited duration.

Before our family travelled we obtained our Visa through the Kenya High Commission to Canada, located in Ottawa. We went on the Kenya High Commission website, downloaded the application form, followed the directions for submitting the needed documentation and included our payment. Off it went and the next week, we had our passports back in hand with Visas stamped inside.

You can also obtain a Visa at the airport when you land in Nairobi. Simply stand in the right line, grab a form, fill it out and pay (you'll need cash). The cost for the Visa at the airport is about $20.00 less than if you obtain it here in Canada. But I can tell you, it was worth the extra money for our family. We arrived in Nairobi late at night, so we were ever so thankful to walk right up to the security desk with no one in our line for those holding Visas and be able to scoot on through to get our luggage and meet our new African family. The lineup for those needing to obtain a Visa was really long and our kids were so tired, I don't think they could have handled the wait.

The Kenya High Commission website is also filled with valuable information on Kenya that will be useful to you in your trip planning.

Check it out at http://www.kenyahighcommission.ca/.

Money, Money, Money!

"Money, money, money - it's a rich man's world!" My daughter has been caught up in the Mama Mia craze and that song has been constantly played in our home over the past few weeks, and it got me thinking about our trip to Kenya and the need to be prepared and do your homework before travelling abroad.

Once again, it was on advice from our friends Bill and Ronnie that cash is the method of payment in Kenya. We had been about to purchase travellers cheques but learned it is difficult to get them cashed. Most people in Kenya do not have bank accounts and so cannot get reimbursement if they cashed a travellers cheque. Likewise, credit cards are only of value in big hotels. Even businesses in Kenya operate on a cash basis. When we made a large purchase at KickStart we thought we could pay with our credit card but that was not the case, they asked for cash. That necessitated a trip to the ATM. The staff at KickStart told us not to use the closest ATM but gave directions to an ATM a little further away but which was more secure and safe.

Prior to our trip we put money in two accounts at different banks so that we could access the funds we might need as each account has a daily limit. Since we knew we would be making large purchases we could not afford to wait for a day to get the necessary funds. You must also remember that you need a 4 digit access code. We also learned that not all ATM's are the same. Always visit an ATM during daylight hours and make sure it is safe. We chose Barclay Bank as they have security guards on duty.

We used a money belt to protect our cash and passports. Remember that you are travelling in a foreign land and it only makes sense to keep your funds close at hand. A friend stowed her wallet in her backpack and found while walking that her backpack was being opened. She turned quickly and lucky for her, her wallet was intact but she learned to be more vigilent. Also don't carry large amounts of cash at a time. It is important to remember that you are travelling in a country where people think all Westerners are rich and that when people are so poor, living on $1 per day, there are some who will do whatever it takes to feed their families.

Having said that, not everyone will take advantage of a situation regarding money. When we were in Wongonyi Village, unbeknownst to him, Peter left some cash in his pants pocket. The pants were taken
to be washed. That night when we came home the money was presented to him - faith in the human spirit of honesty.

Our advice - make sure you have accessible cash in your bank accounts at home, and use safe and secure bank machines in daylight hours. By using caution coupled with a little common sense, you can enjoy a safe and secure work experience in Kenya.

5 Tips to Consider When Planning your Trip

For many people Africa is a magical place full of mystery and adventure. I have always had a fascination with the dark continent since childhood and as we prepared for our recent trip, I was filled with excitement. But I was not going to Kenya as a tourist but as a partner with Ronnie in helping him achieve his dream, so it was important that our family fit in to African life. Prior to travelling we asked Ronnie for suggestions on making those we were to meet feel comfortable with us and we with them. Here are 5 tips we used successfully.

1. It is important to have cultural sensitivity - as a volunteer, business person or organization leader you are not staying on the fringes but actually interacting with the Kenyan people in an advisory capacity. Except in the large centres like Nairobi, women in rural villages do not wear pants. Women should take skirts to wear or if you feel you must wear pants, purchase a Kanga (a rectangular piece of fabric) that you tie around your waist like a skirt. It is important to show your respect for their customs.

2. Don't impose your values - remember you are entering another culture. Meal times and food will not be the same as what you have at home (sweet potatoes are served for breakfast and you may get the same meal twice in one day) but smile and be happy. Many of the people who are entertaining you are serving you the best meal they can present and afford. The same goes for appointments - African time and business practices do not have the same hurried pace we have here - be patient.

3. Be conscious of the African perception of Westerners. Most Africans think that everyone from the West is wealthy. We were constantly telling the villagers we work with how long we had saved before being able to visit them. Ronnie says, "In African culture a visitor is a big deal. People will just want to be with you - you will have to have some understanding as Africans have preconceived thoughts of Westerners. You may be harassed by villagers for loans and food, it happens routinely." We did find that on our last night in the village we were approached with some pretty serious and expensive requests but as we are only the facilitators for our donors, we told villagers we would take back their requests for consideration.

4. Take time to learn even a few key phrases in Swahili. Although most people we met did speak some English, a few words spoken in Swahili shows that you cared enough to relate to them on their terms. We found that it certainly endeared the people to us and elicited big smiles as we struggled with pronounciation. Simple phrases like hello, goodbye, please and thank you are quick to learn. Another helpful tip to know is the Kenyan greeting - we called it "the secret handshake". Upon meeting someone you grasp the person's hand as in a normal handshake, then move the hand slightly to grasp the thumb and then return the grasp of the normal handshake. People we met were always surprised and happy to see we knew the common greeting.

5. Finally - take some gifts with you to hand out. The gifts need not be big or cumbersome, just something simple to show your appreciation of their hospitality. We took with us pins we obtained from our town, and both provincial and federal members of Parliament; small toys (like beany babies) along with pencils, pens and notebooks for children; head scarves or bandanas for the women and baseballs caps and multitools for the men. They may seem like small items to us but were very much appreciated. We always kept a few tucked into our bags when we went out as we never knew who we might meet and the hospitality they would afford us.

Learning Swahili

Having been a host family for Canada World Youth, we have gained an appreciation for being sensitive when travelling or living with other cultures. Before our trip to Kenya, our friend Bill loaned us a copy of the Lonely Planet phrasebook for Swahili. Upon our return home, a copy of this phrasebook has been added to our library which I use to look up a few words each day to add to my vocabularly before our next trip. It's small size makes it handy for carrying in a pocket or purse and it's certainly worth the $10 sticker price.

I have also downloaded a Swahili program from http://www.byki.com/ which I visit on a daily basis spending up to half an hour repeating words. This nice thing about a program like this is that you can hear the actual pronounciations and you can even slow down the speech to catch those tricky phrases.

We also purchased a copy of the Rosetta Stone in Swahili from e-Bay. It too is great as it breaks the language down into units which you can repeat as opften as you need before moving on. It also offers may different styles of learning.

Although we found that most people we met in Kenya spoke English, there were a few of the older folks who did not and we want to be able to communicate with them more next visit. We also learned that Swahili does have regional dialects. Our friend Sera, who grew up on the outskirts of Nairobi, was unable to translate some discussions in Wongonyi Village as the residents were speaking the Taita dialect.

I know that the Kenyans we met appreciated the fact that we tried to speak what little Swahili we knew. As well, when Peter made speeches at the various groups we met, he would have Sera translate a few sentences in Swahili. Our attempts at the local language, always brought smiles and giggles from those on the receiving end.

For those volunteering or working in Kenya, learning the local language will help you to feel more comfortable with those you encounter.

Armchair Traveller -Books to Read

Travelling to a foreign country is always filled with excitement and a little trepidation. A different culture with different customs, unusual food, an unfamiliar currency and shopping experience, unusual sanitation facilities are all things one must cope with. Having participated as a host family for several years with the Canada World Youth program and travelled quite a bit worldwide, my most important advice is to be sensitive to other cultures. When travelling and working in foreign countries you cannot impose our western ways on others, you must respect the habits of the people you are visiting and working with. Cultural diversity is one of the wonderful aspects of this planet we live on. So it is important to learn a little about the country you are travelling to and the people who live there.

Prior to our trip to Kenya, we met with our friend Bill, who works in Kenya, Rwanda and Sudan on a frequent basis, to find out about money, business etiquette, etc. Bill provided us with a couple of books which gave us great insight into the culture we were about to visit. We had a better understanding of what to expect and how to deal sensitively with situations when they arose. Before you leave on your volunteer trip abroad take some time to read and familiarize yourself with the new culture - by lessening the surprise of the unfamiliar, you'll be better able to cope with less stress and able to enjoy your experience more fully.

Some books to read:

African Friends and Money Matters by David E. Maranz

Foreign to Familiar by Sarah Lanier

I Dreamed of Africa by Kuki Gallman

African Nights by Kuki Gallman

Also don't forget to watch the movie

Out of Africa by Karen Blixen

Connection

I feel very blessed to have Peter and Kathy as my Canadian parents, since I met them my life has continued to change for the better every second and this has inspired me to reach out to very many need souls whom I could not have done on my own.
I have been connected with very many beautiful Canadian people who are working for the better of other humans in every corner of my beloved country, each of them has brought a whole new world to me and I have learned so much from these people.
I am very passionate about community development I still feel empowering the grass root community is the best way to equip need people help themselves. Come help change the world I am proud of you all and you're doing an awesome job lets keep connected and help each other achieve their dreams
I salute you all the good doers
Ronnie

KickStart - The Tools to End Poverty

Are you working in an area of Kenya that relies on subsistence farming or agriculture? If so, this Kenyan company can help you to help others. During our summer 2008 trip to Kenya we made a visit to KickStart in Nairobi. KickStart makes three tools that can help to end poverty. As Wongonyi Village is agricultural based, The Ronnie Fund, thanks to donations from the churches of the parish of St. Stephen's in Muskoka, was able to purchase two Money Maker Irrigation pumps and a brickmaker.

The irrigation pumps are foot-powered and work like a stepmaster exerciser, and both young children and those more advanced in age found the pumps easy to work. A length of hose in put in the water source and the second hose is attached to the pump and then taken out in the field to water the crops. The area of water distribution was amazing. Already one of our farming groups has increased their kale production by 5 times and is selling the kale to the secondary school for their meal programs.

We also purchased a brickmaker. The 'Action Pak' Block Press can be used to make a much stronger brick. The block press has already been used to make bricks for the new western-style pit latrine the youth built at Wongonyi Primary School. Working together the youth can make 400-500 bricks a day. The youth in Wongonyi have received training on the block press and already have orders for bricks for two homes.

Another item we saw demonstrated was the 'Mafuta Mali' Oil Press. The press will produce cooking oils and high protein seedcakes from sunflowers and sesame seed.

If you are looking for business opportunities for your villages or simply tools to increase food production or provide better housing, check out these tools at http://www.kickstart.org/.

Your Home Away from Home in Nairobi

Home Sweet Home – Kenya style

Are you looking for a place to stay while you are in Nariobi? Whether you are conducting business or picking up supplies before you embark to your village project, you want to be comfortable and feel at home.

Mdawida Homestay can be your home away from home. Your amiable hosts are Ronnie Mdawida, Sera Mucha and Steve Kimkung. Ronnie works as a Volunteer Co-ordinator and Field Officer for World Corps Kenya and Sera serves as the Grants Officer, so they have numerous connections throughout Kenya. Steve provides car and driver services and tour guiding. Ronnie and Steve can help you find the resources you need for your special project.

Their new house, located in the gated Langata area of Nairobi, has several rooms available with meals provided for reasonable rates. A large common area provides space for small business meetings and networking while the outdoor garden area provides a place to rest and relax. Internet is available 24 hours per day. Laundry services can also be arranged.

Perhaps you have volunteers coming to assist with your organization’s project who need a place to congregate at the beginning and end of their assignment. Mdawida Homestay provides not only lodging facilities but can also provide sightseeing tours to make your volunteers trip complete, with visits to such places as the Masaai Market, Kazuri Beads, the Karen Blixen Museum, Nairobi National Park (located in the city of Nairobi) and safari tours too. To see more about the services available at Mdawida Homestay visit their website at www.easysite.com/mdawidahomestay and for bookings contact Ronnie at rmdawida@gmail.com.

Rest assured you’ll be well cared for, like a member of the family.
Just another example of the KENCAN Connection at work.

KENCAN Connection

Welcome to the KENCAN Connection. The name stands for the Kenya Canada Connection. We decided to create this blog as a means of networking, sharing information and making a connection with others working for improving life in Kenya.

Two years ago we created The Ronnie Fund, a humanitarian organization working to provide quality village life in Kenya. Our work is primarily in Wongonyi Village, located high in the Taita Taveta Hills in southeastern Kenya. Over the past two years we have experienced an interesting journey helping our friend Ronnie, a young man in Kenya, achieve his dream of empowering the people of his village and the youth of Kenya to a better way of life. During this time we have met many wonderful people who are also working in Kenya on similar projects or connected to Kenya. From people in the Kenya High Commission and the Kenyan Community in Ontario to regular folks just like us who have met someone who has inspired them to share the blessings they have been given to provide equality of life for others who are without. And so we hope that this blog will become an open forum for sharing. We sometimes feel it is hard being so far away from Kenya most of the time but that through the KENCAN Connection, we can help each other to make a difference, whether it is through fundraising, information exchange, perhaps combining resources to send over a container of supplies or provide a center in Nairobi for visitors to congregate and network (www.easysite.com/mdawidahomestay).

An example of the connection is our recent meeting with Kyla & Greg McMullen-Dent, also of Muskoka who are working to build a school in Kenya. Kyla told us of her project with a women’s group who are making cloth sanitary napkins for girls and women. Ronnie told us that was a problem in Wongonyi, so Kyla shared with us her pattern and told us of Charles, her Kenyan contact for the project. A week later, Charles met with Ronnie in Nairobi to discuss the implementation of a similar project in Wongonyi, at the same time Ronnie was able to enlighten Charles on how he could reduce his cell phone charges by 98%. Had we and Kyla not connected, Ronnie and Charles would not have met. Now they are helping each other in Kenya, as we and Kyla are helping each other in Canada – that’s the beauty of the KENCAN Connection.

Our story - The Ronnie Fund is working with Wongonyi Village. To date we have initiated several projects, the purchase and creation of Biosand Water Filters for homes in the village, purchase of irrigation pumps for farming groups and a brickmaker, funding of a new two seater western-style toilet for Wongonyi Primary School as well as provision of farming, carpentry and masonry tools thanks to our many donors and sponsors. This past summer our family traveled to Wongonyi Village to meet the people and find out the current needs of those in the village. Now we are raising funds to provide equipment for Mwambirwa Health Centre (District Hospital) and educational supplies and structural repairs for Wongonyi Primary School. We are already planning our next trip to see our new family and friends in Wongonyi. To learn more about our work in Wongonyi Village and our inspiration, Ronnie Mdawida – a young man making a difference in Kenya, we encourage you to check out our website at www.easysite.com/theronniefund.

We invite you to join our blog and tell us the story of your work in Kenya, the source of your passion and how we might help each other. We feel this is a wonderful journey and we have just started out towards our destination. We hope you’ll join us for the trip.

Kathy, Peter, Martha and Jeremy Wood

“If we are lucky enough to be living a good life, we should recognize this gift and thank God for it by looking out for others who need our help in breaking out of the cycle of poverty.”
Dalai Lama