I've been pretty bad about keeping this thing updated; the internet in Nairobi is surprising not that good. At least not where I was. It's a lot better here in Migori, surprisingly.
Anyhow, the last couple of weeks were spent in Nairobi at IST. Good times were had, saw a lot of other PCVs (and didn't see some faces I had hoped to), and learned a lot about how to improve our schools and communities. Tomorrow starts the second term. Plenty of challenges, but I have some good (or bad, time will tell) ideas about how to overcome them.
I don't have a lot to say right now, so in the meantime, here's a video from my concert type thing at the AIDS orphanage.
Early in April I went down to the Dala Kiye AIDS Orphanage, run by the St. Camillas Mission. They care for about sixty kids, all have been orphaned by HIV, and most (if not all) are positive for the illness. Despite that, they all are wonderful kids, and they all have great smiles and really great attitudes. They're pretty good dancers too.
That aside, HIV is a huge issue here. In Nyanza, the rates are about 20%. Out on the lake shore (where I am) rates can get as high as 30-40%. In my site alone, there are at least four orphanages catering to HIV cases. The solution lies in education, getting people to use safe practices and get tested. It's a rough battle, actually; there's a lot of misinformation and ingrained cultural inertia to overcome. Hopefully we'll see a little improvement in things while I'm here.
But, even when facing something terrible like HIV, there're still opportunities to smile.
