Ok... Let's Take it from the Top

Hey All!

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. 

Running and Jumping and Throwing! Welcome to Games!

Welcome to the Kurungu Zonal Games!  There are about 8 schools here, playing handball, netball, doing track and field and playing soccer!  Right now you can see a soccer match underway.  Unfortunately, my school doesn't have the field space or numbers to field a competitive soccer team, so we don't. 

200 m Dash!  The runners are rounding the track!  For those of you track nerds, the times are coming in about 24-26 seconds.  Not too shabby considering the surface and quality of track shoes.  (There are none!)  Incidentally, this is not a very pleasant surface to go bear foot on.  Just sayin'.

Ah, but this is Kenya, so there must also be distance events!  Here's the pack for the 1600 m run.  Notice again the lack of shoes.  (Not pictured, there were a lot of injuries today.  Partly the track, partly poor equipment. Please if you try this at home, be sensible and run on soft, non-prickly ground.)

Boys Handball!  Here are the Gunga players (in blue) about to score on BL Tezza! (In Yellow)  Handball is played by tossing the ball between players or dribbling, a little like basketball, except that instead of a net on a pole there's a hockey-size net at either end.  Keepers included.  It's a fast, fun game to watch. 

Not the games!  But this is my Jiko oven.  I take two pots and stack them on top of each other.  It actually works surprisingly well.  A brick and a metal plate create space and a cooking surface.  Incidentally, if you can't read it, my multimeter-thermocouple down at the bottom reads 387 degrees!

This is girls netball!  Seen here is the goal scorer (official position) going for a shot.  Now, in netball dribbling is not allowed, so the ball is passed along from player to player.  Otherwise it's more or less like basketball.  There are some minor differences and positional things that I don't follow, but for the most part the same idea.

Our center going to receive a pass.

4x100 m relay!  Notice the rather stick shaped baton.

Me and the teams!  Bunch of great kids.  It was so wonderful to see them running about outside of the school environment.  Laughing, playing, singing.  Simply wonderful.

Victory!  The Handball team celebrates a hard fought win!  Mr. Fred (their coach) is quite happy.  (Incidentally, he's a Chelsea fan.  Also, he picked the team's uniform.  Coincidence?)  The boys ended the day 2-1 and advanced to the semi-finals!  Unfortunately, the girls dropped two of their three and won't be going on.  But, one of the girls will progress in discus!  (We'll have to work on her technique a bit, though.)

That's all for now!  Go Blue!  Beat Duke!