Kolowa, Naudo and Riongo: Days 4 and 5

 Hi Everyone,

God works in mysterious ways. Yesterday, we had a set purpose in mind. Our purpose was to check out the Kolowa area for water projects. When we started executing our plan for the day, God directed us in a different direction for a short while. We met a Senior Chief Stephen Pkemoi Domirita, Senior Chief for the Kolowa area. The Senior Chief is one of the most squared away Pokots that we have met. He has several years of medical training along with a degree in social services. He is an example par excellence of what a Pokot Chief should do. He lives with his people whereas many of the chiefs live in an urban city. In Kenya you do not have to live in the area you represent so some live hundreds of miles away where life is comfortable. He took us to Jane’s house. Jane is a Pokot that I described in my first journal. Jane has been mentored by a British Lady, Maxine, who works at Microsoft in New York City. So after entering Jane’s house and being provided sodas, we started talking. Chris picked up right away that Senior Chief Stephen had a medical background. So she asked him if he knew how Peter, the polio survivor, could be looked at by a medical doctor to determine if anything could be done with Peter’s legs to improve his quality of life. Sure said Stephen. In fact the person who let us through the gate to Jane’s house had the same condition as Peter, that is a turned in ankle on his right leg. Stephen said he would call around and find a way for Peter to be looked at. But that Peter’s Chief had to be the one to formally do the initiative but he would talk to the Silale Chief and insure that it gets done. Stephen also told us that there was a Kenyan social program that paid disabled people 2000 Kenyan Shillings($20) a month. We asked if he could get Peter into the same program. His answer was that Peter’s Chief had to do that. But that he would call Peter’s Chief and ask him to enroll Peter into the program. Although $20 doesn’t sound like much, it would be a tremendous improvement in the lives of Peter and his family.

So after learning the good news about possibilities for Peter, we went to a “Pan”. A pan is nothing more than a bulldozed hole in the ground. Groundwater and rainwater fill them up. The problem is that the pans during droughts dry up(90%) did until the recent rains and animals and all kinds of bad things can enter the water. The pan was never intended for human consumption but there is no other source of water so they are forced to use it. What Jane wanted us to do was to figure out a way to get clean water. It appears that rainwater harvesting is the best option. The area is flat and they appears to be few streams or dry river beds. We looked at a number of buildings with existing metal roofs that would be excellent candidates for rainwater harvesting. Stephen took us to his house where we saw how he had installed gutters on his house plus how he is planting trees, a garden, etc. to be self-sufficient as possible in food security. We then went to a school where we toured a brand new building that would house 100 orphan girls. The building was dedicated on May 18. There are 48 bunk beds but they are in need of 100 mattresses so the building is not occupied just yet. We did the traditional signing of a visitors log in the principal’s office which we do almost every place we visit. And then we had a short conversation about his school

Our next stop was the World Vision Kolowa Office. We wanted to ask their assistance in setting up a meeting with the World Vision office in Marigat. We learned all about what World Vision is doing in Kolowa and it was a good discussion. We are attempting to get a partnership agreement between Hifadhi Africa and World Vision. On our way to the World Vision we passed through the village of Kolowa. By village I mean less than 35 buildings along a dirt road. When we stop for a second, up walks Miriam. Miriam is a teacher we met last year in the STEM education training in SE Kenya. Meeting someone you know in a village half way across Kenya is a weird experience. You should have seen the surprise on her face when she saw it was us. It was precious. So Chris and Miriam went off by themselves and had a meeting like they were long lost friends. 

Getting to Kolowa is a story in itself. You have to travel over a small mountain range that there is a road being constructed over. Where the road is complete, you can drive as fast as you want. Way more than 100 MPH if you wanted to. On the unfinished road you are lucky to get above 5 MPH. Our granddaughter, Ashley, nicknamed it the Indiana Jones ride like what is at Disneyland. Well it is even rougher than when she was here in 2015 because all of the rains have created more ruts, holes, etc. Soil is washed away in many places so you are driving on bare rock. It was amusing when we saw that Chris’s Fitbit had registered 35,000 steps yesterday. It gives you an idea of how bumpy it was.

The Natan River crossing was interesting yesterday. Normally, the stream is dry. However, yesterday it was 1-2 feet deep with lots of rocks. Our videographer crossed the river on foot to take a video of us crossing the stream in the vehicle. Should be interesting to see the video.

After viewing the Mt Silale caldera we conducted a 40 minute town meeting where Collins, Onemus, Chris and I talked. We were really thanked for the recent donations of maize and for the Adopt-a-Goat program. They asked for a camel. Camels are used like milk cows and they said they are done with cattle. All of their cattle died during the 7 year drought and I was told emphatically that only goats and camels can survive in this harsh land. They asked for a school since they are isolated on top of a mountain top. I unfortunately had to tell them that Rotary has a rule that you can’t spend Rotary money on building buildings. They said they understood. One of the things we do each year is bring the big bottles of tylenol and Advil that you can get at Costco. They have no medicines in their dispensaries. This people had just recently build a grass hut as a dispensary. Chris gave instructions on how to use the medicine After the town meeting we did our first goat sale. It was fun. The locals are told in advance to bring their goats which are always female and often pregnant. Four out of the 6 goats were pregnant. It was a two-for for some lucky new owners. The Pokot community has a very thorough vetting process for insuring the goats go to the most needy people. It is hard to describe but basically the community decides who amongst themselves who gets the goats. And if you violate the rules like selling a goat you are barred from any further donations of any kind. So the goats were brought to the road where I paid for the goats with monies donated for that purpose and then passed the goat to the new owner. Smiles were abundant. I had the folks told that when I was a kid my Dad had 50-100 sheep that I was the shepard for. Dad used them for grass control around the farm machinery he stored in the pasture. That really impressed them. So we now dashed off to our next town meeting. The road up/down Mt. Silale was very rough. The heavy rains have created a lot of havoc with the roads. So we had our second day of “The African Massage” where you feel like clothes tumbling inside of a washing machine as you drive down the road.

We traveled to our next site which was Naudo. Naudo is where we installed the rainwater harvesting system. We inspected some wind damage on the harvester and some leaking spots. The canopy is on warranty and I have been in touch with the Australian NGO that build the rainwater harvesting. They supposedly have a contract for something like $15 million dollars to build 55 rainwater harvesting systems in Baringo County. Our 1 rainwater harvester apparently inspired Baringo County officials to get more systems. Rainwater is pure and clean whereas the ground water is full of fluoride and causes severe health problems. The groundwater contains 7 times the WHO recommended limit of fluorine and comes out of the ground at 130 degrees F. You have to let it cool before you can drink it. The locals have convinced the national police to deputize an armed guard to protect the rainwater harvester and tank. He is carrying an Ak-47 and wears a khakis uniform. We replaced a cap on the gutter system that had compromised the water collection ability of the system and that had been vandalized by someone. I wanted to climb up the tank ladder but it had been removed to prevent children from drowning in the tank.

Our next stop was Riongo. We had gone there to conduct another town meeting. This town meetings are really interesting as Onemus and Collins are gifted speakers and when they talk they are highly animated with their hands, arms and their whole bodies. We don’t understand a word of Pokot but body language tells you that these people are really happy with all that we have done for them. There is lot clapping when you hear “Booob” and KKrris. In a written document you can’t describe the enunciation but it has a special sound to it. Of the places we have been so far you could tell that they were really pleased with the maize donations. They were lifesaving because now the floods washed away or damaged their food. We were again ask for camels because only camels can withstand the severe droughts. They asked for help with an existing school, medical testing equipment for their dispensary so that they could test blood for malaria, cholera and other water borne diseases. I briefed them on the past Global Grant and the plans for a future Global Grant. Again lots of applause and smiles. We gave them another large bottle of Costco pain killer with Chris giving the same strict lecture. We had a suitcase of clothes that we hauled for donations. Our Church, the Adventure of Faith, in Port Orchard was so kind to donate the clothes. People here, including the men, wear wrap around cloth, like the Romans did so they don’t want pants. So we brought mainly children shirts/tops because at some schools the children are wearing shirts just full of holes or no top at all. One of other functions we did was selling and buying goats. Here for some reason the people had not brought as many of their goats for sale. Our goal was to buy 15 goats as I had received the donation amount of $750 for 15 goats. I am told because there is so much green vegetation from all the recent rains that they don’t want to sell their goats. So we purchased 2 goats and passed them onto their new owners. Maybe today we will be doing goating because each day is full of surprises as Collin adjusts the schedule to whatever is possible.

At the beginning of our day we went to Marigat to pick up Collins and the videographer. Ma ana rigat is in the Tugen tribe area and Pokots have to be careful there. We purchased water, snacks, a PVC cap for the rainwater harvesting system and made a copy of a MOU page that we are going to get the Nginyang Chief to sign today for a future District Community Grant. While in Marigat we saw an older person in a wheelchair similar to that we got for Peter. We talked to him and he showed us some modifications he had had done to improve the tricycle wheelchair. He had had polio also.

So after a long, fruitful day we started bouncing our way back to the Soi Lodge on Lake Baringo. The Soi Lodge is in a beautiful setting on Lake Baringo and they treat us very well. When we arrived on the first day the manager, was outside my vehicle before I could get out and when I stepped down from the land cruiser, I was greeted with Masseur Bob, Welcome, Welcome back. Lake Baringo is a large lake about 30 miles long, has crocodiles, hippos, and lots of birds. I hope we can take time to take a 1 hour tour. Boat tours are one of the best ways to see wildlife in Africa.

Chris and I hope to sometime in the future lead a small group to East Pokot so they can see and live the experiences that we have for the last 5 years.

Well, that finishes my journal for days 4 and 5. Hope you are enjoying hearing about our adventures.

Sincerely,

Bob Cairns