Greetings from Ukwala, Kenya. My three daughters and I are now concluding our projects with Matibabu Kenya. While looking forward to a hot shower and a familiar language, we already miss the easy laughter and unselfish kindness of our new friends.
My last days in Ukwala were spent with Dan Ogola, Director of Matibabu Kenya. Starting with a visit to the small village school he attended, he walked me along the footpaths of his community. We saw the girls’ school, the orphanage, the youth center, and the greenhouses, and ended at the site of the future Matibabu Hospital. His commitment to making Matibabu relevant, effective and sustainable was inspirational. After our walk we decided to survey all the current health care delivery systems in the area, and assess where Matibabu could best expand its collaboration with the Kenyan Ministry of Health. As a pediatrician I was struck by the fact that there are essentially no individual well-child exams, ever. A child born at home, as most are, can reach adulthood without ever having been examined by a nurse or physician. Through Matibabu’s work, this can change.
My greatest, and unexpected, reward during these weeks was watching how enthusiastically my daughters adapted to a new culture and austere living, and how creative and resourceful they were in contributing to Matibabu’s work. Each started a project with Matibabu which will continue upon their return home. Jenna and Lauren put together a plan for a children’s center designed to attract young families. They are putting together the content and marketing material for a year of educational events. One of these events will be modeled after Kaiser Permanente’s own educational Teddy Bear Clinics. They also translated information on sanitation and hygiene from English into the local language of Luo. They then distributed soap and educational material and performed demonstrations to both small and large gatherings in the community. Anjali worked at the Young Center, continuing the work of a previous volunteer who inspired a group of teens to write and perform a peer-to-peer play dealing with alcohol and substance abuse. She also took the initiative to design a handbag using the beautiful batik fabrics of East Africa. The three girls then kept the majority of seamstresses in Ukwala and at Matibabu’s vocational training program “Stitches for Change” busy sewing these bags. Anjali plans to sell the bags at college and to send the profits to Matibabu. My daughters, and the Kenyan youth they worked with, reminded me not to underestimate the ability of young people. Rather, my task now is to help find new challenges for them!
Very interesting article…….i think this a great experience for your children to have, and to participate in. I believe this is a W.O.W. experience for all – GREAT JOB, to Mom & children. Is there a way that these bags made can be purchased by some people, I am interested.
What a beautiful journey for you and your girls. I can only imagine the insight and growth you and your girls must have gained durring your time spent in Kenya. I agree with the Prettiman “Great Job, to mom and children. Let me know if I can purchase the bags.
It would be great if we could buy the bags, also. If you would please give my email information to your daughter I would really like to purchase some of them. Thank you!!!!!