Up Dates:
Tuesday 10 July 2001
Over the past few days I have been taking photographs of as many people as possible who have sponsored my Street Kids of Africa project. The idea is that when I get to Kenya and after I have helped build the school the children will make a collage for the class room wall. They can then identify with the people who have bought the furniture for their school. Pretty cool!! The final total for the money is £1250. A big thank you to everyone.
For the past few days I have been looking at all the football shirts and wondering how on earth I am going to get them into my Tesco plastic bag that also has to take my tooth brush to say nothing of my home comforts. If I get time I will list what I am taking or better still put a photograph of all the gear on the web site.
Desperately trying to beg or borrow large kit bags to take the football shirts. I must have something like 200 shirts to pack. I have so many even the pilot will have to sit on a bag!!!
Thursday 12 July 2001
All packed and waiting.......See you after I have .... built the school, climbed Mount Kenya, shook hands with the monkey and swam in the Indian Ocean.
FRIDAY 20th July, 2001
It is 3:45 local time and we are having the most almighty thunderstorm. I am lying on my bed listening to the rain bouncing on the roof and the thunder clattering as the lightening cracks the sky.
The other noise is the wasp. I should mention there is a wasp’s nest just above my bunk!! At the moment we are all living quite happily together. Let’s hope our friendly relationship lasts!!!
The flight to Dubai was pleasant as everyone got to know each other, moving from seat to seat. As we waited for our connection flight to Nairobi there was confusion because Dubai is 3 hour a head but Kenya is only 2 hours. After leaving home at 1.00 pm 13th I arrived at Nairobi at about 4.00 pm local time Saturday 14th.
Luggage collected, but not all, (some was somewhere between Heathrow and Nairobi), we climbed onto trucks, people hanging on the side on the back, you sat or stood wherever, this is Africa.
We travelled through Nairobi, large commercial buildings most very modern then we hit Kibera. You feel the poverty and depravation penetrating your bones as a cold change came over me. Small children and grown men alike stop to stare at us. The roads are busy not so much with cars but people all crisscrossing between cars , buses and the odd bike. The side of the roads is packed with people, most standing around talking and hawkers selling maize or coal. Every considerable business is available in the shantytown of Kibera a cross to the left and it looks like one massive tin roof the size of wem town. One million people live here in a maze of narrow walkways.
I arrive at the camp to meet the street children. It is a shock to the system, 20 people to a dorm and no space. This is to be my home for the next ten days. The children prepare my first meal. I want to eat it but my stomach would not take it- “Ugali,” a solid block of white maize served with a meat stew. Why I am here? What I am doing this for? Asking my self repeatedly as my stomach turned and I had to quickly move to the hedge.
I have been looking forward to this for so long I must not be rude to my new friends they have worked so hard to prepare my meal.
I eat a little and hope I can get to used to this new food and African life.
After all it is I who is here to help them.
All the facilities are less than basic and for the first 24 hours have to work hard being positive. The reaction of the children, their enthusiasm to learn is infectious and things settle down into a routine.
I am working with a group of ten boys and two Kenyan Leaders. My group is called Embu, the district where they live.
They have all been abandoned and later encouraged to leave the streets for St. Stephen’s Mission School where they now leave and go to school.
Christopher is just one who has lived on the streets sniffing glue and “doing other drugs”. He steals at night to feed his habit.
Leaving the streets he finds it difficult to come off drugs.
Cold showers, no space and toilets that...well just a long drop.Not very nice and they still make me wrench, home comforts not yet.
The school is going up at a tremendous rate.
Your money will have paid for almost everything. I will detail the items next week. Everyone is so grateful and send their thanks.
This morning I went to the work shop to see them making the table and chairs. A small hut and the work shop is basically the pavement.
The work for the school has provided extra work for local community and much needed revenue. They all thanked me and I pass on their thanks to you.
It is still raining, it is going to be a wet night, but that is the least of these people's worries. Life goes on and working with the street kids is so rewarding.
Sat 21 July 2001
Guess what, it is raining so hard I think we might float away! This morning it was a beautiful sunny day.
The big event today was presenting the football shirts. All the children were so excited I have never seen so many laughing smiling faces, it was absolutely brilliant. Thanks to every team, school, individual who contributed. We had enough to give every child a shirt. Thanks you made 220 children so happy.
A mesage to Sarah. "Your Frank Lampard shirt has gone to a lovely girl and I have the photograph for you".
I have plenty of photos and video with a couple of interviews with street kids explaining what it is like to live on the street.
Later today I hope to go into Nairobi to buy a couple of sewing machines.
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