Day 2 – Care Kit Distribution

After hearing of our efforts in Nakuru, Maxine at Lloyd’s Hair Design generously donated 70 care kits to be distributed to a class at Bondeni.

While the construction team was busy with the roof and we were waiting for the paint to dry in our 1st classroom, we decided to spend the afternoon doing distribution activities and interacting with the children.

As we had 70 care kits, the deputy headmaster allowed us to visit and distribute to one of the Grade 6 classes.

As well as the care kits, we also took the students photograph’s of last year’s trip! The boards were to be displayed near the headmaster’s office for all to see.

The shy smiles on the children’s faces were amazing.  Just providing them with basic necessities (soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, a washcloth etc) made such a difference…. take a look…..

A big THANK-YOU again to Maxine and all the Grade 8 students that pulled these care kits together! ❤

Project Day 2

Project Day 2 was an early wake-up.  The construction team (who we had hired to assist with roof renovation and the plumbing for the latrine) was due to arrive at the school at 8am so I headed to the hardware store at 7 to purchase and have the product delivered.

As we had noticed the day before, hardware stores in Kenya work on a completely different system.  You are actually unable to to wander around the store looking for exactly what you need. The shelves and shelves of product are stored behind the hardware clerks (and in a warehouse behind that).

In order to purchase what you require, you need to have a list at the ready! You ask the employee at the counter which supplies you need and they check for their availability.

** Mark (on the left there) became an invaluable resource – he called us every afternoon to get the order for the next day and even got to the hardware store early to help check us out!

After confirming which supplies are in stock, you then place your order, receive an invoice and then proceed to the cashier to pay for you items.  The invoice is then passed along to runners who fill the order and bring it out to you.

Day 2’s purchases included more supplies relating to our painting efforts; Undercoat, Paint Rollers and Trays, 6 inch brushes, buckets, a mop, gloves, masks, sponges, Broomsticks (for the rollers) and turpentine.

We also picked up all required materials for our construction team (who were incidentally at the site early ready to get to work!)

The evening before, the foreman had provided us with his team’s list and we delivered the following:

• 20 Dumu 30g 3m iron sheets
• 80 Dumu 30g 2.5m iron sheets
• Roofing Ridges
• 10 KG of Roofing Nails
• 4kg of 3″ Nails and
• 4kg of 4″ Nails.

After delivery of the supplies, we headed to pick up the rest of the team for breakfast and then headed back to Bondeni to start work.

The parents who had agreed to help us that week were waiting for their work assignments when we arrived.  We got them to help us start painting the classroom we had cleaned and prepped the day before and the construction team got started on the roof…

Project Day 1 – Photos

Project Day 1 – Expect the unexpected

I am quite a few days behind on the blog – sorry! This actually happened for a couple of reasons, either I managed to find a WiFi connection and it was extremely slow OR we were absolutely  exhausted after a full day`s work.  Even right now all photos are not uploading so here are the day one updates sans photos…

Project Day One was full of highs and lows.  The night before the start of the project had me on edge.  I couldn’t sleep at all.  This was the first ever Inspire Together project with a budget, timeline and specific accountability and, as usual, I couldn’t help but go over every single detail in my head.  That night we had planned the day`s activities down to the T BUT, as the day progressed, it seemed that I had not taken three things into consideration 1) expecting the unexpected (mitigation plans are overrated btw :p ) 2) Regardless of the ability to pre-plan, understanding that This was Kenya and 3) The rule – assume nothing.

The day started right on track, we were actually at the Barclays ATM ahead of schedule and the day seemed to be flying along (as best it could that early in the morning)…. first, withdraw funds for the day, second, pick up the rest of the team for breakfast and, third, visit the MEO office to obtain the final in-person approval required to visit and start work at Bondeni Primary School.  A simple enough couple of hours it seemed EXCEPT, at stop number one (approximately 7am), my ATM card was swiped by the ATM machine at the WELCOME screen.  😦 Needless to say I was immediately stressed…. how would we get the card back?, how would we access the funds required for the project?, I had used these ATMs before on multiple occasions, why was this happening?.  During my mini-meltdown, the calm and collected security guard asked me to come back at 9am and the branch would sort everything out (was he just saying that as he knew how to retrieve my card and just wanted me to leave so he could do so? The questions continued….)

Regardless of how fast my mind was racing, we had no option but to follow his direction so we continued on with the day`s plan. We picked up the team for breakfast, visited the MEO`s office (who actually needed our contractor`s business registration paperwork so we would need to return after obtaining it), picked up cleaning supplies to get started on the day`s activities and hit the supermarket to pick up bottles of water.

The smile returned to my face at 9:10am when the ATM issue was resolved.

As an aside, if you ever lose your card at an ATM in Kenya, be sure to follow these instructions
1) Line up at the in-branch ATM card line
2) Explain your predicament to the teller (who will likely laugh at you)
3) Wait while he or she proceeds to pull a handful of ATM cards from their pocket
4) Let them know `what colour your card is`and
5) Be on your way ;p

From there we headed straight to Bondeni to check in with the headmaster. We had already conversed a number of times with him with regards to our workplan, who would be completing the construction work and how many days we would be onsite so this was just our official start to the project.
At that time though, we encountered another hiccup, our contractor seemed to be giving us the run around with regards to providing his official business papers – we were in a holding pattern until he could either provide us with them OR we could find another contractor (mental note to myself here to refer to lessons 2) regardless of how much you pre-plan, This is Kenya and 3) assume nothing).

Without the appropriate paperwork we were unable to start construction work so while we waited for the correct papers we decided to head to the back of the school, talk to the teachers and pupils and get started on the work that didn’t require municipality approval.

The children were fascinated with Eli, they wanted to constantly touch him and some of them recognized Lucy and I from our visit last year.  It was just what we needed, to see the faces and hear the voices of the children who would benefit from our work there.
After the initial introductions, we got straight to work.  Much to our surprise, the children immediately jumped in to help us move the desks and take down posters in the classroom, it was like a small assembly line as one desk after another was moved into another, unused classroom.  We thanked our helpers and got straight to work…

After a couple of hours of cleaning we headed to Lucy`s nephews house (there in Bondeni) for lunch…. ugali, scumawiki and beef and lots and lots of fruits..

In that time we also managed to confirm another contractor who came to the site with all paperwork in order and even took them to the municipality engineer who was on stand-by to give us the required paperwork to start construction work.

Construction officially started at 4pm as we were starting the cleaning of our second classroom.  The construction team assured us that the asbestos laden iron sheets would all be removed that night and that they would be ready for their first full days work at 7:30am the next day – as it happens, they were right.

They finished their work at 8pm and just like that…. the project was back on track!

Day 1 + Day 2 Photos

Day one and two photos courtesy of the slowest connection in Africa…. Lake Nakuru  National Park, Sunbird Lodge, visiting Mercy and Oliver and the initial survey of Bondeni site.

Day Two… Free Day

Unfortunately I haven’t been able to upload photos as yet. The whole town was without electricity today from around 9am to 5PM.

While it was on, I managed to connect to wifi and start uploading photos but, about 7 photos in, the electricity went out again. We decided to head home (cautiously) after that! I will absolutely get back to the uploads at the end of the day – sorry for the delay (and in case you are wondering, I’m currently blogging using my phone + Safaricom SIM card).

So, our update…. Day 2 – our free day was fun! We did have to get a couple of errands completed but overall we had a good, relaxing day.

After breakfast we headed to Lake Nakuru National Park to catch a glimpse of the baboons and flamingos. I know this sounds strange but we headed over with no actual intention of going in.. Funny I know but based on their fee structure*, the team made a decision that they would rather spend next weekend visiting the Masai Mara as planned and, as we are all on a strict budget, the 4500 KSH (around $55 per person) was outside of our daily budget.

Irrespective of not going in though, we definitely got our animal fix! On the way over to the park entrance, we knew that we would see some animals…. the normal Kenyan street animals; Cows, Goats, Chicken, Ducks, Dogs, Donkeys and at the start of the park, lots and lots of baboons!

It’s not uncommon for the baboon to come up to the car while you are driving through. The photo opps are great and even though it’s slightly intimidating the baboons rarely try to jump in I was told.

Hahaha.. so much for that! As Peter pulled the car over (and jumped out to start taking photos of the lake and distant flamingos, gazelle and water ox.)… a baboon, sneakily jumped in (ok I say sneakily but the door was open) and grabbed snacks from the floor. The event took around 30 seconds, but I swear to you, even as a sprinter in my younger days, you will have never seen me move soo fast!! I also was soo taken aback, I forgot about the rest of the team in the back of the van who were in awe and actually locked in on one side by the child lock. :p. No harm done, the baby baboon wasn’t intending to harm (just steal food)… a very funny incident and something that I will likely NEVER forget. I think the team would say the same.

After the park, we headed to Sunbird Lodge, a pricing lodge that has some amazing views of the lake. We grabbed drinks and took in the sites. Like I mentioned before, sometimes its strange to actually sit and think where you are at times – unbridled beauty, but 15 minutes later, garbage piles and boys laying on the side of the road watching over their herd of cows.

Later that afternoon we headed to Oliver’s house for a visit. We took his wife and son some gifts and asked him to take us over to Mercy’s house (an epileptic girl who lives around the corner – and who we visit each time we are there).

Again, another fantastic experience. Mercy was soo happy to see the photos we took over to her (from all previous trips) of her, her mum and brother Teddy and her mum was EXTREMELY happy to receive the epillium chrono that my dad had sent for her. Photos to come!! Mercy’s mum struggles as a single mother to pay the 80 KSH daily medicine cost (which is actually soo much less than the western price), the 300 KSH weekly physical therapy costs and 2500 KSH monthly cost to pay and in-house carer to bathe, feed and watch over her daughter. Based on their monetary situation, they are without a carer right now. We promised to return next week as I have grown close to this family and have committed to helping out with some physical therapy and carer costs – I just have to figure out how I can pay for these directly and not hand over money. Updates to come here.

That night we ate Nyama Chomo – traditional Kenyan grilled meat (good but very tough) and planned the next day’s schedule with the team. Here is a rough outline of the plan (Thank-you Devin for your help with this and, as always, asking the right questions!):

6:45 am – Wake up.
7:30 – Sarah to leave accommodation to visit the Barclays ATM and withdraw the money needed for today’s purchases (without fee btw 🙂 )
8:00 Pickup remainder of team
8:15 Breakfast
9:00 Visit the MEO (Municipal Education Office)… although we have already received verbal confirmation that we can proceed tomorrow, we would like some official documentation (well a stamped letter) saying so.
10:30 Visit the Hardware store + supermarket to pickup all supplies needed for the day (as discussed with the contractor).
11:30 Arrive at Bondeni primary
where the contractors will have been since 7am (again with the appropriate documentation) and where we will setup our classroom preparation.
1:30pm Lunch
2:30 Back to Bondeni
6PM End of work day.

As I type this, its 5:40 am or so. I am VERY nervous about the project start and cannot sleep. I hope everything goes well! Think of us either while you sleep tonight or when you read this tomorrow. Thanks again for your support… and I promise to take more pictures on my phone so I can instantly update Facebook and twitter.

* To enter Lake Nakuru National Park.. Cars/ vans are charged 300 KSH (1CAD = 83KSH), Residents are charged 30KSH, and non-residents are charged 4500 KSH.

Day One… Sun, Rain, Exploration.

It was an early wake-up on our first day in Nakuru – it seems like we have a team of early risers 😐 :p … It’s good to get into the routine though (our work days will start at 8am and run through until around 3 or 4PM!).

We actually had quite a bit to do today, and with only two Kenya veterans in the team, it would be a day of exploration! The sun shone brightly as we drove through the town. We went from Nakuru town centre.. to the Bondeni slum.. to high up on hill in Milimani.

The team took photos as we wandered and, I’m sure that they would tell you, the contrasts were alarming….. garbage strewn all over streets in the municipally owned parts of Bondeni to the high barbed wire walls of Milimani… The panoramic view of the town overlooking Lake Nakuru to the street boys living in the bushes.

Before our appointment with next week’s construction foreman we had a couple of errands to run in town…. Elijah withdrew money from the local Barclays bank, while the rest of us used the Forex Foreign Exchange bureau. (83 KSH for 1 CAD sounded great especially since a higher rate than in Canada!) We then hit the supermarket to pick up snacks and headed to pick up our foreman.

Although a bit quiet, it was great to see how thankful and appreciative the foreman was to have been hired (with his team) for the week. After a quick run-through of the site, we discussed the first week’s activities. Although the municipal paperwork (related to roof repair and construction) is ready for us, we are still required to personally visit the town hall on Monday morning before we begin our efforts. Once that is complete (and keep your fingers crossed for us that that will be a quick process) we can have the construction team get started.

We are also going to pick up our hardware supplies for the day and meet with the headmaster and kids before fully starting work. We’re all excited! 🙂

It’s Sunday today – a free day for us. We have some friend visits (including a visit to Mercy the disabled girl we visit every time we are here) and a barbecue planned for this afternoon. Surprisingly I’m up early after our VERY late night out on the town last night but its looking like a bright sunshine-filled day again. 🙂 We’ll check-in with you later. 🙂

..to Kenya.

We’re in Nakuru, Kenya and made it here at about 1am yesterday. While half our team connected through Paris, the other half connected through London and we arrived in Nairobi within 45 minutes of each other.

Surprisingly, there were minimal lineups at customs so we filled out our visa forms, paid the $25 USD visa fee, had our fingerprints taken*, and headed to baggage claim.

For those of you who know about my last trip into NBO (and the baggage drama that ensued) you can imagine, I was a little nervous about baggage retrieval AND our ability to get through customs without being searched (and possibly taxed on the donated goods being brought into the country)… But all of our baggage arrived minutes after we got to the baggage carousel and, after a SMALL white lie at customs, we made it through the airport to find our friends waiting to greet us! Yay!

We filled the truck (that we had hired for the duration of the journey) with our luggage, and, again, split up. Half the team in the truck and half in the accompanying car. We were here, finally, and relieved to have only another 2 hour leg left of our journey!!

Again, hotel check-in was a breeze! Time for a shower and sleep!!

* A new identification technique implemented late last year.

On the road..

We are all at the airport! 🙂 While half of the team are currently somewhere above Quebec, the other half of us are waiting for our 8PM flight.

After days of packing, preparation, anxiety and excitement, our departure date is finally here! And yes… for those of you who were wondering …. We DID actually manage to fit in ALL of our supplies!! (Thank goodness for travelling with boys who half fill their luggage :p )

Here is a final list of all supplies we are carrying over:

• 75 care kits donated by Maxine at Lloyd’s Hair design for an ENTIRE class at Bondeni Primary School
• Lots and Lots of Feminine hygiene products for the girls in need at Bondeni
• Around 15 football (soccer) jerseys and footballs
• ABC/123/Colour workbooks
• Learning charts for the classroom walls
• Decor for the classrooms
• Two bags of skipping ropes
• Around 3 bags of coloured pencils, crayons and stationary
• Number and ABC puzzles
• Books and reading materials

and

• Two bags of erasers, sharpeners and rulers

Think of us tomorrow as we arrive in Nairobi and try to get this all through customs.

And as an aside:

I hope I have managed to express my appreciation to each and every one of you for your love, support and assistance throughout this journey. Although cliche, we really COULDN’T have even conceived this without you.

For those who came out to the event, bought t-shirts, supported out ideas, discussed the trip with us and supported us monetarily, we are extremely thankful.

And if I may… A list of special shout-outs…

• My mum and dad who helped me pack all weekend while I was feeling under the weather
• Ally for your constant good vibes, support and continual contributions to IT… We wish you were coming but know the future’s looking bright ❤
• KRey for your constant check-ins, for the Reynolds family support and for listening to all my worries :p ❤ Wish you were coming 😦 – remember 2010 cause I will be every day!
• To JMac + P who always make me smile
• To Kola and Steph for your generous contribution and love
• and to Phil for constantly sending messages of support and much needed advice… Can’t wait to connect while there

Much Love! ❤

Project Quote Details

The third and final construction quote came in this passed weekend and based on funds raised we have made a decision as to what work will be done at both Bondeni and Kaptembwo schools.

At Bondeni Primary School:

• We will fully renovate 2 classrooms and add a water tank/ plumbing to the latrines. (See construction quote below)
• Paint 5/6 additional classrooms.
• Provide a food supply of 90 KG bags of maize, beans and rice (each bag costs between 2500-7000 KES ($33-$90))
• Provide an  entire class with a Care Package for each student (around 75 students) containing a toothbrush, toothpaste, wash rag, shampoo, conditioner and soap
• Provide all grade 7/8 girls with a small pack of feminine hygiene products if needed.  A more sustainable, long-term solution will be researched while in Kenya.

At Kaptembwo Primary School:

• Complete minor window, door repairs in 3 classrooms.
• Provide a food supply of 90 KG bags of maize, beans and rice (each bag costs between 2500-7000 KES ($33-$90))
• Provide all grade 7/8 girls with a pack of feminine hygiene products if needed. Again, a more sustainable, long-term solution will be researched.

The Bondeni Construction quote:

We had initially intended on renovating three classrooms at Bondeni but based on the price of supplies, we  have chosen to concentrate on two classrooms and install a water tank and plumbing system for the school latrines/ toilets.  The quote below is a price estimation – on the May 21st to May 22nd weekend, we will be purchasing all supplies ourselves and will attempt to negotiate a discount for everything listed below.

	Quantity	Price (KSH)	Total	Total in CDN $
Iron Sheets				$1=80 KES
30 Gauge
3 metres	99.00	780.00	77,220.00	$930.36
2 metres	44.00	670.00	29,480.00	$355.18
1 metre	20.00	540.00	10,800.00	$130.12
Fisherboard
1ft (8*1)	300.00	80.00	24,000.00	$289.16
Roofing Nails
General	50.00	150.00	7,500.00	$90.36
5″	5.00	120.00	600.00	$7.23
4″	4.00	120.00	480.00	$5.78
3″	3.00	120.00	360.00	$4.34
Timber
4*2	10.00	250.00	2,500.00	$30.12
Paint
4*4 Undercoat	4.00	850.00	3,400.00	$40.96
2*4 Soft White	2.00	850.00	1,700.00	$20.48
3*4 Sky Blue	3.00	850.00	2,550.00	$30.72
1*4 Window	1.00	850.00	850.00	$10.24
1*4 Door Paint	1.00	850.00	850.00	$10.24
Glass Panes	20.00	200.00	4,000.00	$48.19
Rubber Washers	25.00	150.00	3,750.00	$45.18
Ridges	30.00	200.00	6,000.00	$72.29
Sunpaper	4.00	100.00	400.00	$4.82
Tarpentine	5.00	120.00	600.00	$7.23
Putty	25.00	60.00	1,500.00	$18.07
Cement (Rhino)	4.00	700.00	2,800.00	$33.73
Filler	2.00	180.00	360.00	$4.34
Brushes	10.00	350.00	3,500.00	$42.17
Door Knob	3.00	70.00	210.00	$2.53
Latrine Plumbing
Water Tank			8,000.00	$96.39
Plumbing			30,000.00	$361.45
Labour	In days
Foreman	6.00	1,200.00	7,200.00	$86.75
3 contractors	6.00	1,000.00	18,000.00	$216.87
				$2,995.30

Remember to regularly check in with us for project updates. T-minus 13 days until departure. Thank-you as always for your support.

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