Back again, Kenya believe it?

I've been absent from the blogger world for a while.  First, because my laptop was stolen and I didn't have the ability; then I was in the US and had no need since I was seeing all of my beautiful friends and family in person. But I’m back to traveling which means the entries are coming.

On the Horizon for Sanivation

So let me catch you up on what’s going on in the Sanivation world these days. Emily and I came back to US for a couple of months while projects were getting worked out.  Emily arrived in Kenya a month or 2 ago, and just got in a day ago. Sanitation has a couple of projects in the works. First, we are working in Kakuma refugee camp with support from the CDC’s i-Fund award.  Kaukuma is the second largest refugee camp in the country. It is going to be an unbelievable experience working in such an extreme and diverse environment.  Also, as part of this project we will be continuing some testing at our site in Naivasha. Emily found us a new place too (pictures to come), and we have a bathroom AND kitchen INSIDE the place! Basically it’s the ritz.

In addition to this project, we are also working on a proposal for USAID funding to work with the CDC in Kibera slum in Nairobi.  This would give us yet another environment to work with and play with new sanitation systems.  Kibera is famous for its flying toilets, which is just about what it sounds like: poop in a bag that is then thrown in the air, likely landing on a nearby roof.  It’s a sanitation nightmare.

Lastly, we are possibly partnering with Rice University to implement technology they developed that sanitizes and vacuum dries using solar energy and a nano-particle solution.  That’s about the extent of my understanding of the sciencey aspects.  The cool part is that it is very efficient and the drying mechanism lends itself nicely to transforming the waste into a burnable cooking fuel.  This would be amazing! So we are still waiting to hear back.

(If you would like to know more about the Sanitation projects you can read on the Sanivation blog)

Geneva

On my way to Kenya I had the amazing opportunity to accompany the team from an NGO called Peacebuilding Solutions to a UNHCR Annual NGO Consultation in Geneva. Basically, big shots working with the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and organizations that work with refugees all coming together for lectures and networking.  Crazy cool.  Peacebuilding Solutions is a group based in Atlanta that is planning on doing long-term, holistic internally displaced persons (IDPs) care in Haiti. Sanitation will be one part of their approach so hopefully Sanivation will be able to partner with them in that future project. 

On my way to Geneva, the airline searched and broke my bag, which meant I lost all my toiletries. I’m not used to my things getting lost/stolen BEFORE I get to Kenya, but the adventure began early. I had two huge bags plus my pack and needed to get from Zurich to Geneva. After the world’s most expensive taxi ride, I got a train to Geneva.  Then with the help of a stranger carrying one of my bags, I eventually made it to the hotel, to meet Greg and the team.  We had the smallest hotel room I’ve ever seen and sharing it between 3 people.  But we saved money and it ended up working out fine, sleeping 3 people to 2 beds, all laying horizontally and trying to keep from falling into the crack between the beds.

The conference was really interesting.  It was amazing to even be there with that caliber of people and expertise. I would step back every once in a while, though, and say this is it, this is how it all gets done? Most of the lectures and even organizations were not related to what I do at all.  It was all high level policy discussion. But it is fun for an IR nerd like me to get to think about some of these problems that I never have to think about.  How can you best take care of LGBT victims of sexual abuse? How does the whole process of resettlement actually work?  And all sorts of others. I also met plenty of people that work with refugees in Kenya and the region and got to hear about their experiences and programs.  I was by far one of the youngest and most inexperienced attendees, so the first day was quite intimidating, but I started to feel like I got the hang of it by days 2 and 3.

 The first night the conference held a little cocktail hour for everyone at UNHCR.  Among the mingling, a short man came up and shook my hand and those of the rest of the Peacebuilding Teams’. I assumed Greg knew him and thought nothing of it really and after a minute continued talking with another woman.  Later that night I learned that the man was the High Commissioner, António Guterres. Oops…But maybe it is better this way. Had I known it was him, there is a higher probability I would have said something stupid.  We got to hear him speak at the closing of the conference and he is a brilliant guy. He took questions for about an hour about specific problems and regions, and knew what was going on in all of them without consulting anyone else.

After the conference I had just a little time to actually see the city. It’s one of those interesting blends of old and new and so many different cultures.  The old town was my favorite part; cobblestone and old cathedrals including St. Pierre known for Jean Calvin preaching during the Reformation.  I wish I had had some more time to explore, but at the same time I’m ready to get back to Kenya. I’m really ready to be back, see Emily and get to work.

Landing in Cairo (for a connection) was one of the coolest sights I’ve ever seen from a plane: You fly over the Mediterranean and then you come over this huge mass of land and see the Nile flowing into the sea.  The whole delta was incredible and then you move into the desert tinted red by the sunset and then huge masses of tan and red buildings appear. It was so congested, but really the same colors as the desert it almost blended. Then, I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but I saw the pyramids from the plane! It was insane.  

Hit the Ground Running

So in “first day Kenya” tradition, I got in at 3:45am slept a few hours in Nairobi and then had a full day of fun and night of partying ahead of me.  Emily and I picked up some materials for building a new solar concentrator while in Nairobi at this crazy market where you can buy anything you’ve ever imagined.  It was a perfect picture of doing business in Kenya; 4 people came up to us immediately asked what we were looking for, we struggled for a minute to explain, then one of the guys leads us through a maze of shops to his friend’s store where they have these reflective sheets.  All the while, people are looking at us, taking our picture on their phones and so on.  Then we bargain, buy and try to fit everything in the car.  It’s really cool actually how people will go out of their way to help you find what you need. 

After that we went to a Kenya Women’s rugby match against Uganda. Emily has been training with them for a while now, and once she gets her residence paperwork through, she will get to play in matches.  The team was really fun.  Rugby is rugby everywhere, it was interesting to see that culture in a main culture so different than America.  Then we had a ridiculous taxi drive home to Naivasha; waiting for our bags, the driver coming back not with our bags but with his wife and two kids to somehow fit in our packed car, waiting at a gas station while he fixed the engine and asked us for a $40 advance so he could pay the services, topped off with asking if we could put him up for the night so he wouldn't have to drive back in the dark.  Just a normal taxi ride. 

Finally in Naivasha, we were going to drop our stuff off and meet a bunch of people for a friend’s birthday party, only the motorcycle had a flat. So we waited and had them pick us up.  I almost didn't go because I was beyond exhausted at this point (11 or so) but I’m so glad I did.  There were so many great people at the bar including a guy we play touch rugby with, a friend I met in the middle-of-nowhere-Kenya 3 months ago, and some Americans Emily met last week.  The birthday party came back to our cabin and continued festivities but I headed in early.  It was quite the welcome back and a really good picture of a day here.  You never know what is coming but it will take longer than you think, will involve some problems and irritations, but will be worth it. 

Tomorrow we are headed to the airport at 5:30am to go to Kakuma for 2 weeks.  I’m so excited to finally get to be there and experience it.  I really don’t know what to expect, but I can’t wait.