Trudging Through Swamp and 'Siasa' (Politics)

Trekking through the swamp, back to Bubamba School to begin work. Thankfully, the water has reduced greatly.  The Yala River had swollen in January, at the time of our first trip out there, causing waters to reach up to waist-deep. This time, only up to knee-deep.

At the beginning of the month, I joined all 123 Peace Corps Kenya volunteers when we were required to consolidate in a central location, such that in the event of any widespread violence resulting from the elections held on March 4th, we would be able to quickly evacuate the country by any number of means.

Although the voting and tallying process was fraught with a number of failures and inconsistencies, and results therefore were delayed until five days after the election, there was thankfully only isolated reports of violence, all of which quickly contained by the security forces. So instead of an abrupt end of our time in Kenya, which would have marked my second evacuation in as many countries, what we were left with instead was a week and a half vacation with close friends in a rather fantastic resort in rural Kenya. Comfortable accommodations, buffet meals, Peace Corps Olympics, sports, and general shenanigans... yes please!

Working Through Political Interference

When I first heard about my site, I figured that I would have a predetermined workload. Unlike in Mali, I was assigned to a host organization, which has had over ten years experience in implementing a variety of projects within the community. I thought this meant I'd basically be an employee again. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The disorganization within my host organization at the moment, along with the abrupt resignation of my supervisor to pursue politics once I arrived, and the departures of my initial counterpart, whom I saw only once a month anyways, and Austin, the young man who assisted me over my first two months, has meant me being again on my own, the same way I was in Mali.

We hired Edwin, my current counterpart within my host organization, on a voluntary basis at the end of November. I really enjoy working with this guy. He is very motivated to help his community, specifically marginalized villages within the Yala Swamp near where he lives. But Edwin lives across the river from me, voluntarily teaches at a local institute each afternoon, and must often scrape together odd jobs to earn money to support himself. With all of these constraints, we are only able to truly work together a couple times a week.

In many ways, I like working this way. The situation has given me a lot of freedom to determine for myself where my time can best be utilized. I am still working hard with my host organization to build it's capacity and succeed with it's current contract on Land Rights outreach. But otherwise, I have been largely able to choose whom to work with, and what needs to focus on.

Mumbaya Youth Group members during a weekly meeting this past Sunday.