Global Citizens Network (GCN) Project Site:
Odienya, KENYA
Check Trip Schedule for Trip dates
Past participants share their stories
Story #1 | Story #2
A Luo Village
The size of Texas, Kenya is a country of great diversity: plains, temperate forests, grassland and tropical forests. Known for its many wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves, it is home to lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, rhinos and elephants. The two rainy seasons are typically April to June (long rains) and October to November (short rains). Most of Kenya's 27-30 million people are farmers, earning about $370 US a year. Ninety-nine percent of the inhabitants are African, divided among 40 ethnic groups. English and Swahili are the official languages. While many people follow traditional belief systems, there are many Christians and a small number of Muslims.
Odienya village is located in southwestern Kenya, off of a paved road leading towards Lake Victoria. Near the tea-growing region of Kisii, the closest town is Rongo, about 8 km away; Homa Bay on Lake Victoria is around 20 km further west. The majority of the nearly 2,000 people of Odienya belong to the Luo tribe. U.S. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois’ father is a Luo from this area, and the local people proudly refer to Senator Obama as their “American President”.
The Luo are the third largest tribal group in Kenya after the Kikuyu and Luhya. The Luo derive from related tribes originating in the Sudan, and crossed into Kenya between 1500 and 1800. Today’s Luo grow many crops such as maize, millet and groundnuts, herd animals such as goats and cattle, and fish. Most Luo wear westernized clothing for everyday activities, but still maintain traditional dress and rituals for ceremony. Education is valued among the Luo, and many of Kenya’s scientists and doctors are members of the Luo tribe. Luo and Swahili is spoken daily, and many people speak English as well.
Construction of a Health Center
The people of Odienya village have invited GCN to assist them in the construction of a health center. The closest health facility is a private clinic in Opapo, with a second private clinic located about 12 km away in a town called Marindi. The closest public health facility is in Rongo, 6 km away down a very bumpy road. The health center will serve an area of 4 km with a population of about 10,000 people. The center will be located on the side of the road that goes through the village, and is adjacent to a vocational school for AIDS orphans. The site has already been donated by the local governing council, and the community has donated 1,000 red clay bricks to get the project started.
Odienya Team Leader Report, Team #1 8
Using a government-approved plan, the health center will be built in phases, to include the main treatment building, maternity ward, male and female wards, residences and other facilities. The main building has been halfway constructed. Once the main building is complete, the village can submit a request for a health official to be placed at the center, so that, care can begin while they continue the expansion phases. Villagers have formed a committee of eight, several of whom are women, to oversee the project. Most of the committee members speak English, and some are teachers are in local schools.
Travel Itinerary
Upon arrival in Kenya, team members will spend their first night in a Nairobi hotel before heading to Odienya. The scenic seven-hour drive follows the road out of Nairobi northeast towards Lake Victoria. The first half of the journey passes through the Great Rift Valley, then turns into a bumpy, dusty drive through Maasai land and towards the town of Narok, which marks the turnoff to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. After Narok, the road becomes paved and winds through a scenic hilly tea-growing region. The next two and a half weeks will be spent living and working with the people that call this magnificent landscape home. At the end of the trip, the team will return to Nairobi via the same route, spending one more night in the capital before flying home.
Accommodation and Meals
Participants will stay in one or two community homes located near the health center site. Meals will be prepared by a local cook with assistance from GCN team members. There may not be running water or electricity. Participants will likely use latrines and bathe using bucket baths.
Time to Explore
The GCN experience is time in the host community, which allows for plenty of time to get to know the local community in your own way. Often team members like to explore the surrounding area for an occasional day trip. Odienya offers many types of activities in the nearby environs: Lake Victoria is a short drive away, or participants can visit Tabaka where soapstone (Kissii stone) carvings come from. Within the village itself, there are several women’s groups involved in small enterprise such as communal gardens, basket weaving and pottery making. Kenya is known for the safari experience; most participants build in a few days before or after the GCN trip to safari at Amboseli or Maasai Mara or any of the other national reserves. GCN participants often make safari arrangements through our host contact in Nairobi, Kentan Safaris.
Health Issue
Participants are required to be in sound health. The conditions are often very dusty. Potential participants with significant physical limitations are encouraged to check with their physician and discuss the situation with GCN staff beforehand.
To avoid health hazards, it is essential to drink bottled, boiled or filtered water. All meals for the GCN team are prepared by a local cook trained in preparing food for our teams. Participants should check with their doctor or a local travel clinic for up to date information on required or recommended vaccinations for Kenya.
Costs
The program cost for this three week trip is $2,425. Program costs covers on-site accommodations (lodging and meals), in-country travel, training materials, donation to the project, emergency medical and evacuation insurance, t-shirt, and a portion of the team leader’s expenses.
Airfare to Kenya, and costs relating to activities outside of the village, are additional and the responsibility of the individual participant.
All trip related costs are tax-deductible in the U.S.
Discounts available (one per person/group)
For further information contact us
Global Citizens Network
130 N. Howell St.
St. Paul, MN 55104
(651) 644-0960 or (800) 644-9292
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
