Kenya - Slums to Paradise!

From one extreme to another!

From the slums of Kibera….

…to the paradise of a 5 star resort on the Indian Ocean!

It really has been a diverse couple of weeks but a couple of weeks that we‘ve thoroughly enjoyed.

Having completed our month volunteering at the Orphanage we spent the last couple of days in Ngong visiting some of the other aide programs in the area. This included a day at a women’s HIV centre which has been established to educate, support and provide a future for women with HIV.

We also joined the founders of an organisation called Unity for Parity which provides food and assistance to those sheltering in KiberaSlums. Our day at Kibera Slums was a big eye opener. It is the 2^nd biggest slum in the world and consists of an area spread over 2.5km with close to 2.5m people. Homes are made from tin shelters, mud, garbage or whatever other materials they can get their hands on to provide a roof over their heads. Even after having been in Kenya for over a month now, seeing some pretty shocking sites throughout this time, the enormity and desperation within this place still knocked us around a little! 

 Typical Kibera...slums on one side, garbage on the other...not a pretty sight!

While providing food to some of the residents, they openly shared their struggles. The most interesting of these was a character named Sebastian. He was in his mid 70’s and has lived in the slums all his life. No electricity, no T.V, no comforts, just a 3m x 3m mud shack with a little bed in the corner! Quality of life obviously has little meaning but somehow he continues to survive and continues to smile!

 The effervescent Sebastian enjoying our visit!

 We also learnt the importance of avoiding flying brown paper bags! With no sanitation to speak of, and the smell being horrific as a result, apparently it is common that ‘waste’ is simply deposited into a brown paper bag and launched in any direction. Fortunately we escaped without being hit by one of these little flying missiles!

We also visited a couple of the children’s schools in the area which have been set up to provide an education to those who wouldn’t be able to afford schooling otherwise. 

The kids at JPK Children's School in typical jovial spirits!

The highlight was spending an afternoon with one of our running friends Julius Kimtai (Commonwealth Games and international marathoner) who proudly invited us into his home for a chai (Kenyan cup of tea). He introduced us to his family and showed us around the school that he had built over here called Mary Hill School (named after a school that he ran past every morning during his many years living and competing in the UK). 

 

Mary Hill School children look a little shocked to see a couple of white folks!

We were also fortunate to be invited for dinner to one of our maasai friends Tony. We’ve constantly been overwhelmed with how welcoming and friendly these people have been to us.   

The last couple of weeks with our Kenyan running group has also been incredible. Apart from the intense training regime that they have put us through (Shane has struggled constantly complaining of soreness, hip one day, calf the next…old age has kicked in!!), we’ve enjoyed the camaraderie and passion with which they approach each session.

They are a great group of people these athletes and we look forward to running with them again in the future.

A friendly running group...not sure if we stand out at all!!

The highlight socially was enjoying an after run chai one morning in the home of Sally Barsosio, a superstar over here who among her many accomplishments on the international stage finished 4^th in the 10,000m at both Sydney and Athens Olympic games.

A rare sight...Shane striding out without breaking down injured!

We then set off toward the Indian Ocean for 5 days of R&R in a small beach town called Malindi. Unbeknown to us, the area was inhabited by a large Italian community. Here we did very little but put the feet up and enjoy the comforts of the pool and the resort that we were staying in. We did spend a day on a boat snorkelling in what was some incredible underwater marine life. The marine life from what we’ve seen was rated 3^rd only to probably the Great Barrier Reef and Red Sea off the coast of Egypt for variety of fish and coral. Beautiful location and great day out.

The beauty of the beaches of Malindi

 

From here we’re back to Nairobi to meet Shane’s sister, throw the backpacks on and commence our voyage through Africa. It starts with 6 day safari before heading down to Tanzania for the Mt Kilimanjaro half marathon on the 3^rd March followed by an epic climb of the biggest mountain in Africa…can’t wait!!