Howdy everyone.
Just a quick one to let you all know that the whole Kibera Camp team met for the first time today. The day was great - full of stories, smiles and games. The camp preparation is going very well. Tomorrow our African guides will be taking us through Kibera to orientate us on the region and it's history. Our weekend will be full of other activities with our hosts before commencing the camp on Monday morning.
All is well, and we're looking forward to meeting the kids very soon.
Also got to do some great shopping yesterday - woohoo!!!
See you all soon
Jonno
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tanzania camp at Edmund Rice Sinon
After the 5 hour trip we arrived at Edmund Rice school just outside Arusha. After a quick tour around, we met the children, eager faced singing,laughing and curious at these 9 muzungus (foreigners) that had appeared from nowhere. We joined them in the food hall to share what would be our first meal together of beans and rice and hands. AFter being beckoned in all directions to sit and join the kids we realised the language barrier that would affect us for the following days.words were few but smiles and hospitality plentiful. Over the course of the camp we realised the impact and importance language plays in communication, overcoming this and learning to reach out beyond words to smile and play was the greatest challenge. Each of us had such unique experiences with individual children and left touched. TOgether we sang, danced (and these kids can move ), drew, ate and played together.
Safarri
Hi Everyone
On Monday we went on Safari in Tanzania and it has to be said - it was awesome. There was so many great animals to see and it was quite an experience to see them in their natural environment. Unfortunately we didn't see any lions but we did see elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos and lots of monkeys up close and personal. The monkeys were my favorite, especially the baboons. They were so cool. One elephant eveb came so close to the bus it felt like we could have just reached out of the window and touched it. It was a highlight of our time in Tanzania and we all got heaps of photos to show you when we get back home.
Dani
On Monday we went on Safari in Tanzania and it has to be said - it was awesome. There was so many great animals to see and it was quite an experience to see them in their natural environment. Unfortunately we didn't see any lions but we did see elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos and lots of monkeys up close and personal. The monkeys were my favorite, especially the baboons. They were so cool. One elephant eveb came so close to the bus it felt like we could have just reached out of the window and touched it. It was a highlight of our time in Tanzania and we all got heaps of photos to show you when we get back home.
Dani
Food Water Shelter
Hello blog readers.
We've returned from an amazing few days in Tanzania. While we were there we had the privilege of visiting Food Water Shelter - a charity and 'childrens village' created by 5 Australian women who had all previously volunteered with numerous projects in Arusha Tanzania, along with a dedicated team of volunteers. One of this groundbreaking group is ERCKWA's own Kelsey Wilson. Kelsey and some of the other Food Water Shelter volunteers were kind enough to take our group on a tour of the village which is near completion. The project began a couple of years ago and the project aims to be fully operational early in 2009. The project provides 10 local single mothers with a place to live in the region of Sinon, just outside of Arusha, away from vulnerable or risky circumstances. These women and their children will then provide a home for up to 40 local orphans, creating a small village which aims to be completely self-sufficient. Furthermore, the project will provide the women and children with healthcare, fresh healthy food, clean water and education needs. The village aims to work together with other members of the local Sinon community to provide additional services once the village is up and running. Also, all environmental issues have been taken into consideration and designed to have a minimal impact on th local environment. No stone has been left unturned in the thinking, design and construction of the project.
The FWS team have done an incredible job in creating a truly unique and inspirational concept of provide care and hope to woman and children in the area. And it is amazing to think that a young Perth women such as Kelsey has been able to make such a difference overseas through a project such as this. It's great to see that the Edmund Rice spirit carries on through such a wide variety of ideas and people.
Their website is www.foodwatershelter.org.au if you want to check it out and learn more
More blogging to come...
Jonno.
We've returned from an amazing few days in Tanzania. While we were there we had the privilege of visiting Food Water Shelter - a charity and 'childrens village' created by 5 Australian women who had all previously volunteered with numerous projects in Arusha Tanzania, along with a dedicated team of volunteers. One of this groundbreaking group is ERCKWA's own Kelsey Wilson. Kelsey and some of the other Food Water Shelter volunteers were kind enough to take our group on a tour of the village which is near completion. The project began a couple of years ago and the project aims to be fully operational early in 2009. The project provides 10 local single mothers with a place to live in the region of Sinon, just outside of Arusha, away from vulnerable or risky circumstances. These women and their children will then provide a home for up to 40 local orphans, creating a small village which aims to be completely self-sufficient. Furthermore, the project will provide the women and children with healthcare, fresh healthy food, clean water and education needs. The village aims to work together with other members of the local Sinon community to provide additional services once the village is up and running. Also, all environmental issues have been taken into consideration and designed to have a minimal impact on th local environment. No stone has been left unturned in the thinking, design and construction of the project.
The FWS team have done an incredible job in creating a truly unique and inspirational concept of provide care and hope to woman and children in the area. And it is amazing to think that a young Perth women such as Kelsey has been able to make such a difference overseas through a project such as this. It's great to see that the Edmund Rice spirit carries on through such a wide variety of ideas and people.
Their website is www.foodwatershelter.org.au if you want to check it out and learn more
More blogging to come...
Jonno.
Tanzania Journey
On the 5th of December we drove the five hour bus trip to cross the Kenyan border and on to Arusha, Tanzania. We spent the following four days staying at the Edmund Rice Sinon Secondary School, hosted by Clem, Br Vincent and Humphrey. We were welcomed also by the staff and leaders on the camp. We were all challenged slightly by our new living conditions... Martin, Jonno and Rav stayed in the boys boarding house. Us six ladies shared the staff house, where there was four beds and one couch, all mosquito nets were set. Six ladies sharing one bathroom would be challenge enough, but when we no longer had running water we were really put to the test. Collecting water in a bucket a very short distance away and putting it on to boil for drinking water was then necessary. If we were not already aware of how we take things for granted back home... it became very clear at this point. Our main concern each day was locating a flushing toilet and drinking water. The simple things in life had become more like chores. Our seven hour drive back to Nairobi, Kenya on the 9th of December ended in joy when the ladies could finally shampoo their hair! Tanzania is such a beautiful place and the people were equally beautiful and welcoming... we were very sad to leave. We will miss greeting everyone in the street in our limited Swahilli and waving to everyone we pass and the children running up to us wearing huge grins.
Kellee
Kellee
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Its now day three but I'll start at ay one...
JAMBO! (hello)
Day 1.
Well, I've discovered I hate flying, having only ever flown to sydney, and 24hours on planes/in airports was tourture!
We arrived, only to discover sally's bag is missing! we waited at the airport for hours, but had to leave with out it. As soon as we were on the bus to the christian brothers' bungalow from the airport, amazing! we saw not one but many giraffes, in this field with a huge fence, they are beautiful creatures.
Having never left aus before I found everything SO different... There are people with coke stands and stalls everywhere trying to dell stuff, lots of friut. And strange to me there were just random cows and goats on the side of the road....
The roads are all unfinished and very bumpy.
We arrived at our amazing bungalow and went for a walk to buy credit and discover the naighbourhood. Dinner was amazing! The food is beautiful! lots of meat. x Cheryl
Day 2.
Very rested day, we had great conversations about the things that go through your mind when you come to another country and immerse yourself in such different culture. We then met our guides, Christine, Samuel, Denise, Francesca, Agnes, Patrick and Duncan as well as our lovely valentine who came to visit us earlier this year, all are community members who are leaders and some who organise camps and activities for eddie rice. We all got some very intense swahili lessons.
More great food and lots and lots of fun get-to-know-you games, we laughed for hours!!! These people are amazing fun!
We have still not heard much about poor sally's bag and the girls are all lending clothes and setting up a beauty salon for a little therapy. So excited to be here. x Cheryl
Day 3.
Nairobi> our guides take us into the city for a little tour and lunch. Beautiful surroundings, lots of monument, a few history lessons, as well as some very vital lessons on how to cross the street! Lots of people, stalls, smells and car horns. We went to a roof top restaurant where we ate with our hands for the first time, ugali, fried fish (like literally a whole fried fish, head and all!), fried chicken, chapata (like naan bread) and coconut fish with passion juice all amazingly good!! Then more to see in Nairobi, The open sky market were my fav! busy, so much stalls! people everywhere! We are heading to Tanzania in the morning for camp, am very excited and also a little tired so going home to rest. x Cheryl
Day 1.
Well, I've discovered I hate flying, having only ever flown to sydney, and 24hours on planes/in airports was tourture!
We arrived, only to discover sally's bag is missing! we waited at the airport for hours, but had to leave with out it. As soon as we were on the bus to the christian brothers' bungalow from the airport, amazing! we saw not one but many giraffes, in this field with a huge fence, they are beautiful creatures.
Having never left aus before I found everything SO different... There are people with coke stands and stalls everywhere trying to dell stuff, lots of friut. And strange to me there were just random cows and goats on the side of the road....
The roads are all unfinished and very bumpy.
We arrived at our amazing bungalow and went for a walk to buy credit and discover the naighbourhood. Dinner was amazing! The food is beautiful! lots of meat. x Cheryl
Day 2.
Very rested day, we had great conversations about the things that go through your mind when you come to another country and immerse yourself in such different culture. We then met our guides, Christine, Samuel, Denise, Francesca, Agnes, Patrick and Duncan as well as our lovely valentine who came to visit us earlier this year, all are community members who are leaders and some who organise camps and activities for eddie rice. We all got some very intense swahili lessons.
More great food and lots and lots of fun get-to-know-you games, we laughed for hours!!! These people are amazing fun!
We have still not heard much about poor sally's bag and the girls are all lending clothes and setting up a beauty salon for a little therapy. So excited to be here. x Cheryl
Day 3.
Nairobi> our guides take us into the city for a little tour and lunch. Beautiful surroundings, lots of monument, a few history lessons, as well as some very vital lessons on how to cross the street! Lots of people, stalls, smells and car horns. We went to a roof top restaurant where we ate with our hands for the first time, ugali, fried fish (like literally a whole fried fish, head and all!), fried chicken, chapata (like naan bread) and coconut fish with passion juice all amazingly good!! Then more to see in Nairobi, The open sky market were my fav! busy, so much stalls! people everywhere! We are heading to Tanzania in the morning for camp, am very excited and also a little tired so going home to rest. x Cheryl
Monday, December 1, 2008
In Nairobi- Africa.....What a walk!!!!!
Hi Guys,
The advanced party is reporting in. I (Kellie) have survived two nights of terror -dogs barking and crazy wind sounds have freaked me out a little and Yakka the resident guard dog is not in my good books....Prepartions for the rest of the groups arrival are under way..Brothers Francis, Ignatious & Daniel have been amazing and we are looking forward to spending more time in conversation and reflection with them -over some amazing food of course!!!Valentine and the youth group are busily preparing the ERC camp in Kibera and we are excited about working with them on this program.We were also lucky enough to be taken around Embulbul by some talented young students - WHAT A WALK!!! we saw some lovely scenery and lots of cultural sights over the four or so hours we were out. We slept very well after that walk even with our very sore feet and legs...So now we await the arrival of the remainer of the group who will arrive tomorrow morning bright and early.Heres to an amazing journey together over the next three weeks!!!
Kel & Martin
The advanced party is reporting in. I (Kellie) have survived two nights of terror -dogs barking and crazy wind sounds have freaked me out a little and Yakka the resident guard dog is not in my good books....Prepartions for the rest of the groups arrival are under way..Brothers Francis, Ignatious & Daniel have been amazing and we are looking forward to spending more time in conversation and reflection with them -over some amazing food of course!!!Valentine and the youth group are busily preparing the ERC camp in Kibera and we are excited about working with them on this program.We were also lucky enough to be taken around Embulbul by some talented young students - WHAT A WALK!!! we saw some lovely scenery and lots of cultural sights over the four or so hours we were out. We slept very well after that walk even with our very sore feet and legs...So now we await the arrival of the remainer of the group who will arrive tomorrow morning bright and early.Heres to an amazing journey together over the next three weeks!!!
Kel & Martin
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