TEACHING-EMPOWERING-MENTORING-BUILDING OPPORTUNITY Mission: to partner with individuals and communities in Western Kenya to support entrepreneurial activities, education and health through training programmes, scholarships, water and sanitation projects

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Joys and frustrations of rural Africa

Life in rural Africa is never easy. Many joys but also many frustrations. Today we were supposed to leave for a Rotary meeting with the Club adminstering our big grant. But one is sick and one has a funeral tomorrow so we'll postpone for a week. Our bank account was dormant when we came back because of inactivity for 6 months--reason: someone who had contracted to make monthly deposits has not done so. So, reactivation in process and we are opening another account for Tembo specifically, even though our wired funds have not yet appeared. All this requires multiple visits, passport photos, copies of passports and ID cards, which is annoying even though the service people are patient and charming.
I have misplaced my loyalty card for the big supermarket and they want 500 shillings to replace it!! Add that we have a major drip in the shower and the plumber came just after we left this morning (for the banking stuff) although we had said we would be out. But Monday we go to a High School for Read for the Top. That will be fun! Stay tuned.
We also have some good news of students. Johnstone, our Clinical Officer, has finished his exams and will graduate in Dec. He is working at a private clinic in town gaining experience (but probably no money). Wilson is the grandson of our star micro-finance lady. His parents died of AIDS and he did very well in elementary school but had no hope of continuing his education. We sent him to a good high school and he completed with an A- average. He is now doing a B Comm. Two of the young men we sent for driver training in the Tembo job training programme are working in Nairobi.
We had a good meeting yesterday in Kisumu with our business trainer and have some exciting plans for the groups of women and youth.

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