A more personal update

Most of my post have been somewhat thematic, I guess I haven't talked much about day to day activities and how my life is in Kenya. One question I often get from Kenyans is, "How do you see Kenya?" Here is a short jumbled response. 

In short, I love it here. The nature of my work, the travelling I do, the scope of my research, the Kenyans I work with, and the organization I am under are excellent. In fact, although my contract is ending in early April, I am planning on sticking it out another month (or two, … three?) to keep in touch with friends here, visit old friends in Tanzania and maybe tour Ethiopia. 

Pastor John, myself, Dr. Jeniffer, and Engineer Jane

The past four weeks I have been making field visits at the base of Mt. Kenya to Masai land in the south, to Kilifi on the coast. In my last posting, I indicated what an honour it has been and how humbling it can be to experience the love and kindness of people. This week I am reconnecting with two professors from King's University College (Dr. Spaling & Dr. Hiemstra) who are following-up with my research last year and to explore a tentative field-course. This has given me an opportunity to return to Kisayani and see my old 'home' in the village and see good friends again.

One thing that I love about Kenya is the ability to learn a new language. My time in Tanzania a few years ago gave me a great foundation to learn swahili and my time in Kenya has allowed me to nurture that over the past seven months. In the past two months especially I have begun to notice my comprehension and sentence structure of swahili to have grown immensely. Now during interviews and group discussion I can often understand what I being said (as long as it is not a local mother-tonge).  As someone who studied French for more than five years and failed tremendously, it's exciting to begin to speak and understand a new language. This has allowed me to have deeper relationships with people here, better understand the culture and to feel much more welcome.

The team from the ACT evaluation out on the Mombasa coastline

However, on another note, in the past two weeks I have received news that my grandmother has passed away, and also that my other grandfather was in the hospital. It can hit as a hard reality at times how far I am away from home and family and friends that I love. While being here in Kenya is deeply gratifying and fulfilling, at times I am reminded of all that I leave behind. 

The last thing on my plate worth mentioning is grad school. I have applied to three separate schools in the areas of international development, international affairs, and rural planning in January and am beginning to hear back from them. Each of the schools are unique, and have their own strengths, and draws. I have recently found that I have gained acceptance to all, which now makes my decision very difficult. Meanwhile, many of my Kenyan friends are struggling to attend college, not to mention finding the funds to go do a master's degree. So, I quickly shut-up and remind myself to count my choices as blessings. 

Whenever I do choose to come back to Canada, I will be equally as excited to see family and friends again as I will be saddened by leaving those friends and 'family' that I have back in Kenya, a strange feeling I am beginning to get used to. 

Facing wealth and affluence

On thing I often struggle with here in my work in Kenya is coming to terms with my own affluence. 

Even in Canada I am fully aware that I am among the top 1% of the world (in terms of wealth, freedom, and opportunity) having been born in Canada to a middle-class family and having the opportunity to complete a university degree. Having travelled to developing countries in the past and confronting statistics in my studies I am fully aware of my status and wealth; but it is different when you are confronting these stark inequalities personally and daily. 

In my field visits I speak to beneficiaries of relief projects. Their communities are targeted as the poorest and most vulnerable to the effects of drought; and moreover the beneficiaries themselves are sleeted amongst a community as the most vulnerable: often single mothers, widows and households caring for orphans. 

I ask them questions about the effects of last year's drought, and how it was common to go with one meal or no meals in a day; to travel distances of around 8km (sometimes more) to get water that isn't clean to begin with; and how they haven't harvested a single kilo of maize from their fields.

Meanwhile, I arrive to these sites in an SUV with water bottles and often snacks like fruit and crackers. I bring my camera and backpack with books and even an ipod. The fuel alone costs more than some of the recipients make in a few months. 

When I return to my place, a more-than-comfortable house or hotel, I regularly speak with guards or maids. The other night I had a conversation with an askari (a security guard) watching the gate. I found out he was just a year older than I and how his real hope was to study in university and start a business. He told me, "I want to be a somebody" looking completely defeated. We shared a bit about his home in Western Kenya, he was brought to Mombasa area for his security guard work where we works night shifts mostly. I told him a bit about Canada and he was shocked I had already finished university. The conversation got more difficult after than as he asked if there are ways in which I can help him get to Canada.

This is not unusual at all. In fact, I get that question frequently, almost daily: "how can I get to Canada?" "Can you get me a plane ticket?". For many people, their hope lies far away from Kenya in a place like Canada, or where other white people live. The town I live in on the coast has quite a few tourists. As a single guy I often get approached by young beautiful African girls asking if I want to "spend time with them". I've begun to learn it is even uncommon to not see European-tourists with a Kenyan 'girlfriend' or even Kenyan 'boyfriend'. While my first reaction is to look down on these Kenyans (and scold the tourists) I've learned in my conversations with Kenyans, that most understand perfectly why they do it, and how acceptable it is to them. Getting the attention of a tourist or even marrying one opens many doors that some only dream of.

In other parts of this town, beggars are constantly asking for money or other things (one night two men approached my at a restaurant and asked to clean my plate off). Often these people are young mothers, young children, people who are crippled or severely sick, sometimes even showing exposed sores. If I was to give to all of them, I wouldn't have anything left…or that's what I tell myself. Sometimes I convince myself they don't actually need it or it will perpetuate a bad cycle; despite some truth to that, each and every one of them can certainly use my shillings more than I. I find the need and disparity of all of these people to be overwhelming that I tend to de-sensitive myself to it all. The easiest way to move along is ignoring them; it's what most tourist do.

While my heart often aches for these people, I don't even know what to do, or how to give in an effective or responsible way. Where/how can I best use my money, time, efforts and love? Should I just empty my wallet (or bank account for that matter) to a community group that isn't asking but can clearly use it?; do I give my clothes to a begger or street kid? Do I go home and fundraise for a borehole?  What about when helping hurts? Should generosity even be this complex? 

I also try to ask myself what 'poverty' really is. With billions of dollars floating from developed to developing countries in the form of donations, development or aid, loans, grants, and more I think it's important to think conceptually about poverty. While I certainly don't have an answer I am learning it is much more than wealth, money and possessions. Many students (and families) accumulate debt and call themselves 'poor'. While some many be running a debt, they have so much more; things I never realized at first: Beyond my own physical wealth and possessions I also have a supporting and loving family, a stable (mostly-transparent) government to provide me with safety nets and health care, strong connections and networks, a healthy natural environment, an encouraging and loving social network, excellent education, a bank account, access to loans, a passport and ID cards. I'm learning poverty in a small sense is a lack of money, but in a much larger sense also a lack of all of these other things. 

At first I found it difficult to know how to respond to poverty; now I am seeing it in a different lens: how do I respond to my own wealth. How do I use all of these blessings and gifts, this freedom and these choices and opportunity in a way that doesn't simply serve myself.


-----

A regular sight during a community visit: dancing, singing

[What makes things more difficult is the total warmth and joyful hospitality,  kindness, and generosity shown to me every day in so many different ways during my visits to communities. Here is just a few examples]:

Kenyans school children showing me their artwork depicting
 their lives before and after the water project

Given a chair and being fed goat and ugali by a
warm-welcoming community group

A community, expecting our arrival placed thousands of sticks on the
sandy road so that we could pass and not have to walk even 100m to see them. 

With a group of smiling community members at a water pan they built

And finally, a beautiful performance by school children

 

UN: 'Famine has Ended'

About a week ago the United Nations declared the famine in the Horn of Africa was ‘over’. They were implying that the short rains from November-December had returned to non-emergency levels producing new harvest for many.

My field visits so far interacting with recipients of various development and disaster response projects have told a very different story. Communities unanimously insisted that they are still struggling with water and are still need food and other types of assistance. Indeed, I believe much of is a plea to continue getting food aid which can distort the reality of the situation. Yet I believe it also attests to the fact that food insecurity is not 'over'. The reality is that, while rains have returned, they will again fail.

In the past dozen years the UN has declared famine twice and droughts have been even more frequent. I do not believe this is ‘crying wolf’ on behalf of communities or international institutions. Many Kenyans face challenges with food security from year to year, and these are very real. It was explained to me once that "going to bed hungry isn't that big of a deal here" (certainly not something I can relate well to). In fact that has, in some cases, become the new normal.

So what happens when drought becomes the new normal? Will a drought continue to be an 'emergency'? Or just business-as-usual? And how should different organizations and governments respond to this; what should interventions look like?

Studies have been done that show in areas where drough occurred every seven to eight years, are now occurring every one to two years. There is an emerging shift in climate patterns that exasperate communities' and households' abilities to be more secure.

To me this indicates the earths already changing climate. Climate scientists have long agreed that the climate is changing, in many ways they are predicting disasters in the furutre: rising sea levels, resource conflicts, failed harvest and increase in the spread of certain diseases, and a whole host of other consequences. But in my view, the effects of climate change are already clearly being seen and experienced by many. Those in already insecure positions of poverty and of the highest vulnerability in adapting to these changes. And these effects are already taking their toll on human health, finances, and general security especially in the area of water.

With that being said, droughts are directly attributed the lack of rains; overall famines and the severity of them often have to do with political, economics, and other factors (see this post). The nobel peace prize economist, Amartya Sen, noted this in his essay "Poverty and Famines" and it certainly resounds today: the issue here is one of justice, of accessibility and equality, not simply availability or the existence of food. 


While I certainly don't have solutions for thus it has been in my thoughts and mind during my work here. It certainly has a lot to say of the role of relief, importance of development and policy work and for new types of innovation and thinking. I find it a privilege to work with an organization that is looking at innovation in their interventions, but I am often challenged by the needs for donors, governments and NGOs alike to begin re-thinking food security.

 *All photos were taken by Bethany Duffield during a goat re-distribution in a Masai community (recipients of relief from previous years had bred and shared the offspring of their goats with new beneficiaries).

First glimpse of food distributions in Mbeere

I spend most of this past week in Mbeere attending food distributions and speaking with beneficiaries in about five communities along with project managers, a few survey enumerators and an engineer. It was a challenging but also in many ways heart-warming experience. Every community we met greeted me and other CRWRC staff with songs, dancing and plenty of smiles. Many even gave us gifts of food from seed that had been given to them; in fact, we received so many green-grams that they were at times literally spilling out of our vehicles. It was ironic that our trips focus was food distributions when we also drove away as 'recipients'. As someone who had just joined CRWRC it was extremely humbling to receive such heartfelt thanks. One elderly man had been so moved that someone like me (white) had come all the way to see how they were doing. Not only did we in North America give money for them, but we didn't forget about them and came even to see how they are now.  This experience also allowed me to wrap my head around the realities of relief projects and the current situation as Kenya emerges from the recent famine. Perhaps I can share some of my knowledge with you.

Food being prepared for distribution

The food distributions are in response to the failed rains in the summer of last year. In response to the failure of crops and death of many livestock, CRWRC has worked through their partner organization, the Anglican Church of Kenya's Christian Community Services (CCS), to identify the most vulnerable people in certain communities. I soon realized this most often meant women: single mothers, widows and grandmothers some sick, weak and others caring for orphaned children. 

Just four of the many recipients

I had the opportunity to meet with many of these women, sit down with them in a focus group or in an interview or just sit with them in the shade to avoid the blazing sun. Many households shared their hardships with me. The drought had been so severe that many reported facing hunger and being extremely weak. Some of the elderly men and women said they couldn't leave the home they were so frail. Those who had enough strength would have to scrounge to find any available work to generate some income to buy food often taking them away from working in their own fields. Some had to take their children out of school to work or simply because they weren't able to pay school fees anymore. Moreover, many saw their animals die; in Mbeere most are agro-pastoralists--depending on both their crops and animals for survival. Thus, the death of their animals often means a huge loss of their financial 'savings'. 

Thus CRWRC's distributions brought has significant and immediate change to their lives.  Through monthly distributions certain households have been given 50kg of maize and 10kg of split peas (all Kenyan grown food). The visit I made was the last distribution for each of the communities and therefore the last time they would receive food. The recent rains over November and December were much more successful than earlier that year and as a result some were beginning to harvest. Many women said the biggest change was that the schools were more full, while others highlighted the regaining of their health and strength bringing productive work and happiness to their lives.

CRWRC's food program however is part of a larger Food-For-Asset (FFA) program, where in exchange for food, recipients participate in the creation and ownership of productive assets such as water pans, demo farms (displaying drought resistant crops), terracing and tree planting. FFA programs are designed to enhance longer-term resilience against drought by assisting communities to increase food, water and livestock security, while also meeting their immediate and more pressing needs of hunger. It was encouraging to see that some women were adopting new crops into their homes from the demo farms, trees being planted and tended to, and goats drinking from water pans still holding water.


While they were thankful for helping get them through the most difficult times, some also looked hesitantly towards to future and asked earnestly to not forget about them. In the Horn of Africa, droughts are reoccurring. While last year's drought is said to be one of the worst in decades, it is also the third time in a decade that Kenya has declared a national emergency. While food-aid is a band-aid response, I am realizing it is also very necessary at times. And with programs like FFA, the hand-outs of food can also entice communities to make strides towards more imagining and realizing sustainable solutions. 

This woman was determined to teach me to weave, this
attracted the attention of dozen of laughing women.
I was also convinced to buy it afterwards.

Sitting down with 9 women and 1 lonely man in a group discussion

Back in Kenya

I arrived just this past weekend in Nairobi to start a new assignment with the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee. CRWRC has been doing both relief and development work throughout the world since 1962, making this year the 50^th anniversary. However, according to the United Nations this year also marks one of the worst droughts in East Africa in the past 50 years. Climate change and the effects of human induced environmental degradation are taking its toll on many regions of the Horn of Africa and specifically in Kenya.

Due to the severity of the drought this year and inflow of funds, CRWRC has expanded their relief projects with the aid of donors from churches and consortiums like the Canadian Food Grains Bank. My work will be specifically cooperating with the International Disaster Response (IDR) arm of CRWRC and will consist of a mix of different research projects and support roles. Along with assisting communications and reporting, I am also working on a report to document best-practices for the organization as in times of rapid change and disaster, lessons can often and easily be forgotten.

I will also be researching some of the more alternative modes of relief and humanitarian intervention work. Here, CRWRC is engaged in a large mix of projects which touch on four key themes: food security, water supply, livestock assistance, and conflict management. Each of these four areas look quite different depending on each project and region. (The relief work of CRWRC includes many regions including Kilifi and Taita Taveta near the coast, Turkana and Isiolo in the north, Narok and Kajiado in the south, and others.) My research will be specifically examining different asset and work programs, which includes food for assets programs (where, in exchange for food supplies, food insecure households participate to build a water pan, plant trees, or other disaster risk reduction activities), or in other cases goats for work, cash for work, and similar voucher programs.

For more details you can watch this video (a first of four parts):

I joined in a meeting at the start of this week with over twenty staff members from both the relief and development branches of CRWRC. The far majority are Kenyans who are both skilled and motivated in the work they are doing ranging from veterinary work, engineering and more. Over the next few months I will be joining with many of these individuals on their projects and learning more about the communities who are benefiting from these programs .


So far it has been a bit overwhelming at first to wrap my head around all of the diverse projects and keep track of the staff coming in and out of the office to go to their field sites, but this will certainly be an eye opening experience. Disaster response differs from development in a number of ways, and is fundamentally a fast paced and quickly changing environment. I will already be visiting a food distribution a few hours from Nairobi early next week. I am looking forward to contributing to the widely skilled group of people here in CRWRC's response to the famine and drought which is affecting millions here in Kenya.

Belated Update, from Canada

Hello again,

I realize it has been a whole month since my last update. It has been a mix of business, laziness, rest and work.

View over Nyukambani area and Kisayani

In the past month I have concluded my final interviews with community members and government employees, held several workshops to share some of my initial findings, revisited the Umani Springs, travelled to Uganda, and returned home to Edmonton. It was challenging to know what and how exactly to communicate my finding back to the individuals and groups that I had promised. Some of my findings I think they could benefit and learn from, while others they sure didn't want to hear. Ultimately, I am learning the future of the community and the project lies with them, not me. It is their project and they must learn to be stewards to the things they have been given and work hard at extending its benefits to others in the area in this time of a changing and increasingly unpredictable climate.

Significant progress on the new project at the Spring

It has been a whirlwind of a month, mixed with lots of travelling and meetings and writing. I am currently sitting at my parent residence in Edmonton working on my final report to be handed in before the new year. It's becoming quite the task to synthesize all of the knowledge I have taken in and learned over the past four months and summarize in a single paper to be written during the holidays. But it is not only important but stimulating. I strongly believe my findings are important and relevant. In time my professor Dr. Spaling and I hope to have a published paper (maybe even 2) out of it. Something I can only hope with be of use to development practitioners

In other news, I will be returning to Kenya in early January. I was given a short-term job contract with CRWRC (Christian Reformed World Relief Committee) and their Disaster Response Services in East Africa, where they are quickly expanding their relief programs throughout the region with the assistance of the Canadian Government & the Canadian Food Grains Bank. I am extremely excited as this is an organization I know well, and one I know does good work throughout the world. My work will be conducting further research on their more innovative approaches to relief work as well as writing and reporting on behalf of some of their relief projects.


I hope to have at least one more post summarizing some of my findings and conclusions. Until then, enjoy some of the photos I have taken over the last month, including my travels to Western Kenya and Uganda with my friend Amelia.

Biking...

Visiting Sipi Falls in Uganda

... and hiking through wildlife parks

Drenched at the bottom of the falls

Visit Hell's Gate near Lake Naivasha

Soaking in the beautiful wildlife and scenery of Kenya

Stories

I realized my last few post have been a bit ‘heavy’ so I thought I’d also update on the lighter side of things and share a few stories with you.

Since I moved to my new place at the University Farm, I have been living a bit outside of the actual town of Kisayani. Furthermore, since I make a lot of field visits I also thought that I could have use for a bicycle instead of paying for bodaboda motorbikes to take me everywhere.

I tried finding one to rent for a month, but bikes here are used heavily (most often to transport water) and I couldn’t find one to use on a constant basis. So instead I ended up buying a bike, with a friend of mine who split the cost. When I move I’ll leave it with him.

To shop for bikes, we had to go to Kibwezi. We looked around for a bit but I didn’t find any I really liked for a good price. The next day I gave my friend the money and entrusted him to bring me back a good one. He came back with a bike, but not any ordinary bike—a sturdy one made bike that everyone else has. Instead he brought back a mountain-bike (I use the word ‘mountain’ lightly). It came with all the bells and whistles (literally) including: bells, flags, front and rear lights, gears, horn, mirror and fenders. As if I didn’t already stick out enough here  …

"Long long ago...MEN of making bike have a DREAN..."

Anyway, this has been my casual means of transport over the past few weeks. So far I have had 5 flat tires, the horn has fallen apart, the flag blew away, and the lights don't work. One time I was riding and the handlebars nearly fell off. Needless to say, this was cheap Chinese-made bike. The label itself reads “Star Plan: Long ago…. Men of making bike have Drean”; whatever that is supposed to mean.

The bike has served me well though, and I get around on short distances. On the longer distances I have actually taken motorbike lessons and learned how to ride which has been a good side-result of my Star Plan shortcomings.

So cool

Another fun story from the past week I thought I’d share comes from a visit to a school I made. Another good friend of mine is a teacher (he also knows of my blog-hello!) at a school well off of the main road. Just this past week was the Kenyan National Examinations, a pretty big deal around here. All students finishing primary school and moving to secondary have to write standardized tests in English, Swahili, Science, Social Studies, etc.. The best of the best go to the top national schools while the bottom percentiles are held back or put it not so great schools. I went to visit his school the day before the examinations, a school that is 40 minutes out of Kisayani even more underdeveloped. The school was underfunded, understaffed, and has no water or electricity.

Once I arrived at the school I was introduced to the head-teacher showed around the school and I was able to greet the classes. At some points I was left to talk to the kids about Canada: what we eat and how cold it is there. The kids are unbelievably shy and would just inaudibly whisper their names if I asked them. After giving a few lectures on the wonders of Canada to the children I was called outside.

The head-teacher had arranged the entire school under a giant baobab tree, maybe 200 students from pre-school to standard 8. I was told I was supposed to give a speech to encourage the kids before their national examinations the next day.

Children eagerly awaiting my words of wisdom.

Not too surprised—having often been called out on the spot to give a sermon or in a church—but a little hesitant, I stood up and addressed the kids about the importance of education, and how I had spend the last 19 years of my life in school and how I too had written my fair share of exams. Since it was a very rural community, most relied on their 'mother-tongue' (Kamba) for their day-to-day language so I needed a local teacher to translate, which allowed me some pauses to figure out what to say next. Nonetheless I ended up at one point saying some stupid phrase like “knowledge is power”, to which the teacher got the kids to shout it and pump their fists in the air.

By the end of my speech I asked if anyone had a question for me. Since the kids were very shy I didn’t expect any. But one of the older children asked me “how old are you?” I told them I was 23. The kids all laughed at some of the older students. One of the teachers later told me that some of the 8^th graders were 22.

I also asked why these kids were so shy. The teachers explained to me that it was because many had not seen a white man before. Then the teacher in front of the whole crowd asks for show of hands ‘who has seen a mzungu?’ Less than a quarter put their hands up. Then one of the teachers thought it was a good idea to get each of the kids to greet me. So, they formed a queue and one-by-one I shook the hands of each of the 200 or so students.

Some speech that was.

Smile!

Other stories:

• slaughtered a goat

Don't know what it is, but it was under my bed.

• Killed 7 scorpions and a stinging centipede

Honey... with real bees, so you know it's fresh.

• Bought some fresh honey.

Corruption and Frustration

Nearly every time I drive south down the kibwezi-kitui road from my village of Kisayani to the town of Kibwezi, I get stopped by the traffic police. It is usually the same two men, dressed in their blue uniforms and black leather shoes, with a ticket-book in hand and usually with a stern look on their faces. They are putting on an act, looking for a bribe.

Since there are no cars in Kisayani I take bodabodas (motor-bike taxis) sometimes tripling even quadrupling up with others (sometimes goats too) to share the cost. Usually these drivers don’t have licenses, their bikes may be missing a light or two or aren’t registered and carry too many people. As a result the bodaboda is pulled over. But rather than ticketing the drivers slyly shakes hands with the driver who feeds them a bribe—usually 50bob (~$0.60). They look the other way and let us move on and I get dropped off.

This always boils my blood, and I usually have to restrain myself from saying something stupid and getting myself in trouble. It makes me furious that these policemen tasked with keeping and upholding the law are the very ones making a spectacle of it, sometimes even laughing when I ask them from the back of the motorbike “unafanya nini?” (What do you think you’re doing?). To me, they are stealing from the local people most of them what we could consider ‘poor’ and who don’t make a lot (especially now with the fuel costs so high) and eroding the foundation of law in the country. It is unjust.

"confusion" -- probably not a registered vehicle

While I don’t want to draw a negative picture of Kenya, I still feel the need to tell the truth and share my impressions. I see these injustices everywhere, in almost every level of government and society.

I have seen it on the most basic community level. The community project I am looking at—with ‘Christian’ in it’s name—is showing signs of inequality, corruption and mismanagement. Even the neighboring water project is facing a court case over broken relationships between the community and the project managers. Furthermore, the local District Water Officer is on a sort of ‘leave’ due to quieted accusations of stealing.

The corruption in the Kenyan government travels up the chain to even the highest positions of government. One of the most significant changes to the water project that has come in the past ten years has been the creation of the new Water Act. Amongst a whole heap of changes that went along with an overhaul of the entire water sector was the formulation of Water Service Boards, which are tasked with the responsibility to provide or allocate the provision of water to the people of Kenya.

In fact I just got back from a trip to Kitui where I met with some high level officials in the regional office for the Water Service Board in charge of the area I am in. While they were helpful and open to me, the leading officials in those offices are making headlines for embezzlement of funds exceeding 100 million KSH (more than $1 million) intended to support and construct water projects to serve the poor.

Also gripping the front pages of papers of the local papers are accusations against the Minister of Water herself for corruption.

But it is not only corruption. I see ‘injustices’ in many other places too. The area of Kibwezi has been undergone massive resettlement displacing many people. The very place I am living, the university farm and research station is 16,000 acre plot of land acquired from local people. Just down the road there is another 25,000 acre farm of prime agricultural land usual to grow the cash crop sisal for export. This is all in an area that has been labeled ‘in crisis’ by the UN due to drought and famine and is a recipient of food relief since it is not food-secure.

Two good friends.

As a researcher this is often frustrating and disheartening. I feel powerless, and in fact in almost every sense I am. I am not in a place of authority to correct these wrongs or in a place of power to be a donor to fund some other venture. Yet at the same time I feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility to the people here. Through my interviews, friendships, and daily interactions with people I empathize with their challenges, frustrations and hopes. And in so many ways I want to solve and fix them.

I often also feel a need to blame someone for this. Nearly every story I hear, it is someone (or something) else at fault: the corrupt civil servants, the local project management, the NGOs who seem to have abandoned this project, the massive restructuring of the water ministry that leaves to many grey areas, the local users abusing and misusing the water, the effects of climate change and those of us who unfairly contribute to it, or just the corruption in general which permeates all levels of society. In some sense, none alone are to blame and in another they [we] all are. I am learning a lot about the complexities of poverty, the importance of good leadership and relationships and standing up for what is just.

In the end I have to weed through all of these stories and find a sort of narrative, the story of this project and this community which can answer the research question of what has changed and how is the community adapting. I could have done my research with a survey, passed out 100 copies and returned in a month to pick them up. But instead I am gathering stories and getting involved. So in these last weeks in Kisayani I will soon head to Nairobi to meet with more influential decision makers and policy planners. I am attempting to put together the rest of the loose ends and eventually write a report. I have also made a promise to the community to share my preliminary thoughts on the research which will bring me back to Kisayani for a few days to share. I'm hoping for the right words to say and the ability to say 'I can't solve ___ problem' if needed.

A sentimental shot to close this depressing post

Rain and Famine

The rains in Kisayani have finally come. After a few night-time drizzles which most Kenyans insist were not real rains, hard rain has arrived. Farmers and their whole families are now busily plowing their fields and planting seeds. A transformation from a dreary brown and grey landscape to a rich red and green has already emerged as if it too was greatly anticipating the coming rains.

Along with the budding trees and plants have also come the bugs, a lot of them. To preface, I just recently moved residences from my old place (appropriately titled ‘white house’) to the University of Nairobi Research Station where they have a large farm and rangeland for a variety of research purposes, including hosting people like myself and my fellow Kenyan researcher, Njoki. Despite the $2/night bargain at my last place, it couldn’t beat the student rate of $0.30/day or $9 a month for a 2 room and full-bathroom place where I am now just outside of the main town of Kisayani.

Within a few hours...

One of the only downsides, along with no longer having as many neighbour children around to play with, is my place is situated on the edge of some grasslands, where insects and birds are thriving. When the rains came, the dormant eggs that had been waiting patiently for water hatched and on my first night in my new place I was swarmed by a variety of flying insects. Almost unable to sleep the first night, I asked my neighbour if this was going to last the entire rainy season, which he answered “yes”. Thankfully he was wrong. Each of the first nights brought forth a different wave of insects, but a week later they have died down significantly.

Mangoes

But more importantly, the farmers are busy. During all my interviews with local people, nearly all of which are farmers, I ask the question of whether or not the climate (rainfall, wind, seasons) is changing. With the odd exception, they tell me there is not only less rain today, but a different rains. In this area of Kenya there are two rainy seasons, a long (March-May) and a short rain (November-December). Decades ago there were also two rains, although both were reliable enough to get two harvests if possible. Today, farmers have begun planting during the short season (now) since even the long rains have become unreliable with days or weeks without rain. I have also attained rainfall data from a local sisal plantation and from the university station which seems to confirm the shifting climate patterns.

An irrigation scheme

The effect of this changing rainfall has delivered consistent drought in the area stunting the growth and productivity of many crops. Thus, the area in which I am situated is now a recipient of food aid coming from the Red Cross and other organizations. The same is true for much of Kenya and in some areas--namely the northern areas--famine is reoccurring in what was recently in the news.

Just before I arrived, the famine in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia were grabbing headlines as the Horn of Africa was experiencing the lowest levels of rainfall is almost 60 years. Failure of the long rains denied farmers their expected crops (food and income) and nomadic herders the grasses for their animals deteriorating their ability to access food. The Dadaab refugee camp (designed for 90,000), just across the border into Kenya, grew in size to nearly half a million people. And millions were and still are announced at being at risk of starvation. However, today even I find it difficult to see any news on the famine despite it still prevailing severely today.

A recent sand dam put up in along the Kisayani river

While I am no expert on the causes or solutions to famine, natural disasters cannot solely be held accountable for the famine. Skyrocketing food prices, population growth, environmental degradation, political instability, lack of infrastructure, a less spoken about land-grab, and other human-caused factors all come into play. For example, the famine is worst in Somalia where the Islamic militant group al-Shabaab (which Kenya has recently declared war with) has long tried to prevent Western aid organization from delivering relief and development services.

With the arrival of the short (but more reliable) rains throughout East Africa, we hope that the current situation will be relieved. It is difficult to write about such a daunting issue ridden with statistics and so reoccurring, but it is reality. What brings me hope (and in another sense dismay) is that this famine and food insecurity is largely human-caused. Therefore, in a large part these things can be dealt with and improved. Projects in communities such as the one I am looking at is just one example. Above are pictures of water and irrigation projects that are aimed at improving living standards and increasing food security additional to the piped water in Kisayani. There are many projects like these being done, not just in the community where I reside but throughout Kenya and the world. They are examples of solutions and innovations some implemented by Westerners, some by locals, and some by the Kenyan government. 

To me it is also a reminder of the value of the Kisayani Water Project and the need for the water in the pipes. Despite being just a researcher, unable to assist in any physical sense, I feel a responsibility to the people here. It can be frustrating to be doing academic research under a hefty research grant, when in many ways I want to be helping in a more tangible way. It gives me motivation however, to do a thorough job, speak to the right people, give recommendations and ensure that my research is shared with the community with the purpose of a sustainable future for water resources and this project.

A view looking over Kisayani

"Maji ni Uhai"

"Water is life"

This is a phrase I hear almost daily here. And it is true. The provision of water to Kisayani has had dramatic effects. The occurrence of water borne diseases had been cut by around 50%; the value of land in Kisayani had grown by over 1000%; people walked less than 1 hour to fetch water compared to 6 hours previously; and people were irrigating crops and fruit trees generating income and increasing food security for their families.

Umani Springs

Yet the reality is that in Kenya it is estimated 60% of people have access to safe water. In the rural areas such as where I am now, the number is closer to 40%. Kisayani is therefore fortunate to have the water supply project as are the tens of thousands of others getting their water from Umani Springs. 

straight from the source

While this post was originally supposed to be about the general picture of water in Kenya, some recent unsettling findings this past week cause me to combine the two, the former offering context.

- - - 

In 1974, Kenya pledged to give each of its citizen’s access to clean water. Despite making some positive strides, the government had taken on more than they could handle and were unable to fulfil the promise. In 2000, the Millennium Development Goals (agreed upon also by Canada and all UN states) pledged that by 2015 they would half the number of people in the world without basic access to water. Again in ~2002, Kenya created a vision that by 2030 all would have access to clean water.

This was done by a complete restructuring of the water sector via the Water Act (2002) in Kenya. This is one of the central areas of focus of my project. Without boring you with the details of the 200 page legal document, the bill supposedly invests all power over the regulation, conservation and licensing of water to the Minister of Water, while also decentralizing water service provision by handing over water systems to communities and private companies—water provision and services is too much for just the government to reside over.

Yet some projects such as the Kisayani Water Project were already in the hands of community management during the restructuring phase. Once financed by a NGO, the ownership of this project and it’s management was invested in a community self-help group: the Kisayani Community Christian Development Programme (KCCDP). The project was completed in 2003 and the Water Act passed in 2002, although it is still being implemented and enforced to this day. Thus, the Kisayani Water Project was developed in a time of transition of management (and still is).

Njoki and I at the Athi River

One of the new water management bodies in the Water Act is the Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA), which is in charge of management of water resources in each of the 8 catchment/watershed regions. It is the role of WRMA to give approval to projects, giving them permits, and co-ordinating management. The Kisayni project has a permit to draw water from Umani Springs, which is shared by a variety of other projects, including the newest project the Mtito Andei Umani Water Project, still under construction. This project is to serve the current 90,000 people of the Mtito Andei area. The put this in perspective the Kisayani project was designed for 12,000 people; the size of this new project is massive. Meanwhile, the source spring is already suffering shortages.

My research is examining the sustainability of the water project in Kisayani and the management of the spring. 


At the moment, there are several evident problems indicating threats to it’s sustainability: some people who once got water no longer do; some are using water to irrigate while other have none to drink; and both the demand and population are clearly growing. One of the pressing issues that keeps coming up i is how there is less water in the pipe or/and less water from the Spring itself. In fact, the river that leads downstream of the springs has shrunk drastically. The river once had a 2-3m deep riverbed, but now is a small trickling stream. Even 4 years ago I was told one could swim in the river. This is just one of the many indicators that show the Spring is undergoing some major challenges.

While I do not have the skill or capacity to measure the flow of the Spring, I had the idea that this new water project (Mtito Andei) would by law require an Environmental Assessment which I hoped would include data on the flow of the Spring and whether or not this new project was feasible. I also have the advantage of working under my professor who had once done the Environmental Assessment for the Kisayani Project and had flow data from the 80s to the late 90s.

After weeks of hunting this document down, I finally met with representatives of the WRMA who are in charge of examining the flow of the spring and permitting allowable withdraws. They not only had the EIA report from 2009, but also a Hydrological Report of the Umani Springs done just this July. They also had the power of granting or not granting the permit to the new water project, so these reports would surely show that where was enough water since it had already been approved.

The report revealed that there was enough water; in fact the report stated there was plenty of water! It claims the current abstractions along with the new proposed project would withdraw just 6% of the total flow. This wasn’t very reassuring, however. The report done in 2001 by my professor Dr. Spaling found that the Kisayani Project along with the other projects was withdrawing closer to 60% of the total flow of the river (not 6%). Since the anecdotal evidence from the local people indicated that the spring and the river downstream was significantly less today than 10 years ago, and the fact that there was a new project much larger than any existing project, something didn’t add up.

looks like 7

Trying to figure out where they got their flow data from, I contacted WRMA again, who is supposed to be measuring regularly the flow of the spring. Yet, what I got from them was about 10 individual sporadic data points from 1987-2011. The data points from the 80s to 2001 confirmed the data used by my professor that the flow of the spring averaged 18.5 million L/day. Yet the data points from 2009 and 2011 somehow showed 82 million L/day (4x as much). The latest data seems to have been used by the hydrological report which showed how the total projects added to 6% total abstraction from the natural flow. No one really knows who made the measurements either, the meters at the spring were stolen long ago.

without piped water

Furthermore, these reports are unclear on how many projects are even at the source. One report says there are two legal ones, one says 4, while WRMA people themselves say 6. My observation at the spring itself (see post from mid-sept) shows 7 individual pipelines.

with piped water

I hope that I am wrong, and that there is plenty of water. But my assumption is that there is not enough water for all of the existing (struggling) projects let alone this new mammoth project. Perhaps the local politician for the area, happening to reside in Mtito Andei has pushed this project through to please his constituency, thereby putting at risk the spring and all communities downstream as well as all those reliant on abstractions and pipelines. I have heard it as if it were a catchphrase, that “Water is Life”. This is indeed true. The communities I have seen with water and without have been stark differences. It would be heart breaking to see this community become one without water and suffering from even more severe shortages.

I hope I am wrong about the spring.