Mathare Valley, a shocking experience ...
Door: Robert Hoogendoorn
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Talitha & Robert
28 Februari 2014 | Kenia, Nairobi
It's only 1,5 week ago when we set foot in Kenya, but it feels already like we are months in Kenya. So many things are happening here, that it almost feels like if time doesn't exist.
Last Saturday was already a great experience, to meet my great friend and brother again, Mr Mayor. What can I say about this guy, I never met anyone who has such an inspiring and positive spirit like him. Grew up from the slums, but he has this way of making the best out of everything and now he is a respected music producer. He took the time to take the group around Nairobi. So this was my first Matatu experience. A Matatu is a small bus for local transport in Kenya. The people love them here, because they are cheap, fast and have loud music in them :). Most of the travel advisory say not to use Matatu's, but actually they are lovely. After a week we feel quite comfortable to travel with Matatu's. Mr. Mayor did a great job showing us Nairobi and made sure we got a Kenian telephone number.
On Monday was our first working day. We went first to Nairobits for an introduction meeting and then afterwards to Africa Alive office. For Sanne and myself it's perfect, because the Africa Alive office is a 30 minutes walk from our house. Pim and Fred have to travel either by Matatu or bus, but they are thinking about buying a bycicles.
The start up was great. We were received with the utmost friendliness. Of course it still has a long way to go before the project will grow into a real project, but it was nice to see that our host are as enthousiastic as we are. Sanne and myself were already part of a conference of a group of development companies which are working in an Alliance with Nairobits and Africa Alive. So we met already many people who are chasing the same dream over here.
During the week I have been busy with getting a Kenian banc account, and I can say that I'm right now the lucky owner of a Kenian banc account ;).
Today we went to visit the trainingscenters of Nairobits in the slums. I got the message of a documentary in my head about the Mathare Valley, which said: "Visiting the Mathare Valley is a shocking experience". As we saw the slums again, it reminded me why I do this work. 700.000 people in the poorest conditions you could ever imagine. And then there are these trainingscentra in the middle of the slums, were they have good computers and the full version of Photoshop and were young people out of the slums get training to create high quality and cool designed websites. Amazing to see that such a center gives so much hope for the future. Good computers, very enthousiastic youth, wow it was a shocking experience but definitely this time with a positive twist.
After visiting Mathare Valley we met Mr. Mayor again and went to his studio. It was great to see where this awesome guy is working these days!
I feel blessed with all the great oppertunities here. Living in Nairobi is easier then I expected to be and I love the people over here. Next week we will work on the project plan together and on thursday I have a meeting with the LISP staff and my great friend James Kabucho. It feels as a great honor to be invited by them. I can already have a look where Talitha will get to work :). I'm also chasing here for a football club in Nairobi and one of the great project members of Kenya Indepth (Umoja) has promised to help me. So hopefully soon I will be also seen on the football fields! Having a great time here!
Greetings from a warm Nairobi, swimming at the end of a working day is lovely ;).
Karibu Sanne,
Robert
Last Saturday was already a great experience, to meet my great friend and brother again, Mr Mayor. What can I say about this guy, I never met anyone who has such an inspiring and positive spirit like him. Grew up from the slums, but he has this way of making the best out of everything and now he is a respected music producer. He took the time to take the group around Nairobi. So this was my first Matatu experience. A Matatu is a small bus for local transport in Kenya. The people love them here, because they are cheap, fast and have loud music in them :). Most of the travel advisory say not to use Matatu's, but actually they are lovely. After a week we feel quite comfortable to travel with Matatu's. Mr. Mayor did a great job showing us Nairobi and made sure we got a Kenian telephone number.
On Monday was our first working day. We went first to Nairobits for an introduction meeting and then afterwards to Africa Alive office. For Sanne and myself it's perfect, because the Africa Alive office is a 30 minutes walk from our house. Pim and Fred have to travel either by Matatu or bus, but they are thinking about buying a bycicles.
The start up was great. We were received with the utmost friendliness. Of course it still has a long way to go before the project will grow into a real project, but it was nice to see that our host are as enthousiastic as we are. Sanne and myself were already part of a conference of a group of development companies which are working in an Alliance with Nairobits and Africa Alive. So we met already many people who are chasing the same dream over here.
During the week I have been busy with getting a Kenian banc account, and I can say that I'm right now the lucky owner of a Kenian banc account ;).
Today we went to visit the trainingscenters of Nairobits in the slums. I got the message of a documentary in my head about the Mathare Valley, which said: "Visiting the Mathare Valley is a shocking experience". As we saw the slums again, it reminded me why I do this work. 700.000 people in the poorest conditions you could ever imagine. And then there are these trainingscentra in the middle of the slums, were they have good computers and the full version of Photoshop and were young people out of the slums get training to create high quality and cool designed websites. Amazing to see that such a center gives so much hope for the future. Good computers, very enthousiastic youth, wow it was a shocking experience but definitely this time with a positive twist.
After visiting Mathare Valley we met Mr. Mayor again and went to his studio. It was great to see where this awesome guy is working these days!
I feel blessed with all the great oppertunities here. Living in Nairobi is easier then I expected to be and I love the people over here. Next week we will work on the project plan together and on thursday I have a meeting with the LISP staff and my great friend James Kabucho. It feels as a great honor to be invited by them. I can already have a look where Talitha will get to work :). I'm also chasing here for a football club in Nairobi and one of the great project members of Kenya Indepth (Umoja) has promised to help me. So hopefully soon I will be also seen on the football fields! Having a great time here!
Greetings from a warm Nairobi, swimming at the end of a working day is lovely ;).
Karibu Sanne,
Robert
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