Diary of an African Woman in US: My Crazy Crazy Friends

When I lived in the US, I tried to connect with Kenyans and other Africans. So I met this group of Kenyans living in Boston, Massachusetts in 2008. Kariuki, Waruingi and Omondi shared a house in Waltham, close to Brandeis University. They were a fun loving, adventurous and a hilarious trio, which is why I loved their company. Since Lewiston, Maine is only two and a half hours to Boston, we visited each other at least every few months especially during Kenyan holidays. 

One day, I received a call from Kariuki, who we all called Karis:

Karis: You have any plans for Jamhuri day? It is this Saturday

Me: Not really. What do you guys have in mind?

Karis: We have a goat! We have been fattening him for 3 days! So Nyama Choma (roasted meat) pap!

Me: What? Where did you get a goat from in Boston?

Karis: At a farmer’s market. Our nosy neighbor Mrs. Phillips thinks it’s a pet. The day we bought him, he kept meeeeing through the night and she (the neighbor) came out in her pjs and asked us to shut the freaking goat up. Omosh (Omondi) with his acting skills started crying crocodile tears. Wa Phillips (a common way Kikuyus refer to the wife of or the mother of) was touched by his tears so she asked what was up. Guess what craaazy Omosh said?

Me: Yeah? What?

Karis: That we had rescued the poor goat! That we had found the goat meeing on Chestnut Street. He was lost and we were now housing him. Sheesh! Count on Omosh to cook up a story and add condiments! He even claimed that we had already named the goat ‘Mueni’!

Me: haha! That’s creative! Am game so I will come on 12^th. No goat for me though. I have become a vegetarian?

Karis: Nkt! Stop behaving like an American! You will eat goat and you will be incharge of making some yummy guacamole. Nkt! Ati vegetarian!!

So on 12^th I took an Amtrak train to Boston and Omosh picked me up from the Boston South station. We were excited to see each other after 4 months. So he updated me on the goat festivities. Here’s his version of the story:

Heee! So wacha nikushow (Let me tell you)! Mrs. Phillips left last evening for Connecticut to see her son. We were happy she was going away coz we weren’t sure how to malizia Mueni with her snooping around our place. So once she was gone, we took Mueni to our backyard. Heeee!

He paused for suspense.

“Endelea na story! So what happened?

So we were about to maliz Mweni when suddenly there was a flashlight on my face! It was jioni (night) you know. Kumbe it was cops! They were doing regular patrol in the neighborhood when they noticed some activity in our backyard and came to investigate! Si we were in trouble? Heee! So the cops were like: Hands where we can see them!

It turns out that unlike in Kenya where we can slaughter a goat in the back yard so long as it has been inspected; the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates many of the processes by which animals are slaughtered here. It has to be done in a plant. There is also the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. Heee! huku manzee ni kucomplicated! (here things are complicated)

So anyway, the cops let us go but with a warning. They called animal control and they took Mweni away. So no nyama choma. But we bought some chicken.

It turned out to be a fun evening with my friends. But they learnt a lesson: America sio Kenya (American is not like Kenya). They are laws and slaughtering an animal can get you into lots of trouble.When Mrs. Philips returned from Connecticut, she inquired about Mueni the goat. Omosh was ready with a story: They had found Old Larry, the goat’s owner. And the two were happily reconciled.

Diary of an African Woman in the US: The Flight

People have been telling me to write more about my experience in the US. So here's a new series! I will write about my culture shock,language blunders, about the food, crazy weather especially Winter, interracial dating, finding friendships, school, entertainment, my encounters with racism etc. 

Nineteen hours and forty minutes! That’s how long the flight was: From the Jomo Kenyatta International airport, Nairobi; a 2hrs layover at Amsterdam airport, Netherlands to Logan International airport, Boston. 

Let me go back a while. After I had said goodbye to family and friends, and my mom’s friends, (Kenyans know what I mean), I boarded the KLM aircraft that would take me to Amsterdam . What a huge vessel! Now, I had been in a plane many times before, but it was usually a 12- seater to Dadaab, and Kakuma refugee camps where I had worked for some years. I liked the small planes better because: I knew most of the pilots and trusted them.

 Ok. Saying I trusted them is an overstatement. Allow me to digress a bit. One day, I was flying from the Wilson airport, Nairobi to kakuma. I had been away for my 2 weeks R&R (rest and recuperation) and was going back to work. Usually, the small aircrafts had only one pilot so I always rushed to grab the co-pilots seat for a few reasons: I enjoyed the view from the front, I was fascinated by the cockpit and I enjoyed putting the co-pilots headphones and listening to the coded chats between the pilots and control towers. During the flight, I tried to chat with the pilot. He was super nervous and I thought chatting him would make him relax. My friend Maggie disagreed. "Stop charming the man, let him concentrate! U will get us killed!' Sheesh! Maggie! Relax. He has engaged autopilot! 

As we were about to land, we observed a herd of cattle crossing the runway! A turkana herdsman was trying to rush them across in time but landing the plane would be impossible. Everybody on board (well, except me and the pilot) was screaming on top of their lungs. We were going crash onto the cows! In a nick of time, the pilot maneuvered the plane back to the air, circled around and landed us safely. The cows were already gone. Don't ask me who was responsible for ensuring the runway was clear for landing. Anyway, people got off the plane, cursing the heardsman and his cows. The pilot however was rooted to his seat. With concern, I asked him: You ok? He slowly nodded. "Dont tell anybody, but this was my first flight by myself!" What??? You are telling me now? "Would you rather have known when we were up there?" Ok. You make an excellent point. "So yeah! And I landed the freaking plane safely! Wooooohooo!"  And with that, he leaped out of the cockpit and helped me out. 

Back to my journey to America. Now in the huge vessel I was sandwiched between two heavy Dutch men. Don’t get me wrong, I like Dutch people. In fact, I was supporting team Netherlands for the World cup. But here I was, in between unfriendly men for 8 hours! Not that I wanted extremely chatty neighbors really—they would bore me to death. But at least respond to my ‘hi’ with more than just a snort. When I look back, I am convinced that my introvertedness, which was pretty dominant in most of my stay in the US, started on that fateful day.

The plane left Nairobi at 10.20 pm. That was way past my regular bedtime, but excitement kept me awake. My first real airplane food was served by a tall flight attendant. (I had once applied for a flight attendant job with Flamingo airlines, Kenya but they said I wasn’t tall enough. That is a story for another day).  After the cold, bland food, I watched some movies, slept, woke up and watched another movie, ate some more and then we landed in Amsterdam.

This airport is the sixth largest in the world in terms of international traffic with almost 50 million passengers per year. I had an over 2 hours lay over. I couldn’t sleep for fear that a terrorist would slip a bomb into my carry-on bag or that a drug courier would sneak some and I would get arrested at the security check.  The constant warning over the intercom ‘Attention all passengers, please keep your luggage with you at all times. Do not leave your luggage unattended. Do not accept any offer from strangers to handle your luggage. Do not accept any luggage from strangers’ kept me very alert.

I boarded the Northwest airlines (now absorbed into Delta) to Boston. It was less luxurious. And the airplane food was even worse. For some reason, I had expected everything to be better. The plane was old, the seats were less classy and the flight attendants were shorter. But I had a window seat though so I was able to see the ocean down below!

And finally we landed. I was overwhelmed with excitement as my feet touched the American soil. My childhood dream had come true. I didn't know the process of getting my luggage but I followed the other passengers. I found my suitcase and took the escalator down towards the exit. And there they were! The two wonderful women who had made all this possible: Patti and Rachel. They didn't need a placard with my name and with the words: Welcome to America. Their beaming smiles said it all. Hugs and more hugs and we walked to the car and drove to Portland, Maine. I leaned back and enjoyed the ride. I was finally here.

To be continued…

Innovation in Developing Countries: Butterfly LED Lamp in Kenya

Innovation, especially technological innovation, is regarded as one of the keys to economic and social development. One of the myths about the developing world is that people living there lack innovation necessary to spur economic growth and development. Some development experts have advised governments in developing countries to adopt already matured technologies from developed countries. Others have argued that technology transfer from developed to developing countries is the best way out.

While I agree to both ideas and agree that developing countries have significant opportunities for tapping into global knowledge and technology for dissemination in their domestic context, I also disqualify the myth that there is no or little innovation in these countries. It is there, but  is inhibited by poor framework conditions (such as governance, education and infrastructure).

 I encourage governments in developing countries should support innovations by local citizens. They can do this by

• Developing and implementing practical innovation policies
• Providing technical, financial and other support
• Reducing obstacles to innovation in competition and in regulatory and legal frameworks
• Providing government-sponsored research and development (R& D)
• Developing an education systems that encourages creativity and innovation

In this series, I will be highlighting various innovations from developing countries. This week, I will feature an innovation by two Kenyans:

The product: Butterfly LED Lamps

·        They are an affordable form of lighting made for the poor and those in the rural areas without access to electricity.

·        The lamps are made of recyclable materials:

Battery: this is made of recycled dead laptop batteries

Outer covering:  made of white trunk pipes

• The LED bulbs installed produce bright light thus giving the user enough light for a big room
• The butterfly lamp charges via both electricity and solar energy. The battery charges for 10 to 20 minutes to give a whole week consistent lighting.

·        The charging system is unique in that it has special ports installed. One can use any mobile phone charger to charge the lamp. Majority of people have mobile phones (including those in rural areas), so this is an easy way to charge the lamp.

·        Compared to other devices in the market, Butterfly Lamps are brighter and provide light for longer.

Target Population

-Slums and rural areas where there is no government installed electricity.

The Lamps are already being used by:

• Nairobi university students: due to the regular blackouts at the university resident halls, one student bought a lamp. She uses it to study for exams when the lights go out.
• Homes:  relatives of the innovators who live in rural areas use butterfly lamps for lighting.
• Long distance truck drivers: Some transit drivers from Mombasa to Kampala use the lamps. At most times the truck breaks down in the middle of the night. They use the lamp to see around and for security.

The Innovators

Paul Mucheru

-Works at Faulu Bank. He is developer of electrical control systems. His passion is to provide access to lighting for all especially the poor. He came up with the idea of the Butterfly Lamps and developed a prototype .

Joe Mwaniki

-27 years old. He is a software and web developer with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. He Works at West Innovations Limited. In 2010, Joe won the vice chancellors innovation Award. He is passionate about the technology of tomorrow.

Where did the idea come from?

Here is what the dynamic duo had to say:

We were preparing to watch the UEFA Champions League finals between Chelsea and Bayern Munich when the lights suddenly disappeared. Arrg!! Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) had failed us again. We desperately wanted to watch the match.

That is when we decided that we had to do something. There had to be an affordable form of lighting. With frequent blackout and many Kenyans depending on KPLC alone, an alternative form of lighting had to be developed. And we were going to do it! Indeed necessity is the mother of invention.

Future of the product

• The lamp will have a battery meter so as to alert the user on the battery levels
• The user will be able to access the lamp or bulb wirelessly through a smartphone app. This will help show the battery charge levels, if the product is broken, and how to improve the productivity of the lamp.
• The lamp is in the process of being patented
• A outer cover is being designed to protect the bulbs 

Potential benefit to Investors

·         Investors will benefit from the sales of the lamps to the many customers across the region.

·         Investors will have the opportunity to clear the environment off toxic materials (the recycled batteries used in the product).

Women's Voices: Part 2

One day I walked into our center and there was a new face. She was holding a baby who was screaming on top of his lungs. The mother looked frazzled and when I said hi, she just murmured something and barely looked at me.

A week later she asked me: “Ms. Winnie, you don’t remember me, do you?”    

“Uhhm…not really. No. Have we met somewhere before you came to our program?”

She laughed out aloud? “Are you sure? Because you and I had quite a long conversation a week before I came. At Valley Arcade?”

Suddenly it hit me! I was at the Java at Valley Arcade for a meeting. On my way from there, I met this woman at the entrance. She was begging from passers-by. She stopped me and said: Auntie saidia. Help me, auntie. Auntie is a Kenya way of regarding a female stranger.I remember there were some men selling movies close by. They chuckled and whispered among themselves: Just wait, this gullible lady will be conned before our very eyes.

I decided to listen to the woman nevertheless. She had been begging all day and nobody had given her a single coin. Her husband had married another woman and left her with 5 children. He paid the rent but that was all. She and her children had slept hungry for three days. And could I buy her flour so she could go cook some ugali? I gave her Ksh200 (`$ 2), went home and forgot about her.

Now she was right in front of me grinning so widely. So she had been genuinely in need! Phew! What if I had ignored her? What if I had insulted her like most Kenyans do? And then I come to the program to find the very woman? I would have been so so ashamed! Thankfully, I had listened and done something good. Phew! Here is her story as she shared with us as part of healing.

I am a mother of five children. My husband dumped me for a younger woman. He only pays the rent but does not cater for other needs. My first born is married. I was raised by a single mother and because she could not afford my school fees, I dropped out of school at class four.

I came to Nairobi to look after my aunt's child but could not stay there for long.  Her husband (my uncle) attempted to rape me. I went back to the village but came back to the city to look for work. Igot one as a house help but I later got married. But as I mentioned earlier, he left me.

Since I had no education, I could not get a good job. I would go to the street and wait for casual jobs such as cleaning houses and doing laundry in rich neighborhoods such as Lavington and Kileleshwa. But it was not easy to get a job and I could go for days without work. My children and I would spent even up to three days without food. I started begging for food from well-wishers on the streets. It was so demeaning. Some people would insult me and most would just ignore me.

Then one day I met with the people who do street ministry from Always Enough: Cecilia and Ruth. They got interested with my story and they introduced me to Tandaza Trust and Safe Harbor International. This was a turning point for me. I love it here since I am busy unlike before when I could only sit waiting for a job that I was not even sure of.  I get a stipend to buy food and they took my girl to school. Nowadays I find myself smiling and laughing more often. I guess am just happy that there is food on the table for my children. And that my dignity has been restored. I thank God for Tandaza Trust and Safe Harbor International.

This resilient woman recently graduated from our Literacy Program with a certificate in Lower Intermediate English. We are also training her and the other women on how to make Arts and crafts such as notecards, mats, baskets etc for sale. We also have trained entrepreneurship skills. We hope to help her and others either to get jobs or start small businesses. 

Women's Voices: Part 1

In the last few years I have been working as a Development Specialist with Safe harbor International (SHI).I work with women who have been rescued from the streets. These women have been to hell and back. They have been homeless for over 5 years, they have suffered physical and sexual abuse, slept hungry for days on cold, dark, dirty and dangerous alleys, have been arrested by city council police and thrown into jail. They have begged for coins in order to feed their children, been insulted by passers-by. In short, these women have been stripped of their dignity.

SHI partners with Tandaza Trust and Always enough—two NGO’s that are passionate about street families. They rescue these women, rent flats for them, and then enroll them in the empowerment program. Here, the women are taught entrepreneurial skills, how to make artwork such as note cards, mats, baskets, jewelry etc. These are sold and proceeds used to help them. Since most of the women are drug addicts by the time they join us, they are enrolled in a rehabilitation program.

I coordinate the Literacy program. As they go through rehab and empowerment, we concurrently enroll them for English classes depending on the entry level. We currently have Beginner’s 1 and 2, Lower and Upper Intermediate and Advanced English levels. In our classes, we teach job skills such as resume writing, interviewing, customer relations and public speaking skills among others. Other trainings include reproductive health (family planning, STIs and HIV/AIDS) basic nutrition, basic hygiene and good grooming, basic business skills etc.Once the women finish a cycle (usually one year) we help them find a job, go to college or start a small business depending on their choice.

As part of their healing process, the women have been sharing their stories with us. They say we have given them voices, restored their dignity. Those in Advanced and Intermediate levels write the stories themselves but the beginners tell the stories to us. We then record and transcribe them. In the next few entries, I will be sharing these success stories. To protect their identities, we will use pseudonyms or totally withhold the women’s names. We pray that they will encourage women everywhere no matter how bad their life has been. I am so glad to be part of the amazing work that Safe Harbor International, Tandaza Trust and Always Enough are doing in Nairobi, Kenya.

Below is one of the stories as shared by Maggie (Not her real name):

I come from a poor family. I was raised by a single mother in Mathare slums and later moved to the streets of Nairobi to beg for food. During my frequent visit to the streets, I met a woman from England who sponsored me up to form 3 but she later went back to her country. This made me devastated and left me with no other option than to go back to my old ways of begging. I met a man who married me and I got pregnant. Unfortunately, he chased me out of his house after delivery. I had nowhere to go since I was estranged from my mother. I had only one option: to go back to the streets of Nairobi.

Life in the streets was not easy and especially with my young daughter. We slept in the cold and my child developed a chest problem. In order to relieve myself from the stress, I started abusing drugs. I would beg during the day around museum hill and at night we would go and sleep at the corridors in the city. I begged until my child was five years old. I always received insults from people I begged from.

When begging became difficult for me, I joined a gang of thieves. I would seduce men and when they followed me, the others would attack from behind. I did this for three months but we disagreed with my friends after I helped a white man escape. They threatened me and I had to run away from Nairobi town to Kawangware.

While at Kawangware I met my old friends from the city and at first I was very scared since I didn't know whether they had changed or they would report me to the gang. Later, I met with them again and after sharing my story with them, they introduced me to Tandaza Trust and Safe Harbor International.

I stopped abusing drugs and became a Christian. I also joined the Literacy class where I sharpen my English skills. Currently, I am assisting in teaching some students. I can now see a future for me and my child and I know she will get a good education. I desire to become a hair dresser someday. I appreciate the Tandaza Trust program and Safe Harbor International.

Dos and Dont's for Expatriates

When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable. — Clifton Fadiman

This entry is dedicated to all my friends who studied International Development with me, have been, are or will be expats. And all my other fans who still read my blog entries even when it is not really that relevant to them .

The number of expats in Kenya keeps rising. However, I see expats making the same mistakes year in year out. To try and assist them, I recently conducted an independent research, interviewing both locals and expats in Nairobi. Here are some dos and don’ts suggested by both groups. And a few additions of my own since I consider myself an expat. I also trained a number of expat groups when I lived in the US. These dos and don’ts will help expats be more productive, have a better time, and better relationships with locals. There were more don’ts than dos. Don’t ask me why.
Dos
1. Research extensively about the country you are going to. The culture, tax laws, property markets and day-to-day expenses. These vary from country to country. Even if you are returning to a country that you have lived in before, tax laws change over time.

2.Get adequately trained. Typical programs for the expat and his/her family should include:
 •cross cultural training •language training •documentary and practical information on the new location • sensitivity training • arrival orientation • field trips where possible

3. Get a repatriation program. You may be going to a volatile location. Ensure that the company/organization sending you there are ready and able to repatriate you if need be.

4. Learn the language: If you did not receive language training as suggested above, try to learn even if it is just a few basic phrases. Most locals agreed that they were warmer to foreigners who could say Habari, or any other form of greeting.

5. Bring the best from your country, especially technology, company culture and management integrity.

6. Try local foods. You might get a case of food poisoning once in a while, but chances are that the food is clean, and yummy. Ok. Strike the food poisoning part.

7. Make friends with locals. Most expats just hang out with other expats. Then they just look like an unapproachable sorority. I am not saying that you shouldn’t hang out with your fellow expats. Yes, celebrate 4th of July and Thanksgiving together, but also celebrate Jamhuri or Madaraka day with Kenyans.

8. Communicate with people back home often. Call your people. Share success stories. When you go back, the gap will not be so big. You will adapt more easily than if you were not communicating.

Don’ts
1. Don’t complain throughout about everything! The queue is so long, it’s too hot, too humid, too cold, this necklace is too expensive, this street is too dirty. Yes, Nairobi’s traffic is too crazy even for me as a local. But why whine about it all the time? It is not going to improve just because you did.

2. Don’t try to fix everything. Yes, you came here to work for human rights, but you can’t fix all the problems. The politicians are crooked, the pot holes on the roads need to be filled, there is a cholera outbreak at the refugee camp, matatu drivers are so reckless (my greatest pet peeve), the country has so many problems….You can only do so much. Unless you are super man (who has a kryptonite by the way), you will experience a bad case of burn out and you will be back to your country before you finish your task.

3. Don’t be a know it all. One of the annoying things expats do is to act like they know everything about a country after a year or two. Even if you have been there for ten years, there is always something new to discover. When there is a new expat, share the knowledge, but let them learn some things on their own. Don’t deny them the joy of discovering things for themselves.

4. Related to 3 above. Don’t insist that your way is the best way. Yes, you are trained as a Development Specialist and you have studied that country extensively. You have a Master’s in Project Management, and those on the ground have no idea what a Log Frame is, but they have tested many development strategies. They know what best practices are for that community project. Consult them and see if your ideas and theirs can be used together. If you insist on ‘your way’ all the time, you will be frustrated throughout and you won’t enjoy your work.

5. Don’t ship everything from your home country. You might be surprised to find your brand of body lotion in Nairobi, but if you cannot find it, ask for recommendations on local brands.

6. Related to 5. Above: Don’t shop at expat stores throughout. Their prices will be up the roof. In Kenya, you can find almost all the items you need at the local supermarkets such as Nakumatt and Uchumi. For veggies, go to the local farmer’s markets. You will find your organic tomatoes for cheaper.

7. Don’t exaggerate! E.g. when I worked in Dadaab refugee camp in 2005, my project provided housing for half a million refugees. (That number is too high. The number of refugees was about 200,000 then). Most expats do amazing work in harsh locations. You do not need to boast or exaggerate for people to see you are doing significant work.

8. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Yes, we know you are on a serious mission. But if you don’t laugh about the language blunders e.g. the time when you asked the waiter for mavi , (excrement) instead of Maji (water), then you will not last long.

9. Don’t leave the country for vacation all the time. Why don’t you explore the country? Visit the touristy areas. If in Kenya, go for a safari. Go to the Maasai Mara; visit the coastal towns like Malindi, Mombasa, Lamu; or climb Mt. Kenya.

10. Don’t judge other expats. You may not approve their choice to wear a hijab, or eat nyama choma, but let them be.

11. Related to 10. above. Don’t expect your spouse and children or even other expats to adapt to the new location in the same pace. Your wife may not be able to learn Swahili as fast as you and your son may not be ready to wear local garb yet. Give them time, be patient.

12. You can watch CNN, BBC, or DW news, read the NY times online but don’t ignore the local press. Buy the local newspaper. Watch the local news. Visit a local theatre and watch a pantomime.

13. Related to 12 above. Don’t be addicted to social media. Don’t be on facebook, twitter throughout. Turn them off and go outside! There is a beautiful coffee shop that you won’t discover if you are on facebook.

14. Don’t live in fear. Oh my goodness, I just saw a mosquito—I will get malaria. OMG! Did you hear there was a bombing in Kenya? Sudan is next to Kenya so it’s next. I can’t use the bus. The general elections are around the corner—let’s get out of here! Things might become volatile. Ok. Some caution is important but don’t let fear rule you.

All the best expats!

Muna

Muna,
I saw you, I saw your light
In the night of guns, in the primeval darkness
I saw your little light, flickering diffidently amidst shattering bombs

Muna, I saw you, I saw your fire
In the night of guns, in the primeval darkness
I saw your dying embers, glowing reticently in the rain of bullets

Muna,
I saw you, I saw your strength
In the breaking dawn, when the red sun awoke
I saw your small stones, sticking confidently among superior rocks

Your little light became the sun
Your dying embers became a bush fire
Your small stones caused an avalanche
I saw you,
I saw your incandescent light, I saw your blazing fire, and I saw your prodigious strength.