About this project

We began exploring working in Kenya in 2007, considering developmental aid to the 2 million+ Borana people in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia. In 2007 we met with Borana elders in several villages, and were enthusiastically invited to begin a development partnership with them.

Our Borana directors, Wubshet and Habiba Mengesha, then began our first development project in the village of Gambella, east of the town of Isiolo. We began in Gambella in February, 2008.

The purpose of this trip

Our goal is to demonstrate our Transformational Community Development (TCD), helping Gambella learn how to transform itself, then inviting other nearby villages to learn the same by coming and seeing Gambella’s progress and approach.

Itinerary

Kenya — We’ll help our continuing model TCD effort with the village of Gambella.

On this trip we will likely focus on:

• Helping build a storehouse for their food (they’re now growing food thru techniques we demonstrated, and the starvation is lessening)
• Helping with basic wellness trainings, helping families build personal latrines.
• Playing with the school children, helping with English.

Trip Costs

GHNI fees include all in-country meals (except alcoholic beverages), accommodations, transportation and tips, as well as a contribution toward local GHNI humanitarian aid projects. GHNI feees do not include your travel costs to and from the team gathering destination, visa and passport fees, or any personal expenses.

GHNI fee for this trip: [variable]

Arrival date & place

Mon, Jul 26 — Arrive Nairobi, Kenya (arrive at any hour, we’ll get you at the airport & all spend that night in Nairobi)

Departure date and place

Tue, Aug 3 — (If also joining our Ethiopia trip: Aug 2nd 6pm flight Nairobi to Addis Ababa, then to Dire Dawa 8:30am the 3rd.)

Travel tips

You must book & purchase your flights

Please DO NOT purchase airfare until your participation is confirmed by both you and me.

Physical activity

We will be doing some moderate to heavier physical labor so all volunteers should be in good physical condition.

Accommodations

We stay at a pleasant Catholic guest compound in the town of Isiolo. The rooms are spartan, with toilets and rougn showers with occasional hot water.

Food

Breakfasts are provided at the guest compound, we take lunches to the village, and we hire cooks to make our traditional Kenyan dinners at GHNI’s office compound in Isiolo.

In-country travel

Climate

Always check weather.com for the town of Isiolo. We are at the equator, so the weather will be warm to hot.

Leaders

Our Borana directors are Wubshet and Habiba Mengesha.

GHNI staffers Jeff Power and Jonathan Alschwede will oversee the trip.

Questions

You may direct any follow-up questions to: jon.ahlschwede@ghni.org and jeff.power@ghni.org

Risks

Traveling in any developing nation is not like visiting Disneyland. There are risks that should be considered and accepted before going. Here are some to think about:

1. Health – Malaria, Typhoid, Hepatitis and other diseases we don’t worry about in the west are still problems in many other places. We recommend consulting a doctor or travel health expert, getting recommended vaccinations and carrying recommended medications.
2. Unrest – Politics, religion and tribalism can sometimes manifest themselves more violently in developing counties. While we take all reasonable precautions to avoid these situations, they are by nature unpredictable.
3. Bad driving and roads – Driving conditions in developing countries are often dicey. While our drivers are always instructed to put safety
   first, we cannot control how others operate their vehicles or the specific road conditions on which we drive.
4. Accommodations – We will not be staying at the Holiday Inn or anything like it. Accommodations are sometimes more like glorified camping. And like camping, one is at times a bit closer to nature than one might prefer. Translation: there could be bugs. More on precautions in the packing list below.
5. Food – If you don’t like unusual food, you may want to rethink this trip because that’s all you will get for a week. Not eating the local food can be a cultural blunder at times. Also, we try to take all reasonable precautions to see that food is prepared in a healthy manner, but the risks of intestinal problems remain. Though we don’t expect any food problems, we recommend bringing anti-diarrhea meds.

Benefits

Being part of a GHNI compassion trip is about blessing those you visit. But there are also blessings we often take home with us:

1. Experiencing another culture up close and personal – This is not the tourist’s view of India. This is the real deal.
2. Understanding and vision – Most of us want to make a positive difference somehow. Often being part of a compassion trip like this one provides the insight and inspiration necessary to return home and get involved in some greater good.
3. Friends – working together toward a common goal builds grounds for enduring relationships. We expect you’ll keep in touch with some of your compassion team mates for years to come.

Our demeanor

We in the developed world are used to a pretty independent and fast-paced culture. But we’ll be far more effective at serving others if we adjust our style.

1. Humility. We’re going to serve and learn. For both safety and effectiveness we must follow the trip leaders’ directives. We have past stories of trip participants who disregarded directives, offending the local culture and jeopardizing the safety of the group in the process.
2. If you’re the type who hates to follow directions, don’t come!
3. Relationships. We’re all spending a lot of money to go, and we westerners tend to measure the value of the trip by “productivity.” But our hosts will measure the value of our coming by relationships… and THOSE are worth the money. It’s hard to quantify the long-term power of things like kindness, laughter, serving and friendship. But the future of the world will turn on those things. We’re literally bridging cultures for future generations. And you will likely come home with cell numbers and emails of locals… !
4. Friendliness. Friendliness is universal! Men, be friendly toward local men rather than local women. Don’t give a lot of eye-contact to the local women – it may communicate respect in our culture but it means something different in theirs. Women, however, can give the women LOTS of eye contact and smiles! Also, don’t promise anything you can’t deliver. Westerners are known to make promises casually that other cultures take seriously. Listening more than talking is always the best posture.
5. Be careful. Don’t ever go anywhere alone. Women, take a man with you and go in small groups.
6. Come to learn – leave any sense of entitlement and superiority at the airport
7. Come with a sense of adventure – and be flexible!
8. You are not an ATM or a one-person humanitarian aid organization. In most cases we must resist the temptation to give individuals money and goods, even if it looks like the needs are great. The kind of help that GHNI offers is more dignified and, in the long run, more helpful.

History

Kenya is a wonderful country with a long history. In recent times Kenya has been looked to on the African continent as an emerging democratic nation.

Culture

Kenya was British colonized, so English is its official language. But the less-educated villagers don’t speak English so we use translators. Our village is very friendly and they love our teams when we come!

Resources

Our village is in a VERY drought-ridden area, so there are few natural resources. Yet the soil is rich for growing food if you just add water, so we are teaching drip-irrigation.

Application and Interview

You must complete the online application under the “Apply for this Compassion” page AND have a voice interview with a GHNI representative BEFORE you can be approved for this trip. Once you submit a completed application, a GHNI rep will contact you to do the voice interview.

Visa requirements

You will purchase your entry visas yourself at the Addis and/or Nairobi airports. They will cost you about $80 total. You can use $US to pay for them at each airport.

Booking your flights

Book your flights early to be assured you can travel when you want to and at a reasonable cost. However, DO NOT book your flights before your trip application has been approved by GHNI.

Vaccinations

You are responsible to obtain the vaccines you will need. We cannot give you medical advice. The best thing to do is visit your local travel medicine office or research doctors recommendations for this country online. Complete any vaccines you decide to get roughly a month in advance.

If you take malaria meds, start before the trip and complete them thoroughly when you return.

You can get a “World Health Organization Certificate of Vaccinations” card from your travel office. They will record and date the various vaccines you have received on that card. Staple it in the back of your passport.

Packing Guidelines

1. Pack light!!! One medium suitcase and a carry-on bag is all you need. Laundry service is usually available at hotels. You can also hand wash small items.
2. Don’t bring: short shorts, tank tops, sleeveless shirts, short skirts. Modesty should rule your style! Long pants are the norm for men.
3. Don’t bring: flashy jewelry, expensive gadgets, huge suitcases, flashy clothing. These things attract thieves.
4. Don’t bring: your best stuff. Your clothes will get dirty. Launderers will beat your clothes on a flat rock.
5. Do bring: light weight, light colored clothing. It will be warm there! Non-cotton is best!

Packing List

Clothing

1. Two pairs shoes: working shoes, and walking shoes or sneakers
2. Flip flops
3. Light shirts (long sleeve, women past the elbow and very modest neckline)
4. One warm shirt
5. Long pants
6. Longer dresses are OK
7. Shorts are OK for private team times.
8. Socks and underwear
9. Light waterproof jacket
10. Work clothes
11. Casual but neat clothes for visiting
12. Hat
13. sleepwear

Health

1. Personal medications
2. Malaria meds (your option)
3. Insect repellent
4. Sunscreen
5. Hand sanitizer and/or wet wipes
6. Sleep aid (optional)
7. Diarrhea chewable tablets
8. Motion sickness meds (if your are susceptible)

Miscellaneous

1. Passport
2. Visa (if required)
3. Passport copies of the main page (& Visa), stashed in a few locations
4. Air-Tickets
5. Cell phone & charger
6. Cash & Credit card
7. Water bottle (we’ll pour filtered water into it each day)
8. Work gloves
9. Earplugs & eye shades
10. Snack bars
11. Washcloth
12. Sunglasses (reading glasses if needed)
13. Small flashlight
14. Emergency contact info
15. Small Camera & charger
16. Thumb drive/ memory stick
17. Family photos to show locals
18. Extra batteries you may need (for camera, MP3 player, flash light, etc.)
19. Toiletries
20. Pencils/Pens/personal journal
21. Electrical converter for electrical appliances
22. Money belt
23. Book to read
24. Day pack/ knap sack
25. Light sleeping bag liner (recommended)
26. Zip lock bags of various sizes
27. Portable alarm clock (or cell phone w/ alarm)