Water and sanitation

water and sanitation projects are going on well. The labourers working with us are learning good construction skills.

Some difficult and sad news. There have been riots and killings for a while in Mombasa as the police (sometimes heavy-handed) try to find instigators in the mosques. A few days ago one of the parishioners of Rev Charles (those in Christ Church, Victoria, Canada know him) lost a son. The mob apparently rampaged through town demanding those they met to recite the Muslim affirmation of faith. Those unable to do so (because Christian or other) were killed.
This morning our young doctor in the far north called to say that a group from his community (medical or security people is not clear) were traveling from Mandera to Nairobi. They were ambushed and the non-Muslims killed. He says things are very tense.

http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/Childbirth-Death-Women-Health/-/440808/2528446/-/s0xl6q/-/index.html

These stats and the article will explain why our Clinical Officer serving in northern Kenya is so distressed. What the article doesn't mention is the radical FGM practiced in the region.

http://www.nation.co.ke/…/440…/2528446/-/s0xl6q/-/index.html
At the national level, Kenya loses 488 mothers out of every 100,000 births. In real numbers, about 7,700 women die in Kenya every year from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications.

Unfortunately, statistics are hard, cold figures often bandied about by experts in global or national reports, seminars, or workshops, but are difficult to relate to in the day-to-day reality of life.

We are talking about 7,700 women, mostly in the prime age of 18 to 45 years, dying each year as they try to give life to another human being.

This translates to approximately 21 women dying daily.

Insecurity defines northern Kenya, and likewise women dying from childbirth

How did things get so bad for North Eastern?

NATION.CO.KE

Checking construction of composting toilets

Fish pond at Mutsulyu

Mutsulyu Primary, one of my schools in Vihiga, was chosen to receive a government financed fish pond. The launch was yesterday with the County Governor as guest of honour. Unfortunately he ran very late and we had to leave before the ceremony started due to another commitment.

The school will receive 1500 fingerlings

This pond will need fencing for secu

The girls get ready to dance

This and that

In the news: an audit of government employees appears to have uncovered 12,000 'ghost workers.' The  salary payments have stopped but the next step is to find into whose bank accounts the money was going. These things take a very long time. Files disappear, records are missing, witnesses fear to come forward.

Another report reveals that only 20% of food aid appears to be reaching those suffering from hunger. Let's hope that the leaks can be stopped.

Three women were stripped in public over the last week for 'indecent dress' (according to the young men who instigated the attacks.) Many protests both in real time and on the web.

Virtues in Kisii

With some of the Virtues participants at Elgonview College, Kisii

Math Tutoring Centre

Our math tutoring centre is beginning to pick up steam as children return home from boarding schools. We expected to focus on elementary or lower secondary children who are having difficulty in Math. Those are coming in, but we also are receiving high functioning students from private or National (top level) schools for reinforcement or enrichment

Things are fairly quiet now exams are over and the schools have closed. The universities continue into December. We did a Virtues training last weekend at a college in Kisii. It's half a day's journey away, so we broke into three days.

Wednesday was devoted to a check on the sanitation and water project. All is going well. You can see from the pictures how rocky the terrain is and why these toilets will be of such benefit.

Our one water project, a well at a school that can only be reached on foot, will also be successful. The first dig hit rock not too far down, so they are trying again in a different place. If this doesn't work they will have to blast.

Virtues in the university

Saturday was devoted to a Community Virtues training for some 30 plus students at the university. They were mostly from 4th year chemistry and their professor is a strong advocate of Virtues. The university is adopting the Virtues project campus wide. Here the students and their professor concentrate on a Virtues Pick.