Absolutely amazing!! Way better than anything I could have even imagined! :)
Here's a little background on the ADP on Lokori
Lokori ADP (area development program) is one of 64 ADPs in Kenya that is supported by World Vision. There are approximately 150,000 children registered with World Vision Kenya to receive assistance. The percentage of children sponsorship varies depending on the sponsor continuing their child sponsorship and the number of children-- depends on new babies/ deaths and nomadic families moving in and out of the areas supported by World Vision. In Lokori, there are about 50,000 people with 95% being Turkana (nomads from Northern Kenya) and 30,000 people benefitting from WV. Currently there are 4,650 children registered with WV sponsorships in this ADP. There are about 300 children who are not sponsored. WV has been in Lokori providing aid and assistance since 1992. Lokori ADP covers 9,000 square kilometers and is home to 7 clusters or communities. They are Lokubae, Nokwamosing, Katilia, Morelum, Kapedo, Lokori, and Lokicher. WV has 16 staff members in Lokori including the ADP director who I met today- Moses. The families in Lokori are mostly herders of livestock- cattle, camels, and goats. The ADP has several focuses/ program project that benefit the community they include-- Water and Sanitation, Food Security, Education, HIV/AIDS Prevention, Economic Development through micro-finances/ loans, Poverty Reduction, and Community Advocate.
MY VISIT . . .
0615- Leave Emily's house
0715- Board smallest plane ever to fly for 2 hours to the middle of nowhere
0930- Land in the middle of nowhere
. . . . Priceless experience that I will never forget
1445- Board smallest plane ever to fly back to Nairobi
1530- See my lunch again :(
1710- Never been so happy to be back on solid ground!
1740- Arrive back at Emily's house
Departure
Smallest plane = only room for 6 including the pilot!
At the Nairobi airport I met Samuel the WV Donor Coordinator and Muthoni WV Sponsorship Director and her husband Robert. Our pilot Marcus handed us candies (Cadbury Eclairs) and bottled water for the flight. Before take off he showed us the 2 exits, how to use the AC- vents, the location of the first aid kit, and how to remove our seat belts. Then he led us in a short prayer.
Landing in Lokori
Middle of nowhere = Lokori ADP
Greeting us as we landed in Lokori was ADP director Moses, Nancy, James and our driver Frances. As we were de-boarding the plane children from a nearby community ran towards us with huge smiles. We loaded into the only car WV has for the entire ADP towards to kitchen/ community center for Lokori. Driving through the ADP we passed the main shopping center for purchasing supplies and good that is available to all families. Most of the children we passed ran towards the vehicle waving franticly and always smiling. Once at the community kitchen we had very hot "moto" (Swahili for hot) chai tea with milk and sugar, bananas, mangos, and hard-boiled eggs that were trucked in yesterday just for us.
Meeting the Komusia family
Waiting for us at the community center was Ikitmat and Emase- two sisters that I sponsor. I met their dad- Moses who is 6-11 and their mom- Margaret who is over 6 feet. It was like a dream come true. The girls were wearing their best dresses (both matching) and we recognized each other with smiles. Moses (the ADP director) introduced us all and their mom gave me a great big hug. The girls were very shy probably because I was the first mzungu (white person) they had ever met and in shock just like me. After a brief introduction I left the family to tour the ADP- they stayed at the community center until we returned.
Lokori ADP
Traveling by SUV- well it’s more like a truck but the back is enclosed with seats on the sides to hold up to 8-10 adults. At the ADP headquarters I met the remaining staff still on location- today Dec 22 is the last day until the New Year. Most of the staff members had already gone home on Dec 18th- the day I was suppose to arrive. After taking many pictures with the staff we all loaded in the SUV to meet Kailale and Etabo- they live nearby in the Lokori community :)
Sukuta's home
Moses informs me we have arrived, there are about 20 children smiling. I recognize Kailale immediately and am looking for his parents. His mother makes her way through all the children to give me a hug almost catching me off guard. Next to her is Etabo who is very nervous/ anxious at meeting me. He follows very closely to his mother! Making our way into their family home crossing the stick fence Moses shows us where they stay during the day. It’s a small hut with tall sticks making a rectangle with the bottom half open and the top half mud covered. The ceiling is made from more sticks and mud. Inside is a center pole with a radio attached and in one corner tied up is a family goat. After a few more pictures Kailale's mother- Rosa takes me inside their home. It’s a small round hut made from mud and sticks with a thatched cone roof. It’s no bigger than 12-14 feet in circumference and the walls are 5 and half feet but the roof cones upwards so there is plenty of headroom. Inside is a bed just larger than a twin, a bicycle, and a chest/box with the rest of the family’s possessions. The floor is swept clean and between the roof and sidewalls are shoes and toys for the children. Outside they show me their 6 pet pigeons and we take a few more pictures. I meet the grandmother and informed the father, grandfather, and eldest son are away for a sudden family funeral. The mother says that the rest of the family stayed behind because they knew I was coming and wanted very much to meet me. And the father is sad he had to leave. Then about 6-8 children and the mother load into the SUV along with the WV staff from the ADP headquarters to return to the community center for more one on one time with my sponsored children and their familes.
MUCH MORE TO COME . . . off to bed since its 1130pm here and I have been up since 4am
Truly AMAZING!!!
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