Camp GLOW

Alright kids! Something fun to talk about! I just got back last night from Nairobi (Kibera, to be specific) where we had a week-long camp GLOW - Girls Leading Our World. It's something hosted by the GAD committee, which I think I already posted about.

We left EARLY on Sunday morning, leaving Kakamega at 8am. Me, J and 4 girls. We picked 6 more before leaving Kisumu. A decent crowd of kids! All are secondary school girls that were nominated to go by a PCV. They were nominated for showing leadership, success and potential. So, we all left for the painful ride to Nairobi.

Mum, by the way, bring Dramamine for the trip! You'll be sorry if you don't!

We arrived Nairobi about 5p, right in rush hour, and had to take our ducklings through City Center, loaded with crap, to find a bus to Kibera. Know Kibera? That's the biggest slum in all of Africa. On the edges there is a place called Rowlan Scout Camp, where we stayed. Real nice little joint in the woods. They had tents, sleeping bags and mattresses for the girls, mattresses and blankets for us (we brought out own tents and bags), toilets, showers and some choos. The place is surrounded by an electric fence and has a lot of people around, so we all felt nice and safe.

It was a busy week, packed with activities. The PCVs (about 15 of us, I think) all tried to get up before the girls, to show them how enthusiastic we are and all that. But no. These are mostly boarding school girls, who are used to getting up at 4:30a to be washed and ready for the day. So, even sleeping in, they were still up and moving by 5:30a or so, well before us, and we woke at 6a!!

Wake-up stretches and exercise, then breakfast, then activities, then chai, then more activities, then lunch, then even more activities, then second chai and yet more activities, then dinner and some down time. LOTS of eating! I told the girls I expected them to each gain 5kilos in our week together. They all just laughed at me. Seriously, though, it made me happy to see them all eating so much, because I know it is WAY more than they ever get at home.

During all our meals, we were hounded by monkeys. Hoards of monkeys!! The smallish ones with looooong tails. Extremely cute, but theivin' lil' bastards! They stole an entire loaf of bread one morning, and some uncooked chapati dough another morning. Anything they could get to!

Our activities were both PC-based - re: health, sex, gender roles, the washable pads, etc. and DEPOT-based - leadership training, teamwork games, challenges, etc. DEPOT is the Dan Eldon Place of Tomorrow. Cheesy name, right? Yea, until they took us to Dan's room and explained who he was. In the 70s/80s, he was a photo-journalist who went to refugee camps and war-torn countries to photograph the people. His photos are amazingly gorgeous. He's got a book on Somalia and a Journal published, so maybe you can find one? I guess the photos themselves aren't for sale, and that is a damn shame. He's an American and was eventually stoned to death for this crime. His family and friends decided to find a way to keep his work alive and established the DEPOT. Do some research - learn more!

DEPOT volunteers included Wanja, Qui and Anne. These sadistic ladies led the ropes and teamwork activities as well as our morning exercises and served our meals. They are SO energetic! It was crazy to see! So much fun, though.

I hope to be accessing photos relatively soonish. Gotta snitch them from other people, as I was a numbnut and forgot my camera at home. I'll let ya know. In the meantime, I have a few posted on FaceBook now. Go see!