Batting AIDs out of Kenya with Cricket Without Boundaries....

Huge thanks  to "Cricket Without Boundaries” .. what a great job they are doing with their cricket coaching in Kenya.  In two days with us they will have taught cricket to over 500 kids in four schools.. in addition to training up a batch of over 20 very keen Maasai men and women. 

The energy and enthusiasm and great organisational skills  of their team has meant that the riotous fun of Pancake Day that started the week at Kimanjo Primary has just  continued to the week -end.

In addition to learning  a new sport the schools have been expertly, and highly imaginatively , taught about HIV/AIDS infection... the first time any educators have come with boxers and knickers for all teachers and older students  (boys and girls) .. boldly entitled  ‘Spread the Word Not the Infection.....‘   The girls were so amused there were tears of laughter. The ABC message was very clearly and creatively made. So how on earth does ‘C  is for Condom’ transfer to a cricket game? Ooh yes ... Condom = Protection =  protect your wicket- Inspired teaching!

Kids here are so quick to learn any new sport being fit, well coordinated and highly enthusiastic that it wouldn’t take long to get them playing a match. Cricket also allows the girls much more equality over the ubiquitous football that tends to dominate the school ‘field’ every break time. The trainee  coaches have enjoyed their sessions so much and the coaching has been so good that I am sure we will be able to get  some cricket clubs into operation this year.

                Both students and teachers are being motivated by the wonderful success of the local Maasai Cricket Warriors at Il Polei- due in no small part to Aliya Bauer their dedicated South African coach and coordinator. These ‘Warriors’ are currently having fun in Mombasa on cricket tour, as a prelude to  a tour to S Africa for The Last Man Stands  tournament. The Maasai Cricket Warriors’ also promote health messages against FGM and HIV and act as role models for their community: their own AIDS Awareness slogan is  "A BALL is my SPEAR and a BAT is my SHIELD in the FIGHT against A I D S"

                Sport is such a wonderful way to break down cultural divides and to act as a learning tool for other messages, and there are many great sporting initiatives throughout Africa. But without doubt Cricket Without Boundaries deserves to have all the recognition it can get, not just from dedicated cricketers, for the work they are doing in East and Southern Africa in schools and orphanages opening up a new sport, giving bat-loads of fun,  and an excellent  AIDS awareness message. Another  “Good news Africa” story then? We seem to have many of those this year.  After all- it is the energy and enthusiasm in the face of extreme adversity,  and the sense of community-that is the main reason for us choosing to be mzungus in Kenya ... and good sportsmen everywhere know a good deal about these qualities. 

                On tour with Cricket Without Boundaries is plenty of hard work in some fairly basic conditions... but this team  are at least able to enjoy a little bit of luxury and a chance to recharge their batteries at The Sanctuary at Ol lentille for a couple of nights.  Richly deserved!

Neglected Tropical Diseases on Aljazeera

Following on from our blog on NTDs last week, this is the broadcast from the Al Jazeera news channel publicising and explaining the partnership between Pharmaceutical companies, governments and the public. What are your thoughts, readers? Positive or negative?

And Public Private Partnerships in Water Development - (Swimming Pools and Power Showers??)

We have now sunk and capped the new community bore hole in Kimanjo.  Finding water was a great day. Still waiting for the hydrology report which will tell us the recharge rate along with the water quality. 

Despite the usual Kenyan hiccups in the process: transport dilemmas and break downs for the drilling rig as the November rains had washed out  roads; a broken rod down the borehole which meant many days of arduous work for the guys operating the machine etc. etc ;  this has been a project  enormously assisted at every stage by the District Water Officer who has unfailingly given practical assistance to mitigate hold ups and given sound professional advice throughout. His ability to overcome obstacles in the cause of getting water to a remote area shows how successful  the much vilified government agencies (how often are those two terms African government agency  and corruption used synonymously?)  can be when they have committed, honest, active  and knowledgeable personnel on the ground.  A good news story from an African government agency? Without doubt.

In the next phase of development we very much look forward to continuing this partnership with the  District Water Office to equip the bore hole with a solar pump, put in two pipe lines-  to the Primary and new secondary school, and a second to the upcoming Health Centre with  a new holding tank at the top of the village. In addition the extreme cooperation and assistance of the Kimanjo Water Users Association, and their highly active Chairman, have meant that achieving the necessary licenses and permits and the cooperation of the community has been made easy. Whilst in future wars will undoubtedly  be fought over water (and the lack of it)  in Africa, it must also be remembered that water is capable of uniting communities for the common good.Two good news Africa stories here then. On all those occasions when we are feeling cynical in the field of African development how important it is to remember the good days and so, so many  good people .

Does this mean everyone in Kimanjo will now be able to use water ad lib? Far from it. Even should the recharge rate be better than anticipated , families are unlikely to be collecting much more than 20- 40  litres of water a day. That is whole families.  Compare this to the US average  of 700 litres per day per person.... with 153 litres  per person merely for washing and drinking. The rural African average water consumption is around 30-40 litres a day, but far less in these semi arid and arid lands. One eight litre flush of the toilet in Europe will use more water than adults here would use in a day... with considerably less used during drought periods.

So.... no swimming pools or power showers just yet.... but, if our partnership with the Water Office continues as successfully as it has been for the past few months it should not be too long before life is a good deal easier for many women and children.. with the added advantage that our Health Centre build can now ramp up momentum.  And this will be down to a great Community effort.