Many signs of gratitude

rs. Today I had a meeting with our doctor Wanjara and nurse John. We discussed how to improve our team work and how to achieve new goals. One of these goal would be establishing a mobile clinic on the mountain. We will bring you more details when they are available.

Askari told me that the teacher here in Kasambara doesn't want the schoolchildren to go for lunch to our hospital ground. I have to speak with him next week. Otherways the children only get the food when they come home because we do not want to give out the meals. We had cases when they took out the meals to sell instead of consuming them.

When I wanted to leave the hospital facilities, a man approached me and asked me if I could take him to the next crossing. On the way he showed me his property and offered me to give me his house or even some land where I could build a house. He said that I am like an angel for the Kasambara people and he wants to give me something in return. I thanked him and politely said that I would have to think over the proposition. Anyway it's nice to see that these people are coming with such offers and with other words show their gratitude for what we are doing.

Our drinking water is always popular

Fun to collect garbage in the garden

rs. When I arrived at the hospital, I saw the mother waiting for her child who had a head operation and needs to the Kijabe Hospital a second time. We hope everything goes well. Later I discussed the food plan for the patients. Some said they didn't want Ugali and prefer a Coke. I told them that we are not a hotel. Only for Diabetes patients we have a special diet. Outdoors I saw children browsing through the field wit a lot of joy. I found out that Askari asked them to collect garbage and grass and everybody wanted to collect the most!

Family planning is important

rs. Today we had a long discussion with a young man who brought a young woman in his tent which is not allowed according to the camp rules. The girl is already a mother and had a first child in her school time... Our doctor Wanjara will have a talk tonight how to have proper protection and he will also speak about family planning.

Our hospital is quite busy at the moment. Many patients waited to be treated and a lot of visitors came to see their relatives. Still we have to constrain the number of visitors otherways the hospital will be a mad house with all the dirty clothes of the steeet. Today we also did vaccinations and control treatments of babies.

The hair clipper I brought becomes popular

Hard work to bring home the fire wood

rs. On the way to the hospital I saw many women and children and also a donkey carrying fire wood. On the hospital I made my usual controls and everything seemed to be ok. Some women stayed in the tents together with their children, some read the bible. Also no complains about the children, they all went to school today. Kongo, our gardener asked how to clean the corn mill and our elderly couple enjoyed their lunch. It was an easy day and I even had time to do some shopping on the way home. I found some Italian Ravioli which will make my meal tonight. Later I also got a call from a refugee who plans to go to Eldoret to check out the situation there and he needed a little money for the bus ticket. I will give it to him tomorrow.

Visit by the Ministery of Health

rs. Our gardeners were busy cutting the hedges and as it is common here all by hand. It is certainly slower than by machine but by hand more people can earn something and support their families. This afternoon we had a surprise visit by the Ministery of Health. They inspected the hospital and gave us some advice. They also invited two of our staff members to attend a two week seminar to learn more about the HIV virus. I first was not happy to let them go but because we have a lot to do and some of our workers are even sick at the moment. But then I chose our nurse Wilda and back home asked our doctor John by phone if he would like to attend the seminar too. He gladly agreed and we had our two people.

Food distribution for Kasambara refugees

Picture in large size on the Kenya Photos Blog

rs. We are splitting up the different groups of refugees for the food distribution; today we invited 250 living in private homes in Kasambara. They also told us that they do not want to go back. The repatriation of the population is a mere dream of the Government. The reality is different. They people even prefer to sell their property at home and buy a little hut here. Many also don't think that the next elections will bring any change. Since the 1990s people were displaced after elections. - Late afternoon our crew member Fundi got bad news: one of his relatives died and he asked for permission to see her a last time tomorrow. The details of the funeral are not yet fixed. Usually in Kenya the dead are brought to their birth place, which also cost some money and many do not have enough, so the dead people sometimes stay in the mortuary for more than a month.

One malaria case and again no electricity

rs. The planned demonstration in the Uhuru Park was blocked by the military, but in Nakuru town again houses were burnt and there were some casualties. Here at the Rhein-Valley hopspital it was a quiet day. We only had one emergency case: a small boy with malaria was brought and urgently needed an infusion. The majority of the people of our camp went to church; some stayed and prepared lunch. I went home early. Unfortunately we again had a power break down. Electricity and telephone connections in Kenya are not for granted!

Emergency: a boy came with malaria

Sunday in the Rhein-Valley Hospital

Unrest in Nairobi, quiet day at the hospital

rs. The situation here in Kenya is still not very promising. Yesterday there was report of another riot in Nairobi after a student was killed. The students went on the street and demonstrated. Today another demonstration was announced in the Uhuru park. We can feel a lot of dissatisfaction in the country.

This morning I waited for a call of Maina Muhia from the WFP but there was none. I then went to the hospital to check everything there. Some relatives came to visit patients and brought cakes which is certainly not the right thing for the diabetes patients. Anyway it is not allowed to bring food to the hospital from outside. In general it is a quite day here at the Rhein-Valley Hospital and I am heading towards home when the daily rainfall is starting. Many things wait to be done at home too and I have to look after my health; I catched a little cold. So I will have some time watching the first fooball matches out of Switzerland.

Building swings for the children

click on the picture for a larger view

rs. On the way to the hospital I stopped by a shopping center to buy some string for two swings we are building on our ground. I was the first to test them and even took a child on my lap. Everything was fine, so we invited the children and they have now so much joy and used them the whole day. I used to have a similar swing in our home on the countryside in Switzerland where I grew up and I got back all my remembrances...

Photos: Ruth Schaefer

Refugees don't want to go back

rs. Today we had a visit of the assistant mayor of Nakuru. He wanted to discuss the future with the refugees of our camp. The answers of the people were the same throughout the group. Nobdy saw the possibility of a safe return to their homes. Even if they get 10,000 KSh, as heard from some sources, it will not help substantially. The rents and food prices went up considerably and without a job you are lost. As came out of the discussion, the majority of the people want to stay here as log as possible. When and if we close the camp will be our decision at the Rhein-Valley Hospital. The assistant mayor stayed for four hours and then said he planned to come back next week - for another round of discussion ...

Children's vaccination day

Weight control for babies

rs. Today it was chilly an cloudy, around 17°C. In the morning I wrote a few letters and then I went to the hospital. Today is vaccination day so we had many mothers with their babies here. Some of them came early because they know that in the afternoon it starts raining and then it will be complicated to go home - a 4 or 5 hour walk is no exception. At 1 pm the big rush was over and also our medical staff could pause for a lunch break. I took the chance to speak with doctor Wanjara about the organisation in the camp. We have to make it clear that they don't have a permanent home here; they have to start making plans for the future. Also the hygienic standard, especially of the women, is not very high. So it is not easy to make them understand how we act in the civilization; many origin from the bushes and are difficult to teach. We make our best to bring some order and purity in the camp life.

Small crops expected for this year

rs. The weather is quite funny. Although it is raining daily, it is not enough to let the corn crop flourish enough. It has a height of not even half a meter and already starts to dry out. As it is the case in other parts of the world, a shortage and a prize increase of various food products is predicted. As many farmers had to leave their fields after the clashes in Kenya, not enough seeds could be sowed. Many fields are empty. When I went home there was a special atmosphere. A thunderstorm was arriving and the last sun rays created a nice rainbow. I have to hurry to send my report before the power collapses again. Luckily I have some laterns to make my daily office work and to fill out my tax forms...

Today is Kenyan Holiday

rs. Many things happened today. Our Nurse Wilda was completing the medical history sheets, Carolin needed new batteries for an instrument and one new guest wanted to join our refugee camp. Today is a Kenyan holiday so the children could stay at home and were enjoying their playing. The women all were doing laundry at the same time and our doctor Wajara prepared new cards for the patients. Then I saw our grandma who is surprisingly better after many treatments she got. Her husband helped her walking through the garden. The boy who has weak muscles was asking for a better softer mattress. Fundi wanted to order charcoal, but I told him to wait until end of this month, we have to keep our budget plan. At 5 pm I went home while the first drops of the daily rain started to fall and one of the IDP's needed a ride to Nakuru because he wanted to visit his sister in the general hospital. He could come with me and I gave him some money for the way back.

Laundry lines booked out!

Every day new patients are coming to our hospital

Medicine from Minister of Health

rs. Today at 2 pm we got an unexptected delivery of medicine from the Minister of Health. As the driver had problems with his truck on Friday, he came today although it is Sunday. Before we put everything in our medical storage room, I asked Wilda to clean all the shelves. Hygiene is important, in our hospital as well as in the camp. That's why we check every day all our facilites. And from time to time we also have to tell the displaced people in the tents to get some sense of purity and order...

Lions Club's eye test not very effective

rs. Today people from the Lions Club offered a free eye test and two of our nurses helped them. What first was looking like a selfless service by members of the Lions Club, finally became a more business oriented action. They didn't made a proper eye test but only wanted to sell glasses. And if a treatment was suggested, our camp people have no many to get it later on. At 4 pm I told them to hurry up because dark clouds announced another thunderstorm. They ignored my advice and when I came home I heard that all their 8 cars were stuck in the mud and that they had much difficulties to get back on the road...

Maina Muhia (WFP) visits our hospital

rs. Today I got a call from Maina Muhia (WFP) that they will bring the corn delivery at lunch time. And he wanted to visit our place, so I went to get him at his office. When we arrived at the hospital the truck was just unloading 15o bags of corn and they had to take back an older delivery that went bad because it was packed before it could dry completely. Mr. Muhia went through our camp and spoke with the displaced people. He asked them if they thought of returning home some time but nobody wants to leave. He saw that the people were happy in the camp. Some men even tried to get some work but it's not that easy. The women who got a piece of land to cultivate, were occupied with their garden ad the elderly women took care of the children. It is also surprising how well the different tribes live together. Muhia said that our camp is an example for all of Kenya. While he had discussions with the camp people, I organized everything for tomorrow, together with our doctor Wanjara. On Saturday the Lions Club of Gilgil will offer a free eye control for all residents. For this we will prepare a room and supply two nurses. At 4 pm Maina Muhia asked me if I could bring him back to Nakuru and in the car he thanked me again for this beautiful and informative day and he even had time to laugh. He would like to come back next week.

The odyssee of a container in Nairobi

rs. During the last two days I had some unbelievable experiences. In the morning at 4 am I went out of the house to take the journey to Nairobi where the kidstokids container is blocked since several months. Our secretary, Njaga joined me. First we could share the driving and secondly it was saver not to be alone. In the past weeks we were mainly occupied dealing with the Government to get the different permissions but now it was the actual work of filling out dozens of papers at the customs in Nairobi. Each officer adds his stamp until he papers were filled to the brim. The agent at the last station told us that we have to go back to the entrance gate to get a pass. Finally we were standing in front of the container where we had to find a worker with pliers who should remove the seal. Then we would have to unload everything to be controlled by him. It was five minutes before his lunch brake, so he hesitated to do it before he would leave. On my side I convinced him that it does not take more than five minutes to do it otherways I would do it myself. Then reluctantly he did his job but the lock was not moving. Something had been crashed and blocked. The door could only be opened with the help of a fork lift truck and after five tries we succeded.

Njaga was worried that we would have to unload everything by ourselves, but I only laughed at him and said, that we now call the agent in charge of controlling the content and he can tell us what to do. He came and convinced himself that there was only school supplies in the container but he asked for a seal number but there was none to be found. He said we should go back to the entrance where we could get a number. Back in the office we got again some stamped forms that we had to bring to the airport where we got the final paper. But the actual transportation to Nakuru will only take place next week. So we spent two days from 4 am to 11.30 pm just getting done the last paper works... that is the second last episode of our container episode.

On the way to Nairobi. In the custom area we were not allowed to take pictures.

No internet - no container yet

The internet connection is still blocked and there is again no big news today. We just heard that Ruth again went to Nairobi early this morning to get out the container with school supplies and gifts for Kenyan children. The container is waiting for many months to be released. Hope we have more and better news by tomorrow.

Waiting for a better internet connection

Today we have no report due to a breakdown of the internet and telephone connections. We hope to be back tomorrow!

Playing gives joy to old and young

rs. First thing in the morning for me is usually a checking tour through the camp. Without order and purity it is not possible to live in these primitive circumstances. Our guard Askari also helps me doing the duties. The children always get some toys to play with and they love it. Also these elderly men enjoyed their time with a game they recently got.

In the hospital we can witness some progress. The grandma who was half lame now can walk a little but with the help of her husband - all thanks to our steady therapies. Needless to say that the husband is also very happy and grateful. The four newcomers that arrived this morning, got their first meal on our ground. One of them said that he hadn't properly eaten for three days and he was also full of gratitude. All three were chased away from the region of Eldoret. They told me that it is impossible to return home; there is no security. The fear of the people is still reigning everywhere. I the meantime they got a little hut but then the owner kicked them out again. He wanted a rent but they couldn't afford to pay anything because they had no work. That's the reason they are now here and ask for a tent place. Soon our 50 tents are full!