A 100 years old patient

rs. As I arrived in the hospital today, I saw our male nurse John bringing a new patient to the hospital. In fact he got her from her home because she needed help. I learned that she is 100 years old and that she has malaria. So we gave her an injection and an infusion afterwards. The old lady is still fit and speaks a lot - unfortunately in her mother language Kikuiu. I didn't understand much but she is happy that somebody listens to her. She worried that she couldn't pay her stay in the hospital but I calmed her saying that we will certainly find a solution.

Clothes for the refugees

rs. A happy day for our camp people. I brought many clothes I do not use anymore or that have been given to us and distributed them to the refugees. Laughing faces and big eyes were their answers. Everybody wanted to get something and also the children were eager. After 2 hours everything was gone.

Small Peter was my companion today

rs. Again a busy day, but happily with sunshine. In the morning I like to sit in front of our storage container. Small Peter soon joined me and was my companion for the whole day. He also assisted me when I repaired our PC. It is so important to take some time with the children. Often the Kenyan mothers don't use enough time for their small ones. Some of our children in the camp are quite active though and our guards have to be vigilant but others are too lazy and prefer to be on the back of their mothers.

Busy day with many patients

We had a busy day. Many people felt the change of weather, especially older people. In the clinic patients are lying with high blood pressure, a woman with a severe bronchitis and a small girl with respiratory problems. We also have a mother who wanted to deliver her baby, but on the 8-hour walk (!) to our hospital the baby come too early and didn't survive. We often have to witness that the mothers don't realize early enough to go to the hospital. We also have many patients with colds which is no surprise when you know that in the mountains on 2000 m and over, the temperature easily can go down to 10 °C during the night. The houses have no heating system and the people have not enough warm clothes. Many walk around barefoot, even when it is raining. They have simply no money to buy shoes and warm clothes. I am hoping for better weather conditions too - I really prefer warm temperatures. - Mama Matata

Checking the Showground in Nakuru City

rs. Since two weeks the Kenyan Government speaks of closing all refugee camps by the end of July 2008. I was interested to see how the situation is on place and went to the camp in Nakuru City this afternoon. At the entrance policemen told me not to take any photos. So I took another way from behind and asked one of the guards there if it is possible to have a look inside and take some pictures. He said that he doesn't see a problem. I continued my conversation and learned that 2500 refugees left the camp but still the majority of more than 14,000 people is still here and is not willing to leave. He also told me that it is not very safe here, especially in the nights. He always prays for protection. I gave him 100 Schilling (=ca 2 $) to get some food. He thanked me and said he will buy something to take home for his family - he has a wife and three children.

An invitation from the Thugunui School

rs. The Head Teacher of the Thugunui School up the mountain invited me to see him. Although it is Saturday today, I found the school in session. Danson Kinyita, told me that the children have to get some extra lessons because they missed so much in the beginning of the year because of the riots. As I realized in which conditions the children have to live, I thought of the big difference to the situation in Switzerland. Here, you have wholes in the floor, windows without glass, a nearly invisible blackboard and not even every child has a notebook on his own. Nevertheless they seem to happy.

Visiting Naivasha and the large greenhouses

rs. Today we went to Naivasha city, about an hour drive from Nakuru. In fact we wanted to bring our monthly report to the MOH (Ministry of Health) and I also wanted to check about possible food aid in the future. But unfortunately nobody was there. So, I will try again next week and better get an appointment before. As we had a little time left we went to visit the big farms that also house the Havelaar Roses that are being shipped all over the world from here. In midst the new greenhouses we discovered the poor housings of the locals. Most of the farms are owned by white people.

Children's day

rs. Today we had a children's day. The babies were weighed and those who missed the vaccination last time, received it today. We also had the visit of John, one of my "street boys" who usually look after my car when I am in Nakuru city. He was happy to see me and complained about leg pains. He had a small infection and had to take some medications. He then waited until I went home to get a lift. He came by hitchhike.

Camels in Nakuru City

rs. Traffic is quite heavy in the streets of Nakuru, but somethimes you also see some unusual sights as these two camels walking through the streets - it looks like the mother and her child. In fact it is the first time that I see camels here in Nakuru. - Click on the picture to see it in large size (as published on the Photo Blog Kenya Photos)

A rainy day gives us time for office work

rs. Today it was raining nearly the whole day and we had enough time to make some controls in the bookkeeping department and generally in the office. This is Wanjara, our doctor. Also Noemi, John and Njaga helped. Such rainy weather is unusual for Kenya. Normally after an hour of rain the sun appears again but today it was quite wet and the temperature dropped to 14 °C.

Teaching the children to play

rs. After placing a letter to the DHL office and collecting my printed matter at the Nakuru Printing Shop I came to the hospital with some simple tools for the children to play with. I was teaching small Peter how to play with the sand. Even without tools you can create beautiful things. We played together for more than an hour before he started off on his own. I hope that the mothers will join me teaching their children the ABC of playing with simple things and to bring joy to the small.

Preparing to deworm the school children

rs. As we get our next medication delivery next week, doctor Wanjara and myself controlled our stock. As it is weekend and two nurses are absent, the doctor takes also care of the patients in between. Our male nurse John will only come late afternoon because he will be in charge for the weekend guarding shift in the night. Still in stock is a large amount of deworming syrup so Wanjara proposed that we go to the schools during the next two weeks to deworm the children. Better to do some prophylaxis than to wait and treat them afterwards. These medications are much more expensive.

Poor food habits lead to diabetes

rs. Our doctor Wanjara takes always care of his patients. This is a diabetes patient, that is glad to see the doctor. Her sugar level was stable for two days. Usuallly the sugar level goes up again, when they return home and do not follow a strict diet anymore. It is also sometimes a question of money to buy the correct food. In Kenya we have a lot of diabetes patients, many of theme being children. Often they don't know about their situation and when they realize it, it is too late to help substantially. During the day many people suffer of inactivity and in the evening they have a big meal with Ugali (white corn) which is not good for them, especially before going to bed. I already had many discussions with the patients concerning food and diet but it is hard to convince them that a variety of vegetables and salads are of paramount importance to have a balanced diet.

In the suburbs of Nakuru

rs. Today I spent the whole day in Nakuru. I was looking for some strips for the Diabetic Machine but couldn't find any, perhaps I have to call some drogstores in Nairobi. As the main street in Nakuru was blocked with traffic, I took the smaller "roads" and saw how people are living there: A lot of garbage everywhere and a lack of hygiene. No wonder that Cholera and other diseases are spreading in these circumstances. Normally no whites are pasing through these areas but thanks to many friends I meet on the way, the journey seems to be practicable. Often they say hello Mama Matata. It seems that I have more friends among the poor than among the rich!

Joy with football and volleyball playing

Today the boys from the camp enjoyed playing football and volleyball. Before they tried to glue a defect ball, which they made with primitive tools, but they managed to repair them somehow. They also use to come here to fill the balls with air.

Browsing through the city of Nakuru

rs. Today I was in Nakuru to ask for the printed matter we ordered but unfortunately they were not ready. Then I met Nikolas who is selling pineapples in the streets of the city. Although I am not very fond of this fruit, I bought two of them, to help him finance his supper. Nowadays there are very few tourists and business is bad. And the locals have no money for this. I also met Tomi, the shoemaker. They are doing everything by hand here, but at the end the shoes are better off than machine made. In the town I had to be very careful because there are so many thiefs around who are waiting for opportunities...

The mood is crippled

rs. If you watch our refugees in the camp, you currently see that they are not in the best mood. They hear all the news of brutalities in the villages as in Nyeri where again violence broke out yesterday. We also have people from this village in the Rhein-Valley Hospital camp. They repeatedly tell us that they are so happy to be here and to have some security and and shelter. If you look into the faces of these displaced people you recognize their sorrow. For example Bugwua (left in picture with white hat) said, that his farm doesn't exist anymore and he doesn't know how to feed his family. He had tears in his eyes and seems to be desperate. We try to help these people and pray for them. We can only hope for a better future for all Kenyans.

Muddy Sunday...

Today it was a quiet and muddy Sunday. I had to go to the office to get something and it was very difficult and dangerous on the dirt roads. Hope it will be better on Monday. On my way I met this cute donkey-cart with his little guide.

Saturday: Time for some shopping in Nakuru

rs. Today it was raining in the morning and too dangerous to drive to the hospital on the muddy street, so I took the chance to do some shopping in Nakuru town. I left my car near a hotel where it is safer to park. The street boys who usually look after my car, where nowhere to be found. There is an animal market and a free Disco outside the town, so they probably went there. I was buying some vegetables and made a stop at the souvenir shop where I met some friends. Back home I had time to install some lost software on Nyaga's office computer.

Visit of the Head Teacher

rs. Today the Head Teacher, Mr. Njoroge, visited us. As I feel more at ease outside we met in front of our storage container. He wanted to know if this year again we will visit the school to deworm all children. As we are very busy at the moment and need all energy to keep the cholera disease in control, we agreed that we will come after the holidays. Our medical team usually goes to the school once a month to give some talks on aids, hygiene, and contraception. All these themes are a taboo for the parents as well as the teachers. So it is our doctors who have to take action.