Internally Displaced Persons Camp - Kenya

We left at 8am for the former IDP camp. It looked more organised and structured than at our first glance seeing it on the way to the school the previous day. The camp was called New Canaan village. Despite huge improvements in the village over the past seven years, the poverty that this community was trying to escape was still evident. 

Raewyn and Moses walk through New Canaan

We went in and first up was visiting the camp medical clinic. It only cost 50cents for a patient to visit, much more affordable than most clinics in Kenya and for that reason this tiny two room clinic sees about 80 patients a day. The doctor talked us through the clinic which he was very proud of.

The clinic

Grace, Faith's cousin who I had met while painting appeared. The house right next to the clinic's was Faiths! Charity, her older sister, watched me from the alley. Outside, Nina and Hayley met a guy called Sam paying for his own high school who really wanted to practise English - it was interesting to get an older kid's perspective.

Grace outside Faith's house

Then we started looking at So They Can's micro-finance loan recipients. The microfinance business school is one of the constructive projects being undertaken by So They Can to alleviate this poverty in the village. The business school teaches skills to the poorest women in the community and empowers them to take out microfinance loans to start their own businesses, generate income and improve the standard of living for their families.  Whilst we were at the IDP camp we visited several of these women and heard the personal difference the business school has made to their lives.  

First, a lady that bought a motorbike so she could transport milk to sell. Then a younger woman who sells coal. Then James, who's wife sells timber. James had a long scar down his face from the 2007 election violence when most of the camp fled.

James

This lady's milk business, started with help from So They Can's micro-loans

As we walked, flocks of kids followed us, parents watching. Charity invited me to her home later in our visit. First we saw Moses's house. A modest lounge, with couches crammed in, lace covers and dirt floor. There was a TV playing cartoons and a very full shop.

Our followers

Kids watching TV in Moses' fancy hosue

The kids were fascinated by the camera

The clean school uniforms and huge smiles of Aberdare Ranges hid the reality that many of the students go home to dirt houses, with the whole family sleeping in one room. Their clothes were tattered and hardly any wore shoes. The school provides the only two meals these children will get during the day, with families unable to afford food. Despite this, the attitude of the families is not one of defeat. Many of them proudly welcomed us into their homes, keen to share the improvements they’ve made and the little they had. 

Nina had been invited to Margie's, so I went with her. Margie's family was relatively poor to most people in the camp, but so warm and welcoming. I have never met such a grateful and happy woman, she offered us hot tea and tried to gift Nina a live chicken as thanks. James was waiting outside to walk us back.

Nina and her sponsor Margaret and family

Faith's house was next - without Faith or her mum. It was a much more relaxed affair - I saw a kitten too! We rejoined the group, now with hundreds of kids. We took photos and wished them well. Although they had so little they were welcoming and proud.

Faith's house and Charity

Trying to leave

We stopped off at Miti Mingi for one last photo, had lunch at the school and saying goodbye to Aimee. Julius took us back to the mall for coffee at Java and to visit the markets. Ben stayed to help Aimee with her accounts. The markets were smaller than expected and similar to Asia. I bought a ridiculous pink carved flamingo.

After that we said goodbye to Aimee. It was home for a swim, shower, and drinks on Ben's deck with Raewyn. The Aussies didn't show. We watched sunset and moonrise over the beautiful landscape.