Baadaye

Baadaye means goodbye or see you later in Swahili.

I'm leaving for Kenya on Tuesday, December 1st and will be there through the 15th. A little background info:



Kenya is on the east side of Africa lying right along the equator. It borders the Indian Ocean, with Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the northeast, Tanzania to the south, and Uganda and Lake Victoria to the west.



The country is about 85% of the size of Texas.
Its capitol, Nairobi.

My Trip - Detailed Itinerary:

Wednesday, Dec 2:
- Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW)will pick us up from the airport and introduce us to their work

Thursday, Dec 3:
- Introduction to social conservation efforts
- Giraffe Center
- Trip to Kibera - world's 2nd largest slum
- Play soccer with Kibera Girls Soccer Academy

Friday, Dec 4:
- Animal Orphanage - elephant orphans
- Gamedrive at Kapiti Ranch

Saturday, Dec 5:
- Help in the removal of snares (devices used to trap animals)

Sunday, Dec 6:
- Drive to Voi and camp in Waatha community(in southern Kenya on the edge of Tsavo National Park)

Monday, Dec 7:
- Demonstrations to hunting skills
- Hear stories and history of the Waatha
- Enjoy an indigenous fire starting demonstration
- Build a grass thatched huts
- Tree nursery management practice
- Soil conservation – sand bags in an erosion prone area

Tuesday, Dec 8:
- Safari in Tsavo National Park

Wednesday, Dec 9:
- Voi children’s home and rescue center
- Ceremonial tree planting session at the Waatha center
- Travel to Kasigau, to the ANAW campsite for dinner and overnight

Thursday, Dec 10:
- Experience farm life, fetching water, gathering firewood, herding animals
- Training session on Financial Management
- Make bricks to help build a house for the village

Friday, Dec 11:
- Continue building house
- Show conservation videos to community members

Saturday, Dec 12:
- Hike/climb to Mt. Kasigau

Sunday, Dec 13:
- Travel back to Nairobi
- Go to Masai Market at Yaya Center

Monday, Dec 14:
- Visit the Nairobi Central Business District (NCBD)
- Visit Bomas of Kenya cultural center
- Departure to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

Tuesday, Dec 15:
- Fly into Amsterdam and return back to U.S.

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I cannot wait to experience the greatness of Africa. What a beautiful place. Please pray for our travels. Can't wait to see you all!

I will leave you with an excerpt from Wangari Maathai's book, The Challenge for Africa regarding her philosophy of her work in Africa:

"... I was reminded of the traditional African stool, which is comprised of a seat and three legs. The first leg represents democratic space, where rights - whether human, women's, children's, or environmental - are respected. The second leg symbolizes the sustainable and accountable management of natural resources both for the living today and for those in the future, in a manner that is just and fair, including for people on the margins of society. The third leg stands for what I term 'cultures of peace'. These take the form of fairness, respect, compassion, forgiveness, recompense, and justice. Just as the African stool is made out of a single block of wood, each leg, or pillar, is reinforced by the others and formed from the same grain, so the issues must be addressed together and simultaneously."