Kaptembwa Nakuru Kenya

Having a group of health volunteers interested in the well being of fellow man motivated me to arrange a visit to the slum where I helped out in the past. Two girls from USA along with a Croatian medical nurse visited Gabriel's Learning Centre.

This is Tiger, the guard dog at the school. He would always come up to me quietly and touch my hand with his nose. He is very gentle and is always being chased away by others. I suppose I am the first to talk softly to him. He remembered me. ( no he does not have Rabies and is checked by the vet and vaccinated regularly as he is in proximity to the children and others)
The girls had arrived with suitcases full of donated clothes, Ivan was given some basic medical supplies to administer , and I had acquired a bag full of prescription glasses donated from Australia. Have you ever wondered what happened to those old prescription glasses you donate to an Optometrist???!!!! well they go to those in need. My optometrist would probably cringe at how they are distributed....Please try these on...the face gives it away...smiles...can see....a frown..no good...For those who want to read... give them a piece of news paper to see if its clear.....distance...is it clear.... some are overwhelmed by the exercise as witnessed by me with the nurses helping out villagers close to M.I.A.

At Gabriel's,  we accompanied the weekly routine of visiting families in the slum.

Setting the scene walking into Kaptembwa

This is where the families are checked up on and given food parcels and /or rent money. A kind word and visit to the house gives them hope that someone cares about them.

Edas....this lady I met last year briefly attending the embroidery class I conducted.
12 children and a husband that does not work, and extended family members takes her household to number 20.....Edas has moved from where I visited last year to another building. It has 3 rooms,, the main one being approx., 4.5m x 4.5m. All 20 sleep in the house!!! She earns about KES200 to KES300. It takes about KES500 to feed the family, rent is KES1500 per month. (at the moment the exchange rate is KES81 to the $AU. Edas was so excited that we visited and remembered me as well. She is 50yrs old.
Another family, 9 children, youngest 8 months, all different fathers. Mother leaves home at around 6 am leaving all the children to fend for themselves, while looking for work,returning at 6pm. The 3-4yr old looks after the young one. Not sure what the others got unto. Now with the intervention of Gabriel's, the older children are attending school and a baby sitter is being sort for day care. A difficult situation, but common here.

This is Emily and Darcy, part of our group. Here we can see some small businesses...selling charcoal for KES40 a tin and behind a local Takeaway ....beans or beans and maize. Hot with a cup of Kenyan tea. (served with hot sweet milk)From memoryKES 10-20.

Here we are walking through the local clothing market.

This cart is ready, for delivery. Maybe just hawking or for an order.
Missing is the beast of burden........a Man.

Back at Gabriel's we set up a temporary 'clinic', where Ivan interviewed members associated with the charity family and dispensed pain killers, anti acid, and malaria medication and cream for skin irritations.

Here is Ivan in his 'clinic'.   There were a few sad cases to help with. A lady who probably had secondary abdominal tumours, a young woman who carries 20 litre drums of water each day for the family and is suffering lower back pain extending down the legs......how can she give up this activity as she is the only one who can provide this essential item for the family....long term consequences for her health and wellbeing.

This is Emily with a small child that came to Gabriel's the day before we visited. Grossly malnourished, he was accompanied by a sister a little older. The new set of clothes were donated by Emily and her sister, also leaving a suitcase and large bag of numerous items size and kind for the needy. The child also presented with a skin irritation which will be treated. Long term this little boy and his sister,will have a brighter future, being cared for by the charity and maybe housed as an orphan when the new building complex is completed. He has no name as yet nor the background known, so research will be carried out.

On that note our visit concludes.