Small Project and a village experience in Kenyenya

Over the times that I have visited and lived in the Kenyan community,

it becomes obvious that there are a number of ways in helping people live a rewarding and sustainable life.

With this in mind, my focus has turned to introducing and or supporting existing small enterprises.

Kenyenya is relatively small village community in Kisii County, off the Kilgoris road from Mogungo. A hilly region of red fertile soil, intensively farmed small-acre holdings with tea, sugar cane, beans, maize, coffee cultivated, that offers limited opportunities for subsistence townsfolk.
Helping a group of women in a small project to enable them to improve their lifestyle, support family members and work towards financial security has become a meaningful goal on my behalf.

Procuring the ingredients for making Bees wax soap was my first hurdle.
Through a friend I purchased a bucket of 'bees wax'.
with 24hrs before my first visit and demonstration, I lifted the lid on the bucket!

Oh my what did I have … definitely not what I thought I had purchased.
a pot of ??? best I attempt to refine it

Ok boiling it up with water added, I could see some wax there...

I think what I had been sold was a mixture of the rubbish from the hive, traces of wax, dead bees and honey…

Best change the soap recipe..olive oil, coconut oil and rice bran oil…did all my calculations and off I went with new notes.( my ladies were expecting me)

This is the bus station in Kisi town. I marvel at this sight everytime I go through a station…the sellers with boxes of goods for sale.

 Bus stations always offer distractions while waiting for the last few passengers to arrive before departure. Kisii is always a hive(excuse the reference) of activity. anything from papers, sodas, cold or warm, locks, belts, biscuits, gum, watches, fruit, especially bananas, socks, and handkerchiefs, can be offered through your window either open or shut. The venders will keep asking until you acknowledge them with a nod or mouthe 'no thanks'.

Onto Kenyenya with our luggage, bag of Irish potatoes for Kijea's family, stainless steel pot full of utensils for the soap making as well as a backpack with the oils etc. an overnight bag, as well as a parcel for my Maasai lady. This matatu was one that just keeps filling up…..yes cannot avoid them.

I was a bit surprised when at one stage there would have been 5 guys with their heads in the open door and hanging on, bent in half and their behinds out the door….On that particular day limited transport was available adding to the problem created by the new strict registration rules having forced many off the road.

Looking down the 'main street' of Kenyenya.

On arrival approx 2.30 pm, we unpacked and then it seemed half Kenyenya arrived to say hello along with ladies for the project and see the mzungu. Children stuck their heads in the door and ducked back quickly, giggling, if I caught their eye. Later in the afternoon we walked down to the market area of Kenyenya. In these villages, the fresh food market is visited daily as without electricity and refrigeration, food storage is a problem. On my walk through the market I was introduced to many friends and relatives or neighbours of Nyaboke. There appears to be some relationship between anybody and everybody here.

Me in the market at a typical stall

This white bait fish stall is just one of a few in this market. I suppose clients have a favourite seller they support.

Another fish seller who wanted a photo taken

This is Helen's (in red)stall, selling sugar and cooking oil. Nyamboke is proudly using her new bag.

Walking through the market was really an eye opener realising that small amounts of tea, sugar, tomatoes for example,are purchased at one visit. Seems a long way from our shopping expeditions with a car load to unpack and a huge price to match. The daily visit, I am sure has the effect of bringing the community close together as in villages like this in many countries.
Hand shaking is a welcome hello guesture here, and many children were encouraged to meet the mzungu. Unfortunately some were rather timid and brought to tears with the encouragement by mothers' to meet me. 
Kijea wore his cap from Bathurst 1000 2013, and caused quite a stir, many friends wanted to swap but he managed to keep it.


Dinner on the first night was mashed potatoes and a savoury rice. Kijea had told his mum that I did not like ugali, made from maize flour and a staple for the Kenyans. I describe it like eating tasteless thick gluey textured porridge., used as a substitute for bread, rice, pasta in the diet.
I have found Kenyans heavy handed with salt and sugar in cooking.
Kenyan tea is an acquired taste. Made with a base of fresh milk, boiled for some time, tea leaves added( not nearly as strong as we have), some water and sugar to taste(not mine). Not sure I will get used to it as I like mine black and no sugar….

Here Nyaboke is in her kitchen, straining the 'tea' to remove tea leaves , then it is placed in a thermos for serving.
The fire in the corner of the room, no chimney, dirt floor, water in drums carried from the creek down the hill, is such a contrast to what I have to go back to in Australia.

Small portion of the property, typically with various houses scattered on it.

this is my obstacle course to the loo…. over the rail I almost did a face plant when my foot was caught.

I was asked 'would you like to wash your body'?  'That would be nice thank you .' On gathering the necessities for this activity, I was escorted down to the kitchen area and given a dish of warm water. With Nyamboke's help, then negotiated  the fence to the wash room beside the toilet… A concrete floor and a small drain hole in one corner….As it was a cold morning, the warm water was appreciated to wash away some of the local dust and freshen up after my matatu rides.

The ladies arrived to start at 9am , so I was very busy finding a place suitable in the shade.
A leaning bougainvillaea  tree, provided the necessary spot.
Having to change the recipe at the last minute I was hopeful all would be well as I headed into the unknown. Having done my calculations for the ingredients, all was well until we got to the caustic soda and water. It did not act as expected surprise, surprise. It did not heat up, so I put it on the heat provided by the charcoal stove, jiko, to get it to the oil temperature, no go. So I decided to combine the two and hope for the best. Bit more of a temperature difference than desired.

Then the fun started, I stood, stirred, whisked the mixture for about 2.5hrs. Yes you may laugh , but here Ann is helping as I was obviously fading. No stick mixers here just good hard muscle work... I had purchased plasic lunch boxes to use as moulds to set the soap in. It did get to trace so we set it aside until the next morning. I did have a little prayer that it would set.

The result of our work setting in the boxes. The sticks across are to prevent the towel ending up in the soap while it sets overnight.

The soap did set however I realised that obtaining the ingredients was a major hurdle. Nakuru only had one place where I could purchase coconut oil, and sending it just added to the costs. I realised that I would have to rethink this project. The input costs just were prohibitive to the financial success. 
Back to the drawing board. I did not want to disappoint the ladies so I must come up with something to fulfil their enthusiasm for the project.

In the afternoon Kijea and I visited some friends to say Hi and had a drink at the local. On returning home I found my way to the kitchen where a chicken was being prepared, plucked, singed over the open fire. atching it being dismembered was interesting. Nothing wasted.
First the craw was sectioned off, legs and thighs removed as with the wings.No table or bench was used , just held up. The neck was cut down the side( head still attacked) now do not get squirmy…then Mum and daughter had a tug of war with fingers in the area of the wishbone: pulling the carcass in half with all the 'guts' intact… very impressive…no blood spilt.
The 'about to be laid eggs' were removed from their sack and placed aside, the 
intestines were removed of the vital organs, the gizzard being cleaned out and washed and left whole. The remaining pieces of chicken were cut into smaller pieces and all washed thoroughly and placed in the pot for cooking. This was served with chips..All done by the light of a small kerosene lamp assisted with my headlight. I gave it to Kwamboka for which she was very happy. I also left a pair of 1.5 magnification glasses for Nyamboke. There are lots here who do not have access to basic health needs and eyes are a simple one to help with.

This view from the kitchen window summed it all up for me!

How does one answer a question of my opinion of the kitchen  to someone who uses it everyday and copes with the conditions with charm and grace but has no idea of many alternatives?

Family around the fire in the corner of the kitchen . Wood is not cut into small lengths , just fed in as it burns. I am concerned for the small boy Edward sitting so close to the fire as I can now understand why so many children suffer burns from fire or hot liquids.

My time in Kenyenya finished with a matatu ride back to Kisii and a 3 hour wait in the cloak room of the station for a matatu back to Nakuru. I will always remember the warm welcome from all and those wanting to stop and talk to me in the street.

Now for some homework for the project on soap making