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Glimpses from our 2010 Project Voyage to Kenya — Visit to the AIDS Orphan Project in Baharini
Office of Foerderkreis Kenia Freudenstadt e.V., Germany. Updated version. Original English version first published September 05, 2010. Page 3/6.
After our visit to the Tana River region, we stopped by at the next project supported by our society: the Catholic sisters AIDS orphan project in Baharini, a village at the shore of the Indian Ocean.
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Our society members had supper with the Catholic sisters (AIDS orphan project in Baharini).
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Another snapshot taken during supper.
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Tuesday, 02/09/2010: Mpeketoni, Baharini
After having had breakfast with both the sisters and a priest who was also present, Sister Josephine, the director, showed us their school. Given that there is no mains supply in Baharini, we were especially impressed and surprised by their school's computer network, which comprises a total of 20 personal computers. Sister Josephine explained that the electricity is produced by a Diesel generator when needed.
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This society member is signing the visitors' book of the Catholic sisters.
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After this presentation we were requested to come to the church's convention hall. Cooperating with the sisters, our society is supporting AIDS orphans in Baharini. In the convention hall, these orphans and their school pals came together to entertain us with songs, dancing, lyrics, and riddles.
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Visit to a girls-only secondary school that is part of the AIDS orphan project in Baharini.
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During a late Christmas celebration, the students supported by the AIDS orphan project received school bags.
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Distribution of gifts.
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These students are checking out their new bags.
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All classes were equally treated, receiving the same bags.
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In the afternoon, the nuns fulfilled a special wish of our board member in giving us a ride to Lake Kenyatta — something all of us enjoyed. Far away from major tourist sites, the lake is part of a nature protection zone, housing a sizable family of hippos. The sisters actually led us to vantage point from which we could spot these peaceful creatures.
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This society member, and several AIDS orphans cared for in Baharini, were playing a game that is well known throughout East Africa.
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Wednesday, 02/10/2010: AIDS orphans in Mpeketoni
On Wednesday, the sisters and we visited two AIDS orphan families. Both families had a lot in common: several children but no remaining parent who would care for their kids — because father and mother alike had died of the HI virus. For this reason, the oldest kids had to take over providing for their brothers and sisters. Despite their age, their grandmothers tried their best in helping bring up their grandchildren. Under these circumstances, one grandmother had started anew with a job in order to earn some money for her family. The other grandmother, already in her eighties and suffering from dementia, was herself dependent on aid.
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Family of AIDS orphans whose parents died (persons in first row and the 17 year old man standing on the right who provides for his brothers and sisters, including his older sister who is seated in the front row). Two neighbors came by for a visit (rear row).
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Our group from Freudenstadt had already visited the second family four years ago.
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Family home of the AIDS orphans.
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Seeing them again, we were shocked to learn that out of eleven children we met then only seven were still alive. The other children had fallen victim to the inexorable virus and other diseases.
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Visit to a joint kitchen-and-barn building used by the AIDS orphans.
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In this environment, the oldest son, now just seventeen years old and equally ill, has only a narrow chance of survival — despite any support from the sisters. Sister Susan who is responsible for the dispensary explained that the diet was too one-sided in this territory, often causing medication to miss its intended effect. Having handed over some basic food supplies we moved on — shocked, shaken, and helpless.
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Cot-like building wing used for keeping livestock.
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Kitchen wing of the building.
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Toilet hut of the AIDS orphan family.
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Continuing our journey in a Matatu, a small transporter-like taxi common throughout Kenya, Sister Susan and Sister Josephine accompanied us until we reached the coastal village of Mokowe where we bid them farewell in order to be carried over to Lamu Island.
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In the vicinity of Baharini, we saw this sturdy Baobab tree, a plant that for many characterizes East Africa (botanical name: Adansonia digitata; native speakers of Swahili know this tree under the name of Mbuyu).
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