A Celebration

A Celebration. 

We are often so caught up in what we do on a daily basis that we forget to take a minute to say Thank you, to tell someone that we appreciate them, to give someone the praise that they deserve for a job well done, or to extend a hand shake of gratitude for what they have given up to complete the task at hand. Today we celebrate and we say Thank you.  

On this particular day, I count my blessings, but this day is not about me. Surrounded by 200 women, and close to 100 husbands, sons, and brothers. We are celebrating the success and hard work of the women that are working with Artisans. The women that work all night to fulfill orders for people’s weddings, the women that get up even earlier than usual to prepare breakfast for their family and do other household chores so they can come work with us for the day. I am humbled to be standing next to these women, as a friend and colleague. 

Through all our work together and on days where we are gathered like this I have trouble putting into words the gratitude that I have for the sacrifices that have been made by these women. Mothers, daughters, granddaughters, and sisters sit together in solidarity. The energy pulses through them. We gather because they are strong women, women who we appreciate and respect. We sit together, we cook together, we take chai together, we dance together, we hold hands together, we celebrate together. I am honored to be part of the celebration. The celebration that is not enough for the accomplishments from the past year. 

In a reflective nature, I say Thank you to all the women that make sacrifices for their children. Your children will one day understand some, only some, of what you have done, but know that your daughters are who they are because of you. Thank you for all the women that stand up because they believe in a cause, even when odds aren’t in your favor. Your words will echo in the ears of your daughters when they too need to stand up for something they believe in. Women of Oleshebor, I have no words to express how I feel about you, I will just continue to say Thank you, Asante Sana, Ashe Oling. 

And finally.. thank you.. to my mother.. I am thinking about you today

Cheers to the New Year & thanks for the last!

Another year in Kenya has come and gone. Too many amazing things have happened to recount. During the holiday season I have had a chance reflect on all the incredible people that I have in my life and have met along my journey. I am overwhelmed with the energy that those around me bring. 

A wise man once told me that the waves in the ocean are made up of pure energy. Sometimes that energy is too much for us, and it literally rocks our bodies. Sometimes that energy is just right and we catch the perfect wave. Sometimes the energy isn’t quite enough and no matter how hard we try we just can’t catch it. As we move forward our ability to tolerate more energy...  grows.

Playa Encuentro, Caberete, Peurto Plata

This past year, the waves have been perfect, and I just can’t wait for the next. Cheers to the laughs and fun that the new year brings and to all my friends near and far. I would be lost without all of you. 

Transition in the air

Facilitation, transition has been in the air. These past few months have been a movement in a different direction. Instead of meeting with kids, skipping, holding hands, and drawing pictures in the dirt. I meet with women, women with working hands, creased smiles, and babies on their backs. Women from communities 5 hrs away and women from communities 2 hours away, distance doesn’t matter, because we are all women meeting. We are meeting to talk about the future, and partnership. We are meeting to design, to learn from eachother and to help eachother. We are meeting to work together as Artisans.

My transition into Me to We Artisans has been a welcome one. Every day I learn from women who are older and wiser than I. I went from having 1 mama to close to 600 mamas, 600 mamas who collectively work hard to provide a better future for their families through Me to We Artisans.

Me to We Artisans is an initiative that works with women from rural communities in the Maasai Mara region and Kajaido. We are able to provide a market to these women to sell their hand-crafted products that they are so skilled in making. With this initiative women are able to have a sustainable source of income, making two and a half times more than before. To learn more about Me to We Artisans check it out at http://www.metowe.com/aboutartisans

Let me tell you about some special people...

So many things have happened since I got back to Kenya in January. I have met many amazing people coming through to help work on Free the Children projects, as well as, many amazing local kids that have stolen my heart, especially from Sikirar primary school. Let me tell you about a few:

I met a boy named Jospat. Jospat is an older boy who works very hard in his studies. He has an uncle that loves his school. He loves to play soccer and throw around any ball that he can find. Jospat comes to school on Saturdays to study. He is very dedicated to his school and his studies. Sometimes on Sundays I can see him taking care of his cows. Jospat is the head boy at his school. He teaches the younger boys traditional dances during their breaks. He is a role model and will one day be a leader in his community.

Maxim is a boy that lives in Sikirar community, he is in class 5. He is a really smart boy, he loves to play soccer. He comes to school on Saturday to finish his homework. Every time I see him he says hi and is smiling.

This is Maxim....

Gracie Anne is Maxim’s sister. Many of you might know her, she is a special girl. She likes to sit with people and she likes watching people build up her school. During the day she sometimes sleeps under the trees near the school. She enjoys filling up the smaller kids bowls of clean water. She also likes to drink this water. One day she locked me in the latrine. Gracie Anne tries to communicate with people through hand gestures, she can’t speak at all.

From time to time there are people that I meet in my life that I know I won’t forget. I’m sure this is the case for many people. Most of the time when I meet people in Kenya I don’t want to forget them at all. These are examples of a few people that I know I won’t forget and whose story I promised to share.

Addicted to Surf!

It’s hard to believe Christmas has come and gone and so has 2011!! I feel like time is flashing before my eyes.

I had such an amazing time at home seeing old faces and some new ones. Canada truly is an amazing place, but I seemed to have forgotten how cold it was during the winter months, so the only solution was to take a small trip to some where hot. Costa Rica.

The sand, sun and surf in Jaco, this small surf town located on the pacific coast of Costa Rica was a vacation that I desperately needed. The atmosphere was calm and relaxed just like Kenya, no one is in a hurry. People from all over the world come to stay at School of the World. A wicked hostel like place that offers a “learning vacation” to those interested. I choose to do double surf class, but other options include yoga, photography, and Spanish classes. Any combination works. School of the World is a very short walk from the beach and really has attracted the most talented of people. From amazing graffiti artists to wicked surfers you can’t go wrong. Needless to say I think I’m addicted to surfing.

To check out School of the World http://www.schooloftheworld.org/

I was lucky enough to have two great friends in Costa Rica at the same time as me. None other than Jared and Saira. It was super nice to have some familiar faces around, since I’m more used to travelling alone. We all ate some amazing food together and spent some quality beach time, where I mostly ended up passing out from a late night or an action packed morning. Nonetheless they were amazing and it was nice to finally catch up after years of not seeing each other.

I'm itching to get back in the ocen, can't wait to find another place to enjoy the sand and surf. As much as I got beat up by the waves, it proved to be the beating that I needed. The question on my mind is where to next!?

Meet Jane

---------------------------------Jane at the Mara River------------------------------

Jane is a leader in a community that FTC works in called Emori Joi. She is a role model in her community not only for being a strong independent woman but for creating a home, 6 years in the making as an example of hard work/dedication. She is a mother, and supports her kids’ education, through the women’s groups’ she is a part of and her entrepreneurial endeavors. Not only does she participant in a woman’s group of her own but she is the chair lady of the amalgamation of all the women’s groups’ in the area. She is the leader of around 546 women. These are women who have just bought the rights to their own piece of land so that they can have a big enough space to continue to empower their children and their community around them. Jane inspires women around the globe, she has touched the hearts of many guests that have visited her home, and she is the epitome of strength and perseverance. I often look around and see the powerful women around me, but I rarely take the time to tell them how inspiring they are to me. Women like Jane are the catalysts and like the women before them they are changing the future for their daughters. Today I give a shout out to mothers, grandmothers, aunts, female sports figures like the Williams sisters, or Misty Bass, and heroin’s like Wangari Maathai. Thanks for being the catalyst!

Bogani

Luxury tents, paved paths, cottages, wine, trees, monkeys, magi moto, hash browns, hyrax, goats, guests, friends around every corner, Kevo, Mary, Issiah, Sammy, Jackson, Wilson. This is fall. Bogani has turned into an enjoyable experience. Conversations flow around the dinner table. Friends laugh, and cry about the day. A day where a chimney was built, water was collected, kids were visited, bricks were laid, Kisaruni helped us learn, and hands were held. The Mara has become more green but the heat pours in.

---------------------------------Kids from Oloonkerin Primary school----------------------------------

Bogani is a place where we host adult groups. A place that is more comfortable that allows families to reflect on the day by a fire. It is an experience that encompasses all the makings of a magical vacation but will put you to work during the day. It has been a real pleasure to host the groups I have this fall, and I’m sure the pleasure will continue.

Between this, painting has helped me pass my time. Finally being able to breakdown the inspiration I have gathered throughout the past 9 months is refreshing. Finally being able to paint at all has been a breakthrough.

I can only imagine the next few months will pass by quickly with too many memorable moments. I look forward to getting back to the snow but I can only imagine it will be short lived. Nonetheless Canada here I come, can’t wait to see you old friends and new!