Kenyan Adventure
This past June, I had the unique opportunity of traveling to Kenya with Joseph Lekuton, a Maasai and native Kenyan, and member of the Kenyan Parliament. As one of a group of approximately 70 people, consisting of travelers as young as 3 and as old as 68, we spent our days seeing a Kenya that, I would like to believe, most visitors do not often see. This amazing opportunity consisted of driving many, many miles on Kenya’s bumpy dirt roads to reach our destinations which included Maasai Mara, Amboseli National Park, Tsavo West, Mombasa, Mt. Kenya, as well as many Maasai and Samburu villages. We spent 2 days living atop “The Hill” (land given to Joseph by his village Elders) in dung huts built especially for us.
Kenya is a country of many diverse climates and scenery, lending itself to a photographic journal that is truly remarkable. Many mornings and evenings were spent on game drives. As we drove around in our raised-roofed vans, we were able to see African animals up close and personal. Since game hunts have been outlawed in Kenya, the animals have adapted and are use to human presence in their territory, allowing us to view them at a close range. But don’t be fooled. Survival of the fittest still reigns and we were fortunate to witness a cheetah killing a gazelle…a true display of nature. I saw a total of over 50 species of animals ranging from termites to the mighty Simba.
However, the highlight of the trip was spent visiting Maasai and Samburu villages and schools. Everyone had brought donations to give to schools, hospitals, and families in need. In Kenya, poverty is rampant. Many of the children we met walk miles to get to school and often go without eating. They often own only one shirt and pants, and no shoes. The Maasai and Samburu people are very friendly and extremely welcoming. They appreciate and value our donations of school supplies, medicine and every day items. Due to the devastating drought, many of their livestock have died. Joseph’s mother, had 356 cows last year, but now had only 36 when we visited her village. To read more on this subject, please go to www.cowsforkids.org. Although we were not able to purchase cows during July, due to drought, we have been assured that cows will be purchased just as soon as adequate rainfall begins allowing sustenance of the herds. We hope this will occur in the Fall of 2006 and we have been assured that our donations will be honored.
This opportunity was made possible by grants from the Nancy Millstein Fund for Teacher Endowment and the Peter L. and Friends fund
Diana Pankowski, Grade 3 Teacher
Click on the links below to view Powerpoint Presentation.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4