Karibu Kisumu!

Posted by: Jane Body

I am writing this at the end of my first full week here in Kisumu at the Akili Preparatory School. The word Karibu, which means welcome, has been following me around and what a welcome it has been! I am simply awestruck by the beauty surrounding the Obambo campus. The air is fresh and it is peaceful and quiet. What a beautiful environment for the girls. ​

On my first day here there was a local company searching for underground water, something a previous company had not been able to do. We got word later in the day that water had been found! The challenge now was to secure funding to drill and lay a pipe to the underground tanks. Once this is done the Akili girls will have access to almost double the water they have now.

After spending so many months preparing for this trip and learning about Akili from afar it feels wonderful to finally be here and see all of the sustainable projects in action. The Obambo campus now boasts a poultry project, a posho mill and 200 new mango, orange, avocado, lemon and papaya trees all recently planted by the girls. The commitment to self sustenance is amazing and I very much look forward to seeing it progress over the years.

David and Erick, Akili's founders, hope to set up an environmental club for the girls so they can learn how to care for the new trees, their environment and share these skills with their communities. Just one of the small actions that make Akili Preparatory School a success.

What I have absolutely loved in my first week here is seeing how happy, bright and joyful the girls are; always up for a dance party in their free time and never too shy to tell me what they have been learning in class. Some favourite subjects are English, Math and Swahili. 

Over the next few weeks I plan to shadow Dennis, the farm manager, and see how he runs the sustainable farm over in Obunga. Together we will be looking at ways to record how much the farm is producing so that predictions for an expansion can be made.

Now time to join the girls as they finish classes for the day!

Thanks for reading!
Jane Body - Mama Hope Global Advocate