Our bush camp was located on the escarpment overlooking the Masai Mara and the entire Rift Valley. We had a view of the Mara River and stayed at an eco-friendly tent camp. There was no running water or electricity but solar panels were used to charge batteries for night lighting (you can see one of the panels perched on a pole near the tent). Our showers were canvas bags filled with 40L of warm water and after a long day of dusty off road driving it was just perfect.
The tents camps were nicely secluded and each had a small covered patio with lounge chairs. Nerissa found a bed to her liking so she stretched out for a quick nap. There were no fences to keep out any wandering wildlife so after dark we had to be escorted from our tents to the dining area. That way no one could get lost or have a surprise encounter with a wild game animal. The escorts carried a crude bow and arrow for protection but it was more for show and likely to enrage any beast which was shot at. I never saw any animals at night but I could hear noises outside the tent. One evening I found this giant millipede walking near our tent entrance.
All kinds of unusual trucks navigate the rough roads and this one looked like an ex-military vehicle.
At the OGRA Foundation where I work, we have been trying to upgrade the Ombeyi medical clinic located in a village about one hour away. The first photo shows the condition when we arrived and now how it looks with a fresh coat of paint. Also, the old concrete/dirt floor was replaced with a new tile floor to keep the clinic a little cleaner. Current projects include a pharmacy reorganization, lab enhancements, improvements to the documentation and medical record system, and a staff development program.
One of my new projects is to design a marketing brochure to inform the community about our improvements which will hopefully draw more patients into the clinic. You can see a photo taken during our weekly medical education conference followed by a picture of the lab (seated is William the lab director), a typical patient room and the pharmacy shelves stocked with lots of antimalarial and HIV drugs.
The next couple of photos were taken at the OGRA Foundation offices where I am based. We hold weekly conferences with the management staff to discuss the progress we have made on our individual projects. The OGRA Foundation is the local Kenyan health agency that receives funding from Direct Relief International based in Santa Barbara, CA. For 10 years GSK has been donating HIV and malaria drugs to Direct Relief International but this year GSK increased their commitment by sending employee volunteers to help out.
These last pictures were taken in my hotel room to show the items I have recently received from family and friends. I want to thank everyone who contributed to the relief effort in an attempt to supplement my African diet. All of us are enjoying the treats from the USA and my international colleagues are amazed by your kindness and generosity. And a special thanks to Myrna for organizing the entire operation and safely getting the goods into my hands- not an easy task in Africa. Although I have lost a little weight I want to assure everyone that I am healthy and enjoying my experience. I miss everyone and I am looking forward to returning home in a little over six weeks.
Chicken update to follow on Friday...
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