Back to Nyanza – The first two days

On Tuesday, I left Nairobi at 7 am by Easy Coach and actually really enjoyed the rather long bus ride through the stunning Rift Valley up to lake Victoria. There is nothing as calm as a green tea field. And there is nothing as bustling as all those small markets along the main road. I reach Kisumu in the early afternoon and transfer immediately to the hotel where I take a rest before meeting OGRA’s Dr. Obewa again. The meeting is efficient and fruitful, we agree on meeting for a second time next week in order to draft our cooperation. The next morning, William (our project-coordinator) and I leave Kisumu around 8 in the morning and pick up Philip (the secretary of our Usigu committee) on the way. Together we visit two boys’ secondary schools in Usigu division. Both schools are performing really well, are well kept and undergo promising developments. Both are benefitting from a project called ecosan. Biogas tanks will help reduce the amount of firewood used in the kitchen and will hence help cutting down on CO2 emissions. Both schools are very cooperative and interested in strengthening the cooperation with TaC. Our two students are doing well and aiming high. In the late afternoon we reach Bondo, where we will stay overnight. But before we can think of resting, my two fellow volunteers have to undergo a rather rough session in computer training. They have both received new netbooks and need to get more familiar with the programmes and things like e-mail and internet. Sunset marks the end of the lesson and we all happily devour our dinner in the pension’s restaurant. Let’s call it a day? Alas, not quite. I sit on my bed for another three hours to write down the data gathered today and ... well: keep my blog going.